Vol. 2 Issue 26 10.00 24 Pages RNI Reg. No.: PUNMUL/2012/45041 Postal Reg. No. PB/JL-047/2013-15
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Return Of Taliban
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Post Rescue, Quick Rehabilitation a Priority Over 100,000 rescued, 1,800 still stranded New Pakistan panel to probe Musharrafs emergency rule
BCCI awards Rs.1 crore to each member of victorious Indian team
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OPINION
EDITORIAL DESK
Manu Sharma
been not been informed about the key axes of efforts and the kind of deployment needed. Further to that uncoordinated relief efforts and transport issues are complicating things for those on ground. If that was not enough the political leadership is unable to leave its internal bickering behind. The ugly scenes of fisticuff between INC and TDP at Jolly Grant airport Dehradun were a huge contrast to the poignant unloading of the bodies of the ill-fated Mil Mi 17s crew. Governance, discipline and compassion should replace name calling, bickering and politicking in times of disaster.
Brazil Protests
In a spring that came two summers late, citizens of Brazil are up in arms against the proposed transport fare hikes by state and federal governments. At a time when gentle giant of South America is preparing to host mega sporting events in near future, such mass scale civic unrest has raised important questions. It is pertinent to note that corruption, inflation and mis-governance are the issues that people are up against and one cannot deny the presence of the same in India, a fellow BRICS nation. Brazil has committed upwards of US $ 25 billion towards construc-
Disasters are irreverent towards human capabilities. Mightiest of countries can be brought down to their knees by an ill-timed devious act of nature. Hurricane Katrina wreaked havoc in Southern USA and killed upwards of 1800 people due to a massive failure of surge protection measures. Mishaps are tough to model for and ensure protection against. Therefore resource intensity or technological capabilities can at best prove to be mitigating factors in disaster zone and not remedial measures. In this context it is pertinent to observe the poor disaster management
tion of sporting facilities for Soccer World Cup and the Rio Olympics. To balance out its budget, a carryover from 1980s crisis, Brazil has steadily diverted revenues towards its expenses while cutting down on subsidies. Upto 36% of Brazils GDP stands taxed by a combination of municipal, provincial and federal taxes. Despite high taxation rates that expenditures of tax paying public stand unsubsidized. As per Paulistas (residents of Sao Paulo) transport budgets constitute a higher percentage of their monthly expenditures when compared to their global peers in
Hong Kong or London. It is perhaps no surprise that the recent growth episode in BRICS nations is giving way to less stellar economic expansion. The reasons for the same range from poor governance, internal political structures, global pressures and structural faults in economies. The key takeaway for large developing nations across the world is that democracy, market driven economics and freedom of speech do not guarantee stability of regimes unless the system delivers on its promises. Brazil is speaking out loud, the world should be listening.
In a dark and dingy room, the only thing visible is the blue flickering light from a television set as a dozenodd boys, teens and below, watch with eyes riveted on the screen. Ohs and ahs are heard on occasion. At first it seems they are watching a Hindi film, but a closer look reveals they are hooked on to a porn movie. The boys are runaways or vagabonds who beg at many of Delhis crossroads or are rag-pickers. According to child activists and NGOs working with these children, most of them are hooked to either porn movies or video games and spend most of their earnings on them, on occasions forgetting to eat. I can sit for hours playing video games or watching movies. I spend Rs.50 or more on them. So I have stopped eating from outside and survive on tea and beedis, Vishal Kushwaha, a rag picker, told. The 17-year-old rag-picker makes Rs.150 to Rs.200 a day. We watch the movies in a tea stall which has television sets and DVD players, said Kushwaha, who along with a dozen teenagers regularly watches porn in Sarai Kale Khan in south Delhi. Showing no embarrassment while talking about his addiction, Kushwaha said that every night he watches at least two or three porn movies. But this is not the story of just one child. According to Childhood Enhancement Through Training and Action (CHETNA), hundreds of children have admitted spending more money on watching pornography and playing video games. Take 13-year-old Ankit for example. He was introduced to the world of adult films at the age of 10 by a boy who was two years his senior. My friend introduced me to this; now once a week I watch porn clips.
For downloading the clips to our mobile phone, we have to spend around Rs. 80. For us, food is not so important, Ankit told. The capitals homeless are roughly estimated to be around 150,000, of whom 50,000 are children, according to social activists. Usha Justa, a volunteer with CHETNA, said innumerable tea shops turn into porn parlours at night. They loot money from these kids. They show them hardcore porn. These children get totally addicted to it, she said. Such activities happen under the very nose of the police, she added. Most of the children spoke to said policemen are bribed to look the other way. The policemen dont disturb us. They know what we are doing. But as they get money from the owner, they dont bother us, said another teenager, who refused to identify himself. Justa also said that apart from watching extreme pornography, the children also spend money on video games. Busy chasing a blue car on the screen, 14-year-old Aman said: Life on the streets is better than the one I had at home. I ran away as my stepfather used to beat me. What we earn, we spend, added his friend Rupesh, 15. It is also better to spend whatever we earn in a day. Older boys or men sometimes rob us, he added. Both of them grudgingly accepted that they are vulnerable on the mean and dangerous streets of the national capital. Yes, it is true it is an unpredictable life. But here no one can tell us what to do or what not to do. We live life on our own terms, said Rupesh, who ran away from home as he was nagged by his parents to study. Nikhil Raheja, a psychiatrist at the
National Institute of Psychiatry, said addiction to pornography and video games among adolescents is highly dangerous. Porn clips and video games fixate their brain, drive them to a compulsion to watch and play more of them. Many video games have violent elements and would increase the sense of violence. Watching porn movies is likely to force kids to engage in risky behaviour and have sex at a younger age, Raheja told. Social activists allege police fail to take action against porn video hubs that are abundant in east Delhi (Nand Nagri and Sundar Nagri) and south Delhi (Sarai Kale Khan and Hazrat Nizamuddin). Counselling children, most of the time, doesnt serve the purpose. Children get back to the habit. There are nearly 20,000 illegal video and porn movie parlours in Delhi, which take at least Rs. 60 a day from each kid. The police are inactive. A crackdown on such illegal parlours is the need of the hour, CHETNA director Sanjay Gupta told. A senior police officer, however, brushed aside the charges. We have cracked down on such parlours. In fact, we have filed cases against four mobile phone shop owners near Uttam Nagar for selling porn video clips in 2GB pen drives to children. They charged Rs.80-100 for clips. We take action whenever we get information, the officer said on condition of anonymity. Gupta said many of the adolescent children display abnormal behaviour when volunteers interact with them. It is difficult to reason with these children. By the time we are able to make any inroads, they either fall seriously ill as they dont eat proper food or meet a violent end. Its a sad life. We feel helpless, Gupta added.
Delays and bureaucratic rigmaroles have again exposed Himachal Pradeshs lack of preparedness to a natural disaster, say experts. Even 10 days after unprecedented rains and landslides ravaged the states most fragile and eco-sensitive Kinnaur district, normal life is yet to return to normalcy. The flash floods have killed 20 people, displaced hundreds and damaged more than 300 houses. The disaster has exposed the poor disaster response -- rescue, relief distribution, rehabilitation and reconstruction of affected areas, said an official involved in rescue and rehabilitation operations. There was no early warning system. Worse, there was total chaos in taking post-disaster initiatives, officials said. The entire road and communication network has been wiped out in just two days (June 16-18). Over 1,200 tourists holidaying in the district remained stranded for days. Nobody was there to help them out, admitted an official who didnt wish to be identified. Official sources said some 200 people, mainly locals, were awaiting helicopters to rescue them. Several shortcomings surfaced during the crisis. There was total lack of coordination among agencies involved in relief and rescue operations. No nodal officer was appointed at the state level to coordinate and monitor the operations, said an official. Second, he said, there was no mechanism for reaching out to the affected people in the shortest possible time. Third, no helpline service was set up to provide information regarding post-disaster actions. Fourth, no senior official in the state headquarters was assigned to brief the media about day-to-day rescue and relief efforts. The state has no special chopper to handle emergency. The chief
Vishal Gulati
Tailpiece
A friend described landlords as greedy, blood-sucking vultures, causing me to immediately make a note for the Mixed Metaphor Police. I pointed out that he himself was a landlord. Exactly, he said. Thats how I know. Like every decent human being, I think being a landlord is a crime which should be punishable by death. So I was delighted to hear that these moneygrubbers are being bypassed by one particular profession: thieves. An increasing number of burglars are offering steal-to-order services, cutting out storage costs. I learned this from a Tokyo-based business executive who was clearly impressed by the thieves professionalism, momentarily forgetting, as business executives do, about the troublesome existence of the law, morality, and the like. He sent me a cutting about a Tokyo thief who specialized in breaking into peoples backyards and taking photos of sports bicycles. The thief posted the pictures on internet sales sites. Whenever a buyer offered a good price, he would steal-it-toorder. After a long period of success, he was caught last week when he took so many bikes from a single victim that a detective was assigned to the case. The cop did an internet search to see if the bikes were for sale -and was astonished to find theyd all been advertized and sold BEFORE being stolen.
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way in Nowgam village. The villagers gave us shelter for seven days but when all their firewood was exhausted because of the large number of stranded passengers, they tore down the wooden ceiling of their rooms to light fires to cook food and keep us warm. That is an experience I would never be able to forget. It snowed for five days and the level of accumulated snow rose to the first floor of the house in which I was sheltered, Muhammad recalled. Rightly then, did Sonia Gandhi tell Kashmiris on the inaugural run of the 8-coach train that it would now run five times across the Pir Panjal Mountain even during the heaviest snowfall on the mountain top. That experience is now a thing of the past, Muhammad added. The visit of the prime minister and the Congress president, which remained mostly focused on the developmental agenda, also witnessed many other landmarks in that direction. Kashmir has become the first state in the country to get lavish financial assistance of Rs.710 crore for land compensation under the Pradan Mantri Gram Sadak Yojna (PMGSY). Till now, the ambitious rural road laying flagship programme had no provision for land compensation anywhere. The prime minister also laid the foundation of a 850 MW hydro power project on the Chenab river in the Kishtwar district of the Jammu region. The project is being constructed by a private firm that competed through a global tender. It is being built at a cost of Rs.5,517 crores on the BOOT (Build, Own, Operate, Transfer) pattern. Manmohan Singh also announced an additional 150 MW of power to the state daily that would help tide over the electricity crisis to some extent. The prime minister and the Congress president started their visit to the Valley from the armys base hospital in the Badami Bagh cantonment area of summer capital Srinagar, where the troops injured in a deadly guerrilla ambush on Monday are being treated. Eight soldiers were killed in the ambush. The country would not allow the nefarious designs of the terrorists to succeed. I salute the morale and the bravery of our jawans. The country is united to defeat the designs of the
terrorists, Manmohan Singh told the people during a public rally. Besides co-chairing a meeting of the states council of ministers to review the implementation of the Rs.37,000 crore prime ministers reconstruction package for the state, Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi met a number of delegations of political parties, social organizations and representatives from the local trade and industry in Srinagar. For the Kashmiri separatist leaders, the prime ministers message was curt and clear. Our doors are always open for those who abjure violence and want to work for peace and de-
velopment in the state,. This has fallen short of the expectations of some separatists, who believed the prime minister would invite them for a dialogue. In a nutshell, the visit has sent out a clear message: The sky is the limit for New Delhi when it comes to development, employment and prosperity of the people of Jammu and Kashmir. But, if anybody expected Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi to step outside protocol to meet any separatist leader, they wouldnt do so as the country gears up for the 2014 Lok Sabha elections. - Sheikh Qayoom
NATIONAL NEWS
PM opens rail link, Sonia says Kashmiris want peace
ing marvel, but an all weather link between the valley and the rest of Jammu and Kashmir. This will usher in a new era in the development of the state, providing welfare and employment to the people here. The rail bridge between Udhampur and Banihal -- the train runs through the Pir Panjal mountain range -- is the highest in the world. The tunnel was built at a cost of Rs.1,300 crores. An eight-coach train will operate on the route from June 27. The link cuts the distance between Qazigund and Banihal towns by 18 km. I want to assure the people of Jammu and Kashmir that (my) government will extend all possible support for the development of the people here, the prime minister said. As he spoke in Urdu, Manmohan Singh struck a chord with the people at the rally. He was cheered each time he spoke about ushering development in the state. Congress president Sonia Gandhi told the rally that the people of Jammu and Kashmir are fed up with violence. They want peace and development... I know very well that painful incidents happen here occasionally but our democracy has enough scope to sort out issues through dialogue and negotiations. The inauguration of the rail link and the public rally marked the end of their visit to Jammu and Kashmir during which Manmohan Singh laid the foundation of a hydro-electric project on the Chenab river in Jammu region and took part in two events in the Kashmir Valley. Srinagar, the summer capital of the state and the urban hub of the separatist campaign, remained tense for a second straight day Wednesday as security forces enforced restrictions for VVIP protection. Motorists mostly stayed off the roads while people preferred to stay indoors. And although Srinagar was calm, militants shot dead a businessman turned politician in the northern town of Sopore Wednesday. Kifayat Hussain was killed from close range when he was talking on the telephone near a petrol pump. He had contested the 2008 assembly elections from Sopore. On Monday, two guerrillas sneaked out of a lane to carry out a deadly ambush of an army convoy in Srinagar, killing eight soldiers and wounding over a dozen. On Tuesday, Manmohan Singh and Gandhi also called on the wounded soldiers at a military base. The prime minister wished them speedy recovery. Later, he told a meeting that terrorism would never succeed in Kashmir and that India was united in the war IANS against terror.
Banihal Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday opened Indias longest rail tunnel in Kashmir to provide a key link between the Kashmir Valley and Jammu region, even as UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi said that Kashmiris were fed up with violence. Hours before ending a two-day visit to the troubled state, Manmohan Singh rode with school children on the inaugural run of the train through the 10.96-km-long tunnel to link Qazigund town in the valley with Banihal in Jammu region. The prime minister warmly shook hands with the overjoyed children and sat with them as the diesel train made its way from Banihal through the winding tunnel, an engineering marvel that took seven years to come up in a mountainous region. Chief Minister Omar Abdullah and central Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, a former chief minister, were with the prime minister in the train. After reaching Qazigund, Manmohan Singh went back on the same train to Banihal where he told a meeting attended by hundreds of people that the new train link will boost Jammu and Kashmirs economic development. Today, we are dedicating a marvellous and wonderful feat of engineering crafted across the Himalayas, he said. This is not just an engineer-
Srinagar The annual pilgrimage to the Amarnath cave in the Kashmir Valley started on schedule Friday morning despite inclement weather along both northern and southern routes leading to the shrine. About 7,000 pilgrims were allowed from the Nunwan base camp (in Pahalgam) to proceed towards the holy cave while an equal number of people left the Baltal base camp (in Ganderbal) for the shrine today (Friday), marking the beginning of this years annual yatra, official sources here said. This year 600,000 pilgrims have registered themselves for the yatra. Authorities have made it clear that no unregistered person will be permitted to undertake the journey that passes through some of the most treacherous mountain routes in Kashmir Himalayas. Four thousand unregistered yatris were turned back by us from Manigam transit camp this (Friday) morning, said Shahid Mehraj, Ganderbals superintendent of police. A three-tier ring of security manned by the army, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the state police has been laid around the two base camps and the three transit camps. Besides, heavy deployment of security force has also been made
along the highways used by the pilgrims to reach the transit and the base camps. Some media reports quoting the army and some intelligence agencies have said that the separatist guerrillas have plans to attack the pilgrims. Though Chief Minister Omar Abdullah dispelled these reports as alarmist, the forces have been instructed to take no chances with the security arrangements and safety of the pilgrims. Dedicated to the Hindu god Lord Shiva, the Amarnath cave shrine is located at 13,000 feet above the sea level. The distance from north Kashmirs Baltal base camp to the cave shrine is around 14 km and the pilgrims are able to return after Darshan the same day. However, the traditional south Kashmir route from Nunwan base camp to the cave is 45 km passing through Chandanwari, Sheshnag and Panchtarni halting stations. The one-way journey to the shrine on this route takes three days. Jammu and Kashmir Governor N.N. Vohra, who is also the chairman of the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) that manages the affairs of the nearly two-month long pilgrimage, will visit the base camps of Baltal and Nunwan to take stock of the arrangements, an SASB official said.
New Delhi Petrol prices went up by Rs.1.82 per litre, excluding taxes, from midnight Friday due to the fall in the value of the rupee and hardening of crude prices in international market, staterun Indian Oil Corporation (IOC) said. Since the last price change, the downwards slide of rupee has continued and USD-INR exchange rate has deteriorated to Rs.58.94 per the US dollar during the fortnight. Further, international MS prices have also increased since the last price change, the countrys largest oil marketing firm said. This is the third increase in petrol prices this month. The fuel price was
hiked by Rs.0.75 per litre June 1, and Rs.2 per litre June 15. Allowing for local taxes, the new price of petrol per litre will be Rs.68.58 in Delhi, Rs.76.10 in Kolkata, Rs.76.90 in Mumbai and Rs.71.71 in Chennai. According to IOC, the depreciating rupee coupled with high international MS (motor spirit) prices have also resulted in the rise of under-recoveries incurred on the sale of sensitive products like diesel, LPG (liquefied petroleum gas) and kerosene. Estimated under-recovery of the corporation (IOC) on sale of these three sensitive products is expected to be around Rs.63,000 crore for the IANS fiscal 2013-14, it added.
NATIONAL NEWS
Uttarakhand rescue mission hit by rain, IAF chopper crash kills 20
Dehradun Heavy rains hit operations to evacuate thousands of people still stranded in the hills of Uttarakhand as most helicopters could not operate, while 20 people were killed as an IAF Mi17 crashed while returning from a rescue mission, officials said. The state government has put the death toll in the flood disaster at 845 and said it could climb further. With more rain and rising fog across the valley and the hills, operations slowed down, leaving more than 7,500 people still stranded on the Badrinath route. Returning from a rescue mission from Guptkashi and Kedarnath, a newly-acquired IAF Mi-17 V5 helicopter crashed north of Gaurikund. While National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) vice chief M. Shashidhar Reddy put the toll at 20, the IAF said that eight people, including five crew members, were killed. Eleven bodies have been recovered, an IAF source said. The search for survivors had to be called off after it grew dark. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh expressed shock over the accident while commending the armed forces for their selfless work in saving lives. While Indian Air Force (IAF) and army officials maintained that the rescue operations would continue, they admitted that the operations had taken a brief hit and added that they were now being extra cautious and not over zealous. All efforts are being done to pull out the trapped people but we will now take weather conditions and warnings more seriously, an army officer told. The NDMA declared Uttarakhand devastation a severe natural disaster and requested leaders not to politicise the issue. It also said it
Jaipur The Rajasthan government will launch a new scheme next month under which it will bear all the expenses of boarding and lodging for senior citizens going to selected pilgrimage destinations. The governments Devasthan department will implement the scheme, according to an official statement released here Tuesday. The whole journey will last for about a week. The government will spend a sum of Rs.1,700 per person during the journey under the scheme. For undertaking the journey senior citizens can apply for the free pilgrimage scheme through the Devasthan department or through the district administration. The government will make all arrangements for their boarding and lodging, a statement said. The benefit of this scheme would be given to those senior citizens who dont have the financial means to undertake religious journey. The expenses for the entire journey would be borne by the government and those undertaking the journey would also be looked after by the authorities, it said. Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot had announced the scheme in the state budget for financial year 2013-14 presented recently. The Devasthan department that manages and controls religious and charitable institutions and temples recently signed an agreement with the Indian Railway Catering and Tourism Corporation (IRCTC) for help in the smooth implementation of the scheme. According to the department, every pilgrimage train will carry about 1,000 senior citizens. If the number of applications is more, the pilgrims will be selected through a lottery. Arrangements will be made for transporting the pilgrims from the station to the pilgrimage site. There will be one support person in every bogey to help the pilgrims during the train journey, it said Eleven pilgrimage sites have been included in the scheme. The special pilgrimage train will start from each divisional headquarter.
IANS
would send a team to locate bodies under the debris. Due to severe rains in Dehradun, many helicopters like the Mi-17 with higher passenger capacity were mostly grounded at the Jolly Grant airport while smaller choppers which tried to fly had to return to their bases at Joshimath and Harshil. Fog prevented rescue sorties around Devprayag, where a cloudburst in Dubh Mamora village left two people dead and three missing and washed away several houses, while bad weather hit chopper missions at Jangalchatti, Guptkashi, and Gauchar. Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna told that while weather had hit the rescue operations, he requested people not to lose hope. We will reach every person who is stranded, it is just that weather is hampering the rescue efforts, he added, contending that the number of people to be rescued was well under 5,000. Officials also added that the mass
funeral proposed for the people who died in Kedarnath premises and whose bodies are decomposing there was also aborted due to the rains. The NDMA also said that around 125 bodies were recovered from the flood-devastated Kedarnath area, while many more could be buried under the debris. Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel, undertaking rescue operations there, said the decomposing human and animal corpses are posing a health hazard. Personnel of the Armed Forces Medical Services are working in the state with 29 teams deployed around Kedarnath while an emergency centre has been set up at Joshimath, an official release said. In New Delhi, the NDMA vice chairman said MPs from all states could each contribute Rs.50 lakh from their funds for the relief work. Despite doing politics over the calamity, all the leaders and MPs should contribute as they can donate Rs.50 lakh from their funds in
a national level disaster, Shashidhar Reddy said. He said the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) would send a team to the state for locating bodies under the debris. The ITBP raised concerns about decaying corpses. The corpses are eight to nine days old. They are rotting. It is difficult to operate in that area due to the strong stench, said an ITBP spokesman. An aid worker meanwhile called the situation in Uttarakhand a mess as vast stretches of roads have disappeared and transporting relief to some of the worst-hit areas was near impossible. It is a mess right now. It is a complete mess, despaired a spokesperson for ActionAid, which has relief workers in Chamoli, Rudraprayag and Pithoragarh districts. She told that renewed rains and landslides have made it difficult to reach the areas cut off since the cloudburst and terrible flooding of over 10 days ago. IANS
benefit the citizens, 24X7 national call centre support in 17 languages, complete digitization and processing of application when applicant visits the reducing the overall time spent and eliminating multiple visits, said the statement. More than one crore passport services have been rendered in the new system. IANS
New Delhi Ahead of the inaugural meeting of the Pak-India Joint Business Council, Pakistani High Commissioner Salman Bashir held talks with the CII office bearers on prospects of bilateral economic cooperation. Bashir held extensive and useful exchange of views with the office bearers of the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) on prospects of economic and trade corporation between Pakistan and India, said a Pakistan High Commission statement here. The inaugural meeting of the PakIndia Joint Business Council will be held in Islamabad June 29. The meeting will be hosted by Pakistan Business Council. An Indian Corporate CEOs delegation will participate in the meeting. Meeting was attended by among others, S. Gopalakrishnan, president, CII & co-founder, Chandrajit Banerjee, director general, CII, Rakesh Bharti Mittal, vice chairman and managing director, Bharti Enterprise Ltd., and S.G.K. Mohan, senior vice president ONGC Videsh Ltd., the statement said.
IANS
INTERNATIONAL
Berlin A 57-year-old truck driver in Germany has confessed he is the mysterious expressway sniper responsible for shooting at at least 762 other road users, police said. The Federal Criminal Police (or BKA) said the suspect, known as Michael K, worked as a truck driver in Eifel region in southwest Germany, Xinhua reported. He was allegedly involved in weird serial shootings while driving his truck since 2008, which caused panic on roads across Germany, police said. A number of firearms of different calibres and 1,300 rounds of ammunition were found in his home during the raid. The man has confessed to the shootings, federal police president Joerg Ziercke said, calling the case unique in criminal history. Despite the high number of shootings, the incidents resulted in no deaths. Two women drivers were seriously wounded, including one who
tics, media, cinema, business, and diplomacy were also present on this occasion. I hope that this Earth Anthem inspires UNESCO or the United Nations to come up with a Global Earth Anthem Challenge and official Earth Anthem for our home planet earth, said Abhay K. Speaking on this occasion, the UNESCO representative to Nepal Alex Plathe appreciated the fact that the Earth Anthem comprises six lan-
guages including Hindi and Nepali. This is an excellent sign of using global languages (for an Earth Anthem). I hope that your wish (of an official Earth Anthem) is realised. It is a complicated process and my office will communicate it to UNESCO. I hope that the United Nations and my organisation take up this idea further and this becomes a global initiative, the UNESCO representative said.
IANS
London An Indian man in Britain has been sentenced to life in prison for murdering his British wife last year. The Stafford Crown Court sentenced Devendra Singh, 33, to life in prison with no parole eligibility for 16 years for bludgeoning to death Charlotte Smith, 41, with a two-kg ornamental elephant in their home at Laddeege, near Leek, Staffordshire, Sep 3 last year, according to
fortable surface for walking, the IAA said. Some of the stones are badly worn out, which indicates that the road was extensively used and over the years also underwent a series of repairs, it said. The Romans ruled the Mediterranean and parts of Europe from the first century B.C. until the fall of the empire in 476 A.D. They crisscrossed their empire with roads, which had a great importance in serving the government, military, economy and public by providing an efficient and safe means of passage. The construction and maintenance of roads was assigned to military units, but civilians also participated in the work as part of the compulsory labour imposed on them by the authorities, Yeger said. IANS
gerous hydrofluorocarbons, and we intend to take more steps together in the months to come. India and the US Monday agreed to set up a new working group that would find ways to address the urgency of climate change. The US president said his administration will redouble efforts to engage our international partners in reaching a new global agreement to reduce carbon pollution through concrete action. Four years ago, in Copenhagen, participating countries agreed, for the first time, to limit carbon pollution by 2020. Two years ago, it was decided to forge a new agreement beyond 2020 that would apply to all countries, not just developed countries. What we need is an agreement thats ambitious -- because thats what the scale of the challenge demands. We need an inclusive agree-
ment -- because every country has to play its part. And we need an agreement thats flexible -- because different nations have different needs. And if we can come together and get this right, we can define a sustainable future for your generation. On the domestic front, Obama said the US must use less dirty energy, waste less, transit to cleaner sources and lead the world by the power of our example. The world still looks for the United States to lead, he said, noting that the US is the worlds largest economy and the second-largest carbon emitter. And as a country with unsurpassed ability to drive innovation and scientific breakthroughs, Weve got a unique responsibility... a vital role to play. Weve mobilized billions of dollars in private capital for clean energy projects around the world, he IANS added.
INTERNATIONAL
tain the physical and mental rehabilitation, justice and compensation to which they are entitled. Torture unfortunately continues to be practiced in many countries, made possible by the dehumanization of the victim, torturer and society at large, said Claudio Grossman, Chair of the Committee against Torture, which last November issued a landmark definition on the right to reparation for victims. In a news release issued by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR), he was supported by the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture, the Special Rapporteur on Torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, the Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence, as well as the Board of Trustees of the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture. The release points out that victims have the enforceable right to reparation that includes fair and adequate compensation and access to as full rehabilitation as possible. States must also ensure victims are not exposed to further risk of ill-treatment and ensure violations are investigated and punished. The Committees stance was reinforced in March by a Human Rights Council resolution that called on States to not only provide redress for victims of torture but to ensure they are fully involved in the process to help them rebuild their lives and reintegrate into society. A victim-centred approach requires individual assessment of the victims needs and treatment that goes beyond the short term, said Special Rapporteur on torture Juan E. Mndez, adding that a holistic approach is crucial to ensure professionals work with, rather than on, a person who has been tortured. Another key duty on States, the experts stress in the news release, is to tackle impunity and strengthen judicial proceedings to prevent torture from continuing. Effective redress is not possible without States addressing impunity, said Pablo de Greiff, Special Rapporteur on the promotion of truth, justice, reparation and guarantees of non-recurrence. In addition to receiving reparation, it is crucial for victims to be involved in truth-seeking exercises, and in judicial processes to ensure effective and impartial investigations, prosecutions and judgements that reflect the gravity of the offence. It is also central for societies to put institutions and mechanisms in place to prevent future violations, he said. Rehabilitation of victims is key not only for the individuals affected but for society as a whole, according to Malcolm Evans, Chair of the Subcommittee on the Prevention of Torture which conducts field visits to places of detention. Wherever and whenever torture and ill-treatment occur, a meaningful prevention implies prevention for the victims and their relatives. Our committee has learned from direct experience the central role that rehabilitation occupies in the cycle of prevention, he said. The focus on a victim-oriented approach also highlights the need for properly resourced rehabilitation centres, the experts say. Every year, the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture supports hundreds of such centres to give humanitarian, medical and legal assistance to victims and their relatives. According to the news release, it is estimated that the Fund assists annually between 50,000 to 70,000 victims and their relatives. The Fund, which relies on voluntary contributions from governments, the private sector and individuals, has seen its donations drop to $8.4 million in 2012 a 30 per cent decrease since 2008. Its donor base has also shrunk from 38 donors in 2008 to 22 in 2012. Too many governments are cutting back on this in the light of economic problems, said Mercedes Doretti, a forensic anthropologist who chairs the Funds Board of Trustees. Ensuring prompt and proper treatment for victims of torture can reduce the financial cost to the state, she noted. We strongly hope that this renewed focus on victims redress and rehabilitation will translate into more resources being made available to respond to thousands of torture victims, said Ms. Doretti. Independent experts, or special rapporteurs, are appointed by the Geneva-based UN Human Rights Council to examine and report back, in an unpaid capacity, on specific human rights themes.
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Russia wants US clarity over Geneva conference on Syria
On International Day, Un Chief, Rights Experts Urge Broad Support For Victims Of Torture
To mark the International Day in Support of Victims of Torture, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon joined with United Nations independent human rights experts urging Member States to step up efforts to promote a victim-centred approach which includes access to redress and rehabilitation services. Let us work together to end torture throughout the world and ensure that countries provide reparation for victims, the Secretary-General said in his message for the Day, urging all Member States to accede to and fully implement the Convention against Torture and to support the UN Voluntary Fund for Victims of Torture. Noting that this is the Committee against Tortures 25th anniversary, Mr. Ban said that the Geneva-based body along with other UN human rights mechanisms such as the Subcommittee on Prevention of Torture and the Special Rapporteur on Torture is vital to strengthen a victimoriented approach that also includes a gender perspective. This effort was further strengthened by the adoption this year of a UN Human Rights Council resolution focussing on the rehabilitation of torture victims, he said, urging countries to step up their efforts to assist all those that have not only suffered from torture, but all cruel, inhuman and degrading treatment or punishment. Joining the Secretary-Generals call to action today is a group of UN independent human rights experts, who emphasized that all too often traumatized victims struggle to ob-
Un Officials Highlight Key Role New Pakistan panel to probe Of Entrepreneurs In Addressing Musharrafs emergency rule Development Issues Islamabad
Supporting young entrepreneurs is essential to tackling the worlds most pressing challenges and launching a new era of global engagement, senior United Nations officials said today, urging Governments to foster enabling business environments to help achieve sustainable development. [Entrepreneurs] must be encouraged to stand at the frontline of socio-economic change, in the service of sustainable development, the President of the General Assembly, Vuk Jeremi, said at the Thematic Debate on Entrepreneurship for Development in New York. They are the ones who are often best placed to take the first crucial steps towards breaking the cycle of poverty in their surroundings. Mr. Jeremi pointed that at the UN Conference on Sustainable Development (Rio+20) held last year in Brazil, countries recognized that Governments alone would not be able to achieve all commitments on sustainable development, and that the contribution of civil society and the private sector was crucial to innovation. Entrepreneurs will also be able to contribute to the post-2015 development agenda, Mr. Jeremi said, through public-private partnerships that focus on improving the lives of the worlds most disadvantaged people. I believe the post-2015 agenda will largely stand or fall on whether Governments will be able to work together with individuals who embody the spirit of socially-responsible entrepreneurship, he said. Our goal must be to establish a new form of global engagement. In his remarks, Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon emphasized the importance of supporting young entrepreneurs, many of whom are currently facing an economic crisis in their countries. This year, some 73 million young people will be unemployed. Between 2016 and 2030, an estimated 425 million young women and men will join the labour force between 2016 and 2030. That means the world will need about half a billion jobs by then, Mr. Ban told participants. To help meet this challenge, we should encourage, educate and empower young entrepreneurs. Countries should focus not just on creating better conditions for entrepreneurship but also invest in education and nurture young people, Mr. Ban said, adding that they will be the ones creating jobs and innovative solutions in the future. I call on all partners to support youth entrepreneurship, self-employment and youth-led businesses. The United Nations system will do its part. Our Global Compact initiative will continue mobilizing and supporting young entrepreneurs in advancing a more sustainable future, he said, adding that the World Bank, the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the UN Capital Development fund are also working to foster youth entrepreneurship. The Pakistan government has formed a high-level committee to investigate the emergency rule imposed by former president Pervez Musharraf in 2007, Interior Minister Chaudhary Nisar Ali Khan told parliament Musharraf, who faces high treason charges for abrogating the constitution during his 1999-2008 rule, had imposed emergency rule in November 2007, and had suspended the constitution. He had also placed dozens of top judges, who had refused to take oath under his provisional constitutional order, under house arrest. Nisar told the National Assembly Thursday that the four-member committee comprises senior officials of the Federal Investigation Agency. He said the committee would keep his ministry informed about its investigation and submit its report within the shortest possible time. Reacting to the statement of the interior minister, a senior opposition leader, Amin Fahim, said his party had supported Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharifs announcement that former president Musharraf would be tried in the high treason case. He said it is for the first time in the countrys history that the government has moved the court on Article 6 of the constitution, which calls for high treason trial of all those who abrogate the constitution. He said justice should be done and accountability be carried out across the board. Earlier, the Supreme Court reserved its verdict on petitions seeking high treason proceedings against Mush-
Mosow Moscow expects the Washington to clarify its position on the international conference on Syria, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. We expect more clarity from the meeting with (US Secretary of State) John Kerry about the US position regarding the joint Russia-US initiative to convene an international conference on Syria, reported Xinhua citing Lavrov as telling reporters. Lavrov and Kerry plan to meet on the sidelines of the East Asian Summit to be held in Brunei July 1-2. The Syrian leadership has confirmed its readiness to send a delegation to the conference in Geneva without any preconditions, whereas the opposition is divided. The National Coalition of Syria supported by our western partners refuses to attend the conference until (Syrian president) Bashar al-Assad steps down, Lavrov said, calling the situation regrettable. Lavrov said he expected Kerry would clarify Washingtons position about the principles the conference must follow. We rely on the efforts of our western partners, the US in the first, to persuade the opposition to agree (to attend the conference), IANS Lavrov said.
arraf. The verdict will be announced at an appropriate time. Attorney General Munir A. Malik informed the Supreme Court that an investigation team would probe the emergency promulgated by Musharraf and the prime minister has issued necessary directives to the interior secretary about the case proceedings. According to Malik, a commission will also be constituted to oversee the entire investigation process. He said a time-frame would also be set to complete the hearing of the case and added that the commitment of the government in this regard is in the record of the court. IANS
POLITICS
QUOTE FIRE
Rajnath Singh, BJP President As far as the calamity in Uttarakhand is concerned, I would like to say that no political party should do any politics. If a Chief Minister or any political party wants to help the victims of the Uttarakhand incident then I feel this help should be accepted.
Digvijaya Singh, Congress general Secretary The main rescue operations have been completed. Even as some operations are going on, Rahul has not taken a helicopter. He has gone by road. There is a difference in this case.
Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi, BJP vice president Congress vice president went to Uttarakhand for a photo-op, not to provide relief or help to people in the rain-battered state.
Renuka Chowdhary, Congress Rahul Gandhi has not flouted any norm. He has gone there as a citizen of the country and Vice-President of Congress. He went there in a personal vehicle driven by his friends.
Om Mathur, BJP It is unfortunate that Chief Ministers of other states are not allowed to visit there, but on the other hand Rahul Gandhi is allowed to visit.
Rashid Alvi, Congress leader The first priority today is to rescue those who are stranded and are struggling for their lives. It is very unfortunate that it is being politicised just to gain more votes.
CAMP UPA
Mohan Prakash, Congress Congress president Sonia Gandhi and PM Manmohan Singh have always been the first to reach any calamity-hit place and it happened in Uttarakhand also. Rahul Gandhi had gone to every nook and corner of the affected areas in Uttrakhand without any fanfare, he used a motorbike to reach a relief camp.
CAMP NDA
Kolkata CPI-M leader and former Lok Sabha member Sujan Chakraborty was Thursday booked in the murder of a ruling Trinamool Congress candidate for the upcoming panchayat polls in West Bengal, police said. Chakraborty claimed innocence. Shibram Naskar, a Trinamool candidate for the Baruipur panchayat samiti in South 24 Parganas district, was killed Wednesday when he was returning home after campaigning,
possibility of Sujan Chakrabortys involvement cannot be ruled out, said Chatterjee. Chakraborty, on his part, termed the case against him as part of the bigger conspiracy hatched by the Trinamool Congress government to frame CPI-M leaders in false cases. They have targeted our leaders Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, Gautam Deb, Surjya Kanta Mishra. Now it seems my name is also there, he said.
CPI-M, Congress, BJP have allied to scuttle Uddhav Thackeray lauds Chavan, lashes out at Modi panchayat polls: Mamata
Kolkata On a day the legal tussle between her government and the State Election Commission (SEC) on holding the rural (panchayat) polls reached the Supreme Court, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee Wednesday alleged that the CPI-M, Congress and the BJP have joined hands to scuttle the elections. These parties fear they will be defeated. They do not want the panchayat polls to be held. The CPI-M (Communist Party of India-Marxist), Congress and BJP have joined hands. They have hatched a conspiracy to scuttle the polls, Banerjee said at a poll rally at Jamboni in West Midnapore district. Banerjee said that ever since she came to power two years ago, she had been trying to hold the polls. But the opposition is going all out to stall the poll process. While I am campaigning day in and out, the opposition is busy filing cases, she said. The opposition will have to take the responsibility if the polls are not held as scheduled, she said. The state government has been locked in a legal tussle with the SEC on ensuring adequate security personnel for the polls, slated to be held July 2, 6 and 9. Mumbai Shiv Sena president Uddhav Thackeray lauded Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and blasted Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi for their respective roles in the ongoing rescue operations in disaster-hit Uttarakhand. In an editorial in party mouthpiece Saamana Tuesday, Thackeray heaped praise on Chavan for adopting a broad-minded approach, and ridiculed Modi for his parochial attitude in dealing with the fallout of the disaster. Chavan has shown Maharashtras large-heartedness and magnanimity in the face of such a massive disaster, not only for the people of this state stranded in Uttarakhand, but for victims from across the country, Thackeray said. He pointed out how Chavan declared, while dispatching a planeload of relief material with a large team of officials, that though the aid was intended for people from the state stranded in Uttarakhand, other victims would not be ignored. Maharashtra has placed two helicopters at the disposal of the Uttarakhand government and extended aid of Rs.10 crore, among the first states in the country to react quickly to the disaster. This is Maharashtrian generosity and the right approach. Though Shiv Sena has been accused of parochialism, even my party members have dedicated themselves to the rescue and relief works there. When we are faced with such a major national calamity, the political party, state or religion do not matter, we are all united, Thackeray said. Targetting the Gujarat chief minister,
POLITICS
The SEC Wednesday moved the Supreme Court, alleging the state government was dragging its feet over providing security forces despite being directed by the Calcutta High Court. The Supreme Court has issued notice to the central and West Bengal governments and posted the matter for hearing June 28. Deriding local TV channels for criticising her, Banerjee alleged that they were being run by the CPI-M. Some channels are being run by the CPI-M. People who appear in talk shows are paid to participate. They get Rs.5,000 to Rs.10,000. They have nothing fruitful to do the whole day. The money they get decides what they will say, Banerjee said.
She recently accused some of those criticising her on talk shows of being involved in pornography. Banerjee also claimed that Maoists had plotted to kill her, and challenged them to touch me. When I was planning to visit Jungle Mahal (Maoist areas). I was told that Maoists had hatched plans to kill me there. Who will murder me? I challenge them. Tell me the time and place where you want to kill me. I will stand alone. This is a democratic government. Guns are not allowed here. They are all cowards. They cannot scare me with guns. I have fought the CPI-M for 34 years, she said. IANS
(CBI) special court in Delhi in the recruitment scam. Om Prakash Chautala was granted interim bail for six weeks by Delhi High Court for treatment a month ago.
Patna Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) chief Ramvilas Paswan Wednesday said his party will not ally with Chief Minister Nitish Kumars Janata DalUnited (JD-U) though it has dumped the BJP. He told the media that the LJP will continue its alliance with Lalu Prasads Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD). LJP will not join any alliance with JD-U, Paswan said. If the Congress teams up with the JD-U, even then the LJP will keep away. One thing is clear -- LJP will not go with JD-U. The sole LJP legislator abstained from voting during the trust motion in the state assembly June 19 which Nitish Kumar won after ending the alliance with the Bharatiya Janata Party.
the Shiv Sena president said that now Modi has been given a national role to play by the Bharatiya Janata Party and he should not speak in narrow terms for only Gujaratis. Most of the rescue works are being carried out by the Indian Army and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police. They dont discriminate on the basis of the victims state of origin or religion, but rescue them as human beings, Thackeray pointed out. Thackeray said that besides Chavan and Modi, even other state governments have contributed to helping the victims of the natural disaster. Nobody is doing any favour, its their duty in the face of calamity, he said. Thackeray lashed out at the Gujarat chief ministers propaganda machinery for claiming that 15,000 people from Gujarat were rescued in a day, the day of Modis visit. It would be better if Modis propagandists exercise restraint in future, Thackeray said. IANS
On getting personal by raising the issue of divorce of Chandys eldest daughter, Leader of Opposition V.S. Achuthanandan said: I was only trying to make a point based on an affidavit filed by the former son-inlaw of Chandy at a family court. But I was not allowed to complete what I wanted to say in the house. IANS
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REGION
ment regarded the incident as an act of extreme provocation, requiring prompt and effective government response, treating it with the gravity that it deserves. He said that he was personally anguished over the incident. Pannu, an upright and action-oriented officer, was specially picked up by the Badal government for the rescue operations in Uttarakhand as thousands of pilgrims from Punjab were stranded at Sikh shrine of Hemkund Sahib there. Badal assured a delegation of the Punjab IAS officers association that those responsible for the assault on Pannu would face the consequences. Badal said: Mr. Pannu is one of our finest officers and he was performing a most difficult and challenging task with extreme personal courage, deep commitment and commendable professional competence. In doing so, Mr. Pannu displayed remarkable personal character, braving extreme odds at considerable personal risk. The officer went far above and beyond the call of his duty, for which all those trapped in the calamity are rightly proud of and obliged to him. Badal Tuesday expressed his dismay to Bahuguna at the inadequate security provided to officials engaged in rescue work in the hill state. IANS Srinagar Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has announced Rs.710-crore financial aid to Jammu and Kashmir to help it acquire land for the rural roads scheme, making it the first state in the country to get such assistance. The prime minister made the announcement after co-chairing a state cabinet meeting at the Sher-e-Kashmir convention complex on the edge of the Dal Lake here Tuesday evening. So far, there has been no provision under the centres Pradhan Mantri Grameen Sadak Yojna (PMGSY) for offering assistance to any state to acquire land for improving rural roads. The country-wide PMGSY programme has been facing hurdles in Jammu and Kashmir because of land acquisition problems. People in villages have been refusing to part with their ancestral lands without payment
Jammu and Kashmir gets aid to acquire land for road scheme
at prevalent land rates to them as compensation. Of around 10,000 km of road length covered under the PMGSY, road building work had to be suspended for 2,000 km because of land acquisition problems, an official said. Sources in the state cabinet said the prime minister asked the state government to improve its financial base to meet future challenges. The prime minister, they said, told the state cabinet that the centre had been bending rules to provide financial assistance to Jammu and Kashmir, but the state would have to arrange its own finances in future. The progress of the prime ministers Rs.37,000-crore reconstruction package was also reviewed at Wednesdays meeting where Chief Minister Omar Abdullah gave a power point presenIANS tation.
With the assault on Punjab-cadre IAS officer Kahan Singh Pannu in Uttarakhand being condemned in all quarters, Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal ordered the setting up a special team for the incidents probe. Badal called Punjabs Director General of Police Sumedh Singh Saini and asked him to set up a Special Investigation Team (SIT) to get to the root of the incident. The chief minister wrote to his Uttarakhand counterpart Vijay Bahuguna seeking his personal intervention for initiating prompt police and legal action against the guilty involved in this unsavoury incident.
Pannu, a special secretary rank officer and presently director general of school education, was leading rescue operations in Uttarakhand on behalf of the Punjab government when assaulted Monday by a group of stranded pilgrims in Govind Ghat. The incident was sparked by an alleged argument over shifting pilgrims to another place. Pannu was chased, slapped, punched and beaten with shoes and even a broom. The entire incident was video-graphed by a person and uploaded on the Internet. Describing the assault on Pannu as an attack on the Punjab government, Badal said that his govern-
Punjab Police officer booked Haryana breaks power for womans suicide
Chandigarh Punjab Police have booked a senior police officer on charges of abetment of suicide of a 23-year-old woman, police officials said. The case has been registered over a month after the victim leapt to her death from the sixth-floor flat of the police officer in Zirakpur town, 15 km from here. Superintendent of Police Mohal Lal, 50, has been booked by the police for abetment to suicide of the victim, Loveleen, the daughter of a Punjab Police head constable who worked as Mohan Lals subordinate. With investigations in progress, police officials said that more serious charges of rape, abduction, destruction of evidence and illegal confinement could be added in the case against Mohan Lal. Investigation in this case is in progress. We have booked the officer for abetment to suicide. More sections are likely to be added in this case. The post-mortem has confirmed that the victim was sexually exploited, Zirakpur station house officer (SHO) Tarlochan Singh told. The police had initially tried to cover up the incident and registered the case only after a complaint by womans father led to an inquiry into the incident by a three-member police team. The woman allegedly committed suicide May 17 by jumping from the sixth-floor flat of Mohan Lal at Rishi Apartments in Zirakpur town in Punjab, near here. The young womans father alleged that Mohan Lal exploited her by promising to marry her and getting her a police job. Police sources said that the Zirakpur police were initially under pressure to hush up the matter. While Mohan Lal allegedly vanished from the building and did not even report the incident to the police, the woman was quickly taken to a government hospital here, where doctors declared her dead. IANS
supply record
Gurgaon The power transmission and distribution system in Haryana supplied an all-time high of 1,536.43 lakh units and took a record 7,527 MW load during peak hours Monday, an official said Tuesday. The Dakshin Haryana Bijli Vitran (DHBVN) Nigam said that it was a new power supply record in the state. The DHBVN and the Uttar Haryana Bijli Vitran supplied over 1,536 lakh units of electricity Monday, which was 143 lakh units more than the power supplied on the corresponding day last year. The nigams supplied 42.93 lakh units more than the demand. The utilities supplied power for 23.35 hours to urban consumers, 23.44 hours to industries, 10.06 hours to the agriculture sector and 13.51 hours to the rural domestic sector against the fixed schedule of 20 hours, 20.30 hours, eight hours and 14 hours respectively, the official said.
scheme in which the prescribed tax rate would be four percent. There would be no tax on the sale of already built up flats or buildings, being sale of immovable property. Tax is levied only on those developers or builders who construct on behalf of the purchasers, she said. Choudhary said that the excise and taxation department had collected a revenue of Rs.19,703.64 crore in 2012-13 as against Rs.18,077 crore in 2011-12. It achieved all the budgeted targets despite huge slow-down in the economy and non-receipt of the CST compensation from the central government. This year also, the department would try to achieve its given targets, she added. Haryana has seen a boom in real estate and industry in the last three decades, especially in the national capital region (NCR) near Delhi.
clude Haryana. Hooda has also been insisting on a separate high court for Haryana to be located in Chandigarh itself. The union law ministry is yet to give its green signal for this. At present, Chandigarh has the Punjab and Haryana High Court for the two states. Chandigarh, a 114 sq.km union territory, has been the joint capital of the two states since Nov 1, 1966, when Haryana was carved out of Punjab. For long, there had been talk of building a new capital for Haryana but this has now petered out.
- Jaideep Sarin
CAMPUS
PU as a Temple of Learning
11
Admission News
Himachal Pradesh University (HPU) Shimla MBBS and BDS Application form Notice 2013 Applications on prescribed Application Forms are invited from the eligible candidates for admission to MBBS/BDS Courses in Govt. Medical/Dental Colleges including Private Dental Colleges (State Quota) in Himachal Pradesh for the academic session 2013-14 on the basis of HP State merit of NEET-(UG)-2013 conducted by the CBSE for which the prospectus will be available from 17.06.2013 to 02.07.2013 at the H.P.University Counter at Shimla. Application Form: The cost of Prospectus is Rs.1000/- for General & other categories and Rs.500/-for SC/ST categories. The Application Form along with text of the Prospectus is also available on the University Website www.hpuniv.nic. in or www.hpuniv.in and Director Medical Education & Research, H.P. Website www.hp.gov.in/hpdmer. and the candidates can also apply on the downloaded Application Form along with fee of Rs.1000/- for General & other categories and Rs.500/-for SC/ ST categories in the shape of Bank Draft drawn in favour of the Finance Officer, H.P.University, Shimla. The Children of Jammu & Kashmir Migrants and Children of Tibetan Refugees can also apply on the prescribed Application Form for their reserved seats on the basis of the merit of NEET(UG)-2013. NRI Candidates may also apply on Application Form prescribed for them along with required documents and requisite fee of 50 US $ or equivalent in rupees direct to the Principals of the concerned Medical/Dental College. Last date for receipt of Application Forms complete in all respect either by hand or registered/Speed-Post in the office of the Deputy Registrar (Entrance Tests) H.P.University, Shimla-5, is 5.7.2013 upto 5.P.M. whereafter no application shall be entertained. For any enquiry, please contact Telephone No.0177-2830891. The last date for submission of application form for NRI candidate is 10.7.2013. After Vidya Balan, TISS researchers study Bihars Super 30
Shillong Students of the Indian Institute Management (IIM)-Shillong say the three-day special lecture by former president A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on ways to make India an economically developed nation proved to be an eye-opener for them. The former president has provided me a deep insight into the various issues faced by the planet, and how we as responsible individuals need to work towards a prosperous society. The course was an eye opener for me. It gave me a different perspective on how we also need to become better individuals and leaders, Abhishek Nanda, a student. The Missile Man, as Kalam is fondly known due to his background in aerospace engineering and his role in Indias indigenous missile development, was there since 23 June delivering lectures under a series titled, Economically Developed Nation - How to Realise, at the prestigious B-school. Another student Ankita Kushwaha
said: After the lectures by Kalam, I felt that many of us have different ideas and theories but we lack the requisite vision to put them into practice. My interaction with him helped me realise that we as future leaders of the nation can drive our society to a prosperous growth. He has given me the inspiration to help elevate my thinking to an altogether new level, said Kushwaha. Students at the B-school will now be required to submit project proposals for creating scenarios based on multiple options for specific policy or institutional changes. The faculty would comment on these proposals, and project teams would be able to consult subject matter specialists through invited lectures and interactions. The students could even visit the experts. The biggest surprise for me was when Kalam actually went through all our presentations the entire night and gave us individual feedbacks the
next morning. So much to learn from him, another student Nitin Srinivas said. The course by Kalam was one of the most enriching sessions I have ever attended. An amalgamation of optimism and established strategies showed the scope for a future prosperous India, said Sukshit Kapur. His zest for a nation with supreme technological innovations and free of the societal ills imbibed in me a sense of responsibility towards my nation. Poulomi Pal said, Dr. Kalam made it evident that the success behind a progressive nation is to have a rural centric approach that facilitates the agrarian economy by combining it with the technological innovations. The youth needs to be actively involved in the empowerment and development of such a nation. The IIM in the Meghalaya capital is named after former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.
-Raymond
Kharmujai
Chandigarh Union Road Transport and Highways Minister Mr. Oscar Fernandes has described Panjab University (PU) Chandigarh as a temple of learning. Mr. Fernandes was on a visit to PU and added these comments on the PU Visitors Book. Vice Chancellor, Prof. Arun K. Grover along with Registrar, Prof. A.K. Bhandari, Dean University Instruction, Prof. Madhu Raka, Advisor and Secretary to Vice Chancellor, Mr. R. L. Kapoor and other officers welcomed Mr. Fernandes. While discussing various issues with the PU Vice Chancellor and other PU Officers, Mr Fernandes assured all support to the University. He asked the PU Officers to provide a note on the pending issues with the Government of India. Earlier talking to Mr. Fernandes, Prof. Grover informed him about the PU achievements, its legacy and rich heritage. He said that PU is one of the oldest Universities of the Country and it got developed in four phases.
there was a scope for 20,000 such colleges. All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) signed a MoU at the dialogue with the American Association of Community Colleges on Cooperation for establishment of community colleges in India. This is the third round of talks under the Singh-Obama initiative. Eight projects for building partnerships between American and Indian institutions of higher education in priority fields were signed. These include Harvard-India Nutrition Initiative between Harvard School of Public Health and St. Johns Research Institute, Bangalore; an MoU between Aligarh Muslim University and Ohio State University, and between Assam Agricultural University and Washington State University. Each of these projects will receive an award of approximately $250,000 that can be utilized over a three-year period, with the objectives of cultivating educational reforms, fostering economic growth, generating shared knowledge to address global challenges, and developing junior faculty at Indian and American institutions of higher learning. Besides, MoUs were also signed between IIT-Delhi and University of Nebraska on cyber systems, and IIT-Bombay and edX, an online course platform, on Massive Open On-Line Courses (MOOCS). Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and President Barack Obama announced the Obama-Singh Initiative in November 2009 as an affirmation of their commitment to building an enhanced India-US partnership in education. Each government pledged $5 million for this endeavour, for a total of $10 million.
New Delhi The Delhi University has told its colleges to set up special category admission enabling committees for disable students and those belonging to the socially marginalised sections aspiring to join the new fouryear undergraduate programme. The colleges have been given time till June 27 to update the names of the members of these panels on their websites, a university official said. Bipin Tiwari, officer of the university Equal opportunity Cell (EOC) said, We have asked all the colleges to constitute a dedicated committee to promote the process of inclusion so that the students get a direct chance to interact with teachers and get familiarised with the colleges. The panels will be tasked to facilitate admissions of the disabled and students from the Scheduled Castes, the Scheduled Tribes and other backward classes. Tiwari said till last year the students were issued a slip by the EOC and they had to go to colleges, pay their fees and complete the admission process. Now, each college is required to have a separate window, an easy
internal college form and, more importantly, easy accessible forms in audio and print for students with disabilities, he said. According to the university guidelines, all colleges are required to update the names of the committee members on their websites before the announcement of the first cutoff list June 27 but only four have complied so far. Some staff members in these four colleges do not seem to be aware of their exact role on these special committees. Punam Behari of the Miranda House admission enabling committee said: I am already a part of the admission committee but there is not much clarity on the enabling committee. The other colleges that have constituted the enabling committees are Daulat Ram College, Mata Sundri College for Women and Shri Ram College of Commerce (SRCC). SRCC Principal P.C. Jain said: Since the admission process has been de-centralised and now the colleges have to undertake the process, the varsity has asked us to constitute the committee.
After making actress Vidya Balan the subject of their research, social science students at the Mumbai-based Tata Institute of Social Sciences are now attempting to understand the rare success of Anand Kumar, founder-director of Super 30, who offers free coaching to poor students seeking admission to IITs. Mini Narayanan, 41, from TISS, is undertaking the research on Anand Kumar and his Super 30, so named because each year 30 students from poor families are chosen to undertake the free coaching. This year, 28 of the 30 gained admission to IITs. Narayanan was in Patna recently to meet the students who had availed the coaching and gather material for her research.I wanted to see what inspires the poorest of students to study with such sincerity and devotion, she said. Super 30 has featured in the national and international news media. Time magazine declared Super 30 the best of Asia, while Newsweek included it in the list of four most innovative schools of the world. Students from poor families have to pass a competitive test to get into Super 30. Once they are admitted, they spend about 16 hours a day at their study routine. Coaching, food and accommodation are provided free of cost.
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COVER STORY
Return Of Taliban
Taliban talks were focus of Taliban Attack Afghan Presidential Palace India-US dialogue Sign of times to come
New Delhi The proposed talks in Qatar between the United States and the Taliban were the focus of discussions here between US Special Representative for Af-Pak James Dobbins and Indian Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai and Special Envoy S.K. Lambah, during which the 2014 Afghan presidential elections were also taken up. Dobbins met Mathai and Lambah separately on Wednesday. The discussions focused on the current state of play in US-Afghan relations and attempts to work towards reconciliation. The officials also discussed the importance of continued Indo-US consultations on Afghanistan, and preparations for India-Afghanistan-US trilateral, said official sources. Dobbins said at a press conference here Thursday that the Indian side had lots of questions on the opening of the Taliban office in Qatar. They questioned me closely on what the prospects were for peace, on what the exact stand was... but I did not sense they were opposed to it or the talks was something one should stay away from. Dobbins, who arrived in India Wednesday from Islamabad, said he had come here because India has an important stake and influence in Afghanistan... and we understand Indias view and we hope India understands our views, and we collaborate as closely as possible on this. Dobbins described Lambah as an old friend with whom he had collaborated closely on Afghanistan 10 years ago too. While the talks with the Indian officials Wednesday focused on Afghanistan, Pakistan too came up for discussions, he said. Dobbins said the US is not sure if the talks with the Taliban will take off at all. Nobody knows how it will progress, or we can say with certainty that the process will start... For us we are going into it with open eyes, he added. He said that while Afghan President Hamid Karzais concerns over the Taliban office in Qatar had been addressed and he has agreed to participate in the talks, they are still waiting to hear from the Taliban on when to hold the talks. India had voiced concern over the US holding talks with the Taliban and said it should be an Afghan-led and Afghan-owned process. US Secretary of State John Kerry, who was here on an official visit earlier this week, had said that the talks would be Afghan-led and that Indias concerns will not be overlooked. Dobbins also reiterated what Kerry had said that there is no prospect of improvement of relations with the Taliban unless the issue of terrorism is directly addressed. The US has set pre-conditions for beginning talks -- that the insurgent group should distance itself from international terrorism, especially the Al Qaeda, and accept the Afghan constitution. Dobbins said the Afghan armed forces were taking the lead in combat operations, relying on their own resources and performing well. To a question on the Taliban continuing with its bombing attacks, he said he did not think that holding talks would lead to an immediate cessation of violence. The Taliban will continue to put pressure. I dont think that beginning negotiations will end the war, but I do hope the negotiations will encourage them to end the war, he said. Dobbins, who held talks with new Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif on Tuesday, said he sensed that improving relations with India is high on Sharifs list of priorities. He also said that any improvement in India-Pakistan relations will automatically improve the Afghan situation. peared more like a quasie m b a s s y, with the flag of the Taliban atop it, suspended negotiations with the US on an accord on US military presence in Afghanistan after 2014. Ta l i b a n opened their political office in Doha June 18 but the first round of peace talks between Taliban and the US representatives was cancelled the same day All four Taliban militants involved in the attack on the presidential palace here were killed, Kabul police chief Mohammad Ayub Salangi said. No security force personnel or civilian was harmed in the attack, Salangi said, according to a Xinhua report. The militants used rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and heavy weapons to enter the eastern gate of the palace, the police chief said. An explosives-packed car was also detonated by the attackers, witnesses said. They confirmed that the militants, using false entry cards, had passed the first gate. Taliban claimed responsibility for the attack, which they said inflicted casualties on Afghan and US forces. Explosions and firing occurred at the presidential palace around 6.30 a.m. local time (about 7.30 a.m. Indian Standard Time), and heavy gunfight ensued. Local TV channels reported at least 12 explosions in the Shash Darak area, the eastern edge of the presidential palace. The explosions came hours ahead of a meeting Afghan President Hamid Karzai was to have with journalists, and many press people were at the site at the time of the attack. The CIA station and the Afghan ministry of defence are in the vicinity of the presidential palace. Government troops cordoned off the area immediately after the blast, and smoke was seen rising from the site. It was not clear if the president was in the palace at the time of the attack.
Kabul Taliban are sensing a moral victory of sorts and have gone on the offensive. As the US Special Envoy for Afghanistan and Pakistan James Dobbins was visiting Kabul for talks with the Afghan leaders over the stalled peace talks with the Taliban. The Taliban attacked Afghan Presidential Palace to mark their presence in the power game of the troubled country. The Afghan government, angry that the Taliban office in Doha, Qatar, ap-
COVER STORY
13
the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF), Indo-Tibetan Police Force (ITBP) and the Indian Air Force (IAF). They have done a great job along with the Indian Army, he added. In New Delhi, the IAF chief, Air Chief Marshal N.A.K. Browne, paid tributes to the five air warriors who died in a helicopter crash during a rescue mission in Uttarakand. Air Chief Marshal Browne laid wreaths on the coffins of the five IAF personnel at Hindon air base near the national capital. The five were killed near Gaurikund June 25. IAF personnel reversed their arms to pay respect to their departed colleagues. The air warriors were part of the crew of an MI-17 V5 helicopter that crashed with 20 personnel on board. Those killed included personnel from
the IAF, the ITBP and the National Disaster Response Force. The coffins of Wing Commander Darryl Castelino, Flight Lieutanant K. Praveen, Flight Lieutanant Tapan Kapoor, Junior Warrant Officer A.K. Singh and Sergeant Sudhakar Yadav were draped in the tricolour. They were brought in an IAF C-130J Hercules military transport aircraft to Hindon from Uttarakhand and will be flown to their respective home towns for last rites. Meanwhile, over 100 pilgrims from Andhra Pradesh are still missing in flood-hit areas of Uttarakhand, officials said in Hyderabad Friday. Officials of the disaster management department said out of 2,785 pilgrims who went to the hill state, 1,879 returned safely while another 778 have informed their families that they are safe. Thirteen pilgrims have died.
New Delhi Persistent efforts over the past more than 10 days have succeeded in the evacuation of more than 100,000 people, including locals, from the rain and flood-hit areas of Uttarakhand as authorities cremated more bodies in Kedarnath Thursday. Around 1,800 people are still stranded in the state. With 12 days elapsing since the flood-rain tragedy hit the state, a clearer picture of the massive losses has began to emerge. Over 1,500 roads have been swept away, while around 2,000 houses and 154 bridges have been damaged. The bodies of 18 personnel - from the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP), the Indian Air Force (IAF) and the National Disaster Response Force (NDRF) - who were among the 20 killed in Tuesdays chopper crash were also recovered. Ten of the bodies were taken to Gauchar, which the IAF is using as an air base for rescue operations.
An ITBP officer said some of the bodies were so badly burnt that it was difficult to identify them. The Mi-17 helicopter was carrying 20 personnel including five from the IAF, six from the ITBP and nine from the NDRF when it crashed Tuesday near Gaurikund while on a rescue mission. NDMA vice chairman M. Shashidhar Reddy said : Approximately 1,829 people are still stranded all over Uttarakhand and we are hopeful that the rescue operation would be over by Friday. The National Disaster Management Authority, an autonomous body to coordinate disaster preparedness, said 104,095 people had been evacuated from the state till Thursday. Reddy said 560 people have died, 463 have been injured and 344 missing in the floods. Around 2,000 houses were damaged as well as 154 bridges, he told reporters. Reddy also said that several roads,
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United Nations Hollywood actress and UN special envoy Angelina Jolie has urged the UN Security Council to tackle sexual violence in war zones, saying every country is affected by sexual violence and all have a responsibility to step forward. Addressing a debate on women and peace and security at the Security Council, Jolie, the Special Envoy of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), emphasised the responsibility of the Security Council to step in and provide leadership and assistance for the countries who cannot act themselves on the issue. These crimes happen not because they are inherent to war, but because the global climate allows it, Jolie said. I understand that there are many things that are difficult for the UN Security Council to agree on. But sexual violence in conflict should be not be one of them, the Oscarwinning actress said. That it is a crime to rape young children is not something I imagine anyone in this room would not be able to agree on, she said. The Oscar-winner stressed that what
CELEB
is needed is political will. She said every country in the world is affected by sexual violence, and all countries have a responsibility to step forward. Rape as a weapon of war is an assault on security and a world in which these crimes happen is one in which there is not, and never will be, peace. If the Security Council sets rape and sexual violence in conflict as a priority, it will become one and progress will be made. If you do not, this horror will continue, the famed actress said.
Jolie, who has visited several refugee camps around the world, spoke for the victims of sexual violence in conflicts that they suffer the most at the hands of their rapists, but they are also victims of this culture of impunity. That is the sad, upsetting and indeed shameful reality. Soon after Jolie finished her speech, the 15-member UN body voted unanimously to approve a resolution, by which it emphasised more consistent and rigorous investigation and prosecution of sexual violence crimes as a central aspect of deterrence, and ultimately prevention.
IANS
Chennai Tamil actor Dhanushs Bollywood debut Raanjhanaa, which also features Sonam Kapoor, has minted Rs.20.08 crore on its opening weekend in the country. The film, reportedly made at a budget of Rs.35 crore, released worldwide on 21 June. The total weekend collection of Raanjhanaa in India is Rs.20.08 crore, said a statement from Eros International, the producers of the
film. This love story of a Hindu boy and a Muslim girl, Raanjhanaa also features Swara Bhaskar, Abhay Deol and Mohammed Zeeshan Ayub in important roles. The film is directed by Anand L. Rai, and has music by A.R Rahman. The Tamil dubbed version of the film titled Ambikapathy is scheduled to release in Tamil Nadu June 28 in more than 200 screens.
Mumbai Its final. Krrish 3 is set to release on November 4, a day after Diwali this year, says filmmaker Rakesh Roshan. Krrish 3 will finally release on November 4, that is Monday, said producer-director Rakesh Roshan confirming the final release date of the film for the first time. Rakesh Roshan also confirmed for the first time that the first official trailer of the film would be attached to Rohit Shettys Chennai Express. Yes our trailers will be out on August 8, he added. Rakesh and Hrithik Roshan had been
in talks to decide the crucial Diwali release date for Krrish 3. While earlier the film was to be released on Sunday, November 3, which is Diwali, the Roshans were under pressure to postpone the release by a day. The Diwali day, that is November 3, had been locked in for the release. But then distributors and exhibitors felt people like to stay home on Diwali night for Laxmi Puja. It was felt November 4, that is the day after Diwali, would be far more favourable as a release date for Krrish 3, said a source close to the Roshans.
cussions and master classes to get a chance to speak with film critics and experts. You can learn about the process of filmmaking too. The fest is organised by the Directorate of Film Festival of India, Film Federation Of India, Film and Television Institute of India, Prasad In-
stitute, Korean Cultural Centre and Berlinale Shorts. The fiesta will cover seven states and 16 cities. Starting from Delhi, it will go on to places like Kanpur, Lucknow, Allahabad, Varanasi, Gorakhpur, Agra, Meerut, Dehradun, Patna, Ranchi, Jamshedpur, Indore, Bhopal and Mumbai.
IANS
CELEB
15
Entertainment doesnt only come from songs and dances: Prakash Jha
IANS
Mumbai Audiences derive pleasure from all kinds of films, ace director Prakash Jha feels, pointing out that entertainment does not mean just songs, dances and comedy. People enjoy all kinds of things. Films like Kahaani and Raajneeti provide tremendous entertainment value. Entertainment value does not necessarily come from songs, dances and comedy. It comes from seriously entertaining subjects as well, Jha told in an exclusive interview. If films that entertain are important, so are films on core topics, said Jha who started his feature film making journey with the 1984 Hip Hip Hurray. The film was about a computer engineer who takes up a temporary job of a football coach, moulds a bunch of hooligans into good players
and leads them to victory. Often described as a serious filmmaker delving into eclectic issues in his offerings, the director says apart from the topic, a strong storyline is equally vital for him. Topics are social...I dont pick up topics and make films on them. I have a story...a great emotional story, said Jha who has proved his point with films like Daamul, GangaaJal, Aarakshan and Chakravyuh. His forthcoming film Satyagraha too deals with corruption, told through a businessman and a grieving father. Talking about Satyagraha, Jha said: This is the story of a father and son. I found the story and set it in todays world of protest. How someone who is absolutely capital-
ist and has greed on his mind all the time meets this old man who has lost his son. These two people come together and realise that even though their values dont meet, yet theres a bond. That prospers and both of them change. Just like his earlier films, Satyagraha, which has a host of actors like Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn, Arjun Rampal and Kareena Kapoor, involved a lot of pre-production work. For a filmmaker, the biggest challenge is to strike a balance between the audiences reaction and critics ratings. That is the challenge...you have to tell a good story and while telling it, if there are things that touch you... that is the whole idea, he said. Satyagraha is releasing Aug 23.
- Anjuri Nayar
with films like Bombay, 1942: A Love Story and Dil Se, was initially admitted to Mumbais Jaslok Hospital Nov 28 last year. She later flew down to the US for further treatment.
Mumbai Girish Kumar, set to make his debut on Bollywood Boulevard with Ramaiya Vastavaiya, says nothing is more important than the viewers reaction. I believe that ultimately the film should speak for itself, he said adding that it applies to everyone - be it a producer or a star or newcomer. Son of producer Kumar Taurani, Girish wanted to become an actor right from my mothers womb. Every day has been a step towards it. For the opening scene of Prabhudheva-directed Ramaiya Vastavaiya, the newcomer had to trim down, which was tough. Losing weight was a tough task. I tend to put on weight quickly. My
introduction scene was a surfing sequence and I had to be in good shape for that. I got professional help and I started working out and eating clean, Girish told. Ramaiya Vastavaiya, a remake of Prabhudhevas Nuvvostanante Nenoddantana, which also features Shruti Haasan, is a romantic film with a good dose of family drama. Not willing to stick to one genre, he said: I want to do good scripts with good makers. There is no particular genre I am looking for specifically... talks are on for future projects. All I can say is that I want to entertain audiences and make wholesome films. Ramaiya Vastavaiya is slated for a July 19 release.
Maria. Rohits brother Ronit Roy took to Twitter and posted: Ladies and gentlemen, and the not so gentle ones also, please warmly welcome my rock star brother Rohit Roy to Jhalak Dikhhla Jaa! Rohit had hosted third season of Jhalak... According to the sources, actor Sameer Dattani, who was part of I Hate Luv Storys, was also approached for the show and the channel is awaiting his response. The wild card entries will compete with celebrities like Shweta Tiwari, Drashti Dhami, and Siddharth Shukla for the title. IANS
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w E E K L Y H O
The week starts out friendly enough as you enjoy the company of people you like. Unfortunately, a simple comment has the potential ARIES to trigger an unpleasMar 21-Apr 19 ant encounter. Whatever anger emerges is not really about this week. Youre dealing with an old story that may finally be ready to be resolved. Behind the smiles may be feelings that are less than positive. Physical activities are appropriate for you in this week. To avoid any problems, make sure to carefully LIBRA check all equipment. Sep 23 - Oct 22 You may meet someone who strikes you as overly critical or unfair. I know you hate injustice, but dont get lost in the words. An extravagant outing is perfect for nights.
LEISURE
R O S C O
This is good time. Doesnt that mean youre not supposed to be hassled? Take the offensive. Cut out those people TAURUS who never seem Apr 20 - May 20 satisfied with you. Make the evenings time for a new experiences. Break the old routine and try something completely different, such as the opera, country line dancing, or a hockey game.
Did you ever wonder how you happened to be born into your family? Im sure there are times when you feel like your relatives might as well SCORPIO have come from anOct 23 - Nov 21 other planet. Well, think of them as a show, albeit a strange one. Youll avoid fruitless conflict this week if you can keep an attitude of detachment. Think of yourself as a visiting scientist who is studying an exotic foreign culture. Travel is on the agenda now. If you cant get out of town, rent a foreign movie. A foreign person, too, could be on the GEMINI schedule this week. May 21 - Jun 20 Sure, communication may require some extra effort, but youve got more than words to get your point across. Gestures, sounds, and body language are all ways to convey a message. Writing, talking, and short range travel are high on the agenda in this week. Your wit can be on display now, but could prove SAGITTARIUS too cutting for a senNov 22 - Dec 21 sitive person. What you find funny and innocent might be taken the wrong way. Discretion can help you avoid conflict. Nights are good time to combine business and pleasure. Physical risks are not usually your cup of tea. This week, however, you may be challenged to push your limits. Some wild person may CANCER not inspire confidence, though you could Jun 21 - Jul 22 even be fascinated by such a different view of reality. New experiences are meant to open you to unusual tastes, pleasures, and ideas. A generous friend may finance these adventures now. ) In this week -youre not supposed to think about money! Nevertheless, its a perfect week for coming up with a CAPRICORN plan to increase your Dec 22 - Jan 19 resources. Have a garage sale, sell something, or just do a little bargain shopping of your own. Some conversations, however, may seem a little strange to you at this time. Youre talking apples and others are talking oranges. This is a great week to be in full social mode. All your Leo charm is ready for full display. Excellent friends make for an excellent time now. Expect some Jul 23 - Aug. 22 debate early on. Its probably not worth your effort to battle over trivia. A little excess is part of what life is about, dear Lion. Let yourself roar loud and clear this week.
Panchang in Brief: Sun, Mercury, Venus and Jupiter in Taurus, Moon in Leo, Mars and Ketu in Aries, Sani and Rahu in Libra. Nakshatra is Purva phalguni.
This is a good fix-it week, and youre a good fix-it person. You may need an expert to help with the car, your bike, or the boat, but the rest is under your control. Its time to VIRGO get at that basement, atAug. 23 - Sep 22 tic, or closet thats been driving you crazy. Tear, rip, toss, and clean. Ah, doesnt that feel better? Now go get yourself a treat for all of your hard work. Put the work away by sundown, and go out and play. Its possible that your attempts to go out and get some things done meet with obstacles this week. Just as you open the door to leave, the rings, and youre PISCES phone Feb 19 - Mar 20 off in another direction. Save time for finishing up little matters of detail. Nights you can throw caution to the wind and party hardy. A festive event can be just what you need now to lift you above lifes mundane matters.
LEO
Someone you thought you trusted may hurt you with words. Whether these words are spoken to your face behind your back, AQUARIUS or your reactions may be Jan 20 - Feb. 18 pretty strong. There are two sides to this. One is that youre just extra sensitive in this week. Normally, youd either shrug this off or fight back with your impressive intellectual arsenal.
V. Kumar (Scientific Horoscope Consultant) You can consult him with Appointment on: 9855150789; 9592095234
ACROSS 1. Hurt 5. Make a selection 8. Frank 12. Legal hold 13. Bad grade 14. Gambling city 15. School groups (abbr.) 16. Became more performed 18. That woman 19. River mouths 20. House locations 22. Large antelope 25. Washington, DC time zone 26. Food allotment 28. Knife feature 31. Australian dog 32. Witty reply 34. Chaps 35. Poetic work 36. Big, hairy spider 41. Indias Mother_________ 42. Pen point 43. Abnormally sensitive 46. Linger 47. Little piggies 48. Self 59. Broadcasts 50. Egg on 51. High explosive(abbr.) 52. Scottish loch DOWN 1. First Greek letter 2. Used footnotes 3. Listened to 4. Printers measures 5. Most bizarre 6. Rinds 7. Wobble 8. Unrefined metals 9. Writing Instruments 10. Compass dirrection(abbr.) 11. Drift off 17. Rose Bowl city 19. AWOL soldier 21. Make over 22. Card game 23. Yule drink 24. Pedros one 27. Hue 28. Siss sibling 29. Directed 30. Ingested 33. Archers goal 34. Teams symbol 37. Royal rule 38. Loosen laces 39. Those who fib 40. Chasm 41. Try out 43. One_____ time(2wds.) 44. Toss 45. Rebel general 46. _______ Juan
1 12 15 18 20
5 13 16 19
7 17
8 14
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21 25 26 31 33 36 41 37 46 48 51 49 52 34 27
22 23 24
24 A 30 R 33 E
25 G E T
26 R E C 38 R
28 G E E
29 O D D
32 W A R 43 R I O R
35 O T 42 H E R S
36 M O U S S E
37 I R E
39 E S S
28 29 30 32 35 43 44 45 47 50
38 39 40 42
40 A 47 M 50 M 53 O
41 L E A D
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New Delhi If a lot can happen over a cup of coffee, a lot more can happen now with the book cafe culture gaining popularity across the country. The concept of sipping a hot cup of coffee and reading your favourite author couldnt have got any better. Time was when serious book readers scoffed at the idea of mixing one
tion of books. Sudoku Solution 23 June, 2013 When we did our research we realised a lot of people step out of their office for a cup of coffee. There are many who want to have a quite time, away from office tension, said Sonia Mohindra, director of Under One Roof Hotel Consultants. The idea is to provide them a place where they can have solitude. They can browse through a few magazines and then get back to work, she added. As the books and magazines are not for sale, the cafe has introduced the concept of take a book, leave a book where one can give away the book one has read and doesnt want to keep and can take a book that has been left by someone else. The idea is working for the cafe. In all this, can Mumbai be far off? Taking a leaf out of Japans popular that is unique, Vasu told. comic culture, Vidisha Vasu opened One can become a member by payThe Leaping Windows Comic Li- ing Rs. 4,500 per year and one has to brary and Cafe this month. shell out Rs. 30 per hour to spend an It was after the Comic Con festival hour in the library. that we realised this space is under- One can only go to such places eirepresented. There are many such ther early in the morning or in the afcomic cafes in Japan and we have ternoon. Go there in the evening and followed that concept, said Vasu, you will see too many people. Who one of the founders of the cafe. will read in such an atmosphere? This is not a book shop. This is a Perhaps a library is the best place to library where you can become an an- read quietly. These are just fads that nual member, or else you can come will pass gradually, she added. and read. Comics are extremely ex- Software developer Vipul Mehra dispensive; so we cater to a niche audi- agreed. ence. But we are offering something - Shilpa Raina
REVIEW
Music Movie
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Ghanchakkar-Super fun Bhaag Milkha Bhaag Music runs on passion & intensity and laugh riot
Music Composers: Ehsaan Noorani, Loy Mendonsa, Shankar Mahadevan Singers: Daler Mehndi, Shankar, Ehsaan, Loy, Suhas Sawant, Raman Mahadevan, Mani Mahadevan, Siddharth Mahadevan, Javed Bashir, Divya Kumar, Arif Lohar, Loy Mendonsa, Sukhwinder Singh, Arshad Khan, Israj Khan, Tapas Roy, Vajid Ali, Yusuf Mohammed, Shreya Ghoshal The music of Rakesh Omprakash Mehras Bhaag Milkha Bhaag has eight tracks, including a Gurbani rendition. While a lot of the songs are inclined towards fun and passion, the romantic tracks also manage to steal a bit of limelight in the album. The album starts with a Gurbani, soulfully rendered by Daler Mehndi to create a mood of peace. Zinda, sung by multiple singers like Suhas Sawant, Raman Mahadevan, Mani Mahadevan and Siddharth Mahadevan, has an inspiring passion and intensity. The guitar riffs at the songs beginning are impressive, while the background music along with tough lyrics make the song very encouraging. From hard rock music in the background, the song gradually takes a turn towards a soft, smooth melody. Javed Bashir has sung the next track Mera Yaar beautifully. Unlike usual romantic numbers, this one stands apart with Sufi music blended into the melody seamlessly. The lyrics prove to be a rare phenomenon with poetry being given a lot of space and the track is one of the high points of the album. Maston ka jhund has already become the favourite of many youngsters. With singer Divya Kumar crooning in the track, it can be easily
tagged as a boys number. The beats are rhythmic and foot tapping. Bhaag milkha bhaag, the title track of the movie, is a little disappointing. Even though the lyrics are very powerful, the regular pace of the song makes it a little uninteresting for the listener. While singer Arif Lohars voice is a treat for everyone, the listener keeps on waiting for a high adrenaline rushing twist, which never comes. The rock version of title track makes up for the missing element in the previous number. Sung by Siddharth Mahadevan, it is really hard-hitting and inspirational. Not just the singers voice but the music also compliments the feel of the track. A very good hear. If there is one song in the album, which can be termed as simply amazing, it is Slow motion angreza. The song begins with singer Loy Mendosa singing in English. It has the style of country singing and is very catchy. The best part comes
when Sukhwinder Singh comes behind the mike. His entry is commendable and is sure to have the listeners hooked on to it. The last track is O Rangrez, which again has an ensemble of singers like Arshad Khan, Israj Khan, Tapas Roy, Vajid Ali, Yusuf Mohammed, Javed Bashir and Shreya Ghoshal contributing to the song. A romantic number, it also has some spiritual essence attached to its music. This is the only slow paced song in the album and has very beautiful lyrics. A listener might not be able to get attached to the rhythm initially, but it gradually grows on you. The beauty of the track might not be appealing to all as it is a low profiled song. Shankar, Ehsaan and Loy have tried to infuse life and story in every track. While the tracks, which are peppy, score high, certain tracks may fail to meet expectations of the listeners. But, nonetheless, the music of Bhaag Milkha Bhaag does not disappoint.
Director: Rajkumar Gupta Cast & Crew: Emraan Hashmi, Vidya Balan, Rajesh Sharma, Namit Das Actor Vidya Balan and Emraan Hashmis film Ghanchakkar is directed by Rajkumar Gupta and produced by Ronnie Screwvala andSiddharth Roy Kapur from UTV Motion Pictures. When Sanju (Emraan Hashmi), a suave, master safe cracker wants to retire from a career in crime, he decides to team up with two dangerous criminals to commit one last heist.
A bank robbery that will ensure that he never has to worry about money again. The robbery is successful and everything goes according to plan. Sanju is given the task of hiding the money till things cool down and the booty can be split. Three months later, the associates return to collect their share of the loot, but Sanju refuses to even recognize them! They realize he got into an accident and is suffering from strong amnesia and decide to stay with Sanju and his wife Neetu (Vidya Balan) until Sanju remembers where he hid the money. What dangerous game is Sanju playing?
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practical book, written by one of Indias most respected CEOs, will give you the keys to win in India, other emerging markets, and beyond.
Ravi Venkatesan is the former Chairman of Microsoft India and Cummins India. Under Venkatesans leadership between 2004 and 2011, India became Microsofts secondlargest geography and one of the fastest growing markets. Prior to joining Microsoft, as the Chairman of Cummins India Venkatesan led its transformation into the countrys leading provider of power solutions and engines. He is currently a director on the boards of AB Volvo and Infosys Limited. He also serves on Harvard Business Schools Global Alumni Board.
Having had the pleasure of working with Ravi Venkatesan during his Microsoft years, its inspiring to see the challenges he faced, his successes, and the lessons he learned codified into knowledge that is helpful to all. Conquering the Chaos is both a way of getting started in India and other emerging markets and a poignant reminder of what we must all continue to pursue as global leaders.-Stephen Elop, Chairman and CEO, Nokia Bill Gates, Chairman and cofounder, Microsoft Ravi Venkatesans clear and candid look at doing business in India should be on the reading list of any business leader who wants to better understand India and other emerging markets.Conquering the Chaos is insightful and thoroughly readable.
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NASA to launch mission to Now, a chip that detects disease in blood drop capture asteroid
Los Angeles Scientists have engineered a cutting-edge sensor chip that can detect diseases from a drop of blood, says a new study. A new study describes how Reginald Farrow and Alokik Kanwal, researchers at the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT), and their team have created a carbon nanotube-based device to noninvasively and quickly detect mobile single cells with the potential to maintain a high degree of spatial resolution, reports Science Daily. Using sensors, we created a de-
ing the compact SUV models out of India, it currently ships out Figo. The companys India operations will only be one of the five plants globally where EcoSport will be manufactured. We have a very flexible manufacturing schedule which is currently meant to fulfil the existing demand and bookings. The current pricing is what we are offering as of now, Vinay Piparsania, executive director, marketing, sales and service at Ford India told IANS. The company did not divulge any sales or production targets of the compact sub-four metre length SUV
which comes with electric power-assisted steering which helps the driver tackle the stress of city driving like parking in small spaces, manoeuvering in heavy traffic and making tight U-turns. Another unique feature of the vehicle is its EcoBoost technology with the patented 1.0-litre three-cylinder engine which delivers power and performance of a traditional 1.6-litre engine with an improvement in fuel economy by up to 20 percent at 18.9 km per litre. The vehicle is also available in 1.5-litre petrol engine or a 1.5-litre diesel engine. IANS
Jerusalem An Israeli technology company has developed a method where old or outdated phones can run apps available only on smartphones. The system developed by the VascoDe company allows users to obtain apps with the firms cloud-based system that requires no downloads and uses the text-based Unstructured Supplementary Service Data (USSD), similar to the Short Message Service (SMS), Xinhua reported. Customers will be able to use many apps available until now for smartphone users only. However, the only difference is that they will see the apps in black and white. The USSD system does not allow access to the internet, but rather it uses the API (Application Programming Interfaces) from pages like Facebook,
Gmail, and the like, according to technology and health website Israel21c. VascoDe CEO Doron Mottes said 83 percent of cellphones in the world are simple and do not connect to the internet, which means that almost four billion people in the world cannot check their email on the go. He said the difference between being able to check emails and respond to them, can make a whole difference in a world so hung up on the internet, because it can give you the possibility to respond to job offers, for example. VascoDes main markets are developing countries like Brazil, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, where most of the population cannot afford internet connection or a computer, and has to rely on expensive internet shops to log on their accounts. IANS
vice that will allow medical personnel to put a tiny drop of liquid on the active area of the device and measure the cells electrical properties, said Farrow, the recipient of NJITs highest research honour, the NJIT Board of Overseers Excellence in Research Prize and Medal. Although we are not the only people by any means doing this kind of work, what we think is unique is how we measure the electrical properties or patterns of cells and how those properties differ between cell types.
Bangalore US National Aeronautical and Space Administration (NASA) will launch a space mission to capture and redirect an asteroid into an orbit closer to earth to enable its astronauts to visit it, a top space official said. As part of our new initiative, we are going to launch a mission to capture and redirect an asteroid into an orbit closer to earth so that astronauts can visit it, NASA administrator Charles F. Bolden said in a talk delivered at the space applications centre of the state-run Indian space agency in Ahmedabad. The mission also will identify and characterise asteroids of all types for clues to their origin, formation and separation from smaller planets in the solar system to become rockymetallic objects floating in sizes ranging from pebbles to 1,000 km across. In a statement earlier, Bolden said NASA was develop a first-ever mission to identify, capture and relocate an asteroid, by bringing together the space agencys science, technology and human exploration efforts to achieve the goal of sending humans
to an asteroid by 2025. The mission is estimated to cost $105 million. NASA plans to first locate a large asteroid floating in space closer to earth, deploy a robotic arm to capture it and push it into a safe orbit around the moon before sending astronauts in a capsule to study it. Our future plans also include advance space exploration and reach new destinations such as an asteroid and Mars, Bolden told scientists and officials of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO). On his first visit to India as NASA administrator, Bolden discussed the cooperative activities between the two space-faring countries with ISRO chairman K. Radhakrishnan and senior space officials and potential areas of future missions. India and the US pursue active civil space cooperation in earth sciences, space exploration, satellite navigation and professional exchange, the space agency said in a statement here. During his day-long visit, Bolden was shown the technical facilities of the space applications centre, which develops satellite sensors IANS and antennas.
KIDS
asteroid
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Know About the Fastest Swimming Delhi school students Fish - Sailfish discover
New Delhi A new asteroid has been discovered by two students from a Delhi school and it has been confirmed by the international space community, an NGO for popularizing space said. Shourya Chambial and Gaurav Pati from Amity International school in south Delhis Pushp Vihar made the discovery as part of the All India Asteroid Search Campaign. The discovery has been confirmed by the international scientific community and the asteroid has been provisionally named as 2013 LS28, said Science Popularization Association of Communicators and Educators (SPACE) who organized the campaign with International Astronomical Search Collaboration (IASC). We are waiting for it to be placed in the worlds official minor body catalogue maintained by International Astronomical Union (Paris), it added. According to Space, which has been organizing such camps since 2012 and is providing training to students and amateur astronomers for asteroid hunting, the project was started with an aim to increase the love for science, astronomy and scientific research in Indian students. The project has provided opportunities to more than 500 students and amateurs in India to discover asteroids till now, 15 new asteroids discoveries have been discovered, said Space. Sachin Bahmba, of Space said: Indian students have beaten students all over the world in asteroid discoveries and India is now looked upon as a leader in bringing revolutionary changes in the field of astronomy and space science education and research. Here we are giving your child an opportunity to enjoy our funny tongue twisters for kids and have fun trying to say some of the most difficult sentences . To get the full effect of a tongue twister you should try to repeat it several times, as quickly as possible, without stumbling.
When you write copy you have the right to copyright the copy you write. A big black bug bit a big black dog on his big black nose! One-one was a race horse. Two-two was one too. One-one won one race. Two-two won one too. Sounding by sound is a sound method of sounding sounds.
The fastest fish in the ocean, sailfish can reach speeds of 68 miles (110 kilometers) per hour. Their large size and spirited fight make them a favorite among trophy fishers. Sailfish live in both the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans in warm waters.
ailfish are a very well-known species of fish. Over-fishing of this magnificent fish has led to a noticeable decline in their numbers, so that many people who fish for them are putting them back after theyve caught them (called catch and release). Sailfish are fairly abundant throughout their range, and their population is considered stable. They are under no special status or protections. Appearance Sailfish range in color from dark blue to gray, with a silver or white underbelly. As a type of billfish, sailfish have an elongated upper jaw thats
approximately twice as long as the lower jaw, forming a spear. Their dorsal fins resemble sails not only because they run almost the full length of their bodies, but also because their height is considerably greater than the thickness of their bodies. Range and Habitat: Sailfish are found in both the Atlantic and Pacific oceans with different scientific names assigned to the fish in either ocean (Pacific - Istiophorus albicans; Atlantic - Istiophorus platypterus). However, scientists now believe that these fish are actually the same species, the only difference being the ocean in which they live and their size - the Pacific ocean sailfish
tend to grow significantly larger (up to 10 feet). Based on catch rates and water temperature, it has been determined that sailfish prefer to live in warm waters (approximately 79F), although they have been caught as far north in the Atlantic as Cape Cod. Prey and Predators Both subspecies of sailfish prey mostly on octopus, squid and bony fish. Larger predatory fish and some seabirds also eat sailfish. Humans also fish for sailfish, but not often for food; their meat is tough and generally considered undesirable. However, because sailfish are so large and put up such a fightoften taking hours to landrecreational and trophy fishermen seek them out.
Put your puzzle solving skills to the test with our insects word scramble. Look carefully at the jumble words and try unscrambling words related to creepy crawly world of insects? KACOHCCOR QISMOTUO NAT BGU LYF RTLUEFBTY
Color Me...
Spectacular Meaning- Impressive or sensational Example- I saw a spectacular play this afternoon.. Timid Meaning- Fearful and hesitant Example- Shes a timid child who rarely raises her hand to answer questions in class.
Use a lemon to write a secret message. All you need is some basic household objects and the hidden power of lemon juice. Ingredients Half a lemon Water Spoon Bowl Cotton bud White paper Lamp or other light bulb Steps 1. Squeeze some lemon juice into the bowl and add a few drops of water. 2. Mix the water and lemon juice with the spoon. 3. Dip the cotton bud into the mixture and write a message onto the
white paper. 4. Wait for the juice to dry so it becomes completely invisible. 5. Heat the paper by holding it over a lamp with the writing side down, the invisible ink writing will slowly turn brown and appear on the page! Conclusion Lemon juice is an organic substance that oxidizes and turns brown when heated. Diluting the lemon juice in water makes it very hard to notice when you apply it the paper, no one will be aware of its presence until it is heated. Other substances which work in the same way including orange juice, honey, milk, onion juice, vinegar and wine. Invisible ink can also be made using chemical reactions or by viewing certain liquids under ultraviolet (UV) light.
Urbane Meaning- Polite, refined, and often elegant in manner, Example- He maintained an urbane tone in the letters he sent to me. Wacky Meaning- Funny or amusing in a slightly odd or peculiar way, Example- Shawn and his friend posed for a wacky picture on their graduation day.
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BUSINESS
New Delhi State-run explorer ONGCs foreign arm ONGC Videsh (OVL) and Oil India Ltd (OIL) will buy the Videocon Industries stake in a Mozambique gas field for about $2.5 billion. Videocon Mozambique Rovuma 1 Ltd, a subsidiary of Videocon Mauritius Energy Ltd, holds 10 percent participating interest in the Rovuma Area 1 Offshore Block in Mozambique. Mozambiques offshore Area 1 may hold as much as 65 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of gas and has the potential to be one of the worlds largest liquefied natural gas (LNG) hubs. OIL said Tuesday that in a joint venture with OVL, it signed definitive agreements to acquire Videocon Mozambique Rovuma 1 Ltd for $2.475 billion. The acquisition will be done via a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) jointly-owned by the two firms. OVL will hold 60 percent stake in the joint venture, while OIL will hold the remaining 40 percent. OVL will look to transporting the LNG from Mozambique to India. The acquisition is subject to the approvals of the governments of Mozambique and India, relevant regulatory approvals, pre-emption rights and other customary conditions, the statement said. Earlier on June 10, ONGC Videsh had announced the same deal. However, it withdrew their statement after a few hours without citing any reasons. Other partners in Area 1 include Anadarko, operator of the project, ENH, Mitsui, BPRL and PTTEP. This investment is expected to further enhance the strong business and cultural links between Mozambique and India, OIL said. Between the two upstream companies, this is the third overseas acquisition within a year. OIL and Indian Oil Corp have jointly acquired 30 percent stakes in Carrizo Oil & Gas Incs Niobrara shale gas assets in Colorado, in the United States. OVL has agreed to pay $5 billion to acquire Conoco Phillips 8.4 percent stake in a Kazakhstan oilfield. The Kashagan field, located in the shallow waters of the Kazakh North Caspian Sea, is the worlds largest devel-
Indian company. Any investment beyond the threshold of 10 percent shall be considered as Foreign Direct Investment (FDI). In order to make the procedure much simpler, prior direct registration of FIIs and Sub Accounts with SEBI be done away with. Instead, DDPs authorised by SEBI would register FPIs on behalf of SEBI subject to compliance with KYC requirements, SEBI said in a statement after the board meeting here. While accepting the recommendations of the committee the Board decided that the recommendations concerning SEBI would be implemented by SEBI and it would refer the other recommendations to government of India for implementation, it said.
IANS
opment project. OVL currently has a presence in 31 exploration and production projects in 15 countries - Vietnam, Iraq, Libya, Syria, Sudan, South Sudan, Iran, Cuba, Brazil, Venezuela, Russia, Myanmar, Colombia, Nigeria and Kazakhstan.
Reliance Capital is already doing business with Japans largest private life insurer Nippon Life. The Japanese insurer controls 26 percent stake in Reliance Life Insurance as well as Reliance Asset Management Company, the two entities of Reliance Capital. The establishment of the new bank is a very significant project for Reliance Group and we are delighted with our participation. It represents the strong partnership between the two groups, which we hope to strengthen further going forward, said Yoshinobu Tsutsui, president, Nippon Life Insurance. The project has been taken under consideration in light of the promotion of Financial Inclusion by the Indian government and the Reserve Bank of India. We believe that it has great social significance as it will contribute to the further development of the Indian economy and financial infrastructure, Tsutsui said.
IANS
The bilateral trade between India and Israel crossed $5 billion during 2011. The ambassador pointed out that this did not include services. Though the trade decreased during 2012 because of economic challenges in both the countries, he believes the trend is positive. The Israeli ambassador, who concluded two-day visit to Hyderabad,
BUSINESS
New Delhi The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) approved doubling the price of domestically produced - to $8.42 per million British thermal units (MBTU) from April 2014 against the current $4.2 MBTU - under a complex formula recommended by the C. Rangarajan Committee, an official source said here. The CCEA approved the Rangarajan formula for a period of five years, while the pricing will come into effect from April 1, 2014. The price of gas when the guidelines come into effect would be around $8.42 per MBTU against the current $4.2 MBTU. The government contracted price for gas from Reliance Industries KGD6 gas fields is $4.2 per MBTU, which is valid till April 2014. While RILs KG-D6 gas price was fixed in 2007 for the first five years of production, administered price mechanism (APM) gas rates were last revised in June, 2010 when prices were raised to $4.2 from $1.79. APM gas constitutes about 60 percent of current domestic production of about 110 million standard cubic metres per day. RIL production has tapered off to 15 mmscmd. The Rangarajan formula is based on
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Government to sell 7.64 percent Cabinet approves doubling domestic gas stake in National Fertilizers price from 2014
New Delhi The Indian government will sell 7.64 percent of its stake in National Fertilizers Limited, which is expected to fetch nearly Rs.130 crore to exchequer, Finance Minister P Chidambaram said. The government currently controls 97.64 percent stake in the Mini Ratna company engaged in manufacturing and marketing of urea and other fertilizers. Addressing a media conference here, Chidambaram said the government has decided to divest its stake in the company in order to comply with the market regulator Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI) norms. As per the SEBI norms, governments shareholding in the listed public sector undertakings must come below 90 percent by Aug 8, 2013. The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) chaired by Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh Thursday approved the proposal to divest 7.64 percent paid-up equity capital of the company that has nearly 3.74 crore shares. Share price of National Fertilizers Limited rose 1.92 percent to Rs.34.55 at the Bombay Stock Exchange. At the current market price of Rs.34.55, disinvestment of 3.74 crore share would fetch Rs.129.21 crore to the exchequer. National Fertilizers Limited is a Mini Ratna central public sector enterprises under the administrative control of the ministry of chemicals and fertilizers. The company is engaged in manufacturing and marketing of urea, 16 industrial products and three types of bio-fertilizers from its five operating units located one each at Nangal and Bhatinda in Punjab, Panipat in Haryana and two units at Vijaipur in Madhya Pradesh.
averaging prices at the international gas hub as well as of imported LNG. While the Rangarajan panel had recommended revising domestic gas prices every month, the petroleum ministry has proposed a quarterly revision. According to sources, both the power and fertiliser ministries have opposed any hike. The power ministry maintains that electricity generated at any price of over $5 was economically unviable. It has also questioned the logic of pricing the fuel in US dollars as any depreciation in the Indian currency would further add
to costs. The cost of generating electricity would be around Rs.5.4 per unit at new gas price, taking the total cost of generation to Rs.6.40 per unit. This compares to current cost of Rs.2.93 per unit. In the face of criticism, particularly from the Left parties, Petroleum Minister M. Veerappa Moily has pitched for a gas price hike saying it was essential to incentivise exploration to raise domestic production and cut imports. The new price will be uniformly applicable uniformly to all producers both state-run and private.
money. We dont want currency to be a profit or loss centre for us. I dont think our industry which is exportoriented would look at a very narrow view of what is going to be an advantage to us.
analytics accounting for the remaining 25 percent. It noted that while financial service firms have already been using risk analytics, driven by regulatory requirements, other sectors are increasingly adopting risk analytics to grow their return on investments. The widespread cost savings realised by manufacturing and retail industries using procurement analytics has prompted non-traditional sectors such as travel and tourism, media and financial services to adopt the same, said Sanjeev Sinha, president, CRISIL Global Research & Analytics. He believes the global shortage of analytics professionals presents a big opportunity for India.
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SPORTS
Jadeja jumps to career best third in ICC BCCI awards Rs.1 crore to Rankings each member of victorious Indian team
Birmingham Indias Ravindra Jadeja made allround gains in the latest ICC ODI Rankings released on Monday, a day after India beat England by five runs in the Champions Trophy final. Jadeja, who made an unbeaten 33 and picked up two for 24 in the final, was named Man of the Match. His haul of 12 wickets in the tournament also made him the highest wickettaker, fetching him the Golden Ball trophy. Jadejas efforts helped him move up a place to a career-best third in the latest bowlers rankings. He also moved up three places to 52nd in the batting table. His combined effort with the bat and ball helped him move up a place to a best so far third in the latest all-rounders standings. India off-spinner Ravichandran Ashwin has also made a return to the top 10 of the bowlers list, having jumped six places to ninth. The others to make upward movement include Angelo Mathews in 22nd (up by three), James Tredwell in 28th (up by 15), Stuart Broad in 30th (up by two), Bhuvneshwar Kumar in 49th (up by three) and Ishant Sharma in 51st (up by five). The bowlers list is still headed by West Indies Sunil Narine with Pakistan spinner Saeed Ajmal in second place. In the rankings for batsmen, England batsman Jonathan Trott moved up a place to fourth. Trott scored 229 runs from five games to end as the second highest run-getter in the tournament. The list continues to be headed by South Africa captain AB de Villiers, with teammate Hashim Amla in second place and Indias Virat Kohli in third position. India opener Shikhar Dhawan, who ended the tournament as the highest run-getter after scoring 363 runs,
has jumped 21 places to a careerbest 29th. Dhawans efforts with the bat not only fetched him the Player of the Tournament award but also earned him the Golden Bat trophy for scoring the most runs of the tournament. Others to make upward movement include Mahela Jayawardene in 21st (up by three) and Angelo Mathews in 41st (up by one). Meanwhile, Indias triumph in the Champions Trophy has helped them strengthen their position as the number-one ranked team on the ODI Championship Table. India entered the tournament on 119 ratings points and have moved to 123
thanks to victories over South Africa, the West Indies and Pakistan in the group stage, followed by wins over Sri Lanka in the semi-final and hosts England in the final. India now have a lead of 10 ratings points over their nearest rival, England, who are currently on 113, level with third-placed Australia. But Alastair Cooks side is ranked above Michael Clarkes team by a fraction of a point. South Africa continue to be ranked fourth with a loss of one ratings points (111) following their loss in the semi-final to England. Sri Lanka are still at fifth but have also lost one ratings point to finish at 108. IANS
Mumbai The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) announced that each member of the Indian team will be awarded a cash prize of Rs.1 crore for winning the Champions Trophy Sunday night. Led by Mahendra Singh Dhoni, India beat England by five runs in a thrill-
ing final at Edgbaston, Birmingham to be crowned Champions Trophy winners for the second time. India had shared the title with Sri Lanka in 2002. BCCI also announced in a statement that Rs.30 lakh will be given to every member of the support staff.
and two half-century opening wicket partnerships. He was selected as the Player of the Tournament by a five-person selection panel comprising Geoff Allardice (ICC general manager - Cricket, and chairman Event Technical Committee), Javagal Srinath (former India fast bowler and ICC elite panel match referee), Aleem Dar (ICC elite panel umpire), Scyld Berry (Wisden Editor from 2008-2011 and Sunday Telegraph correspondent) and Stephen Brenkley (correspondent of The Independent and the Independent On Sunday). Past winners: 1998 - Jacques Kallis (South Africa) 2000 - Not awarded 2002 - Not awarded 2004 - Ramnaresh Sarwan (West Indies) 2006 - Chris Gayle (West Indies) 2009 - Ricky Ponting (Australia) 2013 - Shikhar Dhawan (India)
Spains best chance of the first half came when Xavis delicate touch released Fernando Torres, who spun around his marker before firing his shot wide. Both sides appeared to labour in the second half as the sapping tropical heat took its toll. But it was Spain who looked most likely to score as del Bosques side began to find gaps in the Azzurri defence with their signature short passing game. Andres Iniesta twice tried his luck
from distance while second-half substitute Juan Mata failed to make clean contact after a Torres header. Emanuele Giaccherini then came within inches of putting his team ahead in extra time when he thumped a 25m shot against the post. Minutes later it was Spains turn to be denied by the woodwork when Xavis swerving shot was palmed against the upright by Gianluigi Buffon. IANS
SPORTS
New Delhi Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal gained a place to be World No.3 in womens singles in the latest Badminton World Federation (BWF) rankings released 27 June. Apart from Saina two other Indian shuttlers figure in the top 50. While P.V. Sindhu remains at 12, Nagpur girl Arundhati Pantawane broke into the top-50 for the first time as she made a remarkable jump of 10 places to be ranked 49th. In the mens singles, Parupalli Kashyap remained Indias topranked mens player despite dropping two places to be 13th. After a string of good performances, R.M.V. Gurusaidutt moved up a place to reach career-best No.22 while Mumbais Ajay Jayaram also jumped a place to be 24. Madhya Pradeshs Sourabh Verma
Silverstone Formula 1 driver Mark Webber announced that he will make an exit from the sport at the end of the season and move on to sportscar racing. The Red Bull driver will join Porsches new sportscar programme in the FIA World Endurance Championship (WEC) and Le Mans 24 Hours, making the announcement just ahead of this weekends British Grand Prix here. The Australian signed a contract with Porsche that extends over several years where, starting next year, he will compete in the LMP1 sports prototype at Le Mans and in the sports car at WEC. He is no stranger to sportscar racing having previously competed for Mercedes in 1998-99. The 36-yearold has already competed at Le Mans twice, finishing as a runner-
up in the FIA GT Championship in 1998 at the wheel of a sports prototype. Its an honour for me to join Porsche at its return to the top category in Le Mans and in the sports car World Endurance Championship. Porsche has written racing history as a manufacturer and stands for outstanding technology and performance at the highest level, said Webber. Im very much looking forward to this new challenge after my time in Formula 1. I can hardly wait to pilot one of the fastest sports cars in the world. The 36-year-old Australian will join former Red Bull development driver Neel Jani of Switzerland at Porsches LMP1 team along with Timo Bernhard (Germany) and Romain Dumas (France).
Webbers exit will mark an end to a 12-year relationship with F1 where he made his debut with Minardi (2002) before moving on Jaguar (2003, 2004). Webber then raced for Williams (2005, 2006) for a couple of years before joining his current team Red Bull (2007-present) where he has won nine Grands Prix. He also helped Red Bull clinch the Constructors Championship for three consecutive years (20102012). The Australians exit will heighten speculation about who will partner triple World Champion Sebastian Vettel. Although reports have repeatedly linked Lotuss Kimi Raikkonen to the seat, Red Bull already have several potential candidates including sister-team Toro Rossos Daniel Ricciardo and Jean-Eric Vergne.
retains 37 while Andhra boy B. Sai Praneeth jumped five places to a career-best 40th. Thailand Open winner Kidambi Srikanth also moved up a place to be at career-high 41. However, Mumbais Anand Pawar dropped five places to IANS 43.
IANS
Nairobi Mauritius has been selected to replace South Africa as the host of the Africa Junior Athletics Championships. The Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) has confirmed that Reduit City in Mauritius will be the next stop for the biennial championships, replacing Johannesburg, which pulled out after Athletics South Africa was suspended for financial misappropriation by the countrys Olympic body. Following the cancellation of the African Junior Championships in South Africa, the CAA has officially designated Mauritius to hold the 11th African Junior Championships from Aug 29 to Sep 2, CAA said in a statement. CAA was shopping for an alternative host of Africa Junior Athletics Championships after suspending South Africa over government interference. Johannesburg was due to
stage the championships from June 27 to July 1. David Okeyo, the CAA Vice President said they could not hold any event in South Africa since the International Association of Athletics Federations (IAAF) does not recognise the interim board of administrators selected to run the sport. South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee (Sascoc) suspended its athletics body officials in May. Athletics South Africa (ASA) was placed under administration and its President James Evans and the ASA board suspended for serious financial irregularities and autocratic leadership within the organisation. South Africa replaced Rwanda and Gabon as alternative host after the two countries failed to meet the required organisational demands for the championships. IANS
St. Johns (Antigua) The West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) has released the schedule for Pakistans tour of the Caribbean starting July 14. The series will include five One Day Internationals and two Twenty20 Internationals. Guyana will host the first two ODIs, followed by three ODIs at the Beausejour Cricket Grounds in St. Lucia. The Arnos Vale Cricket Ground in St. Vincent will host the two Twenty20 Internationals July 27 and 28 to conclude the tour. The series will also mark the return of international cricket to Guyana after a one year absence. This has been a bumper year for international cricket in the Caribbean. We have had a full series with West Indies and Zimbabwe and the Celkon Mobile Cup including India and Sri Lanka is about to commence, said WICB corporate communications officer Imran Khan. The seven match series involving Pakistan will give fans, especially cricket starved fans in Guyana, more international cricket action to rally behind the West Indies team. SCHEDULE: GUYANA Bourda Cricket Ground Thursday July 11 - Pakistan 50 over warm up game (opposition TBC) Guyana National Stadium, Guyana Sunday July 14 - First ODI Tuesday July 16 - Second ODI ST LUCIA Beausejour Cricket Grounds, St Lucia Friday July 19 - Third ODI Sunday July 21 - Fourth ODI Wednesday July 24 - Fifth ODI
Mumbai Fast bowler Mohammed Shami has replaced injured Irfan Pathan in the Indian squad for the tri-nation cricket series in the West Indies beginning June 28. Irfan Pathan has been ruled out of the tri-series in the West Indies, due to a hamstring injury. The All India Senior Selection Committee has picked Shami as his replacement in
the Indian team, read a statement from the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI). Pathan did not play any game in the Champions Trophy which India won Sunday. India face the West Indies at Sabina Park, Jamaica on June 30 in their opening match of the series, also involving Sri Lanka.
Mersin (Turkey) Badminton Tuesday scored another first by debuting at the 17th Mediterranean Games. The tourney, being played at the Mersin University Sports Hall No.1, will last till June 30. Players from 11 of the 24 participating nations - Croatia, Egypt, France, Greece, Italy, Lebanon, Macedonia, Serbia, Slovenia, Spain and Turkey -
will compete for top honours in four categories -- mens and womens singles as well as mens and womens doubles. Mixed doubles has been omitted from the Games replicating what happened when badminton debuted in Olympics in 1992 in Barcelona. The category was first included at the 1996 Atlanta Games. IANS
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