'No additional Pakistani troops for Afghan border'

Islamabad, July 1 (IANS) Pakistan has reversed a decision to station 10,000 more troops on its volatile border with Afghanistan, saying the present strength of 78,000 is adequate.

The announcement by Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao reverses the one made by Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri two days ago in the presence of visiting US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice.

Sherpao made the announcement in the presence of US Ambassador to Pakistan Ryan C. Crocker at the Sihala Police Training Centre here, the Daily Times reported.

Kasuri had made the announcement after discussions with Rice, who was here to supervise the on-going anti-Taliban operations.

2007 World Cup: Organisers step up preparations

Kingston (Jamaica), July 1 (IANS) In an effort to get the infrastructure ready for next year's cricket World Cup in time, the West Indian organisers have appointed a well-known company for overlay products and management services.

The International Cricket Council (ICC) and Global Cricket Corporation (GCC), ICC's commercial partners, have named GL Events as official supplier of overlay products and management services to get the Caribbean islands ready for the tournament.

"In addition, the French company has been selected as the exclusive primary supplier for the Central Procurement Programme (CPP) which was established to source overlay items," said a statement from the organisers.

The company will be responsible for providing all temporary components required to make the 12 venues ready for the March-April tournament.

Their responsibilities include making temporary grandstands and suites, roof systems, hospitality villages, replay screens, turnstiles, security systems and all temporary building structures.

GL Events has "great technical experience with the Olympics, FIFA World Cups, golf and tennis events worldwide", said ICC venue development director Donald Lockerbie.

"It's wonderful to see such expertise coming to the Caribbean. GL will supply up to 50 percent of the overlay requirements through a tendering process and manage the acquisition of the rest of the overlay," he said.

"In some cases they will need subcontractors and in all tenders GL will be looking regionally and internationally for partners."

All nine local organising committees in the venues have signed a contract with GL Events naming it as their management contractors for overlay.

"The venue development department has been developing the CPP for over two years and to see the local organising committees come to an agreement is the most positive step we could have taken to complete our venues on time and to world-class standards," Lockerbie said.

The World Cup will be played between March 11 and April 29.

Baghdad bomb blast kills 60

Baghdad, July 1 (Xinhua) At least 60 people were killed and 76 injured Saturday as a powerful car bomb exploded near a crowded market in eastern Baghdad, the interior ministry said.

The deafening blast, at around 10.00 a.m. (0600 GMT), was apparently caused by an explosive-packed vehicle parked near the Souq al-Auola market in the heavily populated Sadr City, a ministry official said.

According to him, the attack targeted a passing police patrol, which escaped unhurt. All the victims were civilians.

Earlier in the day, a roadside bomb struck an Iraqi police commando patrol near a cinema in Baghdad's Alawi neighbourhood, killing three commando members, according to a ministry source.

The blast damaged a police vehicle and caused damages to the nearby buildings and shops.

Violence has mounted in the war-torn country despite the formation of a new unity government, three years after the US-led invasion.

Bhajan Lal quits as Haryana Congress chief

Chandigarh, July 1 (IANS) Upset over being constantly "ignored and humiliated" within the party, former Haryana chief minister Bhajan Lal Saturday resigned as the state Congress president.

Lal faxed his resignation letter to Congress president Sonia Gandhi complaining that he and his supporters were being constantly ignored and humiliated in state politics ever since the Bhupinder Singh Hooda government came to power in March last year.

Speculations were rife in political circles that Lal could resign from his post or even quit the Congress and form a new regional party.

Sources close to the leader said the recent announcement of state Congress office bearers and executives, in which Lal was clearly overlooked and none of his supporters were nominated, was the last straw before his exit.

Lal tried to meet Gandhi to express his displeasure but did not get any appointment.

The Congress had appointed Ram Prakash as the state's working president earlier this year.

Lal, who led the Congress to victory in assembly elections in February last year, was widely tipped to become the chief minister but the central leadership opted for Hooda.

At that time, Hooda was an MP and got elected to the assembly later.

Kuldeep Bishnoi, Lal's youngest son and Congress MP from Bhiwani, had last month criticised the Rs.250 billion deal between the state government and Reliance Industries Ltd for a special economic zone, saying it was against the interests of the state and its farmers.

Bishnoi, who was served a show cause notice by the Congress a fortnight ago, said Friday that he would continue to oppose the Reliance deal. His outburst was embarrassing for Hooda and the Haryana government, party sources said.

Incidentally, Bhajan Lal's elder son Chander Mohan is the deputy chief minister in the Hooda government.

Blasts blow up Pakistani railway track

Islamabad, July 1 (Xinhua) At least four explosions Saturday blew up the main railway line between Pakistan's Balochistan province and Iran, said media reports.

The track between provincial capital Quetta and Zahidan in neighbouring Iran was blown up early morning, suspending the train services, Geo TV reported. At least 36 feet of the railway track has reportedly been damaged.

No casualties have been reported.

A Zahidan-bound passenger train, that was to travel on the same track, was stopped at a station at Noshki, a major city in the area.

Repair work would start once the engineers are provided with adequate security, considering the risk involved, said the report.

Though no group has claimed responsibility for the blasts, authorities blamed such attacks on anti-government tribesmen.

Tribesmen in the region have been demanding a bigger share of the region's natural resources and have always targeted security forces and government installations - mostly gas pipelines and train tracks.

The Quetta-Zahidan railway line has also been attacked several times in the past.

China opens Qinghai-Tibet railway

Golmud (China), July 1 (Xinhua) The first passenger train from China's Qinghai province to Tibet was launched Saturday morning from the railway station here, unveiling a landmark railway across the "roof of the world".

The train, coded "Qing 1" and carrying about 600 passengers, rolled out at about 11.05 a.m. (local time) to Lhasa, and is dubbed "an engineering marvel".

Chinese president Hu Jintao cut the ribbon for the launching of the railway and delivered a keynote speech at a gala held at the railway station.

Hu said that the opening of the Qinghai-Tibet railway "is a magnificent accomplishment we have achieved in our socialist modernisation drive" and added that it was a long-cherish dream of generations of Chinese people.

"The project is not only a magnificent feat in China's history of railway construction, but is also a great miracle of the world's railroad history," he said.

Vice Premier Zeng Peiyan presided over the launching ceremony, which was also attended by party chiefs of Tibet and Qinghai.

Around 2,600 people from various circles, including workers who have made special contributions to the construction of the railway, were also present at the launch.

The Qinghai-Tibet railway is 1,956 km long, with 960 km of the track located 4,000 metres above sea level and the highest point at 5,072 metres. The railway is the world's highest and longest plateau railroad and also the first railway connecting the Tibet Autonomous Region with the rest of China.

On board the maiden train are role models of builders of the railway, representatives from the Chinese government, journalists from official media and local passengers.

Plates inscribed with the words "Eight Honours and Eight Disgraces", standards set by President Hu Jintao to boost socialist morality, were hung in the cars of the train.

Death penalty for three in Akshardham attack

Ahmedabad, July 1 (IANS) A court in Gujarat Saturday sentenced three men to death and awarded jail terms to three for their role in the terror attack on the Akshardham temple of 2002 that killed 35 people including the two attackers.

Judge Sonia Gokani of a special POTA (Prevention of Terrorist Activities) court passed the death sentence on Shan Miyan alias Chand Khan, Adam Sulaimar Ajmeri and Mufti Abdul Qayyum Mansuri, holding them guilty of planning the Sep 24, 2002 attack on the temple in the adjacent city of Gandhinagar.

Mohammed Salim Sheikh was awarded life sentence. Abdulmiyan Qadri and Altaf Hussain were sentenced to 10 and five years in jail respectively for being part of the conspiracy to attack the shrine.

The six men were among the 32 accused in the case. They were arrested in August 2003. The others are absconding.

The judgment was delivered in the high-security Sabarmati jail, where the proceedings were held in-camera. The death sentences would have to be ratified by the Gujarat High Court.

Police said two militants of the Pakistan-backed Tahreeq-e-Qasas terror group staged the attack in retribution for the post-Godhra riots earlier in the year in which at least 1,000 people were killed.

"The court has found all the six accused guilty under Section 302 and 120-B of IPC of murder and conspiracy," public prosecutor Sudhir Bhrahmbhatt told reporters after the verdict.

Wearing army uniforms, two terrorists, identified as Murtaza Hafiz Yasin and Ashraf Ali Mohammed Farooq, stormed the Akshardham temple and opened indiscriminate fire with automatic weapons on the devotees. The attackers were killed after a nightlong gun battle with security forces.

Thirty-three people, including three National Security Guards (NSG) commandoes, two policemen and 28 civilians, were killed in the attack.

The Gandhinagar police initially investigated the case. It was then transferred to the anti-terrorist squad (ATS) and finally to the crime branch of the Ahmedabad police, which arrested the six accused.

According to police, the accused held a meeting in Hyderabad April 26, 2002 and plotted to avenge the killing of Muslims in Gujarat.

The masterminds of the attack are still absconding. They include the elusive Abu Hamza, a Lashker-e-Taiba operative who is originally from Hyderabad. The other absconders include Farooq Mohammed Hanif Shaikh, Abdulrashid Suleman Ajmeri and Mohammeduvesh Kadri, all residents of Ahmedabad.

The last deposition in the case took place in April. The court cross-examined 128 witnesses ranging from onlookers and police constables to senior government officials.

Don't send troops to Afghanistan, PM urged

New Delhi, July 1 (IANS) A Muslim rights group has cautioned Prime Minister Manmohan Singh against sending Indian troops to Afghanistan to beef up the US-led forces, saying this would have "severe consequences".

"Even the slightest reflection of being with the American-led forces in Afghanistan would have severe consequences and would send disastrous signals not only to common Afghans but also to the domestic population in India, apart from putting the minute Hindu and Sikh population in Afghanistan at great risk," Navaid Hamid, secretary of the South Asian Council for Minorities (SACM), said in a letter to the prime minister.

Recalling the fallout of India's foray into Sri Lanka in the 1980s to broker peace between the government and Tamil Tigers, Hamid maintained it would be "disastrous, politically and historically, to align with the forces which are messed up in the situation created by their misadventures in the troubled nation".

According to Hamid, India's Afghan policy in the last 25 years had not only created "ill will" amongst ordinary citizens of the country but also given a "clear wedge" to Pakistan.

"As an ardent admirer of your visionary leadership, I am quite confident that all aspects would be in your mind. I earnestly request you to kindly overrule the hawks that are favouring the deployment of Indian forces in Afghanistan," Hamid maintained.

European Muslims call for wider representation

Brussels, July 1, IRNA, Muslims in Europe are facing an acute identity crisis due to rising Islamophobia and are calling for wider representation in parliaments and police and civil services to promote integration.

The two points were stressed by several participants at a debate among 30 Muslim community leaders from the UK with Muslims from Belgium, France, Sweden and Germany in Brussels Tuesday evening to discuss how to prevent radicalization and promote integration in their communities.

Abdul Ullah from the UK said Muslims in Britain were facing an identity problem regardless of whether they were British Muslims, European Muslims or Indian, Pakistani, Bangladeshi Muslims.

Hakam Tasum, a Muslim from Germany, says he is given "strange looks" when he says "I am German Muslim" and feels uncomfortable because of rising Islamophobia.

Sufrana Ismail, a councilor from the UK, called for wider representation of the Muslim community in the European Parliament.

Farzana Hakim from the Commission for Racial Equality of the UK said that in order to deal with discrimination one has to deal with the issue of equality. By experiencing "inequality one develops a victim identity."
She called for increased participation and representation of Muslims in police and security services.

Labour leader in the European Parliament Gary Titley, who led the event, said he hoped that the debate will help forge a strategy that can be used by communities and countries across the EU to make Muslims feel equal with EU and other national citizens.

"There are no easy answers to the tensions we are experiencing after the 7/7 bombings (in London) and heightened fear of the terrorist threat," he said.

Jan Marinus Wiersma, a Dutch MEP, spoke about the situation of the one million Muslims living in the Netherlands and the efforts of the government to integrate these Muslims.

The conference was part of the Labour members of the European Parliament's campaign to defend democracy and protect civil liberties.

Shahid Malik, a Labour MP, said Muslims have to join and be a part of the mainstream of societies they are living in without giving up their identity.

However, she added, "distortion of Islam in the media is a big problem."

Foreign companies keen to invest in Kerala

Thiruvananthapuram, July 1 (IANS) Foreign companies queuing up to invest in Kerala have got over any fears that the new V.S. Achuthanandan government in Kerala might not be keen to welcome investors from abroad.

Speaking to IANS, Achuthanandan's political secretary K.N. Balagopal said the number of foreign investors wanting to meet the chief minister was growing by the day.

"Officials of Dubai-based Emaar Properties have met Achuthanandan twice proposing to build knowledge cities in the capital city and Kochi. Next week a high-level Kuwaiti delegation will arrive," said Balagopal.

Emaar Properties, a public joint stock company, is listed on the Dubai Financial Market and is part of the Dow Jones Arabia Titans Index. Its net profits for the first quarter ended March 31 crossed $400 million.

"The company has asked for land to build infrastructure for IT companies and other facilities like residential complex and schools. They are willing to pay the market price for the land or convert the amount into equity of the state government," he said.

He said Achuthanandan was also willing to negotiate with the Dubai Internet City (DIC) officials, who had signed a memorandum of understanding with the former Congress-led government.

"Now, even the IT officials who had previously negotiated with the DIC feel Kerala has become a hot destination for investment," added Balagopal.

Meanwhile, Leader of Opposition Oommen Chandy told IANS that opposition parties would support the government's efforts to invite investments in the state.

"We have lost a lot of time and several opportunities due to a lack of consensus between ruling and opposition parties. We will not be a stumbling block, like Left parties did when they sat in the opposition. Our aim is to see that our youths have employment," said Chandy.

Sources said Achuthanandan was planning to form a special committee to look into investment proposals and take a speedy decision.

They added the chief minister was likely to create a large pool of investors instead of putting all his eggs in one basket.

Germany have 90-year-old to thank for making semi-finals

Berlin, July 1 (DPA) When goalkeeper Jens Lehmann saved Esteban Cambiasso's penalty Friday to send Germany through to the World Cup semi-finals, the home fans would have done well to spare a thought for fellow national Karl Wald.

For it was the former referee Wald who came up with the concept of the penalty shoot-out in the first place.

It appears rather fitting that a German should have conceived the idea. After all, German teams seem to have perfected the concept and Friday's victory against Argentina was the fourth time that Germany was involved in a shoot-out at World Cup level.

And they won all four times, missing just one penalty in total!

Wald first came up with the idea in 1970, and the 90-year-old is still proud of his brainchild today.

"It's the only way in which a result can be achieved fairly. Everything else was not really a solution," he says.

Until Wald came up with his idea, matches were mostly decided on a flip of the coin or by the drawing of lots. Seldom a replay was ordered.

As late as 1968, European Champions Italy had made it into the tournament's final after being drawn out of a hat following a goalless game in the semi-final against the Soviet Union.

"That was not a victory, that was nothing," Wald recalls.

But Wald, who received his referee's license in 1936 and officiated more than 1,000 matches in 40 years, faced reluctance at first. The Bavarian football association attempted to block his proposal when it was put forward in 1970.

It was only when the majority of delegates said they were in favour that the officials gave their backing.

Shortly afterwards, the German football association followed suit and the European association UEFA and the world controlling body FIFA also accepted the proposal.

The rest is history.

The first major tournament to be decided on penalties was the 1976 European Championships, when German Uli Hoeness blasted his penalty well over the bar and Czechoslovakian Antonin Panenka scored to give his side victory.

The first World Cup match to be decided on penalties took place in 1982, and again Germany were involved. This time the Germans won, beating France in the semi-final. Twelve years later, in the US, the World Cup champions were for the first time determined on a shoot-out, with Brazil beating Italy.

But even though the penalty shoot-out has now become an integral part of football, the inventor of the idea has spent little time in the limelight, despite having refereed some matches in Germany's top flight before the start of the Bundesliga.

"1860 Munich against Fuerth in front of 45,000 spectators," recalls Wald, whom FIFA president Joseph Blatter congratulated on his 90th birthday.

The former miner and unionist retired at 63. But he continued to officiate at matches for a further 12 years.

And though there continue to be criticisms of his idea, the penalty shoot-out remains the way in which most drawn matches are still decided.

Actor Peter Ustinov once described it thus: "A shoot-out is as if a great war is not decided by great tactics developed around a boardroom table, but by a bunch of chosen privates playing Russian Roulette."

"I always believed that I was right," Wald maintains, pointing to the many exciting penalty shoot-outs that have taken place over the years.

On Friday afternoon, millions of German football fans will have agreed with him.

India bowled out for 200

By T.R. Ramakrishnan, Kingston (Jamaica), July 1 (IANS) India were bowled out for 200 in their first innings on the first day of the final Test against the West Indies here Friday.

West Indian paceman Jerome Taylor took five wickets and only a defiant 81 by Indian skipper Rahul Dravid and his seventh-wicket stand of 93 with Anil Kumble (45) prevented a complete rout.

It was a throwback to Day One of the first Test at Antigua. There, it was imperative not to let the West Indies, fresh from winning the one-day series, carry the advantage and run away with the Test series.

India won the toss, batted first but frittered away the advantage, finishing the day on 213 for seven. Dravid (49) was the only top-order batsman who applied himself to the task of staying at the wicket and building an innings.

On Friday, at Sabina Park, it was a similar script.

"Whatever we do on the first day, we need to start well," coach Greg Chappell had said on the days leading to the match. After three drawn Tests, that was essential, in a best-case scenario, to get into a series-winning position, at worst, to avoiding another series defeat away from home.

Again, India won the toss and batted first, the best thing they could have hoped for. But the batsman threw away the advantage. Dravid was the only frontline batsman to show the determination to hang around.

If anything at all, the performance was much worse than at Antigua. What prevented a complete rout was the excellence of the Indian skipper, easily surpassing his effort at Antigua.

There were a couple of times when he was surprised by the extra bounce, once the ball just jumping off his bat outside the reach of Darren Ganga at gully, but for most part his composure was amazing, given the way wickets were falling at the other end.

Dravid batted 345 minutes, faced 215 balls and hit 10 fours for his 81. His dismissal was a bit tame, a tired defensive poke at Corey Collymore with the second new ball, edging to Denesh Ramdin.

He admitted later he was disappointed at having got out so close to the end of day's play but said it was a "challenging, a very satisfying innings".

West Indian skipper Brian Lara had his plans clearly mapped out. "The Indian batting revolves around their skipper," he had said before the match. "Yes, the other guys have got runs in the series, but he (Dravid) is a wall, as you call him in India."

And his plan was to attack with whatever he had from the start. It paid off, the top five batsmen combined totalling 51 runs and being back in the pavilion over an hour after lunch.

Yes, the Sabina Park has a reputation for bounce and pitches nowadays are most likely to help the bowlers in the first two sessions of a Test, if at all.

Both captains admitted after the day's play that it was tricky negotiating the new ball. But as Dravid said, "There was some juice in the wicket in the morning but you expect to play out that period."

After Virender Sehwag and Wasim Jaffer went in the first 20 minutes or so, Dravid and Laxman began a damage-limitation exercise. They scored at a run an over for the 29 overs West Indies bowled in the first session.

It all came to naught after lunch. Laxman went in the first over and Taylor, dismissed Yuvraj Singh and Mohammed Kaif in his second spell, showing like he did in the Indian first innings in the third Test at St Kitts, that he can produce something extra that troubles the batsmen.

Mahendra Singh Dhoni was then smartly snapped by Bravo at third slip before Dravid and Kumble (45, 101 balls, 7 fours) steadied the ship. Kumble had made vital contributions with the bat this series and today's knock following his 21 at Antigua and 43 at St Kitts.

He fell just before the second new ball, Dravid just after it was taken and for once West Indies, with Taylor on the prowl again, completed the job and did not allow the Indian tail to wag.

"We've set up the game the way we wanted it," said Lara. Now we want to bat all Saturday and Sunday, put up a big total and have enough time to bowl the opposition out a second time."

Again, just as it was in Antigua. But there the West Indies failed to get a big enough first-innings lead (139), India batted brilliantly in the second innings, set the West Indies a target and came within a wicket of victory.

Will play Saturday stick to this script? Or will Kingston have its own tale to tell. Dravid has called for "discipline and control" from his bowlers on the morrow. All will depend on how they respond.

SCOREBOARD

Day 1, Fourth Test, West Indies v India, Sabina Park, Kingston (Jamaica)

India (1st innings):

Wasim Jaffer b Taylor 1
Virender Sehwag c Sarwan b Collins 0
V.V.S. Laxman c sub (Morton) b Bravo 18
Rahul Dravid c Ramdin b Collymore 81
Yuvraj Singh lbw Taylor 19
Mohammed Kaif c Lara b Taylor 13
M.S. Dhoni c Bravo b Collymore 3
Anil Kumble b Bravo 45
Harbhajan Singh not out 9
S. Sreesanth b Taylor 0
Munaf Patel c Ramdin b Taylor 0

Extras (b2, lb 2, w5, nb 2) 11

Total (all out, 87.4 overs) 200

Fall of wicket: 1-1, 2-3, 3-34, 4-58, 5-78, 6-91, 7-184, 8 -197, 9 -200

Bowling:

Pedro Collins 19-7-34-1 (1w)
Jerome Taylor 18.4-4-50-5 (1nb)
Dwayne Bravo 24-3-68-2 (1nb, 1w)
Corey Collymore 19-11-17-2
Shivnarine Chanderpaul 5-0-17-0
Chris Gayle 2-0-10-0

India, US to work together on AIDS, health issues

By Arun Kumar, Washington, July 1 (IANS) India and the US have signed three agreements on renewal of cooperation in the fields of AIDS, maternal and child health and environmental and occupational health for another five years.

Memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to renew the agreements, first initialled in 2000, were signed following bilateral discussions between India's Health and Family Welfare Minister Anbumani Ramadoss and US Secretary for Health and Human Services (HHS) Mike O. Leavitt here Thursday.

The first MoU provides for the promotion and development of cooperation in the fields of HIV/AIDS and STD prevention, research, treatment and care, infrastructure development, training, and capacity building.

The second agreement calls for cooperation in the fields of maternal and child health research, treatment and care, infrastructure development, training, and capacity building.

The third one provides for further cooperation in the fields of environmental and occupational health research, education and training, infrastructure development, and capacity building.

In Washington, Ramadoss delivered a lecture at Johns Hopkins University on control of HIV/AIDS in India and discussed with provost Steven Knapp and university faculty issues relating to establishment of an Institute of Public Health in India.

He also visited the National Cancer Institute and met Elias A. Zerhouni, director, National Institutes of Health, and Roger Glass, director of the Fogarty International Center in the NIH.

Ramadoss inaugurated the 24th Annual Convention of American Association of Physicians from India (AAPI) in Atlanta on Thursday. He also participated in the concluding session of the Joint Working Group meeting on Environment and Occupational Health and visited Centres for Disease Control and Prevention.

India-US nuclear deal to stay on course despite issues

By Arun Kumar, Washington, July 1 (IANS) The US is confident that a few remaining legislative issues relating to the India-US nuclear deal will be resolved without the whole process being reopened or the road map outlined by President George W. Bush and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh being changed.

Even as the Bush administration is mighty pleased with the strong bipartisan support the deal received from two key panels of the US Congress, State Department Deputy Spokesman Adam Ereli indicated Friday that a few issues still remained to be addressed.

"There are a couple of remaining issues to be addressed. Discussions are ongoing. I'm not in a position to really get into any detail," he told reporters.

"But, as I said, the package we have before us is what we're working on and we think it'll -- and we're confident that it will end up positive and end up fulfilling the vision of President Bush and Prime Minister (Manmohan Singh) of India, consistent with the statements they made in July 2005 and March 2006," Ereli said.

"Obviously it has to go through some more work, but we're confident that it will be a cooperative and a good process and it will end up with something that everybody can support and that serves the interests of the United States and our strong partner," he said.

Welcoming the strong bipartisan support for the deal in the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House International Relations Committee, Ereli said the administration would continue to work with Congress, as it has in the past, to address remaining issues in the legislation, which will now be considered by the full House and the full Senate.

Asked if it entailed some collateral legislation or some amendments, he said the legislative package approved by the committees has to get the nod from the full House and the Senate and there may well be some changes based on consultations with the two chambers.

Ereli did not think that a change in legislation would mean going through the process all over again. "The way I'd put is, there are a few remaining issues to be worked out and we think we'll be able to do that without reopening or -- reopening the whole process or changing the path that has been outlined so far."

Washington's key negotiator with India, Nick Burns, under secretary of state for political affairs, has also indicated that "there are many steps ahead of us, but we believe Congress is supporting the president's policies here".

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee endorsed the US-India nuclear deal by a 16-2 vote Thursday two days after the House of Representatives' International Relations Committee approved the draft enabling bill 37-5.

Meanwhile, the US Chamber of Commerce, the world's largest business federation, representing more than three million businesses and organisations of every size, sector, and region, and the US-India Business Council (USIBC), representing the largest US investors and traders with India, have hailed the approval of the India-US deal by the two Congress panels.

"This initiative will create lucrative opportunities for US industry, create high quality jobs for American workers, and lay the foundation for vast downstream opportunities in every sector of US business," said Lt. Gen. Daniel W. Christman, chairman of the Coalition for Partnership with India and senior vice president for International Affairs at the US Chamber.

Indian community activists too have welcomed the approval of the deal by the Senate and House panels. Several bodies such as the India Friendship Council and the US-India Political Action Committee have actively lobbied for the deal.

Islamic Bank of Thailand's fund to reach more than 10 billion Baht

BANGKOK, JULY 1 (NNN-TNA) The Islamic Bank of Thailand (ISBT) has a promising prospect, with its fund mobilized from deposit accounts expected to reach more than Baht10 billion (US$262.2 million) by the end of this year.

Sanit Rangnoi, the bank board's chairman, said that the bank had so far mobilized Bt5 billion from its deposit accounts.

"We believe by the end of this year, we can mobilize fund up to around Bt14 billion from our deposit accounts to serve increasing demand for loans of our clients," he said.

"Sixty per cent of our clients are non-Muslims, while the rest are Muslims," he noted The newly-established Islamic Bank now plans to offer scholarships to university-level students in the country's three troubled southernmost provinces of Yala, Narathiwat and Pattani, where the majority of residents are Muslims.

ISBT was established under the Islamic Bank of Thailand Act B. E. 2545, effective from October 22, 2002.

The idea of establishing the ISBT was initiated in 1994 when the Thai government signed the "Indonesia-Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT) Project".

Under the project the government had to create a development plan for the country's five southern border provinces--Yala, Narathiwat, Pattani, Satun and Songkhla--specifically and the establishment of the ISBT was part of the plan since the population in the areas are mostly Muslims who have been living their lives in accordance with the Islamic Principle.

Israel making another recipe for disaster, warn UK Muslims

London, July 1, IRNA, The Muslim Council of Britain (MCB) Wednesday condemned Israel's latest invasion as exposing the Zionist regime's claims to have 'withdrawn' from Gaza.

"The blowing up of bridges and Gaza's main electricity transformer by the Israeli army can only be described as illegal acts of collective punishment against the Palestinian people," the umbrella organization said.

MCB Secretary General Muhammad Abdul Bari said that the Zionist regime had 'repeatedly shown that it has absolutely no regard for international law'.

"This disproportionate use of military force in one of the most densely populated areas in the world is a recipe for another disaster in the making," Bari warned.

The MCB called on the British and US governments to take urgent steps to bring about a negotiated settlement to the current crisis involving Palestinian and Israeli prisoners.

"We urge that such efforts must include the release of the 400 women and children among the 9,800 Palestinians that have been detained by the Israeli Occupation Forces," it said.

Italy crush Ukraine en route semis

Hamburg, July 1 (DPA) A first half goal by Gianluca Zambrotta and another two by Luca Toni in the second session saw Italy edge past Ukraine 3-0 on their way to a World Cup semi-final berth in a quarter-final match here Friday

Italy to take on hosts Germany in semi-final

Hamburg, July 1 (DPA) Italy comfortably defeated World Cup debutants Ukraine 3-0 here Friday to gain a berth in the semi-finals, where they will now challenge hosts Germany for a place in the July 9 showdown.

The last time the two sides met at a World Cup was in the 1982 final in Spain, which Italy went on to win 3-1.

Italy's hero on the night was striker Luca Toni, who ended a four match goal-draught by netting two here.

"This is a night I am going to remember for a long time," the Fiorentina striker said after the match.

Italy coach Marcello Lippi, speaking also on behalf of his players, dedicated the victory to Gianluca Pessotto, the former Juventus player and Italy international who is currently in an intensive care unit in a Turin hospital after a suspect suicide attempt.

"We are all close to Pessotto and his family," Lippi said.

Italy missed star defender Alessandro Nesta due to injury and fielded a guarded lineup, with playmaker Francesco Totti supporting Toni as the only striker.

But while Lippi had warned his players not to underestimate the Ukrainians, it proved an unnecessary tactical move on the night.

The Ukrainians may have been the first European team to qualify for Germany 2006, but they appeared intimidated by Italy's might here. The fact that the Azzurri enjoyed a dream start, taking the lead just six minutes into the game, also did not help.

An inspired Totti served Gianluca Zambrotta at midfield, the Juventus player made a ran at goal and used his left foot to rifle in a shot from 25 metres that goalkeeper Oleksandr Shovkovski could not reach. It was Zambrotta's second goal in 56 appearances for Italy.

The 29-year-old left-back, who is being lured by the likes of AC Milan and Real Madrid, was one of three Italy players to fly to Turin to pay a brief visit to Pessotto earlier this week.

After taking the lead, it was a downhill match for Italy, with the Ukrainians lacking bite in attack and getting two of their players booked within the first 20 minutes while trying to stop the blue shirts.

The Ukrainians' first real chance only came in the 33rd minute, when a long-range blast from Anatoli Timoshchuk ended just wide of Gianluigi Buffon's goal.

The yellow jerseys had a much better start in the second half but had no luck on their side.

In the 48th, defender Andrea Barzagli almost scored Italy's second own-goal in the tournament while trying to clear a Maksim Kalinichenko cross from the left. Seconds later, it was Buffon's turn to deny the Sparta Moscow midfielder, with the goalie saving his header from close range.

But just as the Ukrainians were beginning to show they would have deserved the equaliser, Italy hit back.

In the 59th minute, Totti delivered a perfect cross from the left and Toni was able to score unmarked with the easiest of headers.

It was the striker's first goal of the tournament, and it immediately brought to Italian minds the feats of Paolo Rossi, the legendary forward who became the top scorer 1982 despite failing to find the back of the net in the first part of the tournament.

And as if to prove them right, Toni soon added a second, finishing yet another Totti cross with a tap-in from close range.

The Ukrainians were unlucky to hit the crossbar in the latter part of the game but were ultimately disappointed by star striker Andrij Shevchenko, with the Chelsea player failing to live up to his fame on the night.

Friday's victory extended Italy's unbeaten streak in international matches to 23.

NMDC inks deal on iron ore excavation

Raipur, July 1 (IANS) Public sector National Mineral Development Corp (NMDC) Saturday signed an agreement with the Chhattisgarh government for excavation of a 350-million-tonne iron ore from the state's Bailadila area in Bastar region.

India's largest iron ore producer and exporter, NMDC signed the pact with the state government's Chhattisgarh Mining Development Corp (CMDC).

NMDC chairman B. Ramesh Kumar, who signed the deal on behalf of the company, said Bailadila has the world's best quality iron ore.

"The NMDC will cut short its export of iron ore produced from Chhattisgarh by 40 percent to cater to the demands of the Chhattisgarh units," Kumar told reporters.

NMDC, which stepped into the state's iron ore mining sector in 1968, currently holds mining ownership rights in Bailadila's three major deposits.

Bailadila is divided into 14 deposits and excavation is currently possible only in three deposits.

"The NMDC will soon open up the fourth mine - deposit 13 - in a joint venture to feed the growing raw material demand to India's steel majors," Kumar added.

The NMDC will have a 51 percent stake while the remaining 49 per cent will be owned by CMDC.

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh who was present on the occasion advised the NMDC to divest a major share of its annual profit to Chhattisgarh for the development and employment of people in the tribal stronghold Bastar region.

The NMDC also signed another pact with the government for funding a 100-bedded hospital in Jagdalpur.

Pak prisoner released from Bhopal jail

Bhopal, July 1 (IANS) One of two Pakistani prisoners languishing in jail here for more than 30 months has been released and deported to his country. The other one is also expected to be set free.

Abdul Khalik was released after a long wait Thursday and is on his way to Lahore while Tahir Iqbal is also likely to be released soon, police said Saturday.

"I am desperately waiting to hear when I will be able to go back to my country like Khalik," said Iqbal.

The duo was imprisoned for not having visas and other related documents.

"They landed in Sri Lanka three years ago hoping to take a ship to Europe. But they were caught without visas along with a few alleged drug peddlers. Their passports were taken away, but they were freed from other charges," a police official said.

"Their luck deserted them for a second time when they boarded a train from Delhi to Chennai to return to Pakistan. They were caught on the train at Bhopal without travel documents and jailed for six months," the official said.

"While Khalik has been sent we are doing our best to deport Iqbal too," said R.K. Malviya, the officer in charge of Bhopal's Bajariya police station.

"Such a situation wouldn't have arrived had the Border Security Force (BSF) handed us over to the Pakistani officials as per court orders. The district magistrate ordered us to be sent to border with the BSF," Khalik alleged.

"But the BSF took us to their headquarters instead and asked us to seek permission from officials of the Pakistan Embassy, who assured us that they would send us back and took our residential addresses and contact numbers. But nothing happened after that," he added.

Pakistan's Katasraj temple to be preserved: Pervez Elahi

Chakwal (Pakistan), July 1 (IANS) The ancient Hindu temple of Katasraj in Pakistan's Punjab province will be restored to its original glory, said Punjab Chief Minister Chaudhry Pervez Elahi.

The architectural splendour of the temple would be preserved. It would act as a bridge between India and Pakistan for strengthening of ties and promote tolerance, peace, brotherhood and religious harmony in the sub-continent, Elahi was quoted as saying by Online news agency.

The chief minister was speaking after inaugurating a plaque for restoration work of the temple, located in Chakwal district, on Friday. Shujaat Hussain, president of the Pakistan Muslim League (PML), was chief guest on the occasion.

An approach road to Katasraj from Kallar Kahar to Choa Saiden Shah would be constructed at a cost of Rs.330 million, Elahi said. He also announced that a four-star hotel would be constructed near the temple and it would be made an international tourist resort with all facilities.

Shujaat Hussain said that the PML was working towards building religious harmony among the all sections of the people in Pakistan.

Syed Mushahid Hussain, PML leader, said that the Hindu festival of Diwali, the Christian festival of Christmas and the birth anniversary of the Buddha were celebrated at the office of the PML secretariat.

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Ejaz-ul-Haq said that the issue of the Krishna temple at Lahore had been settled amicably. He invited the British high commissioner and Bharatiya Janata Party leaders from India to personally visit the temple and see the restoration work at the Krishna temple.

Chakwal district head Sardar Ghulam Abbas promised that the restoration work at the Katasraj temple complex would be completed in five years.

Punjab's Director General of Archaeology Oria Maqbool Abbasi said that a pond at the Katasraj shrine would be restored.

Pakistan's new visa regime has 'special package' for Indians

Islamabad, July 1 (IANS) Indians wishing to visit Pakistan, especially businessmen and pilgrims, have been granted additional visa benefits by the Pakistan government in its latest visa policy.

Indian businessmen wishing to do business in the country will get a six-month multiple entry visa. Indian pilgrims would get a 15-day visa instead of the earlier five in a "special package" of the new visa policy announced by Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and Tourism Minister Nilofar Bakhtiar.

The tourist visa for Indians has been enhanced from 14 days to 30, media reports said.

The visa procedure for Indian diplomats would also be accelerated and the security clearance of diplomats would take only four weeks, Sherpao announced.

Thousands of Indians, both Hindus and Sikhs, visit Pakistan on pilgrimage every year. Sikhs attend the death anniversary of the 18-century king Maharaja Ranjit Singh and the birth anniversary of the faith's founder, Guru Nanak Dev. From Pakistan, pilgrims come to various Hindu shrines and to Ajmer Sharif in Rajasthan.

The minister denied that relaxing visa restrictions on visiting Indians meant a change in Pakistan's Kashmir policy.

The ministers emphasised that the new visa policy was meant to project a "soft" image of Pakistan, to boost tourism and ensure that the country stayed with the times while dealing with visitors from other countries.

However, visas for journalists will be issued by Pakistani missions "in the shortest possible time, according to the nature of the jobs".

Stating that some Indian "requests" had been met by the Pakistani government, The Nation newspaper wrote that the stay for "religious tourists from the arch rival state" was being enhanced.

The new visa regime would work according to categorisation of countries in different lists. The list A, which formerly included 48 countries, has now been extended to 175. People from these countries would be able to obtain visas without referring their applications to diplomatic missions abroad.

Only 15 countries, including Israel, have been kept out of the list. Bakhtiar said that tourists from 23 countries would be issued visas on arrival, directly at the airports and other entry points.

This treatment was offered only to China and Japan in the past. However, the government had made it mandatory for tourists from these countries to be registered with Pakistan government's approved tourism firms.

The relaxed visa policy has also been extended to those countries that can share trade and investment with Pakistan. Investors and businessmen of 69 countries will be given visas at the airports.

Pakistani embassies and missions would also be authorised to issue work visas for five years, compared to the earlier three years. Pakistani expatriates would be allowed a multi-entry-visa for five years and would be able to stay in the country for at least a year.

The interior minister said that the government would deal with terrorists strictly and relaxations in visa policy would not benefit them.

"Pakistan's new visa policy is in line with the government's policy of liberalisation and according to the vision of President Pervez Musharraf. We wish to show a positive image of Pakistan where visitors are welcomed with open arms," the Daily Times quoted Sherpao as saying.

Palestinian militants demand release of 1,000 prisoners

Palestinian militants demand release of 1,000 prisoners
Xinhua

Gaza, July 1 (Xinhua) Three Palestinian militant groups that kidnapped an Israeli soldier demanded Saturday that Israel release 1,000 prisoners.

The three groups - the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades, an armed wing of the ruling Hamas movement; the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) and the Islamic Army - in a joint statement demanded that Israel also end its ongoing ground offensive in the Gaza Strip.

The three groups claimed the abduction of 19-year-old Gilad Shalit during a cross-border raid on an Israeli army post near the Gaza border Sunday.

They also reiterated a demand that they had made in a previous statement - the release of all Palestinian women and minors jailed by Israel in return for information on the abducted soldier. Israel has already rejected this demand.

However, the statement did not say that the militants would release Shalit if Israel met their demands.

Meawhile, Israeli troops continued a broad ground offensive in Gaza Saturday in a bid to rescue Shalit.

This is the first major Israeli military ground operation in the Gaza Strip since Israel withdrew soldiers and settlers from there last summer after 38 years of occupation.

PM announces Rs.37.5 bn package for distraught farmers

By Harish Menon, Nagpur, July 1 (IANS) After coming face to face over two days with rural suffering, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Saturday announced a Rs.37.5-billion relief package for Maharashtra's distraught farmers, many of who have killed themselves after failing to repay their huge debts.

Manmohan Singh concluded his two-trip to the drought-hit Vidarbha region by announcing the package that includes immediate and long-term relief measures for farmers in six drought-affected districts in the eastern parts of the state -- Buldhana, Akola, Washim, Amravati, Yavatmal and Wardha.

He told reporters that the measures include waiver of Rs.7.12 billion of overdue interest on loans taken by farmers, allocation of Rs.21.77 billion for improving irrigation facilities to be released over the next three years, Rs.1.35 billion to encourage subsidiary income through livestock and fodder, and Rs.2.4 billion for watershed development.

The package also includes rescheduling of Rs.12.96 billion agricultural credit over a period of three to five years with one year moratorium in the six districts.

Manmohan Singh said this package would be extended to drought-hit states of Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Karnataka.

At least 745 farmers have committed suicide in Maharashtra this year due to crop failure and growing debts. The Vidarbha region has seen more than 1,600 farmers end their lives since January 2001, deaths that have shocked the nation.

The prime minister promised to take steps to protect farmers' interests from the volatility of global commodity prices.

"We have effective instruments to ensure that our farmers can be assured that they will enjoy effective protection against excessive fluctuations in international prices," he said.

"All policies of the government will focus for the realisation of this objective."

The government would also set up an expert group in the next few days to look into the problem of rural indebtedness in its totality, he said.

The group is expected to submit its report with three months. Based on its recommendations the government will take steps to deal with the farmers' problems.

Earlier, more than 530 widows, children and other relatives of over 500 farmers of the Vidarbha region who committed suicide in the past five years met the prime minister and narrated their plight during an hour-long interaction at the terminal building of the airport at Yavatmal town.

Waiver of insurmountable debt burden besides irrigation facilities and higher remuneration on cotton were their common demands.

The venue of the prime minister's meeting with family members of farmers was changed from Kolejhari village to Yavatmal.

Manmohan Singh repeated the government's intention to make sincere efforts to relieve the misery of farmers reeling under debt crisis.

"I know you are suffering from the burden of debt and shortage of irrigation and electricity supply and the government will make all efforts to relieve the misery," he said.

Meanwhile Shiv Sena activists, led by legislator Sanjay Singh Rathod, staged a noisy protest outside the airport in Yavatmal condemning the state government for its "anti-farmer" policies as soon as the prime minister left for Nagpur.

Pomegranate juice could kill cancer cells

London, July 1 (IANS) Drinking an eight ounce glass of pomegranate juice daily could slow the progress of prostate cancer, minimise cell damage and could also kill cancer cells, finds a new study.

Researchers led by Allan Pantuck at the University of California, Los Angeles, studied 50 men who had undergone surgery or radiation treatment for prostate cancer - but had shown signs that the disease was rapidly returning, reported the online edition of BBC News.

The presence of prostate cancer cells is monitored by measuring levels of a chemical they produce called prostate-specific antigen (PSA). The researchers measured how long it took for PSA levels to double in individual patients - a short doubling time indicates that the cancer is progressing quickly.

The average doubling time is about 15 months, but in patients who drank pomegranate juice, this increased to an average of 54 months.

Some patients continued to show suppressed PSA levels after more than three years, even though they were receiving no treatment apart from drinking pomegranate juice, said Pantuck.

The researchers added that the effect may be so large that it may help older men outlive the disease.

"There are many substances in pomegranate juice that may be prompting this response," said Pantuck.

"We are hoping we may be able to prevent or delay the need for other therapies usually used in this population such as hormone treatment or chemotherapy, both of which bring with them harmful side effects," added Pantuck.

Pomegranates have been linked to many health benefits. It contains a cocktail of chemicals including isoflavones, which are believed to play a role in cancer cell death.

Previous research, conducted through tests on mice, has indicated that pomegranate juice could have a beneficial effect on prostate cancer.

Swiss banks freeze accounts of Myanmar leaders

Yangon (Myanmar), July 1 (IANS) Banks in Switzerland have frozen the assets of members of Myanmar's military regime amid increasing concerns over the human rights situation in the Southeast Asian country.

The Swiss government has also announced plans to tighten sanctions against Myanmar, reported Mizzima News, the news agency run by Burmese (Myanmarese) in exile.

The decision brings the country in line with European Union (EU) sanctions on Myanmar, which were extended in April.

The fresh sanctions prohibit Swiss firms and companies from investing in Myanmar or loaning money to the 39 government-run enterprises.

Earlier this month, the Bank of England had imposed sanctions on Myanmar and frozen the assets of the country's military members.

The EU introduced financial sanctions on Myanmar's military officials and their families in 2000, before extending them in 2004 and 2005.

The hadcount controversy indicates anti-Muslim bias

By Pavan Nair

The politically astute Indian Defence Minister recently conveyed to the Parliament that details of Muslims in the Indian Army would not be conveyed to the Sachar Committee. Does that resolve the issue? The rather short and ill-informed debate was mired in arguments about the secular credentials of the army, an issue which has never been in doubt. The knee-jerk reaction of several serving and retired officers and the media indicates an inherent if unspoken bias against Muslims in general which exists across most sections of Indian society. There is a need to understand the issue from a historical as also a functional perspective.

The fighting arms of the Indian Army, that is the Armoured Corps (the erstwhile cavalry), Infantry, Artillery and Engineers, have traditionally had a fixed class composition as far as the rank and file is concerned. This composition may be a single class composition(like Jats, Rajputs or Sikhs) or a mixed class composition like a combination of Sikhs, Marathas and Muslims in a specified percentage or a mix of sub-units of different classes. Some newly raised units in the armoured corps and artillery have an all-India mix. All caste- or class-based regiments also have a specified proportion of other mixed castes called Other Indian Castes or OICs. Since Hindustani Muslims (HMs), which is the official name, are specified as a caste or class, they do not form a part of the OIC quota of the army. The services like the Signals, ASC (Army Service Corps) and AOC (Army Ordnance Corps) which form about 20% of the army are based on an all India composition and vacancies are released on a zonal basis.

After 1857, the proportion of ‘high’ caste Hindu soldiers in the British army was reduced since they were held responsible for inciting the anti-British revolt whereas certain communities like the Sikhs and Gurkhas were rewarded for their loyalty by increasing their numbers. The bias of recruitment was shifted to the so-called ‘martial races’, which incidentally included Muslims mostly from Awadh, Punjab, Bihar and the North-West Frontier Province. Certain new regiments were raised over a period of time to increase the recruiting base since the army was in the expansion mode before the world wars. Some of these regiments like the Sikh Light Infantry and the Mahar Regiment specially catered to lower castes. Jat Sikhs were enrolled in the Sikh Regiment and Mazhabi and Ramdasia Sikhs in the Sikh Light Infantry. Muslims, like the Sikhs, formed a large part of the army right till the time of independence. Muslims were enrolled in pure or single class regiments as also mixed regiments. For example, a battalion of the Punjab Regiment could be composed of two or more Sikh companies and two or more Muslim companies consisting of Punjabi Musalmans or Pathans. Muslims were also mixed with Hindus in various regiments but their food and staying arrangements were always separate. Some aspects of this arrangement are still in effect. For example, one or more sub-units in Grenadier battalions can have a pure Muslim composition. To say that recruitment in the army, and specifically the fighting arms, is not based on caste or class composition is therefore incorrect.

At independence, the army was divided between India and Pakistan in the ratio of about two to one. All Muslim units and sub units were given the choice of going across to Pakistan. Most of them did. Similarly some sub units of Gujjars, Sikhs and Dogras came across to India. The percentage of Muslims in the army, which was about 25% at that time, came down to about 5%, whereas almost 60% of the Muslim population stayed on in various parts of India. Nothing was done to correct the imbalance though Nehru did express some concern. The army was immediately involved in operations in Kashmir for a few years and thereafter the issue died a natural death, presumably because the Muslim community did not raise it. Over a period of time, Muslim representation has come down to 3% because the class composition of the fighting arms has a limited and fixed number of Muslim vacancies. A Muslim wanting to join the infantry or engineers or any fighting arm with a fixed class composition can only apply for the Muslim vacancies where they exist or as and when they come up. He can also apply for the services that is the Signals, ASC, AOC and AMC in the open category but so can the Sikhs, Jats, Dogras or Rajputs who already have a large reservation in their own regiments. So there is an administrative bias which has kept the numbers very low. This needs to be corrected. To say that the numbers of Muslim in the army are low because of a lack of military attributes or physical standards is an insult to the memory of thousands of Muslim soldiers who fought valiantly in both the world wars and participated in all our wars after independence.

Any organization will resist change and the Indian Army is no different. All citizens must have the right to participate in the defence of their country and to enjoy the privileges that accrue. It is the prerogative of a government to correct an imbalance not only in the Army but in several other paramilitary organisations whose combined strength is almost equal to that of the army. Certain organizations like the NSG do not recruit Muslims or sikhs. One way to go would be to do it in stages over a period of time by increasing the number of Muslim vacancies in the fighting arms where Muslims are already integrated within units of specific regiments like the Grenadiers, Guards and the Rajputana Rifles. This will entail reducing vacancies for other classes unless the manpower ceiling of the army is raised. New raisings and Rashtriya Rifle units could have a larger proportion of Muslims. It is also for consideration whether some vacancies in the services should be reserved for Muslims as also other minority communities and Dalits who are under-represented in the army even though there is a Mahar Regiment in the infantry which recruits Dalits from Maharshtra. The secular credentials of the army and the state will only be strengthened if we correct a historical mistake. But before that, civil society needs to understand the issues involved.

________________________________________________________
The author, a retired colonel, served for thirty years in the Indian Army Corps of Engineers. He now works with an NGO and writes on defence and social issues. He can be contacted on pavannair[AT]vsnl[DOT]net

UN agencies concerned over human conditions in Gaza

New York, July 1 (IMI)United Nations agencies today expressed concern at the humanitarian conditions in the Gaza Strip, at a time when more than half of the area’s power supply has been knocked out, and roads and water pipes have also been damaged by Israeli air strikes.

Some 130,000 people have been without water for the past few days and the agencies said their top priority is the restoration of the fuel supply for sanitation pumps in Gaza, with only a few days’ fuel left if supplies are not resumed.

They added that they were also worried over supplies of essential medicines and food, with some medicines already being rationed because of shortages.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said that, because of the random closure of border crossings between the Strip and Israel, it had been unable to get enough food into Gaza. The current supply of wheat flour would only be enough to cover the current caseload of 160,000 people for about 10 days.

WFP spokesman Simon Pluess told a news briefing in Geneva that the Agency was deeply concerned that the recent kidnapping of the Israeli soldier and the subsequent incursion into Gaza might exacerbate the existing humanitarian crisis, especially in view of the increased border closures.

The non-payment of government workers, which affected around 1 million people, and the outbreak of avian influenza, which had decreased the availability of poultry, also threatened food security. It was WFP’s view that it was in everyone’s interest to avoid an escalation of the humanitarian crisis, he said.

Many government workers have not been paid since international donors cut off aid after the Hamas movement’s election victory earlier this year, saying the group must first commit to non-violence, recognize Israel and accept previous agreements and obligations.

Mr. Pluess noted that without the use of refrigerators, due to the cut-off of electricity, perishable foods and medicines were affected, and bakeries could not produce bread, a major element in the Palestinian diet.

The population’s coping strategies were being pushed to the very limit, with many families living on just one meal per day, he said. As a result, WFP had this month begun to increase its food aid to 600,000 people. But with the random closure of border crossings, it could not get enough food into Gaza.

UPA misleading people on price rise: BJP

Bhopal, July 1 (IANS) Coming down heavily on the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for its failure to control prices of essential commodities, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Saturday said it was trying to "fool" the people of the country.

Talking to reporters here, BJP president Rajnath Singh said: "In fact, the Congress party organised a drama by convening the Congress Working Committee (CWC) meeting and appealing to the government to bring down the prices of essential commodities whereas it did not prefer to say anything to the prime minister (Manmohan Singh) and Finance Minister (P. Chidambaram) who were present at the same meeting.

"Everybody knew that after the rise in the prices of petrol and diesel, there will be inflation. But the government instead of reducing taxes on petroleum products is trying to fool the people by organising the CWC meeting," he said.

"The Left parties too are misleading the people by opposing the price rise on the streets but supporting the same government which was responsible for it," Singh said.

The BJP leader also cautioned the UPA government on the supply of arms and ammunition, mainly the missiles, by China to Pakistan.

"This has increased the danger to the country's security."

Singh arrived here Saturday morning to attend the party's two-day state executive meet - the first one after the nomination of state president Satya Narain Jatia four months ago.

US House panel to review F-16 offer to Pakistan

By Arun Kumar, Washington, July 1 (IANS) A key panel of the US Congress, which earlier this week approved the India-US nuclear deal, has been called to meet again on July 13 to discuss the Bush administration's proposal to sell F-16 aircraft and weapons systems to Pakistan.

The Republican chairman of the US House of Representatives' Committee on International Relations, Henry Hyde, Friday called the meeting after the administration notified Congress about the proposed sale bid apparently to placate a miffed Pakistan.

There was no word as yet about a hearing by the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which too has endorsed the India-US agreement, to review the F-16 deal. Usually Congress gets 30 days to review such offers. The deal goes ahead if Congress does not move to block it.

Washington's key negotiator on the India-US nuclear deal, Nick Burns, under secretary for political affairs, has been listed as a witness at the House panel's meeting. A few more witnesses are likely to be added.

The five billion dollar weapons package deal for Pakistan awaiting Congress approval, includes sale of 18 new fighter jets with an option to buy another 18, and an offer to upgrade its existing fleet of 34 old model F-16s, manufactured by US aerospace company Lockheed Martin.

Describing Pakistan as a long-term partner and major non-NATO ally of the United States, a Bush administration official said the proposed sale of F-16s to Pakistan was part of a larger effort to broaden US strategic partnership with Pakistan and advance its national security and foreign policy interests in South Asia.

The sale offer comes close on the heels of two Congressional panels approving with thumping majorities the India-US nuclear deal giving New Delhi access to US nuclear know-how after a gap of 30 years.

Work stress could raise blood pressure

London, July 1 (IANS) Work stress could lead to a rise in blood pressure, particularly if you are a man and lack social support at work, revealed a new study.

Chantal Guimont and colleagues at Laval University, Quebec, Canada, studied 6,719 workers over more than seven years and found that job strain, particularly in workers with low social support at work, may contribute to increased blood pressure, reported the online edition of BBC News.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a major risk factor for a number of serious medical illnesses, including strokes and heart attacks.

Other factors may have contributed to the high blood pressure found in the white-collar workers that they studied but high job demands, tight deadlines and low support in the workplace appeared to be triggers, particularly in men, said Guimont.

Studies are now under way to see if employers can alleviate the problem, the researchers said in the American Journal of Public Health. They suggested that employers might be able to help by giving workers more support and control over deadlines and tasks.

While stress is one cause of high blood pressure, there are a number of other things that can contribute like a poor diet, drinking excess alcohol, being overweight or obese, eating too much salt and not exercising enough.

11 killed in a fresh violence in Sri Lanka

New Delhi, July 1, IRNA, At least 11 people, including one soldier and a sailor, were killed in fresh violence in Sri Lanka.

Another five people, including a sailor, were killed in renewed clashes in the past 24 hours while the Tiger rebels said six more had been killed in fresh violence in the past two days, a PTI report said here.

The Tigers killed the sailor Friday in an apparent bid to draw fire from the security forces towards Muslim devotees attending Friday prayers.

However, the military acted with restraint, yet managed to gun down the attacker.

The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) said three civilians were killed in a Claymore mine attack in the Kokkupadaiyan area two days ago and blamed the Sri Lankan military for the blast.

Another three men were gunned down in the east of the island later that night, just hours before a key meeting of five Nordic nations to decide the future of their monitoring mission in Sri Lanka.

The Oslo-arranged meeting in the Norwegian capital lasted five hours yesterday but ended without an announcement of a breakthrough to end the crisis over truce monitoring.

The meeting was called after the LTTE demanded that monitors from European Union nations Denmark, Finland and Sweden quit the mission, saying they could no longer be neutral after the EU labelled the group a terrorist organization.

12 militants killed in Afghan clashes

Kabul, July 2 (Xinhua) At least 12 Taliban-linked insurgents were killed in southern Afghanistan as clashes erupted with Afghan and foreign troops.

The skirmishes occurred Saturday night in the volatile Helmand province in south Afghanistan, said a police official.

"A clash between the enemies of peace and Afghan and coalition troops, which lasted for about two hours in the Sangin district left 12 enemies dead," said provincial police chief Mohammad Nabi MullahKhil.

He also said that all the dead bodies had been left on the battleground.

"There were no causalities among the Afghan and coalition forces," Mullahkhil added.

Taliban militants have yet to make any comment.

Over a dozen people, including three British soldiers, have been killed in clashes in Helmand in the past one month.

African Union summit opens in Gambia

Banjul (Gambia), July 2 (Xinhua) Top leaders from African states convened in this West African country to discuss the opportunities and challenges facing the continent at the seventh African Union summit.

The summit, which opened Saturday, witnessed a gathering of 53 African heads of state and government, together with guests and observers from around the world.

"The African Union, created only six years ago, has established itself as a defining voice in areas like development, security and human rights, and Africa as a whole and has many success stories to tell in these three areas," said UN Secretary General Kofi Annan at the opening ceremony.

The Millennium Development Goals have had a "galvanising" effect on governments throughout Africa, said Annan, and added, "Africa's development disproves the distorted and widespread image of our continent as a sea of undifferentiated poverty."

The theme of the two-day summit is rationalization of regional economic communities (RECs) and regional integration.

Speaking on Africa's security, Annan said that compared to a decade ago, the number of violent conflicts had dropped dramatically. He added that Africa is learning better to manage and resolve conflicts, and prevent new conflicts from breaking out.

"Africa has also made progress on human rights," said Annan, saying that human rights was no longer viewed by Africans as a rich country's luxury, and most African states now have democratically elected governments.

The summit is expected to discuss a number of issues including the financing of the AU, situation in Darfur, establishment of a Pan-African radio and television channel, reform of the UN, HIV/AIDS, and bird flu.

The last gathering of the bi-annual AU summit was held in January in Khartoum, Sudan.

Anti-bribe campaign launched

New Delhi, July 2 (IANS) A 15-day anti-bribe campaign aimed at creating awareness about the Right to Information (RTI) Act was launched Saturday in 48 cities across the country.

Over 700 organisations including colleges, schools, doctors' forums, resident welfare associations, community groups and non-governmental organisations kicked off the drive that "will encourage people against paying bribe to officials to get their work done".

"The campaign will tackle the most basic problem that everyone in the country faces while dealing with any government department - harassment, bureaucratic delay and the expectation of bribes to get work done," said a statement from the activists.

"The whole campaign will be handled by over 1,500 volunteers who will help people in filing RTI applications in these cities," said Arvind Kejriwal, chief of NGO Parivartan.

In the first day, their national help line received around 1,154 calls and 1,600 people visited the website specially designed for the campaign.

"After the completion of the campaign, they will have a workshop in August on problems people faced during the 15 days," Kejriwal told IANS.

A crucial law for the promotion of transparency and accountability from the government, the RTI Act allows citizens to demand information (in the form of records, documents, samples, orders etc) from the government regarding any department or office.

Army trooper killed in Kashmir gun-battle

Srinagar, July 2 (IANS) An army trooper was killed and two others were injured in a gun-battle with guerrillas in a Jammu and Kashmir village Sunday.

A spokesman of the army's 15 Corps said security forces surrounded the Gamru village near the north Kashmir Bandipora town in Baramulla district Sunday afternoon following information that a group of guerrillas was hiding there.

"The militants were holed up in a house and started firing on our troopers. Three of our jawans sustained injuries and one of them - subedar Jasbir Singh - later succumbed to his injuries," the spokesman said.

A police official said two houses in the village were gutted in the exchange of fire between the guerrillas and the troops.

"The exact number of militants hiding is still not known," he added.

Beckham steps down as England captain

Baden-Baden (Germany), July 2 (DPA) David Beckham Sunday announced he was stepping down as England captain but said he wanted to continue playing for his country.

The midfielder announced his decision at a press conference, less than 24 hours after England's World Cup exit at the hands of Portugal.

Beckham said being England's captain was "the greatest honour of my career ...and fulfilling my childhood dream".

"Now ...I feel the time is right to pass on the captain's armband.

"I want to stress that I would like to continue playing (for England). I came to the decision a while ago. This decision has been the hardest of my life.

"I want all the players to know it has been an absolute honour.

"I have lived the dream. I am extremely proud to have been the captain of England and worn the armband and for that I will always be extremely grateful."

Bhutan refugees in Nepal send SOS to Yechury

Kathmandu, July 2 (IANS) Languishing in Nepal's refugee camps for nearly 15 years, over 100,000 Bhutanese evicted by the Druk kingdom Sunday sent an SOS to visiting Indian leader Sitaram Yechury, asking him to intervene with the Indian government on their behalf.

As Yechury, an influential politburo member of the Communist Party of India-Marxist winded up his three-day visit to Kathmandu, a delegation of Bhutanese refugees handed over a petition to him, asking for New Delhi's intervention.

"India says the refugee problem is a bilateral issue between Bhutan and Nepal," said Teknath Rizal, former adviser to the king of Bhutan and ex-member of parliament, who was jailed by his government for protesting against the eviction of Bhutanese of Nepali origin from southern Bhutan.

"However, whenever we try to return to Bhutan through India, the Indian authorities stop us. That shows it's not a bilateral issue. India too is involved and should help us to return."

Since last month, Bhutanese refugees have been on an indefinite sit-in in front of the UN office in the capital to draw international attention to their plight. A second group has also been staging a sit-in in eastern Nepal near the bridge that connects Nepal and India.

Though Nepal has allowed the refugees to live in the seven camps in its eastern parts administered by the office of the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, it doesn't allow them to work or own property.

Forced to live on charity, the camps have seen a growing incidence of alcoholism, domestic violence, prostitution and even suicides.

Bin Laden urges Islamist fighters to free Iraq

Cairo, July 2 (Xinhua) Al-Qaeda chief Osama bin Laden, in a new audio message posted on the Internet, has urged Islamist fighters to free Iraq.

"You, god's trusted fighters, will liberate the country (Iraq) from the crusaders," bin Laden said in the audio posted Saturday on a Web site frequently used by Islamist militants. However, the voice in the audio is yet to be verified as Bin Laden's.

He said Sunni Muslims in Iraq were being "exterminated" by Shias, warning that Shia-populated areas might subject to attacks.

He also endorsed Abu Hamza al-Muhajer as the new Al-Qaeda leader in Iraq to succeed Abu Musab al-Zarqawi who was killed in a US air strike north of Baghdad last month. He wished the new leader "good luck".

Bin Laden urged militants in Iraq to "continue fighting", saying that participation in the country's political process would lead nowhere.

He called on Al-Qaeda leaders in Iraq's to continue to take part in the Mujahideen Shura Council.

The council, which consists of several Iraqi insurgent groups including Al-Qaeda, claimed responsibility for killing four Russian embassy employees kidnapped by militants last month.

In addition, bin Laden urged all the Somali people to support the Islamic Courts Union, which took control of the Somali capital Mogadishu in June.

"You should join hands with the Islamic Courts to build an Islamic state in Somalia," he said, warning other countries against sending troops to Somalia.

Further, the Al-Qaeda chief said his group had the right to "punish" the US inside its territories, in Somalia and everywhere in the world.

Chhattisgarh mulls anti-conversion law

Raipur, July 2 (IANS) Chhattisgarh is planning to enact an anti-conversion law to deal with the growing number of conversions by "force" in the tribal dominated state, Chief Minister Raman Singh has said.

"The government is of the view that conversion by force or allurement should not be allowed and we will bring in an anti-conversion bill," Singh told IANS.

He said the government was studying the anti-conversion bills of other states, including Rajasthan, to incorporate some of their provisions.

Refusing to give further details, Singh said the bill was still in its "preliminary stage".

A home department official, however, said: "There is likely to be a provision of 10-year jail term and monetary penalty of Rs.500,000 to Rs.1 million for those found guilty of illegal conversions."

He added that the government was determined to bring in the bill this year, possibly during the winter session of the state assembly.

An anti-conversion law is already in force in Chhattisgarh as the state retained the Freedom of Religion Act adopted by Madhya Pradesh in 1968.

But the government thinks its provisions need to be made more stringent by enacting its own law dealing with conversions. Chhattisgarh was carved out of Madhya Pradesh in November 2000.

The Rashtriya Swayamsewak Sangh (RSS), ideological mentor of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), and its affiliate body Vanvasi Kalyan Ashram allege that conversion of tribals in the state can be linked to money and other economic assistances offered by Christian missionaries.

They claim that the number of conversions has been on the rise especially in the under-developed regions of Surguja and Bastar.

Christians, however, deny converting tribal people by force or allurement. They allege the various anti-conversion laws have been enacted with the hidden intent to harass them and to spread hatred against their community.

Anti-conversion laws are also in force in Orissa, Madhya Pradesh, Arunachal Pradesh and Gujarat. The Rajasthan assembly recently passed a similar bill, and it awaits the assent of the state governor.

Tamil Nadu revoked its anti-conversion law in May 2004.

There are a little more than 300,000 Christians in Chhattisgarh in a total population of 20.8 million.

Cleric condemns Zionists' atrocities in Gaza

Tehran, July 2, IRNA, Substitute Friday prayers leader of Tehran Hojjatoleslam Ahmad Khatami on Friday questioned double-standards on terrorism, while denouncing Zionist regime's aggression on Gaza.

"Isn't it an instance of terrorism when a usurper government in extreme impudency turns Gaza into an inferno, makes a hell of bombs and bombardment, arrests a group of the representatives of the public and candidly acknowledges to assassination of the Palestinian leaders?" questioned Khatami in his second Friday prayers sermons at Tehran University campus.

Khatami said Zionists' aggressions on Gaza are signs of their savagery and genocide, indicating they are criminals in nature.

He noted that Europe is an accomplice in the crimes for suspending their assistance, even medicine aid, to Palestinians.

"All these are signs that the liberal-democracy slogan of Europe and the US is a big lie," he made it clear.

He said the US and Europe use such slogans for their own interests.

Khatami also criticized Muslim states for their silence against Israeli atrocities.

Elsewhere in his sermon, Hojatoleslam Khatami refuted the US claims that there was a global consensus against Iran.

"They claim there is a global consensus against Iran, while more than 100 NAM states are supporting Iran in the nuclear case and Muslim foreign ministers too have been supporting Iran. The US is impudently saying the big lie that there is global consensus against Iran," he added.

The cleric then compared the higher popularity rate of Iranian president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad and the US President George W. Bush, saying whenever the Iranian president goes to a country, all try to have a precedence in shaking hands with him but there are huge demonstrations against the US President whenever he visits a country.

Discovery launch postponed due to weather

Cape Canaveral (Florida), July 2 (DPA) A threat of nearby storms caused NASA to postpone the launch of shuttle Discovery less than 10 minutes before lift-off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

The weather outlook remained poor as the US space agency mounted another attempt to launch the shuttle Discovery later Sunday.

Late Saturday, NASA meteorologists estimated a 40 percent chance of acceptable weather for the rescheduled launch during about a one-hour window beginning at 3.26 p.m. (1926 GMT). Clouds are likely Sunday afternoon with possible rain and thunderstorms.

The US shuttle fleet has been grounded since Discovery's July 2005 flight because of continuing problems with shedding foam on takeoff. The current launch would be only the second since February 2003, when the shuttle Columbia spacecraft broke up on re-entry due to a damaged heat shield blamed on foam at takeoff.

With mounting safety problems and maintenance costs, the fleet of aging space shuttles is slated to be mothballed in 2010.

Unprecedented precautions have been taken to protect the shuttle from the kind of damage on takeoff that doomed Columbia and that plagued Discovery's last mission.

Discovery is due to deliver German astronaut Thomas Reiter to the International Space Station (ISS) for a stay of up to seven months. He would be the first German astronaut to take up residence on the orbiting ISS.

Discovery's scheduled 12-day flight is designed to deliver water, food and clothing to the station. Astronauts are to carry out urgent repairs on the ISS and to test new technology for in-space repairs of the shuttle.

The shuttle's return to earth was slated for July 13 to Kennedy Space Centre.

Without the US space shuttle fleet to ferry crews, provisions and parts into space, the construction of the International Space Station has been interrupted and the orbiting outpost limited to two-person crews limited to mostly maintenance work.

If the lift-off is postponed again Sunday, additional launch windows could be available Tuesday and Wednesday.

Saturday's weather was acceptable for lift-off at the Cape Canaveral launch pad, but threatening storms were dangerously close to the shuttle's emergency landing strip in the event the mission were aborted immediately after launch.

Mission control cited the presence of anvil-shaped clouds, which carry electric charges and produce lightning that would endanger the spacecraft. Such thunderheads form easily in Florida's humid, subtropical climate and are common sight along the coast during afternoons, when brief but powerful storms can quickly develop.

The order to halt Saturday's launch came with the astronauts long since strapped into the shuttle and awaiting a trip into orbit. A large, outdoor digital clock at the Kennedy Space Centre stood still at 00:09:00.

US Vice President Dick Cheney had been in Florida Saturday to witness the restart of the shuttle programme.

Prior to the scrub decision, the shuttle was described as functioning normally and ready to launch. The shuttle's 47-metre fuel tanks were already filled with 2 million litres of liquid oxygen and hydrogen.

Discovery prepares for launch despite bad weather (LEAD)

Cape Canaveral (Florida), July 2 (DPA) Despite a storm looming over Florida, the US space agency NASA began a second countdown Sunday for the launch of the shuttle Discovery.

The chances of a launch were put at just 30 percent by NASA officials due to the weather conditions. The launch is scheduled to take place during a one-hour window beginning 3.26 p.m. (1926 GMT). However, NASA meteorologists have predicted possible rain and thunderstorms.

On Saturday the threat of nearby storms caused NASA to postpone the mission less than 10 minutes before lift-off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

If the shuttle isn't launched on Sunday, NASA plans to make another attempt on Tuesday. The space agency has until July 19 to deliver German astronaut Thomas Reiter to the International Space Station (ISS).

Discovery's scheduled 12-day flight will also deliver water, food and clothing to the station. Astronauts are to carry out urgent repairs on the ISS and to test new technology for in-space repairs of the shuttle.

The shuttle programme has been grounded since Discovery's July 2005 flight because of continuing problems with shedding foam on takeoff. Sunday's launch would be only the second since the 2003 shuttle disaster, when the Columbia spacecraft broke up on re-entry due to a hole punched into heat-shielding tiles from similar debris on takeoff.

Unprecedented precautions have been taken to protect Discovery from the kind of damage on takeoff that doomed Columbia and plagued Discovery's last mission.

Favoured Brazil crash against Zidane-led France

Frankfurt, July 2 (DPA) Defending champions Brazil crashed out of the World Cup quarter-finals Saturday with a 1-0 loss to nemesis France, stunned by a resurgent Zinedine Zidane who just does not want to quit.

Arsenal striker Thierry Henry scored the lone goal in the 57th minute off a Zidane free kick and the French held on to set up a semi-final with Portugal Wednesday in Munich.

"There are no words to describe this. I'm simply happy - exhausted, but happily exhausted," said French coach Raymond Domenech, whose squad has steadily improved in Germany. "This is one of the great moments of French football."

Star-studded Brazil, denied their shot at a sixth world title, lacked ideas and rallied too late in the game to take revenge for their 3-0 humiliation by a Zidane-led France in the 1998 final.

"The first 20 minutes looked like we would get control, but then France came," said Brazil great Pele. "Zidane was the absolute master of this match. He took complete control of the pitch."

France dominated play for most of the match, virtually shutting down Brazil's vaunted forwards, who never jelled against the well-organised French midfield and back line.

Barcelona star Ronaldinho, whose tournament this was supposed to be, left the field in tears, comforted by his French opponents.

While the Brazilians slunk off, a beaming 34-year-old Zidane celebrated his astounding comeback at what he has said will be his last international competition.

"It was an enormous game. We had to do it all physically and mentally, and we combined brilliantly," the former Real Madrid star said. "We're aiming for the final. We don't want to stop - it was so wonderful that I don't want to stop."

Henry's goal broke open the game after a flat first half. But the needed Brazil rally never truly materialised, though they came close when Fabien Barthez turned away a Ronaldo volley in second-half injury time.

By that time, French fans were already singing the Marseillaise in the stands, celebrating their old-guard side's stunning revival in 2006.

Brazil opened on the attack with Ronaldo - fresh from becoming the top World Cup scorer of all time with 16 goals - but the French-deflected cross sailed too far.

Roberto Carlos fired a curving shot over Barthez' goal after a corner kick, and Ronaldo came close when he powered a header just over the bar in the 11th minute after a Ronaldinho free kick.

But France soon began to take control, virtually shutting down Brazil's vaunted midfield with a cautious passing game that denied the South Americans the balls needed to launch explosive attacks.

Wing back Willy Sagnol fired a shot to the near post from the right in the 16th minutes, but Dida in the Brazil goal stopped it easily.

Cafu, a veteran of the 1998 final squad, was booked in the 25th minute for holding Eric Abidal's jersey as Zidane and the French built up a bit of pressure.

Still, the bevy of greats on the pitch failed to generate great football.

Zidane and Roberto Carlos miscued passes, Cafu sent a cross through the French area without anyone getting a touch and Patrick Vieira, playing his 92nd for France, lifted an uncontested ball straight over the goal-line.

The game lit up just before half-time when Zidane at midfield escaped three Brazilians, duped a fourth and found the hole for a long ball to Patrick Vieira, only to see him floored by a rough tackle from Juan.

Juan was lucky to escape with a yellow card and more mayhem followed when Ronaldo in the wall handled the free kick fired by Thierry Henry.

Ronaldo was booked too and Henry's second attempt from the 16-metre line was blocked again, sending both teams to the locker rooms in a hail of whistles from the 48,000 fans.

French pressure paid off in the 57th minute with a goal that had Zidane printed all over it.

First, the France captain cheekily lifted the ball over Ronaldo and flicked it on with a header.

That move wound up forcing a free kick, which Zidane curled from 25 metres to the far post, where an unmarked Henry flew in and slammed the ball into the roof of the Dida's net with the inside of his right foot.

France nearly made it two in the 61st when young striker Franck Ribery escaped his marker, muscled into the area and squared a ball that Juan almost sent into his own net and Zidane missed by one step.

Brazil seemed unable to step up the pace as the veteran French defence outduelled Kaka and Ronaldinho, while Ronaldo fell helplessly in the penalty area.

France replied on a fast solo break by Ribery, who forced Dida out to save.

As tensions rose, Sangol was booked in the 74th minute for blocking Kaka and Brazil defender Lucio saw yellow the next minute for flooring Henry.

Brazil coach Carlos Alberto Parreira took off AC Milan's Kaka in after his weakest game of the tournament, bringing on striker Robinho.

The Lyon striker brought immediate spark to Brazil's lacklustre game, but it was too little, too late.

First train from Beijing leaves for Tibet

Beijing, July 2 (Xinhua) The first train from Beijing Saturday started its 4,060 km journey for Tibet's capital Lhasa.

The train started at 9.30 p.m. from the Beijing West station and will arrive in Lhasa at 8.58 p.m. Monday. It will pass through Shijiazhuang, Xi'an, Lanzhou, Xining, Golmud and Nagqu before reaching its destination.

The basic coach ticket, called a hard seat, sells for 389 yuan ($48.6) from Beijing to Lhasa, while the price for hard sleeper or bunk costs 813 yuan ($101.6), and the price for a shared compartment or soft sleeper is 1,262 yuan ($157.75).

Earlier on, a passenger train rolled out of the Chengdu railway station, capital of southwest China's Sichuan province at 6.18 p.m., heading for Lhasa with more than 900 passengers.

It was followed by another train leaving Xining, capital of the northwestern Qinghai province, for Lhasa at 8.07 p.m.

Chinese President Hu Jintao attended a launching ceremony held at Golmud, a start-off point of the landmark Qinghai-Tibet railway in Qinghai province, and cut the red ribbon for the railway's opening.

He delivered a keynote speech at the gala held at the Golmud station, saying the opening of the railway line is another magnificent accomplishment the country has achieved in socialist modernisation drive.

Construction of the Qinghai-Tibet railroad is a long-cherish dream of generations of the Chinese people, Hu said.

The Qinghai-Tibet railway is the first railroad linking Tibet with the rest of China.

Four intruders killed in Kashmir

Srinagar, July 2 (IANS) Four separatist guerrillas were Sunday killed as Indian Army troopers foiled their infiltration bid along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir.

A spokesman of the army's 15 Corps said here the troops spotted a group of guerrillas in the Gulmarg sector of the LoC while trying to sneak into the Indian side.

"The infiltrators were challenged to surrender, but they started firing on the troops resulting in an encounter in which four of them, all belonging to the Jaish-e-Mohammad group were killed," the spokesman said.

This is the second major infiltration bid during the past week.

Eight guerrillas were killed in an encounter at the LoC in the Karnah sector in north Kashmir last week when they attempted to infiltrate into the Indian side of the border.

India have edge after 16 wickets fall second day

By T.R. Ramakrishnan, Kingston (Jamaica), July 2 (IANS) After an eventful day's cricket in the fourth, and what will now certainly be the series-deciding Test, India finished with their noses marginally in front of the West Indies.

Sixteen wickets fell as India, after bowling out West Indies for 103 in their first innings at the Sabina Park Saturday, finished the second day of the five-day match at 128 for 6 in their second innings. Their overall lead is 225.

Rahul Dravid produced his second masterpiece of the match, following his first innings 81, and was unbeaten on 62 (130 balls, 11 fours) at the close. On his efforts Sunday will rest India's hopes for getting their first series win in the West Indies since 1971.

The way the Sabina Park wicket has played in the first two days, it seems to be a big ask for any side to score the highest total of the match in the fourth innings to achieve victory.

But the West Indians have a champion in their midst, Brian Lara, who is not only capable of winning a match with the power of his record-breaking batting skills. But also, as he has shown in this series, of being a forceful inspiration to his team-mates in the West Indian quest of an image-reviving series win.

In the morning, West Indies failed to last one-and-a-half sessions. They were all out in 33.3 overs, 40 minutes after lunch. Harbhajan Singh captured his second five-wicket haul in successive Tests after S. Sreesanth made the initial breakthroughs.

The significance of Rahul Dravid's 81 Friday became even more apparent on the day as the West Indian batsmen chose stroke playing as the weapon with which to counter the duplicitous nature of the wicket. It was not a wise choice.

Lara was their leading exponent. He was at his exhilarating best as he hit six fours in 26, out of 42 added with Darren Ganga after Sreesanth had removed Chris Gayle in the first over of the innings. He pulled and cut Sreesanth as only he can and when Anil Kumble came on for Munaf Patel, drove him in his first over for boundaries either side of the non-striker's wicket.

Sreesanth did bother him a couple that moved and had two good shouts for leg before and then got the master out with a snorter, the last ball of his sixth over. It rose viciously from a good length and as Lara fended awkwardly, the ball went off to his glove to Wasim Jaffer at third slip.

As the West Indian batsmen, apart from Ganga, made no attempt to stay and survive at the wicket, Harbhajan hammered the final nails in the coffin. In just 4.3 overs, he took 5 for 13 to follow up the fifer he took in the West Indian first innings at St Kitts.

If India though they had the match in their pocket after their morning's work, they were sadly mistaken. Once again, Jerome Taylor came steaming in, and caused early damage, removing the openers in the first four overs of the innings.

V.V.S. Laxman and Dravid seemed to have weathered the storm, with a 43-run stand in 18 overs, but then Laxman fell, and the middle-order again collapsed, with only Dravid standing firm.

It would be easy to blame the dismissals on the pitch. The ball does scoot through at times, climbs steeply at other times. But more than a few batsmen, from both sides, perished trying to play strokes to balls temptingly bowled at them.

The key to survival was application and so far only Dravid has shown it.

And he also showed that strokes could be hit: his 11 fours in the second innings are testimony to it. He cut, pulled and drove majestically, and two of the more memorable boundaries he hit were the ones that raised his 9,000th run in Test cricket and his second 50 of the match.

SCOREBOARD

Day 2, Fourth Test, West Indies v India, Sabina Park, Kingston (Jamaica)

India (1st innings): 200

West Indies (1st innings):

Chris Gayle b Sreesanth 0
Darren Ganga lbw Harbhajan 40
Brian Lara c Jaffer b Sreesanth 26
Marlon Samuels st Dhoni b Kumble 2
Shivnarine Chanderpaul c Dhoni b Patel 10
Dwayne Bravo c Yuvraj b Harbhajan 0
Ramnaresh Sarwan c Kaif b Harbhajan 7
Denesh Ramdin c Yuvraj b Harbhajan 10
Jerome Taylor run out 6
Pedro Collins c Sehwag b Harbhajan 0
Corey Collymore not out 0

Extras (1w, 1nb) 2

Total (for 33.3 overs) 103

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-42, 3-53, 4-72, 5-80, 6-81, 7-88, 8-99, 9-103

Bowling:

S. Sreesanth 9-3-34-2
Munaf Patel 12-5-24-1 (1w)
Anil Kumble 8-3-32-1 (1nb)
Harbhajan Singh 4.3-0-13-5

India (2nd innings):

Wasim Jaffer c Samuels b Taylor 1
Virender Sehwag lbw Taylor 4
V.V.S. Laxman c Lara b Collymore 16
Rahul Dravid batting 62
Yuvraj Singh c Lara b Collymore 13
Mohammed Kaif b Collins 6
M.S. Dhoni b Taylor 19
Anil Kumble batting 2

Extras (3lb, 1w, 1nb) 5

Total (for 6 wkts, in 49 overs) 128

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-6, 3-49, 4-63, 5-76, 6-122,

Bowling:

Pedro Collins 19-7-56-1 (1nb)
Jerome Taylor 10-3-28-3
Corey Collymore 16-5-31-2
Dwayne Bravo 4-1-10-0 (1w)

Iraq presents 'most-wanted' terror suspects

Baghdad, July 2 (DPA) Iraqi National Security Advisor Muafaq al-Rabaei Sunday presented a list of Iraq's 41 "most wanted" terror suspects, headed by Al Qaeda's new leader in Iraq, Abu Hamza al-Muhajer.

The list includes individuals accused of committing or plotting acts of terrorism in Iraq - including the latest Sadr city car bombing which left 68 dead and 102 injured Saturday.

Al-Rabaei told reporters here that the list had been compiled over a period of nine months and was based on intelligence and security information collected by Iraq's four security organs. He added that the names had also been submitted to Interpol.

The list, which includes three women - including Saddam's wife Sajda Khair Allah and his daughter Raghd Saddam Hussein - is however "not related to the list of 55 wanted individuals drawn up by the US authorities."

The list of 41 wanted individuals, along with their photos, is to be posted in each police station and in mosques with rewards available for information leading to the detention of suspects.

Al-Rabaei called on the assistance of civilians and of neighbouring countries to apprehend the individuals, some of whom are based in Iraq while others are residing in Arab countries, and bring them to justice.

"We will apprehend them whether they are in Iraq or outside the country," said the national security advisor.

A number of the suspects are accused of having links with the Al Qaeda terror network, while others are said to have broken off from existing Iraqi political currents and militias to form their own movements.

Al-Rabaei described terrorism as "a cancer that recognises no religion or country.

Israeli missile strikes Palestine prime minister's office

Gaza, July 2 (DPA) Israeli Apache attack helicopters fired a missile into Palestinian Authority Prime Minister Ismail Haniya's headquarters in a pre-dawn strike Sunday in southern Gaza City.

Witnesses said that one air-to-ground rocket was fired at Haniya's office, and a huge explosion was heard in southern Gaza's Remal neighbourhood. No injuries were reported.

The building was severely damaged, with a plume of smoke billowing from the blazing structure, as the Israeli army continued air strikes on the Gaza Strip for the fifth consecutive day.

A second air strike on a post belonging to the auxiliary force of the interior ministry in the Hamas-led government left one Palestinian militant dead and three wounded.

Medics and eyewitnesses said that helicopters hovering before dawn over Gaza City fired two missiles into the post, which was destroyed.

The Israeli air campaign follows a June 25 attack on an Israeli army base near the border in the southeast Gaza Strip. In the attack, three Palestinian militant groups led by Hamas' armed wing al-Qassam Brigades killed two Israeli soldiers and kidnapped a third.

Israel approved and launched large-scale air and ground operations in the Gaza Strip and has already destroyed a major power plant and two main bridges. Strikes are continuing against Gaza Strip targets under what the army has called operation Summer Rains.

With efforts underway to solve the crisis, Israeli officials have said that the operation would end if the captive soldier is released.

Larijani to meet top EU official over nuclear row

Tehran, July 2 (DPA) Iran's chief nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani will meet EU foreign policy chief Javier Solana July 5, an Iranian foreign ministry official said Sunday.

"(Larijani and Solana) are in daily contact," said foreign ministry spokesman Hamid-Reza Assefi here. "The last contact was just (Saturday), and they will meet Wednesday probably in an European city."

Larijani had last week said he would meet Solana in Spain.

The spokesman reiterated that there was no deadline for the reply to the Western nuclear proposal but Tehran would be ready to reply in the Persian month of Mordad, which starts July 23.

"I am sure that the West too does not want us to sacrifice thoroughness for the sake of speed - we are not killing time, but studying the issue very carefully and the West should appreciate this," Assefi said, referring to Western demands to speed up the date of reply.

The spokesman said the Larijani-Solana meet would be aimed at clarifying the stance of both sides and removing ambiguities and set the framework for further negotiations.

"Our aim is to remove Western concerns (that Iran's nuclear programme is not going towards a military direction), but this does not mean that we would sacrifice our national interests in return," Assefi said.

"If logic prevails in the negotiations, then I am optimistic that the issue could be diplomatically settled," the spokesman added.

Assefi reiterated that Iran's final aim is to realise its right to its own nuclear fuel cycle and would not fear sanctions in reaching this aim.

London attacks' fallout hits 'British way of life'

London, July 2 (DPA) A year after four young British Muslims carried out the first ever suicide attack in Britain, killing 52 people and injuring over than 700, the impact of their deed on the fabric of society is still keenly felt.

Mohammad Sidique Khan, Shedzad Tanweer, Germaine Lindsay and Hasib Hussain, who were said to have acquired their bombing skills from the Internet, killed people of many nations when they released the lethal contents of their rucksacks on the carriages of three Underground trains and a bus on July 7, 2005.

Their victims were from Britain, Poland, Italy, Iran, Israel, Vietnam, Nigeria, New Zealand, Australia and Sri Lanka amongst others, reflecting London's multi-cultural and multi-ethnic flair.

The cosmopolitan city stood together on the day, but the defiance shown by its people has since been weakened by fear, loss of trust and division.

"The rules of the game have changed," declared Prime Minister Tony Blair after the bombings, signalling that Britain was prepared to sacrifice its reputation for a tolerant approach for greater security.

The result of the change was there for all to see: Two weeks after the explosions and after an attempted second attack on the transport system, over-zealous anti-terror squads killed an innocent Brazilian man at a south London police station.

The mistaken shooting, for which the police apologised, served to deepen public mistrust in the state authorities and led ethnic leaders to express the fear that community relations could be damaged beyond repair.

The voice of Muhammad Abdul Bari, new leader of the British Muslim Council (BMC), is almost pleading when he says: "Overwhelmingly, our community is made up of sane, sensible street cleaners, teachers, nurses and bus drivers. This idea that we are all fanatics is ludicrous."

Bari, a 52-year-old physics lecturer, who came to Britain from Bangladesh in 1978, is considered to be the country's most influential Muslim voice. A voice of moderation, Bari's counsel is sought equally by the government, the police, lawmakers and imams. But the soft-spoken intellectual has found it difficult lately to calm the underlying tension between Britain's 1.7 million Muslims and the rest of the community.

His first job as MCB leader in June was to pacify outrage over a massive police raid on the homes of two innocent Muslim families in Forest Gate, east London, in which a 23-year-old Muslim man was shot and injured.

"Muslims are frightened now. It is a nightmare, particularly for the young," says Bari.

He is aware that, like the four young men who blew themselves up in the suicide bombings, there are many young Muslims who are not prepared to hear their elders' message of multi-culturalism and moderation.

"The young are rebelling. They become de-motivated, some turn to drugs, others become more religious," says Bari, who reports a steep rise in police stop-and-search activity as well as "race hate crimes" against Muslims since the attacks a year ago.

The government, meanwhile, says that up to 20 "major conspiracies" have been uncovered since last year's attacks, and three "major attacks" on London have been foiled.

A leaked intelligence report in May stated that the war in Iraq had made Britain a target for Al Qaeda sympathisers "for years to come". These included groups helping fanatics willing to take part in suicide attacks against coalition forces in Iraq.

"Today's terrorists are suburban men who neighbours invariably described as 'hard-working, respectable and British to the core'," said the report.

The intelligence services suggested there were more than 1,200 terrorist suspects living in Britain, compared with 800 a year ago, and 250 in 2001. Home office figures showed that 266 people were arrested under the Terrorism Act in 2005 - an increase by 64 per cent compared to the year before.

The majority of the arrests in 2005 were made after the attacks of July 7. But only 35 people were charged, 27 of them under the Terrorism Act.

For Bari, the disproportion between the number of people detained, and those actually charged, is further cause to plead for moderation: "We really are doing our bit for Britain. We are flying the flag. But the British should be embracing the Muslim community rather than condemning it."

Medicine MRPs to include tax

New Delhi, July 2 (IANS) The parliamentary consultative committee Sunday said medicines sold in shops would indicate maximum retail prices (MRP) inclusive of taxes from Oct 2.

The decision was taken in a meeting of the committee, which is attached to the ministry of chemicals, fertilizers and steel. The members were discussing the draft national pharmaceutical policy, 2006.

The members decided that the 354 drugs in the national list of essential medicines should be brought under price control in order to make available drugs at reasonable prices.

They also announced that labels on medicines strips would be bilingual, both in Hindi and English, to benefit the people.

The members also agreed that the maximum allowable post-manufacturing expense (MAPE) should not be more than 100 percent as this level was considered adequate and there was no need to allow a MAPE of 150 percent as proposed in the draft policy.

The committee also agreed that the government should give highest priority to make medicines available to the poor. The members decided that families living below the poverty line should be given drugs free of cost.

"We have assessed that about Rs.30 billion would be required for this purpose," said Ram Vilas Paswan, minister of chemicals and fertilizers and steel.

The members said the government should ensure a provision for health insurance for these families.

Musharraf orders review of Islamic laws

Islamabad, July 2 (IANS) Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has ordered a review of the Islamic laws in the country and said that 2,000 women prisoners, languishing in jails for a long time without being convicted, should be considered for release in a few weeks.

The president has tasked the Council of Islamic Ideology to review the Hudood Ordinance and propose necessary amendments with an aim to provide relief to women prisoners held for long without conviction.

There are around 6,500 women in jails throughout Pakistan. About 1,000 of them are serving their sentences, while the others are in jails due to prolonged trial procedure.

The Hudood Ordinance, which aims to Islamise Pakistani jurisprudence, has been criticised at home by experts, women's organisations and by human rights bodies abroad for being weighed against women.

"The president has taken notice of such women and ordered that their release should be considered," The News daily quoted Minister of State for Information and Broadcasting Tariq Azim Khan as saying after a meeting chaired by Musharraf.

The law ministry was directed to immediately prepare a draft law for release of the women languishing in jail for years and who are not involved in heinous crimes like murder, attempt to murder, robbery or terrorism.

The ministry is likely to finalise the draft law in two days, The Nation newspaper said. The reforms package will be introduced through ordinances and after feedback from the legal fraternity and the people. It will be amended through parliament by incorporating necessary suggestions, The Nation said.

Musharraf has asked the Council of Islamic Ideology to review the Hudood laws in consultation with all the religious schools of thought and other segments of society who have been working on the issue.

Hudood derives from the Arabic word 'Hud', which means punishment. Among other things, it prescribes stoning to death for conviction for rape, cutting of hands for theft and lashing for gambling and consuming intoxication.

While this has been enforced in Saudi Arabia, no one has been punished under the Hudood Ordinance in Pakistan.

It is considered unfair to women in a dispute since a woman witness is not admitted in a rape case, nor is a non-Muslim witness. Women have been convicted in Pakistan for simply naming their attackers.

Muslims, Jews and Christians Join Together to Condemn Zionism

M Ghazali Khan

Anti-Semitism and anti-Zionism is not the same thing and it is vital for world peace that Jews outside Israel speak against Israel’s crimes being meted out on Palestinians, a panel consisting of Christian, Jewish and Arab representatives has told a gathering of 500 delegates assembled at the School of Oriental and African, Studies, University of London.

The debate on, “Why Anti-Zionism is Not anti-Semitism� organised by Islam Channel TV was addressed by the veteran BBC TV war correspondent and author of Zionism the Real Enemies of the Jews, Alan Hart, Holocaust survivor, influential Jewish figure and author of The End of Judaism Dr Hajo G Meyer, Senior Lecturer of Political Science, Haifa University, Professor Ilan Pappe; a senior member of Jewish sect Neturei Karta, Rabbi Ahron Cohen and Palestinian representative Dr. Ghada Karmi, and the author of In Search of Fatima, the story of her exile and displacement.

In his keynote speech Alan Hart congratulated the Chief Executive of Islam Channel TV Mr Muhammad Ali for holding the debate. Hart also informed the audience that few days before the debate, the offices of Islam Channel were broken into and a number of computers were stolen. Hart said that probably someone was looking for information to prove that Islam Channel was a fundamentalist organisation which should not be allowed to hold this debate or they were simply trying to frighten Islam Channel.

Hart, who had enjoyed close friendship with “Father Palestine�, Yassir Arafat and “Mother Israel� Golda Meir � so much so that despite being 48 years younger than her, in her cabinet circle, and much to their annoyance, he was known as her “boyfriend� � has over the years, waged war on Zionism. It is worth quoting two important facts from his remarkable book that, despite being praised lavishly by all of them, none of the British publishers could dare publish and therefore at last Alan at his personal expense published the book himself: “At a point� writes Hart, “I interrupted her [Golda Meir] to say: ‘Prime Minister, I want to be sure I understand what you’re saying…You are saying that if ever Israel was in danger of being defeated on the battlefield, it would be prepared to take the region and even the whole world down with it?’…Without the shortest of pauses of reflection…Golda replied, ‘Yes, that’s exactly what I am saying.’� Golda Meir had also told him on camera that, “There was no such thing as Palestinian.� And according to Hart, “Her statement represented Zionism’s official line on the matter; a line that was accepted and repeated parrot-like by Israel’s unquestioning supporters everywhere.�

Left to Right- Dr. Ghada Karmi, Rabbi Ahron Cohen, Alan Hart, Professor Ilan Pappe Dr Hajo G Meyer

Hart started his speech with a quotation from his book that reads, “If the Jews of the Diaspora can summon up the will and the courage to make common cause with the forces of reason in Israel before it is too late for us all, a very great prize awaits them. By demonstrating that right can triumph over might, and that there is a place for morality in politics, they would become the light unto nations.

“It is a prize available to no other people on earth because of the uniqueness of the suffering of the Jews. Perhaps that is the real point for the idea of the Jews as Chosen people…Chosen to endure unique suffering and, having endured it, to show the rest of us that creating better and more just world is not a mission impossible.�

He said, “If any body accused me of being anti-Semitic, I would say ‘Sir/Madam, You are eluded!’ And if any body says to me, ‘OK Alan Hart you are not anti-Semitic but what you say and write seems anti-Semitic.’ I reply, ‘That can’t possibly be so because my main message is to the Gentiles among whom most of the world Jews live. And that message is: ‘Don’t blame the Jews who live among you for what a hard core of Zionists are doing in Israel.’ So, don’t anybody dare to accuse me of being anti-Semitic.�

Hart said that since the unilateral declaration of independence by Israel an informed and honest debate has not been possible on this subject because of fear of being labelled anti-Semitic. He attacked the media and politicians for allowing themselves to be blackmailed by the Zionists. According to Hart journalists were not necessarily sympathetic to the Zionist state but the problem was with the owners of big publishers who were afraid of being punished for their honesty by their advertisement plugs being pulled.

“Many of us have been brought up mainly conditioned by the media to believe that Zionist mythology and real history is one and the same thing. They are emphatically not�. Hart stressed that Zionist propaganda is aimed at getting away with its crimes and impress upon Americans, Europeans and the Jews outside that there has been a threat to its existence. He said that there has never been a threat to the existence of Zionist state.

A group of anti-zionist rabbis at the conference

Persuading Muslims in the UK to be more politically active and be part of the democratic setup, Hart said that in response to one programme news organisations receive thousands of phone calls and emails by the supporters of Zionism but few from Muslims.

He stressed that the existence of Israel is illegal and anyone in the world who could give legitimacy to the Zionist state it is the Palestinians, the rightful owners of the occupied land. He said that two state solution is not a solution. The only solution, he said, was “one state� in which Jews and Palestinians can live together.

Rabbi Ahron Cohen, whose house had been bombarded with 1,000 eggs, presumably by Zionists, few weeks ago, said that what the Zionist state was doing with the Palestinians was blatant violation of the teachings of Judaism.

Responding to a question the Rabbi said although it was not always a bed of roses, before the creation of the Zionist state, Jews in Muslim lands enjoyed prosperity and good relations with Muslims.

In his response to Alan Hart’s speech Professor Ilan Pappe said that there was no Jews Diaspora in the world. “If there is any Diaspora it is the Palestinian Diaspora who have to return to their land.� He said that for world peace and for the welfare of Palestinians and the Jews boycott of the Zionist state was vital. Taking his inspiration from history he said that it took two brave women in Dublin to mobilise anti-apartheid movement in the world and there was no reason why the world could not force Israel to discard its inhuman policies.

In his vehement condemnation of Zionism, Holocaust survivor Dr Hajo G Meyer said that Zionism predates fascism and fascists and Zionists had a history of cooperating with each other. He said that the Zionist state of Israel wants to create anti-Semitism in the world so that more and more Jews start migrating to Israel.

Palestinian representative Dr Ghada Karmi said that Europe had dumped its problem, alien creatures, on the Palestinian people. She said that Palestinian Jews were as much opposed to the creation of a Zionist state on their land as Palestinian Muslims and Palestinian Christians because they were fully conscious of the devastation the “aliens� (non-Palestinian Jews) were going to bring in the region with them. She rejected the division of Palestinian lands into two states and emphasised that instead of solving the dispute it would create more problems. All of the panellists agreed with her.

New Pakistani envoy to India by this month-end?

Islamabad, July 2 (IANS) A successor to replace Aziz Ahmed Khan, high commissioner to India, will be decided by this month-end. He has had three extensions and no further extension is likely, news reports said.

The names doing the rounds are present High Commissioner to Canada Shahid Malik, envoy in Germany Asif Aizadiee and Kamran Niaz, who is presently posted in Tokyo.

The News daily said Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri, who had facilitated Khan's extensions "is spearheading the nomination of Shahid Malik".

All the probables are well connected. "Shahid Malik is a career diplomat and brother-in-law of Senator Waseem Sajjad, leader of the house in the Senate. Asif Aizadiee is brother of well-connected federal secretary Shafqat Aizadee," the newspaper said.

A decision on designating a high commissioner to New Delhi will be taken after careful and thorough consideration by all seniors, The News said, quoting unnamed sources.

In other planned transfers, Islamabad may change its envoy in Colombo, where Col. Bashir Wali, a former top intelligence officer, completes his term. The post may be filled again by a non-diplomatic person.

Envoys to France, Malaysia, Jordan and Egypt, some of them with intelligence background, are also being changed, the newspaper said.

North Indian chief ministers to discuss priorities

New Delhi, July 2 (IANS) Falling prices of farm produce and the pace of industrialisation in north Indian states may figure prominently in the second round of regional consultations on an approach paper for the 11th plan starting Monday.

The two-day consultations will begin in the capital with an inaugural address by Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia. It will be followed by a presentation on behalf of the Planning Commission on an approach paper for the 11th five-year plan.

The chief ministers of Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Uttranchal and Uttar Pradesh will then come up with their suggestions about the approach to the next five-year plan.

The 11th five-year plan is to be implemented from 2007 as the current fiscal year is the last year of the 10th five-year plan.

"The chief ministers are likely to emphasise the need for putting a mechanism in place in the 11th plan that could ensure reasonable returns on agricultural produce for farmers in their states," government officials said.

"The issue of shifting of industries from some states to the hill regions due to tax sops offered there is also likely to come up during the course of discussions," they added.

The chief ministers and Planning Commission members are also likely to discuss development measures required for hill areas.

"The focus of the meeting would be to reach a consensus on an approach towards correcting regional imbalances and raising the growth rate in the 11th plan," the officials added.

The Planning Commission is holding these consultations to incorporate suggestions of state governments in the final draft of the 11th five-year plan. The first round of talks was held in Mumbai last fortnight. Three more rounds of consultation are likely to be held this month.

Pakistani media welcomes visa package for Indians

Islamabad, July 2 (IANS) Pakistan's new visa policy with a "special package" for Indians has been welcomed by the Pakistani media, which said the boost given to people-to-people contacts would help in reducing tensions and disputes between the two neighbours.

The News daily said the new visa policy announced on Friday could work to mutual advantage of the two countries "if the overbearing security apparatus of both countries are adequately kept in check". It suggested that to improve bilateral ties, the two neighbours should do away with the system of visitors having to report to the local police, or at least reduce its enforcement.

Under the new visa package, Indian businessmen wishing to do business in the country will get a six-month multiple entry visa. Indian pilgrims would get a 15-day visa instead of the earlier five. The tourist visa for Indians has been enhanced from 14 days to 30. Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and Tourism Minister Nilofar Bakhtiar announced the new policy.

Thousands of Indians, both Hindus and Sikhs, visit Pakistan on pilgrimage every year.

In an editorial, The News said: "There will be no better substitute than this increased people-to-people exchange for reducing tensions and disputes between the two countries because it is only when one travels across the border and meets people from the other country that perceptions change and pre-conceived biases give way."

"One also hopes that India will reciprocate and allow similar concessions to Pakistanis and allow tourist visas as well."

"One cannot overemphasise the importance of ensuring that the liberalised visa regime for Indian nationals is implemented in spirit and is not confined to a policy announcement. The reason for such an insistence on our part is clear. In the past few years, many confidence-building measures have taken place between the two countries and most are related to increasing road, air and rail links."

It pointed out, however, that even these increased rail links have not brought about any significant increase in the number of Pakistanis travelling to India and vice versa.

"The condition that one must have relatives in the other country before a visa can be issued proves to be a hindrance to genuine tourists on either side of the border who want to explore each other's country; there are many of these especially in the generation born after the separation of East Pakistan in 1971," the editorial observed.

Calling the liberalised visa regime that aims at boosting tourism "overly ambitious", the edit points out: "Tourism will increase only when the country's battered image overseas improves, when the government takes measures to check rising extremism and fanaticism, especially in and around areas where many tourists frequent such as the Northern Areas where the general law and order situation needs to improve."

Pointing to the adverse travel advisories by the US and the European nations, it said that these advisories issued by most of Pakistan's allies to their citizens warning them against travel to the country "do not help, and nor does the poor quality of infrastructure and facilities on offer for tourists".

There has been a general welcome to the visa regime, including the package for India in the media.

However, singling out Muslim nations for stricter vigil to prevent the arrival of people connected with terrorism has been criticised. "There will be hardly a Muslim nation where there are no militants," The Nation newspaper pointed out.

Parties demand implementation of reservations

New Delhi, July 2 (IANS) In an effort to step up efforts to implement reservations for other backward classes, political parties Sunday asked the government to pass the legislation in the coming monsoon session of parliament

"The discussion on increasing seats and infrastructure in educational institutions is only to delay the implementation of reservation. The government should bring the legislation in the monsoon session of parliament itself," said PMK founder president S. Ramadoss.

He was speaking at a seminar organised by the party on the issue.

Members of other political parties also emphasised the need to introduce reservations in the private sector, media and judiciary along with higher education from 2007.

"We should implement reservations in one stroke and not in phases," said former prime minister V.P. Singh.

"Even if there is a need for increasing the number of seats, it should be done from the next year itself."

Portugal again prove lethal for England

Gelsenkirchen, July 2 (DPA) Portugal defeated England 3-1 on penalties after a goalless 120 minutes here Saturday to gain a berth in the World Cup's semi-finals for the second time in their history.

Portugal first reached the last four 40 years ago and were then beaten by England. This time round, it was their turn to boot the Three Lions out of the tournament. The Portuguese will now meet the winners of Saturday evening's quarter-final match between Brazil and France.

After a scoreless game in which mistakes from both sides prevailed, it was star forward Cristiano Ronaldo's turn to fire in the decisive goal in the penalty shoot-out, which saw England's Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard and Jamie Carragher all miss from the spot.

Simao and Helder Postiga netted Portugal's two others, with man of the match Owen Hargreaves scoring England's only goal in Gelsenkirchen.

"I felt confident and I shot strong. I'm very happy because Portugal is in the next round," Cristiano Ronaldo told reporters when asked to comment about his penalty kick.

England dearly missed captain David Beckham, out injured in the 52nd minute, and played most of the second half and all of extra time with just 10 men after Wayne Rooney was shown a red card for stamping on an opponent.

With Luiz Felipe Scolari as coach, Portugal had previously eliminated England from the 2004 European champions, also thanks to a penalty shoot-out in that tournament's quarter-finals.

Scolari was also the man in charge of Brazil when the defending champions knocked England out of the World Cup four years ago.

Sven Goran Eriksson said his side had not deserved to lose.

"I'm sorry about losing on penalties. We practised penalties a lot, so I don't know what we more we could have done about it," Eriksson said. "But congratulations to Portugal."

Portugal came into the match without playmaker Deco and defender Costinha, both suspended, while Eriksson once again chose to field Wayne Rooney as the sole striker.

Mutual respect and temperatures close to 30 degrees Celsius may have played a role in front of a boisterous 52,000 capacity crowd at the AufSchalke stadium, as both teams moved at a leisurely pace for much of the first half.

Cristiano Ronaldo was clearly the most inspired Portuguese player, but he was being kept in check by his Manchester United team-mates, Rio Ferdinand and Gary Neville.

The game's first clear chance fell Portugal's way in the 12th minute, when midfielder Tiago unexpectedly found himself with the ball in front of goal on the developments of a Figo free kick, but failed to tap it into the back of the net.

England, for their part, clearly lacked firing power in attack. An example of this came in the 17th minute, when there was no one in sight to pick up an inviting pass inside the box from Lampard.

Three minutes later, the Chelsea player extended his leg to meet a deep ball from Gerrard but failed to make an impact.

There was a rare flash of class from Figo in the 39th minute, with the Inter Milan winger sending a curling shot from the edge of the box just wide of the opposite post.

With neither team able to break the deadlock during the first 45 minutes, England suffered a terrible blow shortly after the break, when Beckham was forced to limp off the pitch with an injury and was substituted by 19-year-old Aaron Lennon.

Television images showed the England captain in tears while being treated by doctors.

Matters turned even worse for England just five minutes later, when a frustrated Rooney was shown a direct card for stamping his foot into Ricardo Carvalho's private parts right in front of the Argentinian referee, Horacio Elizondo.

There had always been concerns about Rooney's temperament, and his behaviour here showed the 20-year-old still has a long way to go to maturity.

Eriksson brought in a striker, Peter Crouch, for a midfielder, Joe Cole, and the move at least added depth to England.

But Portugal never looked seriously concerned, and always seemed to be on the edge of scoring.

In the 78th, Figo forced Paul Robinson into a spectacular dive to save his goal. The English goalie showed real composure two minutes later, when he coolly blocked a Hugo Viana rifle.

And yet, despite Portugal looking the better side, it was England who actually came the closest to scoring in the dying minutes of regular time, with John Terry firing an easy ball high over the crossbar.

There was much of the same in extra time, with Portugal dominating possession and England trying to sting on the break with the added weight and height of Crouch up front.

Fatigue soon took over and the rest of extra time offered fans little more than a festival of errors from both sides.

Punjab medical entrance paper leak: five arrested

Chandigarh, July 2 (IANS) Five people, including a medical student, have been arrested for their alleged involvement in the leakage of the Punjab Medical Entrance Test (PMET) held Sunday, police said.

Four of the accused were arrested from Delhi late Saturday while one was nabbed from Chandigarh after they were found to be trying to sell the papers Friday and Saturday, police said.

They were caught with the original PMET paper in their possession hours before the test was to be conducted at centres across Punjab and Chandigarh for admission to medical colleges in Punjab.

The Baba Farid University of Medical Sciences, which was conducting the examination, distributed a fresh set of test papers to candidates.

The five people arrested are identified as Anil Behlia, Devinder Singh, Ranjit Singh, Rajinder Kumar Sharma and Jatinder Singh, according to police officials investigating the paper leakage scam.

Raids were on at various places to find out the source of the leak, they said.

The university's registrar admitted the paper being sold by the accused was the same as the one meant to be distributed for the entrance examination, the officials said.

Rajasthan to add two more luxury tourist trains

Jaipur, July 2 (IANS) Buoyed by the success of the Palace on Wheels, Rajasthan is to launch two more trains - including a super luxury version - on similar lines.

Both ventures involve an investment of around Rs.900 million ($19.5 million), Rajasthan Tourism Development Corporation (RTDC) managing director Rakesh Saini told IANS.

"The Palace on Wheels-2 will start its services by the end of September 2007. The train is expected to be ready by April next year," Saini said.

The other train, Royal Luxury Train, will involve an investment of Rs.600 million. It is expected be ready by September 2008.

"We are very optimistic about the Royal Luxury Train. With its exclusive state-of-the-art facilities, it is expected to outperform all the existing tourist trains running in the country," a tourism department official said.

The Royal Luxury Train would be a joint venture, with 60 percent of shares with East India Hotel (Oberoi group) and the remaining 40 percent equally distributed between RTDC and Indian Railways, official sources said.

Palace on Wheels-2 would travel on the same route as Palace on Wheels.

The Palace on Wheels fare is between Rs.100,000 and Rs.165,000 for a seven-night stay and the fare of the second version would be the same.

The Royal Luxury Train fare is expected to be over Rs.200,000 for a seven-night stay.

The fare for the Heritage on Wheels tourist train, which runs on metre gauge, is Rs.20,000 to 40,000 for a three-night stay.

The existing Palace on Wheels was launched on Jan 26, 1982, and makes for one of the world's most exciting rail journeys.

With everything taken care of - dining, accommodation and sightseeing - as well as organized shopping, there is nothing for the traveller to do but soak in the history of the land and experience the opulent life of a Maharaja.

The seven-day journey begins from New Delhi and ends there after passing through Jaipur, Jaisalmer, Jodhpur, Sawai Madhopur, Chittorgarh, Udaipur, Bharatpur and Agra.

The majority of travellers are foreigners and NRIs.

Palace on Wheels has 14 air-conditioned deluxe salons, each a combination of four twin-bedded chambers. It offers a range of facilities that include wall-to-wall carpeting and channel music, as also attached toilets with running hot and cold water and a shower.

Palace on Wheels offers an exotic array of cuisine, ranging from Continental to Chinese to Indian and Rajasthani in two lavish and beautifully done up restaurants - The Maharaja and The Maharani.

This apart, a well stocked bar serves wine, liquor and spirits of Indian and International make.

Rinpoche re-elected Tibetan 'PM'

Dharamsala (Himachal Pradesh), July 2 (IANS) Samdhong Rinpoche has been re-elected prime minister of the Tibetan government-in-exile for the second consecutive term with a landslide majority here.

Chief Election Commissioner Tashi Phuntsok declared the results of the elections late Saturday here, a day after the counting was completed and the election commission reported the final results to the Tibetan spiritual leader, the Dalai Lama.

Out of a total of 72,771 registered Tibetan voters living in refugee settlements in India and other countries, 32,205 cast their votes in the elections.

In the election that took place June 3 in this Himalayan town, Rinpoche got over 90 percent of the votes while his nearest rival Juchen Thubten Namgyal received only nine percent votes.

"My second term will be even more challenging, I would like to take forward the dialogue process initiated with the Chinese government to find a solution to the issue of Tibet," Rinpoche told reporters after the results were declared.

He said welfare of Tibetans living in refugee settlements in India and abroad and changes in the education policy for Tibetan educational institutions would be his top priorities.

The Tibetan government-in-exile, based in Dharamsala, is not recognised by any government in the world, including India that has given refuge to the Tibetans.

Will reformed Nepal Maoists influence Indian counterparts?

By Amulya Ganguli

It is too early to assess the long-term consequences of the decision of the Nepal Maoists to abandon their path of revolution and take part in parliamentary democracy. In India too several Maoist groups, known as Naxalites, pursued a similar course, forsaking armed struggle and joining mainstream politics.

But that didn't prevent some of their rivals from remaining underground and trying to overthrow the government by following the classical Maoist thesis of peasant warfare against the bourgeoisie.

The possibility of the Nepal Maoists too splitting in similar fashion, with one group joining mainstream politics and others continuing with their insurrection cannot be ignored. Much depends on how successful the Maoists prove to be in Nepalese parliamentary politics. In India, the fact that the overground Naxalites have remained a marginal force in the parliamentary arena may have persuaded their underground comrades to continue their armed rebellion.

In Nepal, it will all depend on how the Maoists fare once they begin to function openly. The first thing they will realize is that the rules of an open society are completely different from what they have been used to till now in their jungle and mountain hideouts where they were in virtual total command.

Now they will see that even if they win a fair number of parliamentary seats and even be in the government, they will have to operate within the parameters of a 'bourgeois' constitution. Therefore, there will undoubtedly be groups in their ranks who will chafe at these constraints and yearn for a return to the life of the outlaw.

It is in this context that the interaction between the Nepali Maoists and the Indian Naxalites will be of interest.

For the present, the latter, who can claim the title of seniority since their movement began way back in 1967, may not have been able to fully understand the compulsions of their Nepali comrades to change their line so dramatically. Their surprise may be all the more greater because the Naxalites may have believed that the Maoists in Nepal had succeeded to a large extent in 'liberating' the countryside in accordance with the classical Maoist doctrine and were ready to overwhelm the towns as well.

Their decision, therefore, to give up their revolution and turn to parliamentary politics must have mystified the Naxalites, who have been reared from the time of the 1967 uprising in Naxalbari in north Bengal on the Maoist description of parliament as a 'pig sty'. If the Maoists are now accepting the parliamentary system, the reason perhaps is the realization that the tactics outlined in the Maoist textbooks are no longer applicable in today's world.

For instance, not only are the armies of today vastly superior in terms of firepower and discipline than what the Maoists faced in China in conditions of a raging civil war and external aggression (as the Bolsheviks also did in Russia), the Marxist dogma itself is no longer a magnet for idealistic youths. The Indian Naxalites may not accept the argument that a war against the government cannot be won or that the doctrine has lost its appeal, but these are points on which the Nepal Maoists are likely to present their contrary views, if and when there are any contacts between them and the Naxalites.

It is not known for certain whether the two groups have been in touch all these years, but the presumption is that they were, given their ideological affinity and the geographical proximity between their areas of operation in the two countries. But in the aftermath of the dramatic turnaround in the stance of the Maoists, it is not impossible that the Naxalites will have experienced a sense of betrayal, especially when they may have felt that the ignominious capitulation of the monarch in Kathmandu should have paved the way for an even more aggressive onslaught on the government by the Maoists.

If the Maoists have been seemingly more pragmatic than the Naxalites, the reason perhaps is that they have almost always functioned on their own without any help from outside and, therefore, have a better grasp of the ground situation. In contrast, the Naxalites were initially egged on by Beijing, which described the Naxalbari uprising as 'spring thunder' and a 'prairie fire' marking the beginning of the Indian revolution. After that, Beijing hosted several Naxalite leaders when they went there for advice on the course of their movement.

After this initial encouragement, however, Beijing seemed to lose interest in the Naxalites in the early 70s. It was also the time when the Naxalites started splitting into several factions because of ideological confusion and intense police action, which included probably the first instances of 'fake encounters' when the police were suspected to have killed many of them in cold blood.

Although the Naxalites have recently succeeded in reviving their organization and even establish apparently secure bases in some areas of India, few believe that they pose a serious challenge to the government. Instead, they resemble the numerous bandit groups that have existed in the countryside from time immemorial and even boasted of several charismatic heroes (and heroines) as their leaders.

Maoists, on the other hand, have received little more from China than the idea of revolution. It was perhaps when they realized that this romantic dream would lead nowhere that they decided to opt for the parliamentary system. India's dominant Maoist group is, however, still harbouring the illusion of spearheading a revolution.

(Amulya Ganguli is a political analyst. He can be reached at aganguli@mail.com)

India becoming net food importer: UNDP

New Delhi, July 3 (IRNA)India, like other Asian countries, has been neglecting agriculture, the bedrock of the poor, and turning out to be a net importer under the free trade regime.

After many years as a food exporter, the Asia-Pacific region, particulary India, has turned to cheap imports as a result of its opening up to agricultural trade, a UNI report said here quoting UNDP's Asia-Pacific Human Development Report 2006.

Richer farmers and agribusinesses are moving out of food production towards cultivation of more profitable commercial crops, which has profound implications for more than half of the billion people living in the region with a majority in India who are food insecure.

India, in the last decade, has largely neglected its agriculture sector with the serious decline in investment in the 1980s resulting in a 29 percent fall up until 1990, adversely affecting farm growth.

If India wants broad-based and equitable development, it will have to invest more in agriculture -- particularly for capital formation -- while providing price support, affordable loans, assistance with irrigation and marketing and help with storage, processing and distribution facilities, said the report released last week.

Yet, despite the impressive overall economic growth and improving levels of poverty in South Asia including India, public expenditures on agriculture have fallen sharply to as low as 1.9 percent in 1990.

By 2001 such expenditures rose by a mere 1.2 percent and the farm sector continued to support the vast majority of the sub- region's poor.

The report said that Asian governments, including India, need to make serious efforts at land reform in order to effect agriculture development.

In India, 71 percent of rural households are classified as "land poor," in Bangladesh 78 percent, and in Sri Lanka, Indonesia and Philippines more than one-third of their farm population.

India, like other Asian nations, is on the verge of facing a net food deficit in the near future from its food surplus status till recently.

Indian had maintained a surplus constantly for almost two decades while Bangladesh, Pakistan had acquired the food surplus status only in the 1990s.

Of Asian countries, China had a surplus till 2003 and the Philippines up to 1994. However, in Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand the surpluses have gone.

On the other hand, liberalization of agricultural markets as a consequence of the WTO regime have helped reduce the food price, particularly food produced with the backing of subsidies in the US and the EU. But this does not seem to have led to any constant improvement in food security, the report added.

More countries now face food deficits and Asia, including India, still have more hungry people than any other region of the world -- over 510 million in 2002. This was because progress slowed in China, Thailand and Vietnam and in some countries the advances of the first half of the 1990s were actually reversed as in India, Indonesia and Pakistan.

The report underlined that opening up of markets of Indian and South Asian countries have not helped boost their farm trade to developed countries.

On the other hand, subsidies given by rich nations to the poor have had an adverse impact on developing countries, including India.

"Rice subsidies in the US, for example, which enabled it to maintain exports even during the 1990s when the world prices were falling, have affected the rice farmers all over the Asian region including Thailand, Vietnam and India," the report added.

Now, the report said, the transfer of advance farm technology and reserach has become difficult because of the patent regime.

India, which improved its wheat production from semi-dwarf improved varieties of wheat developed in Maxico and claimed that it brought about the Green Revolution, will face obstacles in crop improvement because of patent protection enjoyed by big seed multinationals like Monsanto.

20 Afghan militants killed by coalition forces

Kabul, July 3 (Xinhua) US-led coalition forces killed 20 suspected Taliban-linked militants in southern Afghanistan, said a US army statement Monday.

"Twenty extremists were killed after attacking a coalition patrol with small arms and mortar fire in the Sangin district of Helmand Province Sunday," the press release said.

The statement added that two coalition soldiers were also wounded in the exchange of fire, adding that their condition was stable.

Taliban militants are yet to make any comment on the claim.

The incident occurred amid increasing militancy in the southern region where Operation Mountain Thrust has been launched by the coalition forces to wipe out militants and strengthen government control in the area.

Taliban-led insurgency has claimed the lives of over 900 people since the beginning of the year.

Afghan army plans 'Wrath' offensive against militants

Kabul, July 3 (Xinhua) While the operation Mountain Thrust is going on in the volatile southern region to root out Taliban-linked militants, Afghan army would launch a new offensive soon, Afghanistan's Defence Minister Abdul Rahim Wardak said Monday.

"A new operation dubbed as Mountain Wrath would be launched soon to inflict more casualties on the militants," Wardak told journalists.

He declined to disclose the exact date of initiating the proposed operation or how many Afghan and US solders will participate in it.

However, he was hopeful that the security situation especially in the southern region where hundreds of Taliban operatives are said to have hidden would improve.

The US-led coalition forces in coordination with Afghanistan National Army (ANA) have conducted several anti-Taliban operations over the past nearly five years but failed to eliminate militants or curb militancy in the war-ravaged country.

According to official information, some 600 people with majority of them militants have been killed since the Mountain Thrust operation was launched in mid May.

Taliban-linked insurgency has claimed the lives of more than 900 people, including some 45 foreign soldiers, over the past six months.

African Union summit draws to a close

Banjul, July 3 (Xinhua) The seventh African Union (AU) summit came to a close in the Gambian capital with members welcoming the launch of an African court on human rights and agreeing on other key issues.

The two-day summit, which drew several African heads of state and government, ended Sunday. The union approved the launch of the African Court on Human and People's Rights.

It requested member states to extend all necessary support to the court to ensure that it starts functioning as soon as possible.

In June 1998, the protocol on the establishment of an African Court of Human and Peoples' Rights was adopted, and came into effect on January 2004. In July 2004, the AU assembly decided to merge the African Court on Human and People's Rights with the Court of Justice of the African Union.

The main purpose of the new court is to compliment and reinforce the functions of the commission on human rights. The court's authority will extend to all cases and disputes submitted to it concerning the interpretation and application of the African Charter on Human and People's Rights and any other human rights instruments ratified by African states.

The construction of the court is considered a new progress made by the African countries in human rights protection.

Further, the AU decided to suspend recognition of new regional economic communities (RECs) in the continent. The move is believed to be beneficial for enhancing the efficiency in the continent's integration process and economic development.

Rationalisation of RECs and regional integration were the themes of the summit held July 1-2.

The AU recognised eight key economic bodies and urged them to coordinate their policies among themselves and with the AU commission.

Army trooper, rebels killed in Kashmir gun battle

Srinagar, July 3 (IANS) Three people, including an army trooper, were killed and nearly ten houses gutted in a gun battle in a Jammu and Kashmir village that ended Monday afternoon.

Police said two holed up guerrillas and one subedar of the army were killed in the 20-hour long gun battle between surrounding troops and the guerrillas in Gamru village of Bandipora division in Baramulla district.

The fierce encounter between separatist guerrillas and the surrounding troops that started Sunday evening also resulted in the destruction of eight houses and a cowshed in the village, 57 km from summer capital Srinagar.

The army trooper, identified as Jasbir Singh, was killed Sunday when the guerrillas fired at the troops when they were challenged to surrender.

Two more troopers received injuries in the encounter.

"Bodies of the two militants were recovered from the debris of one of the houses that were gutted in the gun battle," said a police officer here.

At least 30 dead in Spanish metro crash

Valencia, July 3 (DPA) At least 30 people were feared dead Monday in the eastern Spanish city of Valencia after an underground metro train derailed and turned over in the city centre, an official said.

About a dozen people were reported seriously injured. The accident prompted the evacuation of 150 people from the underground.

The accident occurred as thousands of Roman Catholics had gathered here for the World Meeting of Families, which is to culminate with the visit of Pope Benedict XVI over the weekend.

The train derailed in a bend soon after leaving Jesus station. Reports said a part of the tunnel's roof might have collapsed.

The injured were being taken to various hospitals. A makeshift hospital was also set up in front of the underground station.

The area was sealed off to traffic. Service was suspended on two underground lines.

AU leaders meet to discuss Darfur

Saturday, July 1, 2006 (Banjul, Gambia): African leaders opened a summit on Saturday addressing their continent's many woes while offering a special welcome to the firebrand presidents of Iran and Venezuela, each seeking support for anti-American agendas.

Gambian President Yahya Jammeh hailed the presence of Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez and Iran's President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad at the summit of the 53-nation African Union.

African Union Commission Chairman Alpha Oumar Konare directed delegates' attention to the desperate situation in Darfur in Sudan, and Somalia, where a hard-line Islamist regime is increasingly holding sway.

He blamed rampant poverty for Africa's crises.

UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan, who is from the West African nation of Ghana, told the leaders assembled in Gambia that the Darfur crisis is 'one of the worst nightmares in recent history.'

The leaders are expected to reiterate calls for Sudan to accept UN peacekeepers to replace an overtaxed African Union force.

Anti-US sentiment

But the weightier issues risked being overcome by the presence of the leaders of Iran and Venezuela, both fiery orators and foes of the United States.

Ahmadinejad's visit was seen as an attempt to bolster Iran in its standoff with the United States and Europe over its nuclear programme.

The Iranian president has made several high-profile trips to Asia, where he drew crowds of Muslims cheering Tehran for defying the West.

Libyan President Moammar Gadhafi also addressed Muslims at the mosque in Banjul. Ninety percent of Gambia's 1.6 (m) million people are Muslim, and Islam is a powerful force throughout much of Africa.

Venezuela, the world's ninth-largest oil producer, has talked to African oil producers about potential collaborations, though no agreements have been signed. But Chavez's appearance was more reflective of a broader desire to show solidarity with Africa.

The Venezuelan leader also is planning to visit Iran next month to discuss energy issues.

For the African Union, resolutions passed over the weekend aren't legally binding treaties and the body has little funding to pursue independent action. (AP)
(Source : ndtv.com)

Bangladesh military intelligence body roots for Islamic banks

Dhaka, July 3 (IANS) In a move described as "unprecedented", Bangladesh's military intelligence body has stepped in along with Islamist political parties to "prevent" the country's central bank from circulating new guidelines meant to monitor the transactions by Islamic banks.

The Directorate General of Forces Intelligence (DGFI), the country's principal military intelligence organisation, has formally written to the finance ministry recommending that Bangladesh Bank (BB), which revised its guidelines recently, should further revise them "in line with the wishes of a focus group comprising Islamic economists, bankers and Shariah Council experts".

The Daily Star newspaper in a front page report called this "an unprecedented move", and that it was "going out of its jurisdiction". The DGFI is akin to Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence (ISI), with no role in banking operations.

The DGFI urged that BB should not modify or add any idea to the focus group recommended guidelines. "The report all along echoed the recommendations of various Islamic groups and advised the central bank on how to protect the interest and image of the four-party alliance government," the newspaper said, referring to the presence of the Islamic Oikya Jote in the ruling alliance.

"If the Bangladesh Bank refrains from circulating the [focus group-recommended] guidelines under pressure from some higher authority, the forces opposing the alliance government might take an initiative to implement the guidelines during the caretaker government's regime. That could create a negative impact on the alliance government during the next election," the DGFI report pointed out.

The central bank in February finalised the new guidelines for Islamic banking that makes the provision for Shariah Council optional. The guidelines also allow banks to decide whether they want to be a member of the Shariah Council.

According to the new guidelines, a bank may form a Shariah supervisory body to monitor its Islamic banking services but the board of directors of that bank will be accountable to the central bank for its overall operation.

Presently, banks have their own Shariah Councils and there has been a Central Shariah Council to look into whether Islamic banking as a whole is in compliance with the Islamic principles.

Before scripting the guidelines, BB formed a focus group comprising Shariah Council members and representatives from different Islamic banks. The Shariah members, at the meetings of the focus group, recommended making Shariah Council mandatory to keep exerting their influence like before.

However, when the central bank framed the final guidelines it did not accommodate the council's recommendations.

Hizb commander, two others killed in Jammu

Jammu, July 3 (IANS) A top commander of the Hizbul Mujahideen and two others were killed in overnight gun battles with security forces in Jammu and Kashmir, police said here Monday.

In the first incident in Jammu's mountainous Doda district, security forces acted on a tip off that there was a top Hizb terrorist hiding in the forests of Sharekhi, 170 km from here, and laid out a cordon for him late Sunday.

In the gun battle that followed, Tariq Usman Sheikh, alias Wafadaar, a resident of Doda who was a district commander of the Hizbul Mujahedeen, was killed. He had been active since 1998 and was involved in a number of killings.

In the second incident in the border district of Rajouri, two terrorists were killed in a gun battle that began past midnight Sunday in Tramda Nari area, about 190 km from here.

Additional security forces have been requisitioned in the area where the gun battle continues, a senior official said.

Include Christians and Muslims Dalits in the SC category : NCDHR

New Delhi, July 3 (IndianMuslims.info)National Campaign on Dalit Human Rights (NCDHR) demanded that Christian and Muslim Dalits be included in the Scheduled Caste category and reservation and other benefits be extended to them.

65-70% of Christians in India have low caste origin. NCDHR noticed that even though Christian Dalits face same discrimination as Hindu Dalits they don't have access to the benefits that Hindu Dalits have. Similarly overwhelming majority of Indian Muslims have low caste background and high level of illiteracy make them most marginalized.

In a memorandum submitted by NCDHR to Justice Raganath Misra, Chairperson of National Commission for Religious and Linguistic Minorities displayed concern that conversion to Christianity and Islam doesn't take away the discrimination that Dalits face. Removing of constitutional safeguards due to conversion is against the values of Secularism. Memorandum requests the Commission to recommend to the Government of India to bring Christian and Muslim Dalits under the purview of article 341 of the Constitution.

Designation of the two communities as Scheduled Caste will make them eligible for Reservation and other welfare programmes.

Meanwhile UP chapter of All India Backward and Minority Communities Employees Federation (BAMCEF) demanded that the word "Dalit" imparts a sense of inferiority and therefore should be replaced by the word "moolniwasi". Moonniwasi which means "original inhabitants" is the appropriate word since most of the "Dalits" are the original inhabitant of India before Aryans came to India, argued BAMCEF.

Links:

NCDHR
All India BAMCEF

India on top after Lara's dismissal

By T.R. Ramakrishnan, Kingston (Jamaica), July 3 (IANS) Twenty-five minutes after lunch on the third day, Munaf Patel struck the blow that could well give India victory in the fourth Test at the Sabina Park here Sunday.

With the third ball of his third over after the break, Patel trapped West Indian captain Brian Lara leg before wicket. Earlier, Patel's new ball partner Sreesanth had dismissed both West Indian opening batsmen, Chris Gayle and Darren Ganga.

That left the West Indies, chasing 269 for victory, tottering at 29 for three. It seems uphill all the way for them now.

When play resumed Sunday morning India, 93 ahead in the first innings and 128 for 6 overnight in the second, were dismissed for 171 after about 75 minutes' play.

Their hopes of setting West Indies a 300-plus target depended on overnight batsmen captain Rahul Dravid and Anil Kumble repeating their first-innings act, when they had put on 83 for the seventh wicket.

It didn't happen. Corey Collymore, bowling unchanged from the South End, took three wickets, including both Dravid and Kumble, in 8.1 overs to bring about a rather quick end to the Indian innings.

Dravid, who had batted magnificently on Saturday, played out three straight maidens from Collymore at the start. But even his steadfast defence was beaten by one from Collymore that scooted off the pitch, kept low and bowled him. He added just 6 to his overnight 62.

Some heroics from Harbhajan Singh and Sreesanth - he clouted Taylor for a six - saw India add a few valuable runs before being all out for 171.

Sreesanth then gave India a dream start for the second time in the match. He dismissed Chris Gayle with the second ball of the first over, having him caught at slip as he tamely prodded at a shortish delivery. Gayle, playing in his hometown, bagged a pair in the match, he had been bowled by Sreesanth in the fourth ball of the first innings.

Lara and Ganga stayed together till lunch but in the fourth over after the break, Sreesanth struck again. A ball after Ganga had struck him for a boundary, he bowled him with a full-pitched delivery that Ganga played all over.

The next over, Patel struck the big blow, getting Lara with one that pitched straight and kept low, and trapped the West Indian captain plumb in front.

Batting in the fourth innings is always tough and especially so on this Sabina Park pitch. Lara was the key to West Indies' chase. His dismissal has swung the match India's way firmly.

SCOREBOARD

Day 3, Fourth Test, West Indies v India,

Sabina Park, Kingston (Jamaica)

India (1st innings): 200

West Indies (1st innings): 103

India (2nd innings):
Wasim Jaffer c Samuels b Taylor 1
Virender Sehwag lbw Taylor 4
VVS Laxman c Lara b Collymore 16
Rahul Dravid b Collymore 68
Yuvraj Singh c Lara b Collymore 13
Mohd Kaif b Collins 6
M.S. Dhoni b Taylor 19
Anil Kumble c Bravo b Collymore 10
Harbhajan Singh c Lara b Collymore 9
S Sreesanth c Lara b Taylor 16
Munaf Patel not out 0
Extras (b 4, lb 3, w1, nb 1) 9
Total (65.1 overs) 171

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-6, 3-49, 4-63, 5-76, 6-122, 7-141, 8-154, 9-171

Bowling:
Pedro Collins 22-8-61-1 (1nb)
Jerome Taylor 15-4-45-4
Corey Collymore 24.1-9-48-5
Dwayne Bravo 4-1-10-0 (1w)

West Indies (2nd innings):
Chris Gayle c Laxman b Sreesanth 0
Darren Ganga b Sreesanth 16
Brian Lara lbw Patel 11
Ramnaresh Sarwan batting 2
Extras 0
Total (for 3 wkts) 29

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-27, 3-29

Bowling:
Sreesanth 6-0-16-2
Patel 4.3-1-11-1
Harbhajan Singh 1-0-2-0

India, Spain to strengthen cooperation against crime

New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero began talks here Monday after his arrival here Sunday evening on a four-day visit, the first by a head of government from that country in 13 years.

India and Spain are to ink agreements on providing legal assistance in criminal matters and on institutionalising their political dialogue.

The agreements will be signed after delegation level talks between Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his visiting Spanish counterpart Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who arrived here Sunday evening on a four-day visit.

A memorandum of understanding will also be signed between Spain's Technology Development Board (TDB) and India's Centre for Development of Industrial Technology (CDIT).

Zapatero Monday laid a wreath at the memorial to Mahatma Gandhi at Rajghat. During the day, he called on Vice President Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, while Minister for Science and Technology Kapil Sibal and Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma called on him.

He addressed the India-Spain Business Meet here, after which apex business associations Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) jointly hosted a business lunch for him.

Zapatero leaves for Pune Tuesday to visit Indo-Spanish joint venture companies. The visit comes on the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries.

Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, a 50-member delegation of businesspersons and a large media contingent are accompanying the Spanish prime minister.

India's economic linkages with Spain are growing - bilateral trade has increased from around $900 million in 2000 to $2.7 billion in 2005. There is a gradually growing trend of setting up of Indo-Spanish joint ventures in India. Some major Indian companies in automotive, pharmaceutical and IT sectors are present in Spain.

Israel army enters Gaza Strip

Tel Aviv/Gaza, July 3 (DPA) Israeli troops entered the northern Gaza Strip early Monday with a limited force to search for tunnels and mines, said an army spokesman.

Israel media quoted eyewitnesses with reports of soldiers occupying Palestinian houses in Beit Hanun; the army spokesman however did not confirm the reports.

The movement into northern Gaza is the first time Israeli troops have entered the area since strikes against Gaza were launched to secure the release of a soldier abducted last week.

Earlier, the Israeli air force hit two targets, a building in Gaza City used by the al-Aqsa Martyrs' Brigades and a warehouse in Beit Hanun allegedly used by the militant group to store short-range missiles, according to Israeli reports.

Two Palestinian militants who were members of Hamas' armed wing the al-Qassam Brigades were killed Sunday in an exchange of fire with Israeli soldiers east of Rafah town on the southern Gaza Strip.

Palestinian security sources reported that a group of Hamas militants reached Gaza airport east of the town, and clashed with Israeli army forces, who had incurred into eastern Rafah several days ago and seized the airport area.

Kuwait's Jazeera Airways starts operations to India

New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) Kuwait's only private airline Jazeera Airways Monday launched its direct low-cost flights from Kuwait City to New Delhi and Mumbai.

"The Middle East sector is the largest market for India - 34 percent of India's total outbound travel is to the Middle East." Marwan Boodai, chief of Jazeera Airways, told reporters here.

"India is a strategic market for Jazeera Airways and our expansion to India marks a major milestone on the development of Jazeera Airways," he said.

Jazeera Airways is owned by Kuwait Public Shareholding Company set up in 2004 and has grown from servicing five destinations to 10 today - Dubai, Beirut, Amman, Bahrain, Aleppo, Luxor, Damascus, Alexandria, New Delhi and Mumbai.

"We entered India before Pakistan and Bangladesh because of market needs. The Indian expatriates form 20 percent of Kuwait's population," said Bodai, adding that this was the airline's first venture in the sub-continent.

"We plan to bring more business in the Indian market. We are speaking with the concerned officials to add more destinations."

The airline also announced the addition of a new Airbus A-320 to its fleet of aircraft.

According to the airline's officials, India's travel trade industry - worth $38.8 billion and projected to grow to $90.4 billion by 2014 - ranks third in growth after China and Motenegro.

However, only two percent of the Indians travel by air. Thus the airlines, based on a low-fares business model, plans to address the Indian middle class, that is growing in terms of propensity to consume.

Lalu signs pact with Italian firm

New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) Railway Minister Lalu Prasad, who is in Rome on an official visit, Monday signed a pact with Italian state-owned Ferrovie Dello Stato SpA for technical collaboration.

The minister is halfway through his 15-day tour of European countries to study the high speed transport systems that has already taken him to Britain, France and Austria.

Referring to the deal with Ferrovie Dello Stato SpA, an official said: "This is part of our efforts to source technology to improve the safety aspects of Indian Railways through better signalling and other aspects. The cooperation memorandum with the Ferrovie Dello Stato would help us in accessing new technology to improve passenger safety."

After Italy, the minister, who is accompanied by several high-level railway officials, would be visiting Germany before winding up his first official trip overseas to study operation and maintenance of high-capacity and high-speed bullet trains.

"While India has completed the feasibility of setting up a high speed railway corridor from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, the project is yet to takeoff due to safety and cost concerns. The railway minister will be able to study first hand the operational aspects of such high speed trains as also seek collaboration," the official said.

In Britain, the railway minister had meetings with several important transport officials, including the CEO of Network Rail and managing director of London Rail. In France, he visited the most advanced high speed TVG Train Depot and held talks with the chairman of the French Railway and the International Union of Railways.

A visit to Italian railway facilities, a trip on the high capacity train to Naples and a meeting with the chairman of Deutche Bahn (German railway) are on his itinerary.

After turning the railways around with an annual profit of Rs.113.50 billion, the railway minister is keen to invest the surplus funds to upgrade the system to become the best in the world, sources said.

For achieving this vision, technical and financial inputs are essential inputs, underlined railway officials.

Landslide kills at least 10 in Pakistan

Islamabad, July 3 (Xinhua) At least 10 people died and many missing after a landslide struck three houses near a Pakistani hilly resort in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP).

Meanwhile, private TV channels have put the death toll at 12, the state-run PTV reported Monday.

Locals said that some 27 people were buried under the rubbles of the houses after they were hit by a heavy landslide, caused by heavy rains and floods in Gail, a village in the NWFP.

Two persons were pulled out alive from the debris.

The rescue workers recovered 10 bodies while 15 are still missing.

According to police, flooding by rainwater caused the powerhouse dam breach resulting in the fatal landslide.

Police rescuers and local villagers were searching for the missing people but there was no word on their fate.

The area received a heavy rain overnight, which also broke an irrigation canal, causing floods.

Metropolis Health plans Middle East hub in Dubai

By Lola Nayar, New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) Leading diagnostics service provider Metropolis Health Services (India) plans to make Dubai a hub for offering referral services in the Middle East.

In a joint venture with United Arab Emirates' (UAE) major conglomerate Al Ghurair Group, Metropolis is set to begin formal operations of its first laboratory in Dubai in August, though the soft launch took place last month.

"We have already set up a 5,000 sq ft laboratory at Jumeirah in Dubai and are now looking at setting up a much bigger laboratory as in Mumbai. This state-of-the-art laboratory will be a referral hub for the Middle East," said Metropolis Health Services managing director G.S.K. Velu.

"The hub will offer a range of services like genetic mapping, molecular biology and HLA (Histocompatibility Antigens) and tissue typing and other tests that are currently sent from the UAE to European countries for diagnosis and take a lot of time," Velu told IANS.

"We plan to do about 90 percent of the tests in Dubai and the remaining in Mumbai," he added.

Operating a chain of diagnostics centres - 18 laboratories and 250 sample collection centres - across the country, Metropolis has several major hubs, including in Mumbai, Delhi and Noida that offer pathology, radiology and wellness services.

It is the only laboratory in Chennai accredited by the US Consulate for H1 visa screening.

With ICICI Venture having recently picked up a minority equity in the company for Rs.350 million, Metropolis is planning to invest Rs.1 billion over the next two years to expand its operations within and outside the country to raise its revenue from Rs.750 million currently to over Rs.5 billion by 2010.

"That is the time when we may possibly look at going public (make an initial public offering)," said Velu.

The Mumbai-headquartered company's overseas plans include more management contracts. It has already firmed up plans to provide services through laboratories to be set up in five new hospitals being planned by the Al Ghurair group in the UAE.

"The first of the hospitals being set up by the Al Ghurair group at Ras-al-Khaimah (RAK) will become operational in September. We will be managing the lab in not only this but all the other four hospitals planned. Two other hospitals will become operational in Dubai within two years," said Velu.

"We are bullish about prospects in the Middle East and Africa, and are in talks with hospitals in South Africa. We are also studying several opportunities in Britain, including through acquisition of a lab chain."

The company began its overseas foray in January in a tie-up with the Nawaloka Group of Sri Lanka. It is now operating the Nawaloka Metropolis Laboratories through a presence in the Nawaloka hospital and medical centres.

It is also in the process of finalising management contracts for hospital laboratories in Kuwait and Bahrain, while talks are in progress with more hospitals in the UAE and other Middle East countries.

Diversifying its operations, Metropolis is getting into the area of clinical trials as site managers for pharmaceutical companies.

Declining to elaborate on the firm's involvement in clinical trials, Velu said they are one of the focus areas of the company, which has a considerable presence in the southern states and is now looking at expansion of facilities in the north through another radiology, pathology and wellness hub in Gurgaon by September.

Mittal's super yacht to be badge of business success

Hamburg, July 3 (DPA) Super yachts like that reportedly ordered by Indian-born steel baron Lakshmi N. Mittal are a badge of power, often built amid intense secrecy so that the proud owner can personally flaunt his new plaything to an astonished world.

Roman Abramovich, the Russian billionaire who owns the Chelsea football club, reportedly owns three. He took a 115-m-long Pelorus to the World Cup in Germany, docking it on the Baltic and using the vessel's helicopter to fly off to the games.

There has been no independent confirmation yet of a report by the German weekly magazine Wirtschaftswoche that Mittal is the customer for Project Number 971 at the Hamburg shipyard Blohm and Voss, one of the two German yards that dominate the business.

The 94-m vessel would cost billionaire Mittal nearly 160 million euros ($200 million), the magazine said.

Mittal's bid for the world's number-two steel group Arcelor has won approval from the Luxembourg company's board. It now looks set to succeed after shareholders voted down a rival bid from Severstal Friday.

The shipyard, a unit of engineering group Thyssen Krupp, reportedly won the order thanks to its superb secrecy. It is set to deliver the vessel in spring 2009 after building it in a covered dock that is in the heart of Hamburg, but away from prying eyes.

The boat's interior decoration would be by London design firm Michael Leach, which specialises in all-glass bars and the like. As with Pelorus, the vessel will be provided with its own helicopter. A heli-deck with elevator will lower the aircraft below the main deck.

Blohm and Voss, which also builds warships, routinely refuses to answer media queries about its super-yacht construction, with one employee saying, "This is even more secret than defence orders."

Even the Blohm and Voss website offers far less information than that of its rival, the Bremen shipyard Luerssen, which publishes dozens of images of the flashy vessels.

Luerssen, which also makes naval craft, built the Rising Sun, which at 138 m is rated by the New York-based magazine Power & Motoryacht as the world's biggest privately owned super-yacht.

A year ago, Mittal was reportedly shown three times around the Rising Sun, delivered in 2004 to US billionaire Larry Ellison. That led to speculation Ellison was already tired of his toy, but no sale had been reported.

The Indian newspaper Telegraph said Mittal already has a yacht, which is sometimes used by his son, Aditya Mittal.

Super-yachts - the biggest of the category are dubbed "mega-yachts" - have little in common with sports yachts as they have no sails. They have large crews of both sailors and stewards.

While thousands of people turn up to stare at these ultimate badges of power when they visit port and jet-setters vie for invitations to parties on board, super-yacht owners miss out on the camaraderie of boating.

At marinas such as Port Grimaud in the south of France, mere multi-millionaires compare their assets every summer as bikini-clad beauties sun themselves on the decks of huge white launches.

But mega-yachts do not fit in many marinas and must often anchor offshore in splendid isolation, lowering tenders to shuttle visitors on board. In the Baltic port of Luebeck last month, Ambramovich docked at an historic quay.

The German newspaper Hamburger Abendblatt reported that Abramovich was said to be shopping in Hamburg for a fourth boat.

At 150 m it would nearly rival the unfinished, 160-m Dubai, which is being fitted out in the Gulf for Dubai's crown prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum after a stop-start history. Royal yachts are excluded from the Power & Motoryacht rankings.

The newspaper said the Russian had been piqued to hear that Microsoft co-founder Paul Allen, whose 127-m, 2003 super-yacht Octopus rates as the world's second biggest private boat, was also planning to upgrade to a 150-m yacht.

The unconfirmed report in the newspaper said that Abramovich, not to be outdone, immediately increased the size of his order to 160 metres too.

NASA postpones Discovery launch again

Washington, July 3 (Xinhua) Inclement weather forced NASA to delay the launch of space shuttle Discovery for another 48 hours, and the next launch attempt is planned for Tuesday.

"We've concluded that we're not going to have a chance to launch today," launch director Mike Leinbach announced to his team Sunday.

"Our next attempt will take place Tuesday, with lift-off scheduled to occur at 2.38 p.m. EDT," he said.

The weather is expected to improve, although rain is still in the forecast.

On Saturday, the threat of nearby storms had caused NASA to postpone the mission less than 10 minutes before lift-off from the Kennedy Space Centre in Florida.

The space agency has until July 19 to deliver German astronaut Thomas Reiter to the International Space Station (ISS).

Discovery is to deliver water, food and clothing to the station. Astronauts are to carry out urgent repairs on the ISS and test new technology for in-space repairs of the shuttle.

The shuttle programme had been grounded since Discovery's July 2005 flight because of continuing problems with shedding foam on takeoff.

New rail link China's one-way ticket to Tibet

By Mayank Chhaya, In a powerful, albeit symbolic, assertion of its unassailable control over Tibet, China has inaugurated the 2,500-mile (over 4,000 km) railway link between Beijing and Lhasa. With that it has railroaded any surviving hope of Tibet's independence.

Unquestionably an engineering marvel, the railway line rises to the dizzying altitude of up to 16,500 feet - making it the world's highest. Quite like the British colonial masters in the late 19th century and the early 20th century, China is using railway as an instrument of control. The line also makes real all the worst fears of the Tibetan community-in-exile in India, including its illustrious leader, the 14th Dalai Lama.

The $4.2-billion project is expected to dramatically speed up the Sinicization of Tibet some five and half decades after the Red Army marched into Lhasa practically unchallenged. That Beijing chose the 85th anniversary of the founding of the Communist Party on July 1 for its inauguration added some extra dose of symbolism if any more was needed.

Built almost entirely by Han Chinese workers, a fact acknowledged by Chinese officials, the railway is being projected by Beijing as a sign of its commitment to Tibet's economic progress under its rule. While at one level that claim is fairly credible, in the broader context of Tibet's future the railway line is like a dagger right in the middle of the heart.

The Dalai Lama's extraordinary struggle since his exile in 1959 to keep the issue of Tibet alive in the international consciousness has suffered many debilitating blows over the decades but none so grievous as the rail link. China's policy of integration and incorporation of Tibet into the national mainstream in utter disregard of historical truths has accomplished a decisive milestone.

When the train, flagged off by Chinese President Hu Jintao, crossed the 16,737-foot high Tanggula pass it became the highest point traversed by a train in the world. If that and the fact that it cut through hundreds of miles of permafrost do not underscore the determination of the Chinese government never to let go of Tibet as a territory, then what does?

On the one hand the rail line flattens any immediate possibilities of the Tibetans realising their long-cherished dream of independence or even autonomy; on the other it also brings Beijing's military might precariously close to India.

Notwithstanding the current bonhomie between the two Asian giants, China clearly understands the strategic importance of ensuring efficient communication between the mainland and the "roof of the world". Apart from giving Beijing the ability to transport troops and ammunition, some experts fear it would facilitate an easy passage of intercontinental and intermediate range missiles right to the border with India.

It is possible to argue that a rail line that could carry troops and ammunition could as easily carry traders and goods, but given China's long-term thinking it would be unwise to believe that Beijing would only do the latter.

There have been several reports of widespread protests by the exiled Tibetans against the rail line. However, such protests have been reduced to a sideshow as China has overwhelmed the debate over Tibet in a characteristically cavalier fashion.

A lot has been said about how Tibet's unique ecology has come under assault as pressure from China grows to make the territory economically viable. More tragic than that though is the way the indigenous Tibetans have been pushed to the margins of development.

It is an irony that the rail line commenced even as the Dalai Lama has been engaged in giving special teaching to Buddhist aspirants visiting from mainland China. Unlike the impact of the rail line, which will be felt immediately, that of the Dalai Lama's Buddhist teachings is necessarily slow and not easily visible.

(Mayank Chhaya is a US-based journalist and author whose authorised biography "Dalai Lama: Man, Monk, Mystic" is being published worldwide in January, 2007. He can be reached at chooki6@yahoo.com.)

Pakistan Islamic group's MPs submit resignations

Islamabad, July 3, IRNA, Members of parliament from Pakistan's main Islamic group on Sunday handed over their resignations to party chief as part of preparations for anti-President Musharraf movement, the party chief said.

"We have got resignations from all our members of parliament. We have asked members of opposition parties to collect resignations from their lawmakers," Jamaat-e-Islami Chief Qazi Hussain Ahmed said.

All the opposition parties will make a collective decision to quit assemblies, Ahmed told a demonstration in Islamabad.

All members of parliament from Jamaat-e-Islami and its ministers in North West Frontier Province also participated in the rally.

A group of the party women parliamentarians, observing veil, also attended the rally.

The demonstrators were chanting slogans against President Musharraf and were demanding his resignation.

'Army is fighting with the people in Waziristan tribal region and Baluchistan province', 'Price-hike has broken the back of the poor', 'The people are fed up with lawlessness' were some of the slogans.

General Pervez Musharraf is responsible for all ills, Qazi Hussain Ahmed said.

He lashed out at General Musharraf for his statement that he will be impartial if the United States attacked Iran, adding that General Musharraf is siding with Americans in their war in Afghanistan.

"I appeal to all clerics and imams to ask for General Musharraf's resignation," he said.

Ahmed said that a mass movement will force General Musharraf to step down, saying that his party will not accept any other military general after General Musharraf's exit.

Pakistani seminaries threaten agitation over visa denial

Islamabad, July 3 (IANS) A Pakistani organisation of Islamic seminaries has threatened a countrywide movement against the government unless it restores the study visa facility for foreign students at the madrassas.

The Ittehad Tanzeem Deeni Madaris (ITMD) secretary (coordination), Qari Hanif Jalundhari, termed the new Pakistani visa policy that seeks to keep out foreign students as "immoral, brazen and unconstitutional".

"We vehemently condemn the act of withdrawal of the visa facility for the students of Islamic seminaries," he said, adding, "We reject the ban on the entry of foreign students in Pakistan since it is an anti-Islamic act," Jalundhari said.

Under the new visa policy announced last week, Pakistan has sought to curb the entry of foreign students and move away from its image of being a producer and exporter of Islamist militancy worldwide.

There are 700 foreign students at the madrassas who have not left despite orders issued last December, according to official figures.

However, these figures do not include thousands of Afghan youths from the refugee camps located in Pakistan and foreigners of different nationalities who are sponsored by the Al Qaeda.

Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao and Tourism Minister Nilofar Bakhtiar who announced the visa policy said the idea was to project a "soft" image of Pakistan and attract foreign tourists.

According to Nizam-i-Mustafa Party secretary-general Syed Hamid Saeed Kazmi, who opposed the new policy, one million students are getting free education, lodging and boarding at over 12,000 religious institutions of four schools of thought in the country. The administration is even providing them with free of cost clothes and shoes.

Palestinian militants set deadline for Israel

Gaza, July 3 (Xinhua) Three Palestinian militant groups, who abducted an Israeli soldier, have set Tuesday as the deadline for Israel to meet their demand of freeing Palestinian prisoners.

The three militant groups, the Izz el-Deen al-Qassam Brigades which is Hamas' armed wing, the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC) and the Islamic Army, threatened that Israel would "bear full responsibility for future consequences", without specification.

"With the Zionist enemy's military aggressions, we give it until 6.00 a.m. (0300 GMT), Tuesday, July 4 (to meet our demands)," said a joint statement issued Monday.

The statement also said: "If the Zionist enemy does not meet our humanitarian demands, we will regard this case as closed."

The militants had kidnapped an Israeli soldier during a cross-border raid on June 25. In two previous statements, they had demanded that Israel release Palestinian women and minors; and 1,000 Palestinian, Arab and Muslim prisoners in Israeli jails in return for information on the abducted soldier.

Israel has ruled out a prisoner swap, saying it will not negotiate with the Palestinian militants over the fate of the kidnapped 19-year-old Gilad Shalit.

Israeli troops continued a broad ground offensive in the Gaza Strip Monday, their first major operation there since Israel pulled out forces and settlers from it last summer after 38 years of occupation.

Plan panel seeks private sector participation in 11th plan

New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahulwalia Monday emphasised the need for setting up realistic targets for the 11th five-year plan with the participation of the private sector.

While aiming at a growth rate of 9-9.5 percent during the 11th plan covering 2007-2012, a major effort would be required to fill the existing gaps in education, health and agriculture, Ahluwalia told the chief ministers of the northern states in his inaugural address at the second round of regional consultations here on the approach paper for 11th plan.

The chief ministers of Delhi, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, Jammu and Kashmir, Punjab, Uttaranchal and Uttar Pradesh were participating in the two-day consultation process that began Monday.

The private sector has to play a major role in terms of increasing investment while the state governments would have to focus on improving infrastructure, Ahluwalia added.

The issue of prices of farm produce and need for restoring the regional balance in the process of industrialisation was raised by several chief ministers.

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav criticised the central government's recent move to allow import of sugar and wheat.

He said sufficient quantities of wheat and sugar were available in the domestic market and the government's move would only affect local farmers.

Ahluwalia called for a sound procurement policy along with the minimum support price mechanism to take care of farmers' as well as consumers' interests.

Yadav along with Haryana Chief Minister B.S. Hooda also raised the issue of shifting of industries from their states to the hill states of Uttaranchal and Himachal Pradesh due to tax sops offered for setting up industries there.

However, Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh said the underdeveloped hill states required such incentives for development.

Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit pointed out the need for taking steps to check migration of people from other states into Delhi. She stressed the need for making provisions for a low-cost housing policy and a flexible land use policy for Delhi due to the pressure of large-scale population growth.

The Planning Commission is holding these consultations to incorporate suggestions of the state governments in the final draft of the 11th five-year plan. The first round of talks was held in Mumbai last fortnight. Three more rounds of consultation are likely to be held this month.

President Kalam in Orissa on three-day visit

Bhubaneswar, July 3 (IANS) Amid heavy rains President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam began a three-day visit to Orissa during which he will inaugurate an eye institute, a cancer research unit and also visit a defence research establishment in the state.

The president arrived at the Biju Patnaik airport here at about 8.50 p.m. Sunday in a special flight. He was received by Orissa Governor Rameswar Thakur, Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and top state officials and ministers, officials said Monday.

From the airport, Kalam went straight to the Bhubaneswar Eye Institute (BEI), which he is to inaugurate Monday. He interacted with the employees of the institute that is located on the outskirts of the city.

BEI is a specialised eye care centre set up by Hyderabad-based V. Prasad Eye Institute with financial support of Australian mining major, BHP Billiton.

The institute will offer specialised medical, diagnostic and surgical care for cataract, glaucoma and squint treatment, an official of the institute said.

Later on Monday, Kalam will travel by helicopter to Behrampur, in Ganjam district, 150 km from here. He is to attend the platinum jubilee celebrations of the City High School in Behrampur.

He will later preside over the silver jubilee celebrations of Mahuda Pharmaceutical College nearby and inaugurate the Acharya Prafulla Chandra Roy Memorial cancer chemotherapy research unit set up by the college.

On Tuesday, the president will head to the coastal district of Bhadrak, 150 km away, where he will meet top officials of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

He is scheduled to leave for Delhi the same afternoon from the state capital.

"Security has been beefed up in all the places Kalam is scheduled to visit," a police official told IANS.

The state is witnessing heavy monsoon rains since Sunday night.

Schumacher wins US Grand Prix

Indianapolis, July 3 (DPA) Michael Schumacher led Felipe Massa in the second straight Ferrari one-two at the US Formula One Grand Prix and gained lots of ground on championship leader Fernando Alonso.

The Renault driver Alonso failed to make the podium for the first time in 11 months, having to settle for fifth place in a race Sunday that saw seven cars crash in the opening lap and only nine of 22 cross the finish line.

Schumacher got his third win of the season, his fourth at Indy in a row and 87th overall in front of early leader Massa and Giancarlo Fichella in a Renault in sweltering heat on the famous speedway.

Schumacher improved to 69 points from 10 of 18 races, cutting Alonso's lead from 25 to 19 points. Alonso now has 88 points. A victory is worth 10 points.

"Everything was spot on. With felipe alongside, it is a dream result and a big step towards the title. We gained very important points," said Schumacher.

"We can only hope to keep some of the edge and transform it into the next races. It is not impossible. I think we can do it. There are still 80 points to give away."

Alonso said: "We knew Ferrari would be very competitive," adding, "the power was inferior. Team boss Flavio Briatore said: "We knew it would be tough here, but at least we are taking home some points."

Alonso came to Indianapolis with six season wins (among them the last four races) and second place in the other three 2006 races. He made the podium in 15 races since finishing 11th at the Hungarian Grand Prix on July 31, 2005.

Sunday's race saw nine cars finish, but the field was reduced to 15 cars due to the first-lap pile-ups.

Nick Heidfeld escaped unharmed when his BMW lifted into the air for a double roll into the gravel after Kimi Raikkonen lost control over his McLaren-Mercedes when hit by teammate Juan Pablo Montoya.

"I am fine. This was my first tumble of such a kind. It looked worse than it was," said Heidfeld.

Raikkonen said he was "very disappointed" and did not further want to comment on his teammate Montoya, who said himself that Raikkonen "slammed on the brakes".

Mark Webber, Christian Klien, Scott Speed and Franck Montagny were also involved and Briton Jenson Button lasted only five laps longer due to damage from the pile-ups, which brought out the safety car to allow the wreckage to be cleared off the track.

Up front, Massa won the start against Schumacher, with Alonso storming from fifth to third and even almost passing Schumacher before the safety car phase.

But Alonso dropped to fourth behind Fisichella in the 13th lap while Schumacher regained the lead in the 31st lap for victory in 1 hour 34 minutes 35.199 seconds for the 73-lap race over 306.016 kilometres, with Massa's second place his best career result.

Behind the top three and also in the points were Jarno Trulli in a Toyota, Alonso, Barrichello in a Honda, David Coulthard in a Red Bull and Vitantonio Liuzzi in a Toro Rosso.

The next race is the French Grand Prix in Magny-Cours on July 16.

Sonia Gandhi accepts Bhajan Lal's resignation

New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) Congress president Sonia Gandhi Monday accepted the resignation of veteran Congressman and former Haryana chief minister Bhajan Lal as state party chief.

"The Congress president Sonia Gandhi has accepted the resignation of Haryana Pradesh Congress Committee chief with immediate effect," party spokesman Abhishek Singhvi told reporters.

Upset over being constantly "ignored and humiliated" within the party, Lal has faxed his resignation letter to Gandhi Saturday.

Sources in the Congress party claimed the 71-year-old veteran leader, who has sent his resignation letter without signing it, wanted Gandhi to invite him for a talk and offer a "compromise formula."

"The (party) president's decision to accept the resignation would be a major blow to him," a party leader, who does not want to be identified, told IANS.

Lal has been disillusioned with the party leadership since the 2005 assembly election, when he led the party to a landslide victory. However, the national leadership refused to anoint him as the chief minister. Bhupinder Singh Hooda, then an MP, was given the coveted job.

Lal's son Kuldeep Bishnoi, who, according to his supporters, was supposed to get a top post after his father 'sacrificed' his claim for the chief minister's post, created a furore in the state when he went public against Hooda's decision to allot land for Reliance Industries Ltd to establish a special economic zone (SEZ) in the state.

Bishnoi, Congress MP from Bhiwani, had last month criticised the Rs.250 billion deal saying it was against the interests of the state and its farmers. Bishnoi had been served a show cause notice by the Congress a fortnight ago over this.

Incidentally, Bhajan Lal's elder son Chander Mohan is the deputy chief minister in the Hooda government.

Bhajan Lal, whose frequent switching of parties led to the coinage of the term "Aya Ram, Gaya Ram (metaphor for switching sides frequently)", led all his Janata Party legislators to the Congress fold in 1980 after Indira Gandhi came back to power as prime minister, overnight transforming the state government into one held by the Congress.

Bhajan Lal also figured in an infamous bribery scandal of the 1990s in which MPs of the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha were allegedly paid huge sums to vote in parliament for the government of then prime minister P.V. Narasimha Rao.

Bhajan Lal first became chief minister in June 1979 and held office till July 1985. He was again chief minister from July 1991 to May 1996.

Spanish prime minister invites Indian investment

New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) Spanish Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero Monday invited Indian companies to forge joint ventures with Spanish firms and assured his government's full support to facilitate investments.

"There is going to be an explosion of Spanish interest in India in the next few years as India and Spain are likely to come together to face the global challenges," Zapatero said told a gathering of Indian business leaders.

He was addressing a meeting jointly organised by three apex trade and industry associations, the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) and Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham).

The Spanish prime minister, on a four-day visit here that began Sunday, is accompanied by a trade delegation comprising leaders of Spanish business and industry.

Seeking mutually beneficial ties between the two countries, Zapatero said Spain could learn from India in the field of IT and biotechnology while India could take advantage from the know-how Spain has in infrastructure.

He also expressed interest in India's expertise in the fields of education and technology that had become the main drivers of the country's economic growth, saying the two countries would sign bilateral agreements in these fields.

Zapatero announced that an institute to promote the Spanish language would be set up in India, while noting that a Spanish bank had already opened its branch here.

Kapil Sibal, minister for science and technology, pointed out that India could provide its technology in fields like the leather sector where it had developed eco-friendly technologies.

Supreme Court upholds stay on Godhra report

New Delhi, July 3 (IANS) The central government Monday suffered a setback when the Supreme Court declined to lift a stay against the tabling in parliament of a panel's report that concluded the Godhra train carnage of 2002 was an accident.

A bench of judges K.G. Balakrishnan and D.K. Jain, however, issued notice to Neelkanth Tulsidas Bhatia, a petitioner in the Gujarat High Court, on a special leave petition filed by the central government against the order.

The bench after hearing Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam also issued notice to the other respondents - the commissioner of railway safety, union home ministry, law ministry, the Banerjee Committe, the Nanavati-Shah Commission and the Gujarat government.

The U.C. Banerjee Committee was constituted by the railway ministry in 2004 to investigate into the tragedy at the Gujarat town of Godhra where a burning of a compartment of the Sabarmati Express had left 59 passengers dead on Feb 27, 2002.

The tragedy had triggered communal violence in the state that claimed at least 1,000 lives, as the state's investigating agencies charged about 130 Muslims of the town of hatching a conspiracy to kill the passengers.

The Nanavati-Shah commission was constituted by the state government to investigate the Godhra tragedy as well as the ensuing violence.

Subramaniam pleaded for staying the high court order of March 20. But counsel for Bhatia said that if stay was granted the writ petition before the high court would become infructuous and the purpose of filing the petition would be lost.

He said the matter had already been listed for final disposal and the high court should be allowed to dispose off the petition.

Taking note of the argument, the bench refused to stay the order but issued notice.

The high court had held illegal the appointment of the Banerjee Committee as it was appointed to look into the same incident at Godhra, for which Gujarat had appointed the Nanavati-Shah commission.

The central government argued that the high court order infringed upon the power and privileges of parliament including those of holding discussion on an issue of public importance in the house.

It said the terms of reference of both the commissions clearly show that there was no overlapping.

Contrary to the law laid down by the apex court, the high court had also came to the conclusion that the pending trial of criminal cases would be prejudiced if the report of the Banerjee Committee was allowed to be published.

In its interim report, the railway ministry's panel had concluded that the tragedy was merely and accident and there was no evidence to show that a mob set the bogey on fire.

Survivors of 7/7 attacks rebuild their lives

By Anna Tomforde, London, July 3 (DPA) David Gardner was engrossed in the script of Julius Caesar when suicide bomber Mohammed Sidique Khan detonated explosives on a tube train at Edgware Road station on July 7, 2005.

That evening, the 51-year-old accountant and father of a two-year-old boy was to play Brutus in his own amateur production of the Shakespeare play at a north London church.

Poignantly, one year later, everything will be just as scheduled as last July, with one exception: Gardner, who is also the play's director, will play the part minus his left leg - blown off in the explosion.

"This has been a wonderful year, a terrific year for me," Gardner told the Evening Standard.

Recalling how he lay with life-threatening injuries on the carriage floor, praying to survive for the sake of his wife and son, Gardner said he refuses to be defeated by the wheelchair, or by predictions that he might never run again with his prosthetic leg.

For now though, he is content to be "Brutus with a stick".

"I always knew there'd be only one way of commemorating the 7/7 anniversary for me. I like to think that when I perform on the night of July 7, I'll be thinking of the 52 dead and those more seriously injured than me," he said.

Gardner is back at work, travelling on the tube, and he and his wife are planning for another baby.

Danny Biddle, 27, who lost both legs in the bombings, is planning a holiday abroad to avoid being in London on the first anniversary of the attacks.

Only recently released from hospital, the wheelchair-bound building project manager, says he is "eternally grateful" for being alive.

Doctors did not think he would make it. The force of the blast threw him out of the carriage and the train doors slammed shut across his legs.

His legs were mangled, there was blood pouring from a wound on his head, his arms and face were badly burnt, and loose change in his pocket was embedded in his thigh by the explosion.

He was given 70 units of blood, is deaf and blind on his left side and has suffered three heart attacks. Despite all that, Biddle remains positive after almost a year of treatment at a special burns unit: "The doctors and nurses have overwhelmed me with kindness," he said.

But Biddle, who has received 250,000 pounds ($467,000) compensation to "rebuild his life," says the trauma of last July will never leave him.

"I'll never go on a tube train again. I can't be in the dark now; I can't be in confined spaces. I wake up at night and I can taste blood in my mouth, smell that tunnel and hear the screams of people dying," he said.

"Those screams will always be with me. I feel guilty for surviving."

John Tulloch, who has written a moving book about his experiences on July 7, when he escaped death by a whisker, recalls the moment of his first stroll in a London park some three weeks after the attacks:

"Indeed, strolling through Regent's Park rose garden was a revelation to me. For the first time since the explosion, I could walk and look around at the lovely, scented flowers, without fearing the visual impact that cars or people flashing by might have," he says.

"At that moment, I valued my life in a way I never had before. Turning my head around for the first time since July 7 to look at the roses, walking and talking with my son, felt like a kind of epiphany, washing away some of the death and horror of carriage two at Edgware Road."

Tamil Nadu's auto sector to create 500,000 jobs by 2015

Chennai, July 3 (IANS) The automobile industry in Tamil Nadu would be able to generate as many as 500,000 fresh jobs in the next 10 years and emerge as a $20 billion industry, a study by an industry chamber said Monday.

The study by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) titled "Mapping of Human Resource Skills in Tamil Nadu - 2015" said by 2015, the auto sector will employ 580,000 people.

The southern Indian state is already home to major auto companies such as Ford, Hyundai, Ashok Leyland and components firms that employ about 80,000 people.

Tamil Nadu has 30 percent share of the auto components market and 17-20 percent share of the vehicle industry in India, the CII study says, adding the sector has the potential for a six-to-seven fold increase in output.

It estimates the size of the industry in Tamil Nadu will be $15 billion to $20 billion by 2015.

The productivity in the auto industry in terms of annual output per employee is over Rs.1.20 million, the study says, adding it will go up to Rs. 1.6 million by 2015 and Rs. 2.4 million by 2015.

The study observes that the recent trends observed in the auto industry include the adoption of lean manufacturing practices, quality, shift from assemblers to contract manufacturers and techno-commercial purchases.

"In product development, the auto industry needs project management and problem solving skills to identify root causes for design issues," the study says.

It stresses on introducing changes in the curriculum of auto engineering courses and says: "There is a high potential for the industry to increase its output to $40 to 45 billion by 2015."

Two dead in Mumbai floods; another 26/7 feared

Mumbai, July 3 (IANS) Two people were drowned in flood waters in suburban Thane while schools and colleges remained closed Monday fearing a repeat of last year's deluge as heavy rains battered India's financial capital for the third consecutive day.

While two people were drowned in the flooded waters of the Chena river in Thane, 137 schools in Mumbai and Thane - mostly in low-lying areas - were shut down for the day following a directive of the local Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) to educational institutions to "use their discretion" in the matter.

Watching the overcast skies and heavy downpour, Mumbaikars feared the repeat of last July 26 deluge when the city received 944 mm of rain, leading to chaos in civic services leaving thousands of people being marooned in offices, schools, homes and on streets.

The state government had released the Chitale Committee report that studied last year's flood only on May 24.

"Have we not learnt any lessons from last year's failures here and also in the US. Thankfully nothing has happened till now here," said P. Rajashekharan, an advocate form Kerala on a visit to the city.

He was referring to the Katrina hurricane in the US last year, as the state administration had claimed that its response to the floods was better than in the US.

"The government has no Katrina to talk about this time. It's a shame to see India's biggest city in such a condition," Rajashekharan said.

The 150-year-old drainage system of this megalopolis has collapsed following heavy showers - 1,299 mm in the past 24 hours - and scenes of utter chaos were witnessed in most of the city's suburbs.

Floodwaters had entered many homes in low-lying areas like Santa Cruz and Vile Parle in western Mumbai while many subways like those in Andheri and Khar in western Mumbai were left unusable as water gushed into them.

Traffic was diverted to the Linking Road resulting in a snail's pace movement of the vehicles.

Along the Central Railway line Kurla and Sion were the worst affected as traffic came to a virtual halt and confusion reigned among commuters as well as pedestrians.

Suburban trains on all lines - Western, Central and Harbour - were running late by at least 10 to 15 minutes and domestic flights leaving the Chhatrapati Shivaji Airport were about 15 to 20 minutes behind schedules.

The BMC was trying to clear the water logging at several other vital junctions and subways using pumps. The Meteorological Department has forecast intermittent rains with heavy to very heavy showers for a day.

While Colaba area in south Mumbai received 129 mm rain and Santa Cruz in western Mumbai recorded 164 mm.

Many citizens received a message from BMC commissioner Johny Joseph, warning them of heavy rains and asking them to take precautionary measures.

Fishermen along the Maharashtra-Goa coast have been warned not to venture into the sea, as it will be rough with raging southwesterly winds at a speed of 35 to 60 kmph.

On Sunday, the airport runway was closed for 45 minutes during the peak hours in the morning leading to cancellation of 10 domestic flights.

Two muslim fishermen forcibly drowned in Mannar

New Delhi, July 3, IRNA, Sri Lanka Navy troopers who set out in 3 Dvora Fast Attack Crafts from their Talaimannar base, captured two fishermen in the sea off Karisal, a Muslim coastal village 12 km northwest of Mannar town, around 10:00 a.m. Saturday, and forcibly drowned one of the fishermen.

The SLN threw the fisherman overboard even after he pleaded that he cannot swim, according to the fisherman who was forced by the SLN to search for the victim. Two other Muslim fishermen in a separate boat, were arrested by the SLN soldiers, handed over to Vankalaipaadu SLN, and released later. Tension prevails in Karisalpaadu, which is located between Vankalaipadu and Erukkalampiddy, Tamnet report said from Mannar, Sri Lanka.

Two fishermen were captured with their boat by SLN soldiers in the 3 Dvora FACs that chased away around 15 boats engaged in fishing off the Karisalpadu coastal village near the troubled Pesalai area in Mannar district Saturday, TamiNet report said from Mannar.

The fishermen who showed the Fishing Pass provided by the SLN, were beaten up by the troopers in the Dvora FACs.

However, the navy troopers threw him off board, according to the fisherman Mohammed Fahim, 27, who was set free by the troopers.

Azeeq managed to reach his hand and was holding the stem of the boat.

However, the troopers attacked the fisherman blocking his grip on the boat and Azeeq drowned, Faim said.

Veteran Kumble bowls India to series victory

By T.R. Ramakrishnan, Kingston (Jamaica), July 3 (IANS) India defeated the West Indies by 49 runs in the fourth Test at Sabina Park on Sunday. The win gave them the series 1-0, their first win in the Caribbean since 1971, and their second overall in the West Indies.

Veteran spinner Anil Kumble took 6 for 78 to end the West Indian second innings, with just eight balls left for the day, as they chased 269 to win and were bowled out for 219.

Indian captain Rahul Dravid was the man-of-the-match and man-of-the-series.

Medium-pacers Sreesanth and Munaf Patel provided the early breakthroughs in the West Indian second innings. Sreesanth got rid of the openers, Chris Gayle and Darren Ganga, and Patel got the vital wicket of West Indian skipper Brian Lara.

Kumble then took charge on a wicket which the ball kept low but played easier than on the first two days. Four of his six victims were leg before, all given by umpire Brian Jerling, who had been so hesitant to give any leg before decision in his favour in the previous Test.

For the West Indies , Ramnaresh Sarwan (51) and wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin (62 not out) played valiant knocks, especially Ramdin, who came in at the fall of the sixth wicket with the West Indian total at 128. He batted bravely with the tail, adding added 65 with the last three batsmen.

In the end, it was too much for Ramdin. His only satisfaction was that he would have given India some jitters before Kumble took two wickets in three balls in his 23 rd over to seal the win.

It was India's first major series win away in 20 years, the last having come against England in 1986. All other away wins were either in the sub-continent ( Pakistan, Bangladesh , Sri Lanka) or against minor teams ( Zimbabwe).

SCOREBOARD

Result: India win by 49 runs. India win series 1-0

India (1st innings): 200
West Indies (1st innings): 103

India (2nd innings):

Wasim Jaffer c Samuels b Taylor 1
Virender Sehwag lbw Taylor 4
VVS Laxman c Lara b Collymore 16
Rahul Dravid b Collymore 68
Yuvraj Singh c Lara b Collymore 13
Mohd Kaif b Collins 6
MS Dhoni b Taylor 19
Anil Kumble c Bravo b Collymore 10
Harbhajan Singh c Lara b Collymore 9
S Sreesanth c Lara b Taylor 16
Munaf Patel not out 0

Extras (b 4, lb 3, w1, nb 1) 9

Total (65.1 overs) 171

Fall of wickets: 1-1, 2-6, 3-49, 4-63, 5-76, 6-122, 7-141, 8-154, 9-171

Bowling:

Pedro Collins 22-8-61-1 (1nb)
Jerome Taylor 15-4-45-4
Corey Collymore 24.1-9-48-5
Dwayne Bravo 4-1-10-0 (1w)

West Indies (2nd innings):

Chris Gayle c Laxman b Sreesanth 0
Darren Ganga b Sreesanth 16
Brian Lara lbw Patel 11
Ramnaresh Sarwan c Dravid b Sreesanth 51
Shivnarine Chanderpaul lbw Kumble 13
Dwayne Bravo b Kumble 33
Marlon Samuels lbw Kumble 5
Denesh Ramdin not out 62
Jerome Taylor lbw Kumble 20
Pedro Collins lbw Kumble 3
Corey Collymore c Dhoni b Kumble 0

Extras (lb2, nb3) 5

Total (69.4 overs) 219

Fall of wickets: 1-0, 2-27, 3-29, 4-56, 5-126, 6-128, 7-144, 8-180, 9-219

Bowling:

Sreesanth 15-2-38-3
Patel 12-2-26-1
Harbhajan Singh 16-3-65-0
Anil Kumble 22.4-3-78-6 (3nb)
Virender Sehwag 4-0-10-0

Yemeni opposition names Shamlan to contest presidency

SANAA, July 3 (NNN-KUNA) Yemeni opposition parties have nominated former minister of petroleum Faisal bin Shamlan as their candidate in the Yemeni presidential elections due next September.

The parties organised Sunday a celebration to announce the nomination, stressing that they were dedicated to ending the manipulation of authority by individuals.

The parties' function was held under the slogan "Yes for a President for Yemen. No for Yemen for a President."

The opposition parties said in a statement that they nominated Faisal bin Shamlan in accordance with national and objective criteria that harmonised with their comprehensive reform programme.

Faisal bin Shamlan was named a minister for the first time in 1967, shortly after Southern Yemen's independence from Britain.

Running as an independent candidate, he was also elected as an MP in the 1993 elections. In 1995, he stepped down as a minister of petroleum in protest against what he called interference with his ministerial authority.

Britain reconsidering new visa rules for Indian doctors

London, July 4 (IANS) Britain's health authorities are reconsidering recent changes in visa rules that in effect make thousands of doctors of Indian origin ineligible to work in the National Health Service.

The department of health (DoH) and the home office had put in place a new system by which employers would need to prove that no suitable candidate was available before applying for a work permit for someone from outside the European Union.

This change in the rules, in effect, ensured that thousands of doctors of Indian origin were sliced out of the employment market. Due to an increased number of British medical graduates qualifying every year and doctors from several new countries in the EU eligible to work in Britain, there is a surplus in the medical employment market.

The new rules have been challenged in the high court by the British Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (BAPIO) after representations to the DoH failed to elicit any response. BAPIO has reportedly raised 30,000 pounds from its members to mount a legal challenge to the new rules.

After the case was filed in the court, the DoH wrote to BAPIO stating that guidance to the amendment of rules was being reconsidered. BAPIO, however, has not yet withdrawn the case and is insisting on the changes being revoked or transition arrangements being made for nearly 4,000 doctors from the Indian subcontinent currently in Britain.

BAPIO president Ramesh Mehta told Eastern Eye, a British Asian weekly: "This could prove to be a turning point for the campaign. We hope the department will see the unfairness of the new rule."

A DoH spokesperson said: "As we stated in a letter to BAPIO, the guidance to the amendments to the Immigration Rules is currently being reconsidered."

Mehta said: "We are very upset that the DoH is taking its own time while our doctors are losing valuable training opportunities. Since April this year, employers have already started making EU and non-EU piles of applications and the latter are landing in the bin because of the new rules. Merit is not being considered. But we are confident of winning our case in court."

R Lakshman, consultant paediatrician at the West Suffolk Hospital and member of BAPIO's advisory council, said: "We believe that one-third of the NHS is run by doctors of Indian origin. While they form the backbone of the system, they are being treated as outsiders."

Solicitors associated with the BAPIO legal challenge say that a judicial review is being sought on the basis that the home office failed to hold a proper consultation process before introducing the new rule.

British firms behind in race to invest in India: report

London, July 4 (IANS) British companies are falling behind in the race to invest in India's fast growing economy, says a report by the Trade and Industry Select Committee.

The all-party group of MPs on the committee concluded that Britain's relationship with India should be generating a higher level of trade and investment. They found that British firms had only a partial understanding of India's economy, despite it being the fourth largest in the world, and having the second largest population.

The report said the British government's support network for people doing business in India was "characterised by confusion".

The report, written after panel members visited businesses in India, said: "A great deal of good work is being done, but by too many overlapping bodies with ill-defined responsibilities and often inadequate resources".

"Viewed from India, the UK is a small country and efforts need to be far more focused to have a real impact," it said.

Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff, who is chairman of the committee, said: "Levels of interest in the Indian economy are growing year upon year - but UK investors don't yet really understand the opportunities that India presents.

"If we are to take full advantage of this golden opportunity, UK firms must reassess their perception of the Indian economy as simply a source of low-cost labour and the UK Government must do more to help them."

The report highlights how many companies view India as a source of low-cost labour rather than as an emerging market in its own right.

MPs are concerned that Britain's perception is distorted by sections of the media that focus on the perceived threat to jobs by outsourcing, particularly call centres. They feel it creates a view that these centres are the dominant feature of the Indian economy.

The report explains that there are considerable openings for investment within the manufacturing and automotive and aerospace sectors, with vast opportunities for Britain's higher education sector.

It encourages companies to become more vigilant if they are to take full advantage of India's fast liberalising economy.

Just four percent of India's exports go to Britain, compared with 17 percent to the US, six percent to China and five percent to Singapore and Hong Kong, the report said. While India's imports from China and the US account for six percent, Britain accounts for just three percent, it added.

The British Chambers of Commerce blamed the government for reducing help for exporters. David Frost, director-general, said: "Businesses are fully aware of the opportunities in India and other parts of Asia, yet they have seen export support reduced in recent years as the treasury switched its focus to encouraging inward investment."

Can Vadodara mayor be prosecuted, Gujarat asked

Ahmedabad, July 4 (IANS) The Gujarat High Court has asked the state government to opine whether Vadodara's mayor and other officials can be prosecuted for allegedly promoting religious hatred.

Acting on a petition filed by Vadodara resident Mohammed Arif Sheikh, judge J.R. Vora Monday issued notice to the state government directing it to make its stand clear on the prosecution of Mayor Sunil Solanki and other top officials.

Vadodara witnessed communal trouble after the civic body May 1 demolished a two-century-old tomb of Rashiduddin Rehmatullah Chishti in the heart of the city.

A total of eight people were killed in the incidents, including two in police firing. The city was under curfew for several days before normalcy was restored.

Case of Israeli soldier closed: militants

Gaza, July 4 (Xinhua) One of the three militant groups that abducted an Israeli soldier announced Tuesday that there would be no more discussions on freeing him as their ultimatum to Israel had expired.

"The case is closed," said Abu Muthana, a spokesman of the Islamic Army that kidnapped Gilad Shalit together with Hamas' armed wing al-Qassam Brigades and the Popular Resistance Committees (PRC).

"We won't give any more information about the fate of the soldier," he added.

When asked if the militants would kill the soldier, Muthana said that Muslims would never kill their hostages.

The three militant groups issued an ultimatum Monday setting a deadline of 6.00 a.m. (3:00 GMT) Tuesday for Israel to free Palestinian prisoners or face the consequences.

But Israel rejected the ultimatum and pressed on with its military offensive in the Gaza Strip.

Abu Mujahed, spokesman of the PRC, said earlier that all efforts to free the captive Israeli soldier had reached a dead end because the occupation government (Israel) had rejected the captors' demands.

Catholics slam new law for Kerala professional colleges

New Delhi, July 4 (IANS) The Catholic Church in India Tuesday alleged that Kerala's newly enacted law on professional colleges and institutions violated the fundamental rights of religious minorities.

The Catholic Bishops' Conference of India (CBCI) urged the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M)-led Left Democratic Front (LDF) government to withdraw certain provisions of the law.

"The provisions dealing with the religious and linguistic minorities infringe upon the fundamental rights guaranteed by section 30(1) of the constitution," said CBCI vice president Archbishop Isaac Mar Cleemis in a statement.

The Kerala Professional Colleges and Institutions (Prohibition of Capitation Fee, Regulation of Admission, Fixation of Non-Exploitative Fee and Other Measures to Ensure Equity and Excellence in Professional Education) Bill, 2006, was passed unanimously in the assembly last week.

Pointing out that section 8 of the act empowered the state to grant recognition and minority status to institutions established and administered by minorities, the statement said, "Under the guise of ensuring equality and secularism, the provision takes away the legitimate rights of the minorities."

Cleemis explained saying that a minority professional educational institution would be granted recognition and minority status only if the number of institutions run by the minority group was less than the institutions of the non-minority group, and the number of students of the minority community in the professional educational sector was less than the number of students from the non-minority community.

"The act also says that at least 50 percent of the students should be from the community that has established the institution," the bishop said.

"According to apex court judgement in TMA Pai case in 2002, the minorities have the right to admit students, to set up a reasonable fee structure, to constitute a governing body, to appoint teaching staff and non teaching staff and to take action if there is a dereliction of duty on the part of any employee," said the statement.

"No government can take away the guarantee enshrined in the constitution," warned the statement signed also by Archbishop Vincent Concessao (Delhi), Bishop Joseph Mar Barnabas (Marthoma church Delhi-Mumbai) and CBCI deputy secretary Thomas D' Aquino Sequeira.

The bishops asserted that no one could deny the contributions of the Christian community in helping Kerala to achieve a leading position in terms of literacy and basic and secondary education.

"The LDF government is trying to penalise the community for services it has been rendering for the last 150 years.

"This is nothing but a black law as far as the minorities are concerned," the statement alleged.

There are 70 engineering and eight medical colleges in the self-financing sector in the state. These colleges have close to 10,000 seats for engineering and 800 seats in medical colleges.

The new law has done away with the freedom for college managements to decide on allocation of 50 percent of the seats. The seats in the general merit category have also been restricted to 18 percent.

The percentage of seats in other categories has also been fixed: Fifteen percent for the managements to admit students under the privileged category and another 15 percent for non-resident Indians apart from for scheduled communities (10 percent), socially and economically backward communities (25), economically backward forward castes (12), physically handicapped (three) and one percent each in the sports and arts category.

Centre's move to violate SC order, implement RSS agenda: AIMPLB

Lucknow, July 4: The All India Muslim Personal Law Board (AIMPLB) today reacted sharply to the centre's move to construct steel walls around the sanctum sanctorum at the disputed site in Ayodhya alleging it would amount to implementation of RSS agenda and violation of the Supreme Court's directive to maintain status quo at the place.

The board also said it could approach the apex court against the Centre's move.

"It amounts to implementing the RSS agenda by the UPA government", senior AIMPLB member and Imam of Eidgah Maulana Khalid Rashid Firangimahali told reporters.

He said the board sub-committee formed to look after Ayodhya cases could meet in the next couple of days to chalk out an action plan in this regard.

"We can also move the apex court to oppose the move", the Maulana said.

Firangimahali said the matter would be discussed at the AIMPLB general body meeting scheduled to be held in Chennai from August 25 next.

Another senior board member and counsel for the Muslim parties in the Ayodhya title suits Zafaryab Jilani said the Centre's move was tantamount to violation of the Supreme Court's direction to maintain the status quo.

Jilani said "there was nothing wrong in strengthening security at the disputed site but there cannot be construction of any structure at the site as it will violate the apex court guidlines for maintaining status quo there".

He said he had written a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav opposing construction of steel walls with a wooden roof at the sanctum sanctorum.

"The situation at the disputed site cannot be changed. The AIMPLB had passed a resolution in April last year opposing any construction at the site", he said adding construction of steel walls could not be termed temporary structure.

Bureau Report (Source : zeenews.com)

China to thrash out Tibetan refugee issue with Nepal

Kathmandu, July 4 (IANS) Upset at media reports that a large number of Tibetan refugees living in Nepal would be resettled in the US, China is sending an envoy here to thrash out the issue.

China's Vice Foreign Minister Wu Daewi arrives in Kathmandu on July 27 on a three-day visit to discuss the status of Tibetans living in Nepal with the new government of Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala.

The Kathmandu Post daily Tuesday reported that Wu would launch an official complaint with the Koirala government.

After nationwide protests forced King Gyanendra to step down in April, the new government eased one restriction on the Tibetan refugees -- it agreed to issue travel documents to those who have been residing in Nepal for a long time and have identity cards issued by the Nepal government.

However, the fate of hundreds of Tibetans who are in Nepal in transit is still in jeopardy since they are neither being issued exit permits to proceed to their preferred destination nor being given documents to reside in Nepal.

Also, in a denial that has serious implications, the Nepal government does not allow Tibetan refugees to register marriages or births of their children.

China, which invaded and annexed Tibet in 1949-50, doesn't recognise Tibetan refugees. According to Beijing, the thousands of Tibetans who flee to third countries via Nepal every year are "illegal immigrants" and should either be deported to China or be punished according to Nepalese laws dealing with illegal visitors.

When Gyanendra was in power, in return for Beijing's support for his coup and absolute reign, Nepal upheld the One China policy that considers Tibet and Taiwan to be inalienable parts of the Chinese republic. It also began cracking down on the Tibetans fleeing from Chinese control.

In January 2005, when the king was controlling the government through his nominated prime minister Sher Bahadur Deuba, the Nepal government closed down the Kathmandu office of the representative of the Dalai Lama, the exiled Tibetan temporal and spiritual leader.

When the king's direct rule began in 2005, the royalist government further clamped down on the fleeing Tibetans, refusing to issue them exit passes in contravention of a tacit agreement to do so.

With Beijing stepping up its arms sale to the isolated royal regime and pressuring it to deport Tibetans, Washington agreed to grant asylum to about 5,000 Tibetan refugees, who were especially vulnerable to the pressure. The resettling is expected to take place by next year.

Last month, when Nepal's foreign minister K.P. Oli visited Geneva to attend the meeting of the UN Human Rights Council, Chinese Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing raised the issue with him.

Church set ablaze in Madhya Pradesh

Bhopal, July 4 (IANS) A church has been set ablaze in remote Harda district in Madhya Pradesh, say reports.

"On June 30, extremists carrying torches broke into the church and set fire to a table, where 150 Bibles and hymnbooks were kept," a report quoted Jaidi Khan, the pastor of the church, as saying.

The miscreants were from a Hindu group, Dharam Sena (Religious Army), said the report.

However, superintendent of police K.D. Peshara told IANS that the Pentecostal Church had two rival groups and the attack was launched by one group on the other.

He also alleged that the culprits had burnt down the motorbike of the guard, and not the church building.

The Christian community in the state is facing increasing number of attacks by Hindu outfits, which allege missionaries are converting tribals forcibly and using allurement.

As many as six attacks were reported in June alone.

In Bhopal, Bajrang Dal leader Devendra Rawat had earlier disrupted the press conference of Indira Iyengar, member of the state minorities commission. The conference was to highlight the alleged gangrape rape of two Christian women in Khargone district on May 28. They were raped after their husbands refused to "reconvert" to Hinduism.

"We are worried about the increasing number of attacks," said Fr Anand Muttungal, spokesperson for the Catholic Bishops Conference of Madhya Pradesh.

"I fail to understand why law enforcement agencies are not acting against the perpetrators," he added.

Governor Balram Jakhar is reported to have written six letters to the state government seeking investigation into the reports of violence. The state home department, however, has either given a clean chit to the attackers or denied that the incidents ever took place.

Madhya Pradesh is among the few states where anti-conversion law is in force.

Commonwealth Games will cost Rs.50 bn: Aiyar

New Delhi, July 4 (IANS) The 2010 Commonwealth Games to be hosted here will require investment of Rs.50 billion, including Rs.9 billion revenue-generating expenditure, Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Mani Shankar Aiyar said Monday.

"The group of ministers has estimated the ballpark figure based on proposals to be taken to the expenditure finance committee (EFC). If cleared, the figure could to be around Rs.50 billion. This includes contribution through public-private partnerships," Aiyar told reporters here.

Working on a concept paper to help India improve its medals tally through a sports talent hunt and sports promotion in rural areas, Aiyar said around Rs.9 billion would be revenue-generating expenditure based on a broad assessment.

Part of the expenditure would be provided through the central budget while that for the Games Village and other infrastructure would be cleared by the Planning Commission as part of the Delhi government's expenditure, the minister said.

The total investment for the projects to be undertaken by the Delhi government is expected to increase substantially - more than the Rs.10 billion currently envisaged, he indicated.

On plans to nurture sports talent in the country to help India improve its medals quest, Aiyar said the effort would be to cash in on the growing percentage of young who are at their creative best.

Citing a study by the University Grants Commission, Aiyar said currently only about 30 million schoolchildren have access to any kind of sports or games organisation. The department of sports has estimated that about 20 million youth are able to afford facilities of a sports club or organisation.

This is too low a figure considering that the population under 35 years is estimated to be around 650-700 million. Of these around 450 million live in villages.

Aiyar said his concept paper, to be prepared soon, envisages synergising and leveraging the 250,000 panchayats, or village councils, and the 250,000 Nehru Yuva Kendra (youth clubs) for a youth sports mission.

"We are at present doing the costing of such a scheme," the minister said.

Regretting the lack full-scale sports facilities for rural youth, the minister said a scheme to provide sports infrastructure in villages through a Rs.450 million annual central budget was axed in 2005-06 in the drive to rationalise centrally sponsored schemes.

Once the youth sports mission gets underway, Aiyar was confident that "it would spin off a discovery of sports talent " far greater than the 10,000 sports talents that are currently picked up from mainly urban centres and supported through the National Sports Development Scheme.

Denmark reopens embassy in Pakistan

Islamabad, July 4 (IANS) Denmark has reopened its embassy in Pakistan after five months of closure prompted by violent protests against the publication of cartoons parodying Prophet Mohammed.

The Embassy of Denmark reopened on Monday. Copenhagen had closed its embassy in Islamabad on Feb 17 after protests over the publication of the sketches by Danish newspaper Jyllands-Posten last September. Most of the expatriate staff had already quietly left the country.

An announcement on its website said that "until further notice", visitors to the embassy would be received only by appointment.

The Danish consulate general in Karachi also reopened for business Monday, The News daily reported.

Denmark had closed its missions in Pakistan, besides Lebanon, Iran, Syria, Tunisia and Indonesia, following demonstrations across the Muslim world.
Several people had died or were injured during the demonstrations in Pakistan.

Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam said Pakistan had yet to decide when to post its ambassador to Denmark.

A diplomatic source told The News on condition of anonymity, "The Danish foreign ministry is monitoring the situation in Islamabad very carefully and the opening of the embassy and the consulate general marks a change towards the positive side".

Developing countries need help in preserving vital agricultural biodiversity : UN

New York, July 4 (IMI)With crucial agricultural genetic resources at risk, developing countries should be enabled to fully exploit biotechnology tools to stop the decline of biodiversity and use their wealth of such resources as an insurance against climatic and other changes, according to a new United Nations study released today.

“The ability to apply these biotechnologies in developing countries is currently limited by the lack of sufficient funds, human capacity and adequate infrastructure,� says the study, edited by the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Working Group on Biotechnology.

Crop, forest, animal and fish genetic resources represent an insurance against future changes in production and climatic conditions or in market needs, but they are endangered by such factors as overexploitation, replacement of local crops and livestock with foreign species or breeds and habitat change and destruction, FAO notes.

The need to conserve genetic resources for food and agriculture is essential and was recently highlighted at the first meeting of the Governing Body of the International Treaty on Plant Genetic Resources for Food and Agriculture last month. They are also a source of material for scientific research as well as a cultural and historical part of mankind’s heritage.

The study seeks to shed light on the potential role and importance that biotechnology tools, in particular the use of molecular markers, may have for agricultural genetic resources in developing countries.

Numerous new and old biotechnologies provide a broad collection of tools that can be applied for a range of different purposes such as genetic improvement, disease diagnosis, and vaccine development. They include molecular markers, cryo-preservation and reproductive technologies that can be used directly for the characterization and/or conservation of genetic resources for food and agriculture.

The capacities of developing countries can be strengthened through greater collaboration among research institutions in different developing countries and also between industrialized and developing countries.

The FAO and the centres of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) as well as other organizations and non-governmental organizations could help to coordinate these collaborative efforts and support capacity-building activities.

Ershad walks the political tightrope

Dhaka, July 4 (IANS) Former Bangladesh president H.M. Ershad has kept his political options open despite overtures from Prime Minister Khaleda Zia, saying that he may even choose to go with the rival opposition alliance in the next polls.

He handed out compliments evenly and criticised both the Awami League and the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP), but said he was certain to join one of them since his Jatiya Party did not have the resources to go it alone, reported the Daily Star.

The longest serving head of state who ruled for over eight years has 14 lawmakers in the present Jatiya Sangsad (National Assembly).

His party did not have the financial ability to go it alone in the next general election "and so we have to make electoral alliance with BNP or Awami League", he told a meeting with the Bangladesh Knitwear Manufacturers & Exporters Association (BKMEA) in Dhaka.

Ershad took potshots at the ruling alliance alleging that the recent violence in garment, textile and knitwear factories, when close to 300 units were destroyed, was led by a workers' leader close to the BNP. This showed the government's "complicity", he said.

In his assessment, the BNP's popularity had eroded due to hike in prices of essentials while the Awami League's grassroots level cooperation with common people had helped to increase the party's popularity.

Ershad maintained that his meeting with Prime Minister Zia was "a courtesy call".

F-16s for Pakistan not conducive for better ties

New Delhi, July 4 (IANS) India maintained Monday the US decision to sell a total of 44 F-16 combat jets to Pakistan was "not conducive" to improving sub-continental ties.

"We can reiterate our position that this step is not conducive to improving ties between India and Pakistan," external affairs ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said at a news briefing here.

"We have seen reports on this issue that the US is planning to supply Pakistan 18 new and 26 used F-16 aircraft. This has been the subject of discussion with the US government in the past.

"In fact, the prime minister himself has expressed disappointment at the US approach to President (George) Bush," Sarna added.

The US government said June 30 that it plans to sell the F-16s to Pakistan as part of an arms sale package worth up to $5 billion.

The deal was revealed in a US government's notice sent to the Congress, which will decide whether to approve the sale within 30 days. The notice said the sale is aimed to help Pakistan to modernise its arsenal.

Separately, US State Department spokesperson Julie Reside described the sale as "part of an effort to broaden our strategic partnership with Pakistan and advance our national security and foreign policy interests in South Asia".

"Pakistan is a long-term partner and major non-NATO ally," she noted.

Reside stressed that the sale has nothing to do with the nuclear partnership that the US is building with India.

She also dismissed any suggestion that the sale could contribute to an arms race in South Asia and said a dialogue between India and Pakistan has already helped reduce tensions and provided greater stability in their region.

Frings suspended for clash with Italy

Berlin, July 4 (DPA) Torsten Frings of Germany became the first footballer to be suspended at a World Cup on the basis of video evidence when FIFA handed down a one-match ban after pictures showed him throwing a punch at the end of the quarterfinal victory over Argentina.

The decision by FIFA's disciplinary commission means the Werder Bremen midfielder will miss Tuesday's World Cup semi-final clash against Italy in Dortmund.

Frings, who was also fined 5,000 Swiss francs ($4,000) and had a further one-match ban suspended for six months, cannot appeal the decision.

"We would like to look at the reasons behind the suspension first. Until such time as we know them, we will not make any further comment," German football federation (DFB) spokesman Harald Stanger said after the announcement was made.

FIFA decided to investigate Frings' involvement in the melee that marred Germany's penalty shootout win over Argentina Friday after fresh pictures produced by the Italian television broadcaster Sky Italia came to light.

The pictures showed the 29-year-old apparently striking Argentinian player Julio Cruz. FIFA called on the German Football Federation to present its reaction by Monday morning.

Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann had been confident that his midfielder would be cleared of any wrongdoing, saying some Argentinian players had been the instigators of the trouble and members of his team had only reacted to provocation.

Probes were also being made into Argentinian players Leandro Cufre - red-carded during the fracas - and Maxi Rodriguez.

Cufre had been shown a red card for kicking an opponent during the scuffles, which broke out on the pitch between players and officials from both teams after Friday's match.

Gangtok to Lhasa bus after Nathu La reopening?

By Syed Zarir Hussain, Gangtok, July 4 (IANS) The historic reopening of the famed Silk Road for border trade is yet to formally kick off, but there is already talk of another milestone in India-China relations - a direct bus service linking the two countries.

Formal trading between India and China is to begin Thursday after 44 years at the 15,000-foot Nathu La Pass on the border between India's Sikkim state and China's Tibet region.

Opening the Nathu La Pass, 52 km from the Sikkim capital Gangtok, would be the first direct trade link since a 1962 border war.

"After border trade begins, the next step on our agenda is to see a bus service from Gangtok to Lhasa in China," Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling told IANS over the phone from New Delhi.

The distance from Gangtok to the Tibetan capital Lhasa is about 480 km, about a 10-hour drive.

"A bus service to Lhasa on the lines of similar services to Lahore and Dhaka from India is going to help us attract tourists and get more business in the days ahead," the chief minister said.

The resumption of border trade at Nathu La is expected to bring in employment opportunities to at least 5,000 locals and indirect benefits to hundreds of others in the area.

"We expect business to grow and would like the governments of the two countries to increase the list of commodities for trade," Chamling said.

Business would be duty-free with India able to export 29 items ranging from textiles and blankets, agricultural implements, liquor, cigarettes, tea, barley, rice, vegetable oil, and local herbs. Chinese traders would be able to trade in 15 items -- horses to goats and sheep, yak tail, yak hair, goat skin, wool, and raw silk.

A study conducted by the Sikkim government says bilateral trade was expected to reach $12 billion by 2015.

The landlocked province of Tibet now depends on heavily on food items and other essentials from Nepal - the distance from Lhasa to Nepal's capital Kathmandu is about 2,000 km.

"The reopening of Nathu La would give Tibet and western China access to the Bay of Bengal ports, roughly about 1,200 to 1,300 km," a Sikkim industries department official said.

Heat wave in Britain, health officials sound alert

London, July 4 (IANS) With temperatures soaring by the day, the British government has issued a heat wave alert and has cautioned the elderly, young and those with chronic diseases to take extra precautions.

The rising mercury - nearly 43 degrees Celsius - has delighted most Britons keen to acquire a tan by sunbathing, but it also poses serious problems for the elderly and the young. Every year, Britain and other countries in Europe report several deaths due to heat wave conditions.

In August 2003, nearly 27,000 people had died of heat-related causes in northwest Europe. This included 11,000 deaths in France and 2,000 in Britain.

The weatherman has predicted unrelenting sun this week. The department of health has warned of "significant health risks".

In advice to medical professionals, the department said babies and children, elderly people and those with chronic diseases should take steps to prevent dehydration.

The hot weather is forecast to last till Wednesday when the met office says there will be thundershowers.

Heavy rains, winds in Orissa leave 12 dead

Bhubaneswar, July 4 (IANS) At least 12 people have died in Orissa due to drowning and landslides triggered by heavy rains and high-speed winds lashing the state for the past three days, officials said Tuesday.

The monsoon rains caused by a depression over the Bay of Bengal hit the state on Saturday. At least 13 people were reported missing after the boats they were travelling in were drowned.

Giving a break up of the deaths, J.N. Sahu, officer on special duty in the state revenue control room, said one person was drowned in Nayagarh district, 10 were killed in a landslip in the southern district of Gajapati and another rain-related death has been reported from Jagatsinghpur district.

Of the 13 missing, five were reported missing in Bhadrak district, four in Gajapati and four in Jagatsinghpur.

However, the local daily Dharitri Tuesday put the number of deaths at 17 and the number of missing at 30.

The heavy rains and high-speed winds over the past three days have created havoc in the state with rivers flowing close to the danger level, large swathes of land being inundated and thousands of people in coastal areas moving to cyclone shelters, an official said.

The state has witnessed heavy and moderate rain in most areas since Monday, said A.K. Senapati, an official of the Bhubaneswar meteorological office.

Chandbali recorded the highest rainfall at 25.8 mm, followed by Balasore at 22.7 mm. State capital Bhubaneswar recorded 6.2 mm rain, Puri 0.2 mm and Gopalpur 19.5 mm, he said.

The weather condition is likely to improve over the next day, he said.

The depression over the northwest Bay of Bengal on Monday night lay centred near Sambalpur town in western Orissa. It was expected to have moved to neighbouring Madhya Pradesh, he said.

India strikes more gas, oil in Cambay basin

New Delhi, July 4 (IANS) India has struck more gas and oil in a block in the Cambay basin on the western coast.

The discovery was made in a block operated by Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation (GSPC) and held jointly with GAIL (India) Ltd.

"Both oil and gas has been discovered in block CB-0NN-2000/1 in Cambay basin. Until proper appraisal we cannot estimate the reserves," V.K. Sibal, head of Directorate General of Hydrocarbon, the exploration regulatory body, told IANS here Tuesday.

This is the third strike in the block. Two wells - PK1 and PK2 - had earlier indicated promising signs of gas presence.

"The discovery is primarily a gas find, as the oil flow is less," sources said.

The GSPC had last month announced the second major gas and oil find in its Krishna-Godavari basin block (Deen Dayal) at the KG17 well, a year after discovering an estimated reserve of 20 trillion cubic feet of gas in KG-8 well there.

According to Sibal, the second discovery in the KG basin block is significant as it is in comparatively lesser depth than the earlier find "and has opened new area of exploration".

Both the finds in KG basin are still to be appraised for estimated in-place reserves.

GSPC has estimated the KG17 well discovery may yield gas at the rate of 4.8 million standard cubic feet per day and 862 barrels per day of crude oil.

"This is one of the most significant discoveries for GSPC because over and above the stock of higher quality oil, this is for the first time that GSPC has struck oil as well as gas in the same well," official sources said.

Indian foreign secretary in Sri Lanka

New Delhi, July 4 (IANS) Indian Foreign Secretary Shyam Saran Monday held discussions with Sri Lankan President Mahinda Rajapaksa in Colombo on the situation in the country against the backdrop of an undeclared war between the country's military and the Tamil Tiger rebels.

"The efforts being made to evolve a political consensus in Sri Lanka to promote a peaceful settlement of the ethnic problem was discussed," Indian external affairs ministry spokesman Navtej Sarna said at a news briefing here.

Saran "reiterated India's willingness to share its constitutional experience with Sri Lanka in this regard", Sarna added.

Asked for specifics, he replied: "The constitutional experience of India as a federal polity is obvious and that is naturally the experience which we can share in the context of what is happening in Sri Lanka."

The visit was part of a regular, high-level exchange of views that has been agreed upon between the leaders of the two countries, the spokesman stated.

Asked whether the visit was scheduled or was something that came up suddenly, the spokesman said: "Well, these are visits which are a part of the regular high-level exchanges."

Saran's discussions in Colombo, before returning home Tuesday, "will include a review of the wide-ranging bilateral cooperation that has emerged between the two countries, the regional and the international situation, as also the current status of the Sri Lankan peace process", Sarna added.

India has expressed its concern over the surge in violence and the targeting of high-profile civil and military leaders. The two countries have been in close touch over the developments and to discuss the measures required to be taken to ensure the situation does not escalate.

The Sri Lankan government has repeatedly stressed the need for India playing a greater role in resolving the island's ethnic conflict but has shied away from stating what exactly it expects from New Delhi.

Israeli attacks 'war crimes', says Amnesty International

London, July 4, IRNA, Britain's leading human rights group warned the Zionist regime Monday that 'deliberate attacks by Israeli forces against civilian property and infrastructure in the Gaza Strip violate international humanitarian law and constitute war crimes'.

"Israel must now take urgent measures to remedy the long-term damage it has caused and immediately restore the supply -- at its own cost -- of electricity and water to the Palestinian population in the affected areas," Amnesty International said.

It reminded that 'as the occupying power, Israel is bound under international law to protect and safeguard the basic human rights of the Palestinian population'.

The London-based group specified that the deliberate destruction of the Gaza Strip's only electricity power station, water networks, bridges, roads and other infrastructure is a 'violation of the Fourth Geneva Convention and has major and long-term humanitarian'.

It has consequences for the 1.5 million inhabitants of the Gaza Strip, with almost half of the inhabitants are now without electricity and that water supplies have also been cut in several areas both by the lack of electricity, it said.

The extensive damage caused by Israeli artillery and air strikes against these facilities in recent days is estimated at several millions US dollars and will require months of work to repair.

"Unless alternative emergency measures are promptly put in place to restore electricity and water supply the consequences could be dire for the health of the Palestinian population," the human rights group warned.

It also referred to the high numbers of Palestinian bystanders, including women and children, that have been killed and injured by Israeli artillery shelling and air strikes in recent weeks and months.

"This situation looks set to worsen in light of the end of the unilateral cease-fire which the armed wing of Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups had been observing since last year," Amnesty said.

According to the Fourth Geneva Convention, 'collective penalties and likewise all measures of intimidation or of terrorism are prohibited' as is the destruction of private or public property.

The Convention puts an onus on all states party to it, including the UK, to ensure the prosecution of perpetrators of the war crime of 'causing extensive destruction' that was not justified by military necessity but carried out 'unlawfully and wantonly'.

'Intentionally directing attacks against civilian objects' is also a war crime under Article 8 (b) (ii) of the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court.

ISRO woos Indian industry for satellite projects

Bangalore, July 4 (IANS) The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has invited the private sector to play a major role in its satellite projects, especially in satellite-based navigation systems.

In the run-up to launching the GAGAN (GPS aided geo augmentation navigation) satellite in 2007, ISRO held a day-long session Tuesday with about 50 industry players to highlight the areas in which they can participate to manufacture, develop software and customise small hand-held receivers for end-users.

Inaugurating the satellite navigation (SATNAV) industry meet, ISRO chairman G. Madhavan Nair said the satellite-based positioning, navigation and timing (PNT) service was emerging as an important application in diverse areas such as mobile telephony, surface transport, intelligent highway systems, maritime transport, precision farming, fisheries and marine engineering, besides civil aviation.

"PNT is one of the main components of the satellite-based communication, navigation and surveillance (CNS)/air traffic management (ATM) system adopted by the International Civil Aviation Organisation (ICAO) for worldwide implementation.

It will facilitate seamless navigation across geographical boundaries and eventually replace different types of ground-based navigation systems providing services over different air spaces," Nair said.

The Rs 3.5-billion GAGAN, a joint project of ISRO and AAI (Airport Authority of India), comprises a space segment and a ground segment.

The space segment is a dual frequency (L1 & L5) GPS (global positioning system) compatible payload on the GSAT-4 satellite.

The ground system consists of eight Indian reference stations, one master control centre, one land uplink station and associated navigation software and communication links.

"Unlike the GPS of the US and GLONASS (global navigation satellite system) of Russia, GAGAN will enable improving the accuracy and availability of the signal based on GPS," Nair pointed out.

"The positioning services offered by GPS or GLONASS constellations for civil aviation fall short of accuracy, integrity, availability and continuity of service requirements of air navigation services for landing," he added.

Among the leading industry players that participated in the meet were Wipro Technologies, Honeywell, Silver Software, Advanced Microelectronics Devices, Kaveri Telecom, Solectron and Western Systems.

The US defence planned GPS constellation consists of 28 satellites in a 20,000km circular orbit. Though GPS has been operational since the 1970s, it has been modernised through the addition of the L5 signal for better accuracies and ruggedness.

The GLONASS system consists of eight satellites - though it originally had 24 satellites when it was made fully operational over a decade ago. The Russian government is planning to increase the number of satellites in the constellation to 21 by 2007 and to 24 by 2008-09.

Meanwhile, Europe has embarked on launching a 30-satellite constellation christened Galileo by 2010. It is being developed and deployed jointly by the European Commission and the European Space Agency in a 24,000 km orbit.

Manmohan Singh to visit Helsinki for India-EU summit

By Manish Chand, Helsinki, July 4 (IANS) Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is to attend the India-European Union (EU) summit here Oct 13. For Finland, the visit by the Indian premier will be a double bonus since it has just taken over the presidency of the 25-member EU.

Work on the summit has started, with Indian and Finnish officials deliberating the agenda. The meet will give added momentum to the burgeoning relations between India and EU that began during the last meeting in New Delhi.

Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen will co-chair the summit, the seventh in the series.

"We have already started preparing for the visit. India enjoys a very vibrant image in Scandinavian countries and its products and enterprise are highly valued," Indian ambassador Pradeep Singh told IANS.

"We are looking forward to welcoming the Indian economist prime minister. There is a huge untapped potential in areas of trade and technology," said a senior Finnish official.

During his three-day visit to Finland, Manmohan Singh is likely to be accompanied by Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath, Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal and key officials from different ministries.

Manmohan Singh is known widely in this part of the world as the man who ushered in economic liberalisation in India in 1991.

There is also a likelihood of bilateral discussions between Singh and Vanhanen Oct 14 that will address issues of accelerated trade and technological ties between the two countries, a senior Indian diplomat told IANS.

During his maiden press conference as chair of EU presidency July 1, Vanhanen spoke about "deepening cooperation between India and the EU in the coming days".

Responding to a question from a group of Indian journalists, he said EU was yet to take a position on whether it would support Shashi Tharoor, India's candidate for the post of UN Secretary General. "The EU has to coordinate its position... I don't know the details."

He, however, admitted that it was the turn of Asian countries to have their nominee as Secretary General. "The candidate ought to be very good," he added.

Moves to set up nuclear power reactor in Jharkhand

Ranchi, July 4 (IANS) Uranium rich Jharkhand has renewed its demand to set up a nuclear power reactor in the state.

The state government has once again taken up the issue with the central government and the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE).

Chief Secretary M.K. Mandal last month held a meeting with DAE officials in Mumbai and reiterated the state government's demand to set up a nuclear power in Jharkhand.

The DAE and the Jharkhand government are on the board of directors of Uranium Corporation of India Limited (UCIL) in Jadugoda in East Singhbhum district. Uranium from Jadugoda is supplied to nuclear power reactors and plants in other parts of the country.

"The chief secretary in a meeting with DAE officials pointed out that a nuclear power reactor plant was a dream of the state. The state government is ready to extend all possible help to set up the reactor in the state," said an informed government official.

Officials said nuclear power reactor plants were set up in places, which do not have proper uranium resources. And since Jharkhand produces uranium it should be allowed to set up a nuclear power reactor.

Last year, the central government had approved the setting up of a nuclear power plant. A three-member state government team had selected three places in East Singhbhum.

The proposed site was referred to the Nuclear Power Corporation of India (NPCI), which is yet to fix a place.

Mumbai schools shut, trains off track as rain continues

Mumbai, July 4 (IANS) Schools were declared closed in Mumbai Tuesday and train services stalled as rains continued unabated for the fourth consecutive day amid fears that there could be a replay of last July's disaster when thousands were stranded in the city.

Five people were reportedly killed Monday in and around this megalopolis. The city received 131.48 mm rain in the western suburbs, 160.5 mm in the eastern suburbs and 127.3 mm in the city - a far cry from the 944 mm on July 26, 2005, but enough to create panic amongst Mumbaikars.

The rail service - the city's lifeline - was on track till about 9.30 a.m. However, heavy rains after that led to the central railway line getting waterlogged. Two main lines - from the Chhatrapati Shivaji Terminal (CST) here to Karjat in Thane district, 120 km away, and the harbour line from CST to Panvel in Thane - came to a standstill.

Government authorities sought to dispel fears of a repeat of the 26/7 deluge, saying the city was much better prepared to face such situations this year.

The state's Disaster Management Group has already swung into action and is taking no chances this time. The fire brigade and all employees of the city's civic organisation, Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation, have been asked to be on alert.

Muslim parties take exception to security plan at Ayodhya

Lucknow, July 4: Taking excpetion to the reported plan to make the 'Garbh Griha' (sanctum-sanctorum) of the disputed site at Ayodhya 'bullet-proof', the Muslim parties to the dispute have said it would tantamount to violation of the Supreme Court's direction to maintain status quo.

"There is nothing wrong in strengthening security at the disputed site but there cannot be construction of any structure at the site as it will violate the apex court's guidelines for maintaianing status quo there," counsel for the Babri Masjid Action Ccommittee and senior All India Muslim Personal Law Board member Zafaryab Jilani toldmediapersons today.

Jilani said he had written a letter to Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav opposing the Rs 7.22 crore plan prepared by his government which included construction of steel walls with a wooden roof at the sanctum-sanctorum.

"The situation at the disputed site cannot be changed. The AIMPLB had also passed a resolution in April last year opposing any construction at the site," he said adding construction of steel walls could not be termed as temporary structure.

The UP government has made an elaborate security plan at the disputed site following the terrorist attack on the complex on July five last year.

Bureau Report (Source : zeenews.com)

New Indo-British links on science and technology, IPR

London, July 4 (IANS) A new Science and Technology Innovation Council to be set up with funding of up to 12 million pounds each from Britain and India is to focus on intellectual property rights (IPR), official sources here said.

The focus of the council would be on strategic areas of next generation communication technologies, biotechnology and stem cell research and advanced materials and nanotechnology. The council would also work on key initiatives, including new energy and weather systems and climate change, thus looking at public good and developing and delivering new products to market.

Three leading scientists each from India and Britain would work on a road map to further Indo-British partnership through these strategic and bilateral initiatives.

From the Indian side, the three names proposed are C.N.R. Rao, R.A. Mashelkar, director general of the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR), and T. Ramaswamy, secretary, department of science and technology.

Indian Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal announced that the best of Indian and British scientists and institutions would collaborate with a funding of 6.5 million-8 million pounds (which could go up to 12 million pounds) from Britain, with India matching the funds in contribution.

A joint statement of intent to create and implement an Intellectual Property Rights programme between Britain and India was also signed by Science Minister Lord Sainsbury and the Indian Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath here last week.

IPR is one of the key areas identified by JETCO (UK-India Joint Economic and Trade Committee) as providing potential for increased trade and investment in the future.

Lord Sainsbury said: "This statement formalises the commitment in both countries to creating the conditions for mutually beneficial trade and industry relations which reflect the profound changes brought about by the global knowledge economy."

Ron Marchant, chief executive of the patent office, said: "The activities identified in this statement will enable both countries to share their experiences. It will ensure businesses are able to make best use of IPRs, that intellectual property is taught appropriately at universities, and that our patent offices are effective in meeting the needs of our respective governments, business communities, and societies."

The statement was signed in the backdrop of a large gathering of Indian and British science and innovation experts at the 2nd Annual India UK Business Leaders Forum 2006 here.

Delivering the keynote address at the forum, Kamal Nath urged British companies to tap the potential in India by investing in the country and make India Britain's largest trading partner.

"UK stands to benefit from India's entrepreneurial power and from the fact that India's growth needs less fuel as compared to China", he observed and added: "Both India and UK have become partners of choice in science, technology and innovation because we both recognise the importance of these disciplines for economic prosperity and quality of life".

The commerce minister also released a report, 'Going Global - India Inc. in UK' at the forum. It is a first-of-its kind concerted study of Indian companies going global in the context of a specific market.

Indian investment into Britain was double of Britain's investment into India over 2005-06. The report also revealed that the second biggest reason for Indians investing in Britain is that it acts as a base to invest in other European countries.

Pakistan stirs speculation over Manmohan visit

Islamabad, July 4 (IANS) Pakistan's emphatic announcement Monday that Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh would come visiting here to review the just-completed third round of the ongoing composite dialogue has suddenly quickened the pace of diplomatic activity between the two neighbours.

It has also raised some questions in diplomatic circles for no dates have been announced.

India is yet react to Pakistan's announcement. Dates and venues are usually announced simultaneously in both capitals after mutual agreement. This has not happened.

Despite this, Pakistan's Foreign Office spokesperson Tasnim Aslam insists: "But I can tell you there will be a visit."

The feeling in India's South Block is that Pakistan has made the absence of a foreign minister in India a talking and sticking point in the diplomatic discourse with the neighbour.

Since Singh is his own foreign minister, for reasons of protocol, if not for political ones, he is required to lead the dialogue from the Indian side, and in the process, upgrade it to the level of the prime ministers.

This suits the current Pakistani diplomatic stance. Aslam, however, gave no indication whether Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz would be around to talk to Singh who would, of course, meet President Pervez Musharraf.

The difference is that India does not want another Lahore or Agra, since any India-Pakistan meeting at the summit level, taking place anywhere, has the tendency to get hyped up, raising huge expectations.

"Whom do I talk to?" Aslam quoted her foreign minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri. A man of jovial disposition, Kasuri has let his "disappointment" be known to every Indian he has met, including former external affairs minister Yashwant Sinha, that he regrets not being able "pick up the phone and talk" to his counterpart, since there is none in New Delhi.

"We are keen for such a meeting but not without an Indian counterpart. Therefore, there is no schedule for a meeting of the two foreign ministers," The News daily quoted Aslam as saying.

The likely date, diplomatic circles here say, could be any time after July 20, when the last meeting of the third round of the dialogue is scheduled.

What they note is Pakistan's insistence on a political level summing up of a round that has produced precious little with practically no movement forward.

At one end, the scaling down of the troops presence on the Siachen Glacier did not work out and, at the other, even the relatively easier question of exchange of detained fishermen ran into legal and procedural wrangles.

Pakistan has not concealed its disappointment on these and other bilateral issues. When asked how Pakistan reviewed the three rounds and whether it was satisfied with the outcome, the spokeswoman replied: "The two foreign secretaries are going to meet and review the third round and I cannot comment or give a review before that."

Pakistan wants its men detained in Gitmo back

Islamabad, July 4 (IANS) Pakistan is dispatching a high-level team to Washington to seek the release of 29 of its citizens held by the US in Guantanamo Bay prison in Cuba and at the Bagram Air Base in Afghanistan.

Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao has said some 67 Pakistanis have so far returned to the country after being freed by Americans while 29 more are still there.

In an interview with The News and Nawa-e-Waqt, Sherpao maintained that the Musharraf government was fully committed to curbing extremism and terrorism.

Commenting on the situation in Afghanistan, Sherpao said the Taliban were regrouping in Afghanistan "in nexus with nationalists" as the foreign forces (US and NATO led peacekeeping forces) "being alien to local traditions and culture are violating the sanctity of Afghan soil".

"It never suits Pakistan if the situation in Afghanistan deteriorates," the newspapers quoted Sherpao as saying.

Police urges death sentence for Red Fort attackers

New Delhi, June 4 (IANS) The Delhi High Court Tuesday admitted a police appeal seeking the death penalty - instead of life imprisonment - for two men convicted for the 2000 attack on the Red Fort here in which three people were killed.

The police in sought death sentence for Nazir Ahmed Quasid and his son Farooq Ahmed Quasid. It also sought life terms for three other accused instead of the seven-year jail term the trial court had sentenced them to.

A bench comprising judges R.S. Sodhi and P.K. Bhasin admitted the police appeal, saying it would be heard along with the appeals filed by the accused seeking their acquittal.

The bench also condoned the prosecution delay in filing the appeal.

In the appeal, the prosecution alleged that the trial court had erred in awarding life imprisonment to the two Quasids since they also deserved the death sentence awarded to Pakistan national and Lashkar-e-Taiba militant Mohammed Arif alias Asfaq in the case.

The prosecution argued that the Quasids and Asfaq could not be awarded different sentences as they were tried under Section 121 of the Indian Penal Code for a similar offence - waging war against the government of India.

Police also claimed the trial court was wrong in striking down the criminal conspiracy charge against Rehmana Yusuf Farooqui, the alleged wife of Asfaq, as also Babar Mohsin and Sadaquat Ali and sentencing each of them to seven years' imprisonment.

Their sentence should be enhanced from seven years to life term for entering into a criminal conspiracy to kill, the prosecution submitted.

Seven dead as Mumbai relives 26/7 rain horror

Mumbai, July 4 (IANS) Seven people were killed in separate rain-related incidents in this inundated city Tuesday after heavy showers that continued for the fourth straight day revived memories of last year's catastrophic deluge.

Three people were electrocuted in Kurar village near the northwestern Goregaon suburb. Three others drowned in a well in the western past of the city, while one man died when a tree under which he had taken shelter collapsed in northeast Mumbai, police said.

Mumbai denizens are now staring at a rerun of last year's 26/7 nightmare when the city had come to a grinding halt following an unrelenting downpour.

Already, the frenetic pace of the country's financial capital has considerably slowed down with transportation services being thrown out of gear due to the near complete inundation of the city's roads and railway tracks.

In the 24 hours to Tuesday evening, the Colaba Observatory recorded 121 mm of rain while the Santa Cruz observatory had recorded rainfall of 152 mm.

The situation was set to worsen in the next 48 hours as the weatherman predicted more rain brought by a windstorm over India's eastern coast that was weakening and was heading west towards Maharashtra.

Even as suburban train services were disrupted, a number of commuter buses of the Bombay Electric Supply and Transport (BEST) undertaking continued to ply. Services like cable TV, ATMs and the Internet were affected, but mobile phones continued to work.

Power supply was erratic in most parts of the city.

Half submerged cars and two-wheelers, a grim reminder of last year's July 26 floods that killed more than 400 people in the city, returned to haunt the megalopolis.

"It took a long while to service my car (after last year's floods) and look what has happened to it again this year," lamented Chetan Verma, a chartered accountant based in the northern Kandivli suburb.

However, no loss of life was reported from anywhere in the city, unlike Monday when five people died due to the flooding.

Schools and colleges were ordered to close and private companies also let off their employees early to avoid them having to face risky situations in returning home.

A state government advisory asked the people to stay indoors and venture out only if it was very urgent.

"We thought we will get back home safe and sound and left office early. But how do I get home if there is no transport?" asked Murli Devdas, a travel agency employee, who was heading for Kanjur Marg in central Mumbai from his workplace in downtown Churchgate.

Thousands of commuters were marooned in different parts of the city as suburban trains on both lines stopped plying by around 11 a.m.

Several long distance trains on the central line were either suspended or stranded at various stations as the tracks were under 3.5 inches of water, railway officials said.

No announcements were being made at many railway stations and the journey indicators went blank as stranded passengers waited without a clue as to when they would be able to get home.

However, the Kurla-Panvel and Dadar-Kalyan routes beginning from Central Mumbai were restored, though there was still no respite to people travelling from the southern parts of the city.

The western line was revived by afternoon, though trains were running 15-20 minutes behind schedule, as was also the case of several flights from Mumbai airport.

Scores of people could be seen wading through knee-deep water in various suburbs, the worst affected of which were low-lying areas like Santa Cruz, Bhandup and Vile Parle.

Reports of flooding were also received from Mahim, Bandra, Matunga, Dadar and Dahisar.

Shashi Tharoor wows African leaders

Banjul/Addis Ababa, July 4 (IANS) Shashi Tharoor, India's candidate for the post of UN secretary-general, kicked off his campaign roadshow with a charm offensive at the recently concluded African Union summit at Banjul in Gambia.

In his speech at a special session of the ministerial executive council of the 53-nation AU summit, Tharoor promised to focus on African issues in the future, if elected.

Tharoor, who is currently UN Under Secretary General for Communications and Public Information, alluded to India's traditional relationship with Africa to underline his sincerity in solving problems of the continent if he is elected to world body's top post.

"He presented his candidature at this august gathering in the framework of India's traditionally close relations with African countries and his impeccable credentials," a statement by the Indian delegation to the AU summit said Tuesday.

In his address, Tharoor, who was a special invitee at the state banquet hosted by the Gambia President Yahya Jammeh, spelt out his vision for the UN and emphasized that "both continuity and change were important" for the rejuvenation of the world body. He recalled Mahatma Gandhi's exhortation that those who want change should become a part of it.

"Tharoor's address was received with overwhelming acclamation," the statement added.

"African leaders responded to Mr. Tharoor's candidature in highly supportive terms, underlining the warmth and friendship characterizing the relations between India and African countries," the statement added.

"They appreciated that Tharoor had chosen the AU Summit to launch his campaign after his candidature was officially announced by government of India," the statement stressed.

Two other candidates from Asia for the post of the UNGA - Foreign Minister of the Republic of Korea Ban Ki-Moon and Deputy Prime Minister of Thailand Surakiart Sathirathai - were also present with very large delegations and spent several days in Banjul.

Tharoor, an author of 8 books and innumerable newspaper articles, spoke in both English and French and his bilingual flair was appreciated by the African leaders who often erupted into applause as the diplomat-novelist waxed lyrical about India-Africa ties and how the vast UN resources could be harnessed for the development of the continent if he was elected to the office.

Shashi Tripathi, secretary (West) in the ministry of external affairs, led the Indian delegation to the AU summit.

"He candidly referred to the hotspots in Africa and the kind of solutions that were necessary and how the UN could further facilitate these matters," a press release from the Indian embassy in Ethiopia said Tuesday.

Tharoor also met the leaders of other influential African countries at the summit like Nigeria, South Africa, Senegal, Ethiopia, Kenya and Tanzania and foreign ministers of a score of African countries to convince them about his personal commitment to the socio-economic rejuvenation of Africa.

Special meetings were held with the African members of the UN Security Council -- Ghana, Tanzania and the Republic of Congo.

Six top Hizb militants held in Kashmir

Srinagar, July 4 (IANS) Six top guerrillas of the Hizbul Mujaheedin were arrested while one militant was killed in an operation near the Nishat gardens in this Jammu and Kashmir summer capital, police here said Tuesday.

Addressing a press conference here, state Director General of Police Gopal Sharma said Hizbul Mujaheedin divisional commander and five other guerrillas from the group were arrested in separate raids across central Kashmir.

He said the sustained interrogation of the arrested guerrillas had Tuesday morning led the police to a hideout at Gallandar near Pampore, 20 km from here, where a Pakistani militant identified as Sohail Afzal alias Ahmed Ali was killed.

"An ambush was laid by the police with the assistance of the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) at Gallandar. The security forces gunned down Sohail early this morning," Sharma said.

In another incident, one guerrilla was killed in a nightlong gunbattle at Nishat on the outskirts of Srinagar.

"The army is still searching the cordoned area. One militant was killed in the encounter," the state police chief said.

Security forces had surrounded the Nishat area near the famous Mughal gardens Monday evening on specific information that militants were hiding in the area.

The search parties came under fire from the hiding guerrillas. In the gunfight that followed, one of the militants were killed and two soldiers and a civilian injured.

In other developments, shopkeepers here pulled down their shutters as there was heavy pelting when angry youths protested the beating of two people by the CRPF in Lal Chowk.

Traffic was disrupted as protestors shouting slogans threw stones at passing vehicles.

Spain mourns victims of metro crash

Valencia (Spain), July 4 (DPA) A state funeral is to be held Tuesday in Spain after the country's worst underground accident claimed 41 lives in the eastern city of Valencia and it will be attended by Prime Minister Jose Luis Rodriguez Zapatero, who cut short his visit to India.

King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia will attend the funeral service as well.

An underground metro train derailed between stations in the south-central part of the city Monday for unknown reasons. The accident occurred five days before Pope Benedict XVI was to visit the city.

All the victims were identified overnight except for one body, which no one claimed. Thirty of the 41 victims were women, said sources in the Valencian regional government.

Twelve out of a total 47 injured remained in hospital, two of them in critical condition.

The court in charge said it would not publish a list of names out of respect for the victims' families. Sixteen of the victims were from the village of Torrent, the last station on one of the branches of the metro line on which the accident occurred.

The Valencia region has declared three days of mourning.

The accident reminded Spaniards of an Islamist attack, which killed people on Madrid commuter trains in 2004, but officials ruled out terrorism.

Valencia's regional transport minister Jose Ramon Garcia denied earlier statements by officials who attributed the accident to speeding and a broken wheel. He said the wheels had been checked in May and that the train was in "perfect condition".

Some passengers, however, said they felt the train had been travelling too fast.

Trade unions accused the authorities of poor maintenance of the metro line, the oldest in Valencia's 18-year-old underground.

The driver died of his injuries after Monday's accident, dashing hopes he could help clarify the cause. Further details were expected after the train's black box had been examined.

The accident occurred as thousands of Roman Catholics were gathered in Valencia for the World Meeting of Families, which is to culminate with the visit of Pope Benedict XVI on the weekend.

The Pope sent a message of condolences and prayed for the victims.

Two arrested for possessing arms at Delhi station

New Delhi, July 4 (IANS) Two men travelling to the capital by train from Bihar were arrested at a Delhi station for being allegedly in possession of arms, including 14 pistols and 28 magazines, said a senior police official.

The two, Alahuddin and Nizamuddin, were arrested at the New Delhi railway station late Monday.

"They are residents of Meerut, Uttar Pradesh, and supply arms to Maoist insurgents in Bihar," said Additional Commissioner of Crime Branch Muktesh Chander.

He added that each 9mm pistol costs around Rs. 100,000 and added that the weapons seized are locally made but of high quality.

Two Bihar cops killed as Maoists attack police post

Patna, July 4 (IANS) At least two policemen were killed and two seriously injured when about 100 armed Maoist guerrillas attacked a police outpost in Bihar.

There were also reports that they had damaged railway tracks during the attack Monday night on the Tankuppa police outpost in Gaya district, disrupting train movement for over six hours. Tankuppa is in a hilly, forested area on the important Gaya-Kodarma railway section.

While two policemen were killed, two were admitted to hospital where the condition of one is stated to be serious.

Police here said the armed guerrillas also blasted a portion of the building with dynamite.

"The Maoist ordered the policemen to surrender and hand over the arms to them. But the 15 policemen on duty refused to do so, resulting in a gun battle that went on for hours," said an official.

Urdu press roundup

Ensure Speedy Justice Delivery in Babri Masjid Demolition Case

By IndianMuslims.info Staff

The deprivation of Indian Muslims knows no bounds. They are denied speedy justice delivery, their fundamental right to run educational institutions of their own choice is violated in the name of modernisation of madrasas, and no effort is made to protect Muslim wakf lands. And in all these we find double-standard and double-dealing on the part of the government authorities – one for the majority community and the other for Muslims.

On July 2 the entire Urdu press reported a significant verdict pronounced by Justice Sonia Gokani POTA court in Gujarat, which declared six of the 34 accused in the September 24, 2002 alleged terror attack on Akshardham temple, awarding capital punishment to three, life imprisonment to one and 10-year and 5-year rigorous imprisonment to one each under the various sections of Criminal Procedure Code and Arms Act. The court pronounced its 500-page verdict in a closed room of heavily-guarded Sabarmati Jail.

The verdict could see the light of the day within a period of three years and nine months since the occurrence of the terror act. Contrast it with the willing suspension of justice delivery in the greater terror act of demolition of Babri Masjid on December 6, 1992.

In a 5-column article in the Qaumi Awaz (July 1), Mr. Nafey Qidwai expressed his grave concern on the slower-than-snail pace and failure of the Liberhan Commission not only in submitting its report to the Government of India but even in recording the statement of Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee even after the passage of 13-plus long years since its formation only two days after the demolition of the historic mosque. The irony of the situation, laments the learned writer, is that the Commission had to submit its report within a period of six months; but, as the powers-that-be would have it, the Commission is getting extension rather ritually every six months, and thus denying justice to Indian Muslims.

In view of the speedy delivery of justice in the Akshardham temple case, should Indian Muslims demand from the Government to treat the attack on Babri Masjid by the vandals of RSS-VHP-Bajrang Dal and Shiv Sena conglomerate as a terror attack and transfer the Babri Masjid case to a fast track POTA court to ensure justice to the aggrieved and stringent punishment to the guilty?

The Awaz (June 28) reports the Government at the Centre considering the formation of a Madrasa Board for Islamic seminaries on the pattern of I.C.S.C. and C.B.S.C. Chairman National Commission for Minority Education Justice M.A. Siddiqui revealed it while talking to Maulana Kalbe Sadique during the former’s 3-day visit to Lucknow.

Maulana Dr. Kalbe Sadique, who is known as ‘Sir Syed of Today’ for his invaluable services to the spread of education, appreciated the Government’s initiative, saying that the Madrasa Board would raise the standard of madrasa education and lend greater credence to the degrees and certificates issued by madrasas.

Since the re-introduction of 15-point program for minority uplift last year, a debate on modernisation of madrasas is raging. A number of madrasa administrators have opposed any attempt to modernise madrasa syllabus. In a discussion column, Dastawez of the Sahar (July 2) General Secretary All India Madrasas Coordination Committee Darul Uloom Deoband Maulana Shaukat Ali Qasmi Bastawi, Secretary Darul Uloom Deoband (Wakf Deoband) Maulana Muhammad Salim Qasmi and Secretary A’la Madrasa Mazahirul Uloom Saharanpur Maulana Muhammad Salman have argued against any intervention in madrasa education system in the name of modernisation.

Maulana Shaukat Ali says that introduction of modern subjects to the existing madrasa syllabus stands in violation of the very objectives of the establishment of madrasas. He however suggests that the doors of modern educational institutions are always open for madrasa students, who can equip themselves with modern thought, trends and currents after graduating from madrasas. Citing an article by president All India Muslim Majlis-e-Mushawarat Syed Shahabuddin published sometimes last year, he said in that case their educational record has generally proved better than general students.

Replying to a question, Maulana Salim Qasmi said it is one of the eight cardinal principles devised by the founder of Darul Uloom Deoband Maulana Qasim Nanautwi not to accept any government aid lest the madrasa objectives should be diluted on the intervention of government; and it is never acceptable.

Maulana Salman argued that no sane person would ask a medical college to introduce the course of engineering or vice-versa. Similarly madrasa education aims at specialisation in Islamic knowledge and not in any modern subject.

Chairman National Commission for Minority Education Justice M.A. Siddiqui however denied any intervention in the functioning of madrasas. He said the government simply wants to see madrasas on modern lines and equipped with modern branches of knowledge.

The Rashtriya Sahara and the Awam of June 26 reported a comprehensive plan hatched by the Union Minister for Minority Affairs A.R. Antulay to contain the corruption and irregularities prevailing in State Wakf Boards and other minority welfare institutions. The plan includes amendment in the Central Wakf Act 1954 to hold State Wakf Boards responsible before the Central Wakf Board, and complete overhauling of National Minorities Finance Corporation and Maulana Azad Foundation.

The Hindustan Express (June 30) reported Secretary All India Masjid Basao Committee Haji Muhammad Zameer, while addressing a conference in New Delhi, accusing Chairman of Delhi Wakf Board Chaudhari Mateen Ahmad of selling out wakf properties worth crores of rupees. To make his point home, he cited the case of selling out the wakf land of Bibi Fatima Sam Dargah to Suhaib Ilyasi, the son on Maulana Jameel Ilyasi and director of a TV programme, The Most Wanted. In another news item covered on the same page, the Express reported Chaudhari Mateen expressing desire to tender his resignation from the chairmanship of the Board.

Lamenting the sorry plight of Wakf properties at the hands of Muslims themselves, the Awam (June 27) editorially hailed the government initiative and suggested to the Ministry of Minority Affairs to maintain annual account of the resources of State Wakf Boards and to form a committee to take stock of the situation in the States and appoint chairmen of State Wakf Boards only on its recommendations.

Terming this initiative as ‘very encouraging’, in a statement covered by the Awam and the Inquilab (June 29), Secretary-General of Jamaat-e-Islami Hind Muhammad Jafar called upon the ministry to ensure protection of wakf properties along with containing corruption and irregularities in State Wakf Boards. He also drew the attention of the ministry to innumerable mosques and wakf properties worth crores of rupees under adverse possession that can and should be protected by bringing them to the care of concerned Wakf Boards.

The Express of the same date reported the latest ASI (Archaeological Survey of India) intervention in the functioning of ancient mosques when it issued prohibition order on the repairing and maintenance of an ancient historical but functional mosque of the Alauddin Khilji era near Mehrauli in Delhi due to non-issuance of no objection certificate (NOC) by Delhi Wakf Board.

US cold to Pakistan plea for nuclear power

By Arun Kumar, Washington, July 4 (IANS) A high-level Pakistani team came calling to Washington last week to seek help in developing nuclear power, but found US unresponsive on this as well as on the proposed Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline.

Pakistan prime minister's Energy Adviser Mukhtar Ahmed conveyed Pakistan's interest in developing civilian nuclear technology at a meeting with US Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman, but there was no response from the Americans.

The Iran-Pakistan-India gas pipeline also came up for discussion at the US-Pakistan energy talks, Ahmed told Pakistani media in Washington.

"We told them that not only Pakistan but the entire region will benefit from this pipeline," but like on the nuclear issue, the Americans did not respond to Islamabad's suggestions.

However, the dialogue may lead to substantive US assistance in developing Pakistan's coal reserves - put at the world's fourth or fifth largest - that at present contributes only eight percent of its energy supplies, he said.

The delegation presented a comprehensive review of Pakistan's energy needs for the next 20 years and sought US assistance to further develop its hydel power potential, of which it utilises only 16 percent at present.

"We received assurances of across the board assistance from the Americans", besides help in Islamabad's efforts to import electricity from Central Asia, said Ahmed, who led the Pakistani team at the energy talks.

He listed Pakistan's priorities in seeking US assistance as: development of coal reserves and alternative energy, import of gas from Central Asia, development of power sub-sectors and improving the way energy was utilised in Pakistan.

"The Americans have a vast experience in producing energy from coal and we want to benefit from their experience," said Ahmed, noting Islamabad needs US help in clean coal technology, coal gasification technology, coal mining and power-generation as also in developing coal-bed methane potentials.

The Pakistani delegation met representatives of major US companies interested in investing in the energy sector. Some of them wanted the 36-dollar ceiling on gas prices in Pakistan to be raised.

With Nathu La opening, Buddhist monks see prayers answered

By Syed Zarir Hussain, Gangtok, July 4 (IANS) Thirty-nine-year-old Karma Lama, a Buddhist monk, is engrossed in deep meditation inside the Enchey monastery in India's eastern state of Sikkim.

Alongside the Lama is a group of about 20 Buddhist priests - eyes closed and hands folded, chanting religious hymns. After a while, the group breaks up for lunch, their faces radiant and all of them looking cheerful and happy.

"We all said a prayer now. In fact, this is a special prayer and we have been offering such prayers daily for the past two weeks," Lama told IANS.

The daily special prayers would continue until Thursday when India and China reopens the famed Silk Road for border trade between them. "We prayed so that our dreams of offering prayers at Lhasa becomes a reality. Now with the Silk Road opening once again, we think our prayers are answered," Ongda Lama, another young priest, said.

Trading between the two countries is to begin at the 15,000-foot (4,545 metre) Nathu La Pass on the border between India's Sikkim state and China's Tibet region, the first time since the 1962 border war between the two countries.

"There is excitement everywhere, especially among the Buddhist monks. It is the wish of every Buddhist to one day go to Lhasa and offer prayers at the Potala," Sonam Lama, a tribal Bhutia monk, said.

For the nearly 120,000 Buddhists in this Himalayan state of some 540,000 people, the reopening of the ancient Silk Road is a matter of great excitement. The Potala is Lhasa's cardinal landmark and since its inception in 1600 it remained the home of successive Dalai Lamas - the Tibetan spiritual and temporal leader.

The Buddhists in Sikkim are followers of the Dalai Lama.

The distance from Gangtok to Lhasa is about 483 kilometers (about 300 miles).
"I am now waiting for the day when I can go to Lhasa. We have our religious roots there," Buddhist chantmaster Kunzang Norbu said.

While the local Buddhists welcome the reopening of the Silk Road or trade, there are some apprehensions that Tibetan people would take advantage of the open border to usurp Indian land.

"We must be really watchful and remain vigilant as we cannot allow Tibetans to come and occupy our land in the pretext of tourism, trade or even visiting religious sites," Rajesh Lama, a businessman in Gantok and a Tibetan Buddhist practitioner himself.

Nathu La was a major trading point between the two countries before the 1962 war. It was also one of the main arteries of the Silk Road which historically linked China via Central Asia to Europe. Business would be duty-free when formal trade begins Thursday with India able to export 29 items ranging from textiles and blankets, agricultural implements, liquor, cigarettes, tea, barley, rice, vegetable oil, and local herbs. Chinese trader would be able to trade in 15 items from horses to goats and sheep, yak tail, yak hair, goat skin, wool, and raw silk. A study conducted by the Sikkim government says bilateral trade was expected to reach $ 12 billion by 2015.

'Chhattisgarh will be India's power hub by 2011'

By Sujeet Kumar, Raipur, July 5 (IANS) Chhattisgarh will become India's power hub by 2011 with an additional power generation of 12,000 MW, according to Chief Minister Raman Singh.

"The state has the potential to meet India's growing energy demands for the next 100 years with the total power generation capacity of up to 100,000 MW," Singh told IANS in an interview.

"The state has Rs.440-billion investment in the offing in both public and private sectors and the work for power generation will begin by 2011," he said.

The world's sixth largest power generator, National Thermal Power Corp (NTPC), is expected to start 2,980 MW power generation by December 2009 at its plant at Sipat, near Bilaspur, with an investment of Rs.130 billion.

NTPC already has a 2,100 MW power plant in the Korba region.

"The Sipat first phase will see power generation of 1,980 MW (660MW x 3) and the second phase 1,000 MW (500x2)," an NTPC official said.

The central government will set up a Rs.160-billion ultra mega integrated power project of 4,000 MW at Lara in Raigarh district.

Public sector major Indian Farmers Fertiliser Cooperative Ltd (IFFCO) is also building a 1,000-MW plant in a joint venture with the Chhattisgarh State Electricity Board (CSEB) in Surguja district. The equity holding ratio between the two parties will be 74:26 with an investment of Rs.45 billion. IFFCO inked the deal in June 2005.

Jindal Steel and Power Limited (JSPL) too has announced an investment of Rs.160 billion for 1,000 MW (250x4) power generation before March 2008 from its units that are under construction at Tamnar near Raigarh.

In addition, Essar Steel will bring in an investment of Rs.40 billion for a 1,000-MW power plant to be installed in the same region by 2010.

"Dozens of major private players are lining up with proposals, but only those having plans to set up production units over 1,000 MW will be entertained," the chief minister said.

'Corporate' is about corruption in the business world

New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) After putting high society under the scanner in "Page 3", Madhur Bhandarkar exposes the power and money games played behind closed doors in the business world with "Corporate" that releases Friday.

The film gives an insight into the corporate world, which is more like a battlefield of power hungry people where there are no rules in the fight for wealth, fame and success.

The film revolves around two powerful and ambitious industrialists in the food sector and stars host of actors, including Bipasha Basu, Kay Kay Menon, Rajat Kapoor, Raj Babbar, Minissha Lamba, Sammir Dattani, Harsh Chaaya and Lillete Dubey.

Rajat plays Vinay Sehgal, managing director of Sehgal Group of Industries, who runs his business with a team of competent managers and executives.

His competitor is Dharmesh Marwah (Raj Babbar), managing director of Marwah International Pvt. Ltd. He uses every tactic under the sun to beat Sehgal in the business battleground.

Bipasha Basu plays Nishigandha Dasgupta, an ambitious woman whose career grows in leaps and bounds thanks to her unflinching determination to succeed and right guidance from her mentor. But nothing prepares her for the shocking revelations she finds at the top.

Kay Kay Menon plays Ritesh Sahani, a passionate man with big aspirations. Once he takes up a job, he makes sure he succeeds.

The battle between Sehgal and Marwah gets nasty when the market opens up to international players. Both of them use covert business tactics, manipulate people and abandon moral codes and ethics to win the deal.

Bhandarkar had originally approached Aishwarya Rai for Bipasha's role, but she turned it down due to date problems.

This is Bhandarkar's second film in the proposed trilogy. His first movie "Page 3" exposed the glamorous world of rich and famous. "Corporate" explores the underbelly of business world. And his third film "Traffic Signal" will delve into the lives of common men surviving on the streets of Mumbai.

'Good communication skills necessary to get US visa'

By Prashant K. Nanda, New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) Thousands of Indians every year try their luck for a US visa but most are rejected as they do not arrange their documents properly or lack good communication skills, says a noted Indian economist and immigration consultant.

According to A.C. Vakil, who has authored "Gateway to America" explaining the intricacies of US visa regulations and immigration laws, around half a million plan to travel to the US every year. But only 150,000 "actually realise their cherished dream", says Vakil.

"Over 500,000 people in India seek US visas every year but over 60 percent of them are denied an entry owing to their poor communication skills," Vakil told IANS in an interview.

"They do not arrange their documents properly and even exhibit some negative body language while talking to immigration authorities. They must practise what to talk and what not to before entering the embassy or a consulate office," he said.

Currently there are over two million Indians residing in the US, he estimated. Besides immigration laws, Vakil specialises in various aspects of American life - lifestyle, education, history and political system.

He said that nearly 60 percent of the visa seekers are from south Indian states.

"Compared to north India, south Indians are seeking more US visas. The American Consulate in Chennai is the busiest consulate in the country.

"While south Indians seek visa for a job in IT and IT-enabled services firms, most Punjabis visit the US to meet friends and families. In the last couple of years thousands of nurses from southern India have sought H-1B visa (work visa).

"While in Maharashtra most of the visa seekers are students, in Gujarat the demand is for business visas. Currently around 80,000 Indian students are pursuing their education there and thus helping the US to earn around $2.8 billion per annum," said Vakil, who recently came up with the fifth edition of his book.

"Here the problem is a lack of resourcefulness. Students without qualifying for an offshore university start applying for visa. Some professionals apply for H-1B visas without having bagged an offer from a company. This is utter foolishness and finally leads to visa denial.

"People seeking US visa must first prepare a proper presentation on themselves and on their intention for visiting the US. They must give direct answers on their motive to visit the country. Post Sep 11, 2001, they do not want to take any chances."

"Gateway to America", the first edition of which came out in 1983, gives a comprehensive list of requirements that a visa seeker would love to know before venturing into the US.

It gives necessary details ranging from steps to be taken in applying for immigrant visas, problems of illegal aliens, adjustment problems faced by first timers, tips on student life, financial aid and on what to take on board an aircraft.

The book, divided into seven chapters, has included the more frequently asked questions and answers and tips on the behaviour patterns to be followed in US.

"The book is not only a one-stop shop on visa and immigrations rules but also a guide of immense value and a resourceful reference in every NRI home in the US."

225 journalists crowd into Nathu La

By Syed Zarir Hussain, Nathu La (Sikkim), July 5 (IANS) Indian officials are having a tough time dealing with more than 200 media personnel here to cover the historic reopening of border trade with China.

"Sikkim has never seen such a large number of journalists arriving at the same time," Sonam Wangmo, the state government's media liaison officer, told IANS.

Some 225 journalists, including two dozen reporters and TV crews representing various international media groups, have sought security passes to visit Nathu La, 52 km east of Sikkim's capital Gangtok.

Formal trading between India and China is to begin Thursday at the 15,000 ft Nathu La Pass on the border between India's Sikkim state and China's Tibet region, the first direct trade link since a 1962 border war.

"We are worried as most Indian TV channels are coming with their OB (out broadcast) vans. We don't know where to find parking spaces for some 300 vehicles on Thursday," B.B. Gooroong, adviser to the Sikkim government, said.

Journalists are already crowding the small Nathu La valley in the run-up to the historic event.

"I am not used to travelling in such high altitudes and the drive from Gangtok to Nathu La was a bit tortuous for me," a young TV reporter from New Delhi said.

But for most veterans here, the event is well worth the discomfort.

"Journalists would have tough time transmitting their stories from Nathu La as no mobile connectivity is there. The telecommunication centre put up on the location might not be able to withstand the rush from reporters who would all vie for space to file their copies," said Jigmi Kazi, a senior journalist based in Gangtok.

One young TV journalist working for a popular Hindi channel said it was like a media war here with everyone trying for a scoop.

Adopt global export control standards: minister

New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) India's dual-use industry should institute global standards for complying with export controls as part of its effort to rapidly integrate the country into the global matrix of technology-embedded commerce.

At the same time, Science and Technology Minister Kapil Sibal cautioned that "unless export control regimes permit technology transfers, export control compliance by the industry will remain tactical and inadequate".

He was inaugurating a two-day workshop here to promote awareness within the Indian dual-use industry about international best practices in export control compliance. Dual-use refers to goods and technologies applicable in both military and civilian sectors.

Sibal exhorted the participants at the workshop to devise appropriate mechanisms to promote compliance while also safeguarding sensitive technologies and goods from falling into the wrong hands.

The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and Centre for International Trade and Security (CITS) organised the workshop, which features participants from governments and leading companies of India, the US, Japan and the EU, as also Centre for Information on Security Trade Control (CISTC), Japan's apex NGO specialising in export controls.

The workshop is part of an on-going project at CITS funded by the Japan Foundation, the Centre for Global Partnership (Tokyo and New York) and focuses on promoting industry compliance in China and India. The first workshop was held in Tokyo in March and the next will be held in Beijing in September.

Speaking at the inaugural session, Director General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) K.T. Chacko cited the numerous improvements in the Indian export control system in recent years, including passage of the crucial WMD (Weapons of Mass Destruction) Act in July.

According to him, valuable information about India's dual-use control list and related information helpful to exporters is available in a user-friendly way on the DGFT website.

The workshop will feature presentations on export control systems of the US, Japan, China and EU, and on issues of emerging concern relevant to the industry in complementing governmental efforts to promote trade while safeguarding national and global security.

AIIMS director sacked, medical services affected

New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) The apex decision-making body of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Wednesday sacked its director P. Venugopal following which faculties and resident doctors walked away from work as a mark of protest thus severely affecting emergency services in India's premier hospital.

"Both the emergency and casualty services have stopped functioning and no new patients are being admitted to the hospital after the decision (to sack Venugopal) was taken. Hundreds of resident doctors and students have called for a strike," said Binod Patra, president of the AIIMS resident doctors association.

"This is a case of autocracy on the part of the health minister (Anbumani Ramadoss) and we will continue to protest till Venugopal is reinstated," Patra said, adding they have started referring patients to the nearby Safdarjung Hospital.

"We have two demands - immediate reinstatement of Venugopal as director and removal of the health minister Ramadoss," Anil Sharma, another resident doctor, told reporters.

The decision to oust Venugopal came after three-hour meeting chaired by Ramadoss passed the resolution to remove the director for "violating the code of conduct".

Authorities said the decision would be referred to the government that has the power to either accept or reject the resolution to remove Venugopal.

AIIMS is the most prestigious medical institute of the country that treats over 8,000 patients on any given day.

"We have given a recommendation to the government of India. I don't think I can divulge any details at this point of time," said Ramadoss after the meeting.

Bharatiya Janata Party MP V.K. Malhotra, who is a member of the institute's governing body, said the decision was not unanimous and the issue was discussed even though it was not listed in the agenda.

"It's a black day. One by one they are destroying all autonomous institutions. This is a draconian decision and we condemn it," said Malhotra.

Meanwhile, hundreds of senior faculty members, resident doctors and students close to Venugopal are holding an emergency meeting at AIIMS to decide the future course of action.

"It's a shocking news and we are holding an emergency meeting to decide the future course of action," said K.K. Handa, general secretary AIIMS faculty association.

Venugopal had a public spat Ramadoss, the president of the institute, last month after AIIMS became the epicentre of the anti-quota protest.

While Ramadoss, alleged that "some people" have turned the country's leading medical institute into a "political hub" and warned of action against them, Venugopal accused the minister of curtailing the institute's autonomy.

Many faculty members allege the government was targeting the AIIMS for being at the centre of the protest by resident doctors and medical students against the government's move to increase caste-based quotas in central institutions of higher education.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court Wednesday criticised the government for denying salaries to the medicos for the period they were on strike and asked it to be a "model employer".

Andhra local body polls give boost to TDP

Hyderabad, July 5 (IANS) The results of local body elections in Andhra Pradesh have given new life to the state's main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP).

The ruling Congress got clear majority in 17 districts, while the TDP bagged three zila parishads, or district level local bodies, and came close to taking control of two others.

This was a good showing by the TDP, which was not expected to win even one seat considering its humiliating defeat in the assembly elections and last year's polls to municipalities, or urban civic bodies.

The elections were held in two phases on June 28 and July 2 amid a bitter controversy over voters' list.

The results are significant for the TDP as it regained some lost ground in the Telangana region, where it suffered heavily in the assembly elections.

Apex court to hear pleas on two states' quota policies

New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) The Supreme Court will Friday hear the pleas against the new law on Kerala's professional colleges and two orders of the Andhra Pradesh government on quotas.

Senior counsel Mukul Rohatgi, who appeared for the Kerala Private Medical College Managements Association (KPMCMA), Wednesday submitted before a bench comprising Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal and Justice C.K. Thakker that Kerala's newly enacted law on professional colleges and institutions took away the rights of minorities in the matter of admissions.

The Kerala Professional Colleges (Prohibition of Capitation Fees, Regulation of Admissions, Fixation of Non-Exploitative Fees and Other Measures to Ensure Equity and Excellence in Professional Education) Bill 2006 was passed in the assembly last week.

He said the Kerala government had virtually nationalised the medical education as under the new law it had the power to decide who is a minority. He said the government had been given powers to decide the fee structure and conduct only one Common Entrance Test (CET).

He added: "If states are allowed to pass a law like this, it will have far-reaching consequences and will violate the basic structure of the constitution."

The other petition by Dar-Us-Salam Educational Trust of Hyderabad through its trustee Akbaruddin Owaisi questioned the Andhra Pradesh government's two orders, on May 10 and May 26, regulating admissions to undergraduate courses in engineering, pharmacy, MBA and MCA.

T.M. Mohammed Youseff, the trust's counsel, contended that the orders prescribed that 80 percent seats would be filled by a government agency following the single window system of admission which directly infringed the right of the minority institutions to admit students of their choice.

Arjun virtually destroyed AMU: Azam Khan

New Delhi, July 5: Opposing reservation on the basis of religion, Samajwadi party leader and UP Minister Azam Khan today charged Union Hrd Minister Arjun Singh with "virtually destroying" the Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) by creating an identity crisis for the academic institution.

"Arjun Singh had virtually destroyed the Aligarh Muslim University but it was the Supreme Court which saved it," Khan told a press conference here.

Khan, who is Uttar Pradesh Urban Development and Parliamentary Affairs Minsiter, said, "there should be no reservation on the basis of religion. I had advised Arjun Singh against introducing reservation in AMU on the basis of religion."

He further charged Singh with creating an "identity crisis" for the institution by not bringing in a constitutional amendment before issuing directives regarding the reservation.

"I had urged him to bring a constitutional amendment first and then issue the directives regarding reservation, but he was reluctant. It was the reverse move by Arjun Singh which created identity crisis for the university," Khan, who is an AMU alumnus, said.

The Supreme Court has allowed AMU to continue with its minority status but restrained it from implementing 50 percent quota for Muslim students.

Source: Zee News

BJP leader accused of slapping PWD official

Bhopal, July 5 (IANS) A Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) spokesman in Madhya Pradesh has been accused of slapping a Public Works Department (PWD) official Wednesday for not obeying him.

According to a complaint lodged with the Bhopal police, BJP state spokesman Uma Shankar Gupta allegedly beat up R.C. Chaturvedi, a sub-divisional officer with the PWD.

"Gupta called me and asked why the complaints of the party corporators were not being attended. When I rubbished his charges, saying that all the work was being attended to promptly, he started abusing me and threatened that I would lose my job. When I objected to his filthy language, he slapped me," Chaturvedi told IANS.

On asked whether he would take up the matter with the police or the chief minister, he said: "The police, instead of filing an FIR, has received his complaint. The Madhya Pradesh Rajya Adhikari Sangh (State Officers' Association) is holding a meeting to decide the next course of action."

Gupta, however, has denied slapping or abusing Chaturvedi. "He was supposed to be present at the public grievance redressal that I conduct from time to time. Since he did not turn up for one such camp two days ago, I called him to my residence and asked him to be sincere towards his responsibilities or be prepared to be transferred. That was all," said Gupta.

Gupta, in turn, has accused Chaturvedi of misbehaving with corporators and other people's representatives. Said Gupta: "He has misbehaved with the party corporator Anil Agarwal when the latter urged him do complete some pending work in his area."

Blair asks Muslims to root out extremism

By Prasun Sonwalkar, London, July 5 (IANS) As Britain braces itself for the first anniversary of the July 7 bombings, the Labour government's relations with Muslims continue to be fraught with distrust with Prime Minister Tony Blair urging them to do more to combat extremism within the community.

In several respects, July 7 meant for Britain what Sep 11 was for the United States.

The event led to a rash of new laws to curb extremist activities, and also sparked some well-meaning efforts to redress grievances of the large Muslim minority. But for the average Muslim, the event accentuated the deep sense of suspicion in community relations.

On a day when newspapers led with news of the death of the first British Muslim soldier who had been deployed in Afghanistan, Blair told MPs Tuesday that it was up to moderate Muslims to root out extremism from within the community. He disagreed with Labour MP Sadiq Khan that the government had done little to win the hearts and minds of Muslims since the July 7 bombings.

Pakistani-born Lance Corporal Jabron Hashmi, 24, died along with his comrade Corporal Peter Thorpe in a Taliban attack on their base in the volatile Helmand province on Saturday.

According to Blair, moderate Muslims should stand up to extremism and tell those with 'grievances' against Western countries that they were wrong. The government, he said, cannot alone root out extremism in Muslim communities and defeat the terrorism it creates.

Blair said: "If we want to defeat the extremism, we have got to defeat its ideas and we have got to address the completely false sense of grievance against the West. In the end, the government itself cannot go and root out the extremism in these communities.

"I am probably not the person to go into the Muslim community... It's better that we mobilise the Islamic community itself to do this. We can only defeat it if we have people in the community who are going to stand up and not merely say 'you are wrong to kill people through terrorism... you're wrong in your view of the West, the whole sense of grievance, the ideology is wrong, is profoundly wrong'."

Amidst plans to solemnly commemorate the day of London bombings, officials announced that at least four major attacks in Britain planned since July 7 had been foiled by security forces. There are also reports of extremist elements seeking to infiltrate British intelligence agencies and vice versa.

The recent anti-terror raid on a Muslim family's house in east London based on faulty intelligence has further incensed the Muslim community that sees itself as the target of growing Islamophobia in Britain.

Muslim leaders believe that Blair and his government have failed to engage with young Muslims, many of whom are seen to be radicalised by Britain's military involvement in Iraq and Afghanistan.

Inayat Bunglawala, spokesperson for the Muslim Council of Britain, said the involvement was a "key contributory factor in the radicalisation" of some young Muslims.

He told the BBC: "That said, it is true that extremists often paint a very unfair picture of the West. We all benefit from freedoms and opportunities here that are not exactly plentiful in many Muslim countries."

Meanwhile, a Populus poll for The Times newspaper and ITV News suggests that 13 percent of British Muslims believe the July 7 bombers should be regarded as martyrs, with the other 87 percent disagreeing.

Chidambaram, India Inc. discuss ways to push growth

New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) Finance Minister P. Chidambaram Wednesday assured India Inc. that the laws governing special economic zones would be made more flexible to attract domestic and overseas investment.

During a meeting with representatives of leading chambers, the finance minister also assured that all obstacles in the way of 12-percent industrial growth would be removed and efforts initiated to make the Indian industry globally competitive.

"Special economic zones should be encouraged. They are useful to the country. In the past also we have seen that special economic zones have proved to be a very useful tool for attracting investments," Chidambaram said.

"The government must take up some self-certification process in special economic zones and the usual process of conducting inspections should be taken up only in exceptional cases."

Representatives of the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI), the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) and the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Assocham) were among those who attended the meeting.

The complaints and suggestions made at the meeting included non-availability of long-term debt, poor infrastructure, inflexible labour laws and high state taxes on energy that were hitting the profits of the Indian manufacturing sector.

"I am very seriously thinking about how to solve this. I will also discuss with the state authorities on high taxes on power consumption," Chidambaram said adding, some of the issues will also be taken up with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

During a presentation earlier, FICCI outlined an action plan to create five million jobs per year in the manufacturing sector, push growth to 12 percent and enhance the share of industry in gross domestic product to 30 percent by 2020.

The CII presentation called for deregulating energy, mining, small scale and retail trade industries, reforms in labour and tax laws, increased public investment in infrastructure and supportive policies for food processing and innovation.

Common infections may cause diabetes

London, July 5 (IANS) Common infections may cause diabetes in children and young adults, say scientists who analysed 25 years of data on more than 4,000 young people with type 1 diabetes in Britain's Yorkshire county.

Type 1 diabetes develops when the body fails to produce any insulin to control levels of sugar in the blood, and usually emerges before the age of 40.

The researchers led by Dr Richard McNally from Leeds and Newcastle found clusters of unusually high numbers of cases among 10- to 19-year-olds in certain locations and at certain times, reported the online edition of BBC News.

Common infections and certain environment may have played a role, they argue in the journal Diabetologia.

There are about 250,000 people with type 1 diabetes in Britain, and the number of cases in children is rising by three percent each year.

It has previously been suggested that infections are linked to the development of type 1 diabetes in children who are genetically susceptible to certain environmental triggers.

Scientists have also earlier suspected that common infections could be a trigger for type 1 diabetes in those who are already genetically susceptible.

"This research brings us closer to understanding more about type 1 diabetes," McNally said.

Debt, despair, death are way of life in India's orange bowl

By Probir Pramanik,
Mumbai, July 5 (IANS) Farmers in Maharashtra's Vidharbha region, India's orange bowl, continue to kill themselves due to debt and depression, notwithstanding relief measures announced by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

With the core problems still looming, four more farmers have ended their lives in the region, to take the total number of suicides since June 2005 to 612 - a statistic deeply embarrassing to the central and state governments.

"The prime minister identified the lack of proper irrigation as the root cause of our region's woes, apart from the debt trap and crop failures," said Anand Subedar, an organic farmer from the Yavatmal district.

"But an apathetic state government has overlooked the need for reasonable prices for our yield. The relief package can provide only temporary help. What we need is a long-lasting solution," Subedar told IANS on phone.

"In most cases, a farmer takes a loan only to pay a previous high-interest loan. With cotton, the favourite crop, failing to fetch the right price, our miseries multiply every year."

During his two-day visit to the area last week, Manmohan Singh - who was moved by the sight of weeping farmers - identified several causes for what he said was a "crisis". He announced a Rs.37.5-billion relief package.

"The primary causes seem to be the continual crop failure, low yields, poor irrigation, medical expenses, cost of weddings in families, delays in getting electricity connections and un-remunerative prices," he said Saturday in Nagpur, the main city in a region known for its bountiful production of juicy oranges.

But farmers and social activists point out that the Maharashtra government's advice to farmers in November against repaying loans taken from unauthorised private moneylenders suddenly stopped the cash flow.

"Whatever little relief came from the banks and farms societies have also dried up," lamented Subedar. "Even private money lenders have stopped extending credit to the farmers for fear of facing police cases."

Take the case of Vasant Bhujbal, a farmer from Dharamgaon village. Since he needed money urgently to repay a moneylender, he went to a credit society as the local cooperative bank refused money.

From the Rs.30,000 loan he took from the credit society, Bhujbal paid Rs.15,000 to the moneylender, and wants to use the remaining money to grow cotton, unaware of the debt trap laid out before him.

"By March 2007 Bhujbal will have to repay the principal along with aN 11-percent interest - all this from his three-acre plot. If he fails to repay, he can never get a loan to grow a fresh crop," pointed out social worker Vishwas Kute.

"His only option would be to go back to the private money lender and the vicious cycle will continue. What the government needs is to formulate a crop insurance policy, accessible to all farmers, covering a wide range of risks," Kute added.

The issue has also taken political overtones. Maharashtra's opposition combine of Bharatiya Janata Party and Shiv Sena has demanded that the state waive all loans to debt-ridden farmers in the region.

But Chief Minister Vilasrao Deshmukh has so far rejected the opposition's demand and maintains that one-crop pattern adopted by Vidarbha farmers was one the main reasons for their delicate financial condition.

"The government would try to provide additional sources of income, better irrigation facilities and draw up a plan for agro-industries in the region as a long-term solution," has been Deshmukh's reply to the state assembly.

Emphasising the need to strengthen the cooperative movement in Vidarbha and to provide a safety net to farmers, the chief minister also increased its earlier relief package to Rs.13.31 billion from Rs.10.75 billion.

But farmers, social activists and bankers feel that while these steps may induce confidence among farmers, it would have little impact on the banking system that has taken a hit due to waiver of loans.

"The economics simply does not work out. Even if a farmer gets a bumper crop, at the end of the year, he has to repay the principal and a huge interest," said a manager of a central cooperative bank.

"Then there are other expenses in the family to take care of. For all these basic necessities, the farmer is left with little cash and has to take a fresh loan. This cycle is never ending," he said.

"As a result, the banking system takes a hit - in fact, the loan recovery in this region is a mere 30 to 35 percent."

Discovery lifts off from Cape Canaveral

Washington, July 5 (Xinhua) Space shuttle Discovery lifted off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, on the US Independence Day to become the second space flight after the Columbia disaster in 2003.

The shuttle, carrying seven crewmembers, soared into the partly cloudy skies Tuesday in a thunderous blast of smoke and fire at the scheduled time 2.38 p.m. (1838 GMT)

Two minutes after launch, Discovery's solid rocket boosters cleanly separated from the shuttle.

This is the 18th US flight to the International Space Station (ISS) and the 32nd flight for Space Shuttle Discovery, and also the first manned launch by the US on the nation's birthday.

During the 12-day mission, the crew will test new equipment and procedures to improve shuttle safety, as well as make crucial repairs to the station. At least two space walks are planned.

"The performance of Discovery's external tank has greatly improved," US Space Shuttle Programme Manager Wayne Hale said at NASA's Kennedy Space Centre after the successful launch.

Based on early analysis of photographs taken during ascent, just a few items have been identified for further study. Some involve debris particles shed by the massive orange tank. The particles observed were small, and all occured after the time frame - up to two minutes, 15 seconds into ascent - that engineers consider being the most aerodynamically sensitive time for the shuttle.

About fifteen minutes into the flight, astronauts on board Discovery filmed a large piece of ice tumbling away from the orbiter. The ice, which forms on the exterior of the main engines, has been observed on previous flight and is not considered an issue.

"We don't see any concern for the orbiter," said Hale and added that in the coming days, the crew will take a closer look at Discovery using the orbiter boom sensor system as well a slow back flip that will allow further photography of the orbiter from the ISS.

Two prior launch attempts, on Saturday and Sunday, were postponed due to storm clouds. Some technical problems had also sprung up before Tuesday's lift-off, including a crack found on external fuel tank and a foam that came off from the crack, but after a series of data analyses, NASA decided to go ahead with the launch.

Don't take Left support for granted: Pandhe

Bhopal, July 5 (IANS) Accusing the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government of being "anti-people", the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Wednesday warned it not take the Left parties' support for granted.

Addressing a press conference here, CPI-M politburo member M.K. Pandhe said the common man had been hit hard by rising prices of essential commodities, caused by "wrong policies" of the government, which "was violating the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) despite regular warnings by the Left".

The UPA government is supported from outside by the Left parties.

Pandhe said his party was going to organise a nationwide campaign next month to protest the government policies.

"During the protests, issues directly concerning the common people would be taken up," he said.

Pandhe demanded a ban on the forward trading in essential commodities, blaming it for the steep hike in the prices of food grains.

The government should instead pay more attention to strengthening the Public Distribution System, he said.

EU presidetn calls on Israel to release Palestinian officials

BERLIN, July 2 (NNN-Xinhua) -- Israel should release detained Palestinian officials and the Palestinian side should free immediately an Israeli soldier, said Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen on Saturday, whose country has just assumed the European Union (EU)'s rotating presidency.

In an interview with Germany's Die Welt newspaper, Vanhanen urged the Palestinian militants to immediately release the Israeli solider captured during a predawn attack on an Israeli outpost near Gaza border on Sunday.

Israel retaliated by sending troops into the Gaza region, launching airstrikes and arresting Palestinian officials.

Vanhanen said Israel must halt its military operations, free the Palestinian ministers and members of parliament and stop destroying civilian infrastructure in the Palestinian territories.

He stressed that negotiation is the only way to solve the problem.
Finland took over from Austria the rotating presidency of the 25-member EU on Saturday. – NNN-Xinhua

Exposure to rodents may protect against asthma

London, July 5 (IANS) Exposure to certain animals, including rodents, may provide protection against asthma, say experts, disproving theories that they trigger the disease.

Dr. Meinir Jones and her team at Imperial College, London, studied 689 lab workers who had antibodies in their blood specifically produced in response to rodent allergens.

They found the workers had a twofold reduced risk of developing work-related chest symptoms than those who had only non-specific antibodies in their blood, reported the online edition of BBC News.

Furthermore, the ratios of rodent-specific antibodies were highest in those lab workers who had handled the greatest number of rodents.

The study, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, supports the "hygiene hypothesis" of asthma and allergic diseases.

According to the hygiene hypothesis, exposure to naturally occurring infections and microbes might essentially immunise against the development of asthma and allergies.

Exposure to certain animals may prevent rather than trigger asthma and allergies, the researchers said.

A recent study found early childhood exposure to cats increased eczema risk, whilst early exposure to dogs appeared to be protective.

A spokeswoman from Asthma UK said although the work was helpful, more research was still needed.

"This research helps us understand the risks people may face when working with animals. However, we still have much to learn about allergen exposure and the risk of developing asthma."

Germany just cannot beat Italy when it matters

Dortmund, July 5 (DPA) Italy maintained their incredible record of never having lost a competitive match against Germany Tuesday, beating the hosts 2-0 in the World Cup semi-final here.

The match finished scoreless at the end of 90 minutes and just as it looked like it the game would go to a penalty shootout up popped Fabio Grosso and Alessandro Del Piero with two late goals to seal a final date in Berlin with France or Portugal, who meet Wednesday in Munich in the other semi-final.

It is not surprising Italy were still pushing for a winner so late in extra time as the Azzurri have gone out of three of the last four World Cups via the dreaded penalty shootout.

Germany are the undisputed champions of the World Cup penalty shootout. In fact, they have never lost one, the latest win coming in the quarter-final elimination of Argentina.

Italy meanwhile, have gone out of three out of the last four World Cups via penalty shootouts, and have yet to win a World Cup tie when it goes the distance.

Roberto Donadoni and Aldo Serena failed in the shootout against Argentina in the semi-final of the 1990 World Cup on home soil while four years later Italy went one better and made it to the final before going out to Brazil in the same manner.

This time Franco Baresi, Daniele Massaro and most notably Roberto Baggio missed their spot kicks.

There was no joy for the Azzurri at France '98 either as the hosts and eventual winners prevailed in a quarter-final shootout after the match was still scoreless after 120 minutes. Demetrio Albertini was the culprit in the Stade de France in Paris.

Germany went into this match never having lost here in 14 previous matches, winning 13 of them, but Italy also had a record to defend - undefeated against Germany in competitive football.

Italy's last World Cup title in 1982 was celebrated with a final win over Germany in Madrid when the Azzurri with the likes of Dino Zoff, Claudio Gentile and Paolo Rossi prevailed 3-1.

The Italians could even afford to see Antonio Cabrini miss a first half penalty thanks to goals from Marco Tardelli, Alessandro Altobelli and the tournament's top scorer Rossi.

The two sides met at the semi-final stage of the 1970 tournament, where Italy won 4-3 after extra time in one of the most extraordinary games in football history.

Franz Beckenbauer played on with a dislocated shoulder and despite Karl-Heinz Schnellinger's last-minute equaliser for 1-1 in normal time and two goals from striking legend Gerd Muller in extra time, efforts from Tarcisio Burgnich, Luigi Rivera and Gianni Rivera sealed an incredible 4-3 win.

The first World Cup meeting between the sides came in 1962 in Santiago, which finished in a scoreless draw. The group match between the teams at the 1978 tournament in Argentina also finished scoreless.

Both their encounters in European championship football have also ended in draws.

Immigrants learn how to become US citizens

Washington, July 5 (IANS) A large number of immigrants from India, China, Taiwan and El Salvador among others turned up at a Citizenship Day workshop in California to learn the right way to get American citizenship in view of the new US Customs and Immigration Services (USCIS) guidelines.

Organized by Seva, an NGO run by an Indian lawyer, at the Family Resource Center in Fremont, California, on Friday, it even had interpreters to help hard of hearing immigrants. One such person was a deaf woman from El Salvador who has had trouble gaining citizenship for 14 years.

As immigration in the US is in the process of being changed, founder Anu Peshawaria, Harsh Chabra, an attorney of Immigration and Business Services, and other volunteers advised the immigrants to educate themselves so they understand their situation more clearly, a Seva release said.

It's a good time for green-card holders to get their citizenship too in case the laws change in a way that would affect them negatively, said Peshawaria a Supreme Court lawyer and state bonded immigration specialist.

Drawing attention to a recent USCIS notice warning customers of potential immigration fraud, she advised the community to be wary of any organizations that claim they can assist in applying for benefits that do not exist.

They should also desist from paying any fees or fines to any person or organization claiming they can help apply for or receive benefits for a temporary worker programme, she said.

The workshop included a Citizenship Presentation, a question/answer room, a raffle to benefit ongoing Seva Legal Aid Projects, and games and prizes.

India plans to set up science commission

New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) India's Planning Commission has recommended a national science commission be set up to improve dissemination of scientific news and regulate various science organisations in the country.

"We think only research in the field of science and technology is not enough and dissemination of information is also very important. The research and its benefit must reach the common man and the proposed commission can look into this aspect," Planning Commission Member (Science And Technology) V.L. Chopra said.

"We have recommended the proposal in the 11th Five Year Plan, which will come into effect from 2007. The wing that advises the Prime Minister's Office on matters related to science has also supported our recommendation," Chopra told IANS on the sideline of a bio-safety workshop for science journalists and writers here Wednesday.

Chopra, a leading scientist, said some of the science councils in the states were dormant and "the commission will try to energise and equip them" for bettering the country's science and technology sector.

"The commission will also try to set up units in the districts to promote science in the grassroots level," he maintained.

Chopra, who has made significant contributions to genetic research, said opposition to BT cotton and other genetically modified crops was not always in the interest of progress.

"Technology cannot be blamed for any mishap. Genetically modified crops are a scientific way to improve crop production. India must produce enough crop to feed its over a billion population and we cannot improve the production without adopting new technologies," he maintained.

The two-day journalists/writers workshop on bio-safety was organised by the Indian Science Writers Association, ministry of environment and forest and science technology and Development Initiative, a conglomerate of journalist and scientists.

The workshop aims to bridge the communication gap between journalist and scientists.

India third largest investor in Britain

Mumbai, July 5 (IANS) Indian companies nearly doubled their investments in Britain during 2005-06 to emerge as the third largest overseas investor in that country.

According to the UK Inward Investment Report, Indian companies invested 1.02 billion pounds during the year.

"India is now the third largest investor in the UK with Indian foreign investment projects into the UK increasing by a staggering 110 percent in 2005-06," Mark Dolan, British trade and investment deputy director (inward investment) for India, told a news conference while releasing the report here.

"During 2005-06, the UK recorded a total of 76 investment projects from India, creating 1,449 jobs.

"The flow of Indian investments into the UK has turned from a trickle in the late 1990s to a flood, with the scope and breadth of projects rapidly expanding. While ICT (information and communication technology) remains the dominant sector for investment, there was strong growth in investments in pharmaceuticals and engineering too," Dolan said.

"At the same time, more Indian companies are looking outside London reflecting the deepening of our investment relationship."

The big rise was due to the Indian investors taking advantage of Britain's expertise in high-value activities such as R&D, science, cutting-edge technology, innovative design and as a base for European headquarters, he said.

The report said 1,217 foreign companies from around the world chose to invest in Britain during 2005-06, which was a 14.3 percent increase over the previous year.

"The US with 446 projects, Japan with 84 projects and India with 76 projects are the top three investors," it said.

The 76 new projects from India include 39 from Mumbai-based firms, 10 from New Delhi, 22 from Bangalore, Chennai and Hyderabad, and five from Kolkata.

"Indian investment into the UK is now being given the recognition it deserves. This inward investment is amply exemplified by HCL that has created local employment of over 2,000 people and has contributed and made a tangible difference to the local economies in its own way," said HCL corporate vice-president (Europe) Rajeev Sawhney.

Other major Indian investors in Britain include Nicholas Piramal, Mahindra & Mahindra, State Bank of India, the Apeejay Surrendra Group, Essel Propack and the Godrej Group.

Nicholas Piramal, one of India's largest innovative healthcare and pharma solutions firm, acquired the global marketing rights and technical know-how of Inhalation Anaesthetics business from Rhodia Organique Fine Ltd of Britain for 8.9 million pounds in 2005.

It also completed a 100 percent acquisition of another British company, Avecia Pharmaceuticals Ltd, for 9.5 million pounds during the same year. It also bought 25 percent equity in Reaxa Ltd, a technology company based in Manchester.

Nicholas Piramal recently acquired a manufacturing plant from drug giant Pfizer in Northumberland, gaining a strong foothold in the British bio-pharma sector.

Mahindra & Mahindra, the flagship company of the Mahindra Group, recently acquired British firm Stokes Forgings for an estimated 7.5 million pounds.

Essel Propack Ltd, the largest speciality packaging company in the world with an estimated 32 percent global market share, acquired Arista Tubes and Telcon Packaging in Britain for a combined value in excess of 6.4 million pounds.

"Essel plans fresh investments worth 2.7 million pounds in Britain to manufacture laminated and seamless tubes catering to the oral care, cosmetics, personal care, pharmaceutical, food and industrial sectors," Dolan said.

The Godrej Group, a leading name in engineering and consumer products in India, has a presence in Britain through Godrej International, its trading arm.

Godrej Consumer Products recently acquired Keyline Brands, a London-based consumer products company, for 16 million pounds.

Dolan said that companies from Kolkata too see Britain as an investment destination with great potential.

"The Apeejay Surrendra Group, one of the largest producers of tea in India with a workforce of 40,000, acquired Typhoo, a 100-year-old iconic British brand, at 80 million pounds," he said.

"This was India's second largest global FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods) acquisition and the seventh biggest corporate takeover by an Indian company to date," he added.

India to import more kerosene

New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) India will import 60,000 tonnes of kerosene within the next fortnight to bridge the shortfall in the requirements of the public distribution system (PDS), Petroleum Minister Murli Deora said here Wednesday.

"We have instructed the oil marketing companies to import kerosene and build up buffer stocks as there are reports of the shortfall. We should ensure that people do not suffer," said Deora.

Petroleum Secretary M.S. Srinivasan said the shortfall was due to private refineries not providing adequate supplies.

Alongside attempts to ensure adequate supplies through PDS meant for economically weaker sections, plans were afoot to curb diversion of the subsidised kerosene for adulteration of diesel and petrol, the minister said.

This might see the petroleum ministry pushing the oil companies to put in place a mechanism to check adulteration with the use of markers that make any dilution in purity of kerosene easy to detect, said Srinivasan.

While India needs around 300,000 tonnes of kerosene every quarter for supplies through the PDS, 240,000 tonnes have been imported so far, leading to a shortfall of around 60,000 tonnes.

Unlike petrol and diesel, which are indigenously produced for domestic consumption, India imports a large part of its requirement of kerosene both for the PDS distribution and commercial sale. The annual PDS requirement of kerosene is around 1.2 million tonnes.

India, Argentina to boost trade, political ties

New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) India and Argentina Wednesday agreed to boost political and business ties between them and cooperate on global issues like reform of the United Nations.

Argentina's Minister of Foreign Relations, International Trade and Worship Jorge Enrique Taiana met Indian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Anand Sharma here and discussed an entire array of bilateral and global issues, including specific steps to augment trade relations between the two countries.

Taiana is here on a five-day visit with a 80-member delegation, including senior officials and 50 top businessmen. This is the largest-ever Argentinian delegation to visit this country. The delegation had earlier visited Mumbai before coming here.

Taiana will call on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh later in the evening.

The Confederation of Indian Industries (CII) will organize a seminar Thursday that will focus on boosting trade and investment opportunities between the two countries.

India's exports to Argentina last year was estimated to be $269 million and imports were valued at $746 million.

India's main exports to Argentina include engineering products, vehicles, auto-parts, two-wheelers and chemicals. Soya oil accounts for 80 per cent of the total imports from Argentina. The other imports include leather, wool, paper pulp, minerals and metals.

India has concluded a Preferential Trade Agreement (PTA) with Mercosur - a South American trading bloc comprising Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay, Uruguay and Venezuela.

Indian Bank to expand Singapore ops on ACU platform

Singapore, July 5 (IANS) Indian Bank is planning to expand its operations here by using its newly launched Asian Currency Unit (ACU).

A report in the Today newspaper quoted the public sector Indian Bank's chairman and chief executive Kamalesh Chandra Chakrabarty as saying that the bank would leverage its ACU, launched last month, to expand its international operations hub in this city-state.

The ACU in Singapore is an operational unit within a bank that can accept deposits and extend loans in any other currency other than in Singapore dollars. Though it is part of the larger licensed bank, it has to maintain a separate account under Monetary Authority of Singapore rules.

"Singapore has established itself in the world arena as a financial centre and we want to leverage that advantage and do more business through the ACU. In our scheme of things today, it's very important," Chakrabarty told the newspaper.

Indian Bank, which has been operating in Singapore since 1941, holds a foreign full banking licence in the country. The licence allows the bank to deal in Singapore dollars. The other Indian banks to hold this licence are Bank of India (BoI), Uco Bank and Indian Overseas Bank (IOB).

Chennai-headquartered Indian Bank is the second bank after BoI to launch an ACU.

According to Chakrabarty, since the statutory reserves requirement for a bank is not applicable to the ACU, the bank would be able to do its international business more efficiently and profitably.

"We are now in a position to do both offshore business, through the ACU, and local business. In case we need to finance a company in the Middle East, we can do it from Singapore. Internationalisation of our financing portfolio will get enlarged through this route," he was quoted as saying.

However, he said that the bank is not yet planning to apply for a qualifying full-banking (QFB) licence in Singapore. This licence allows a foreign bank to open up to 25 branches and offsite ATMs in Singapore.

SBI and ICICI Bank are the only two Indian banks that have applied for QFB licence here.

According to the Comprehensive Economic Cooperation Agreement (CECA) signed between India and Singapore last year, banks of each country are allowed greater access to the other country. The pact allows three Singapore banks to open up to 15 branches in India, while a maximum of three Indian banks can get QFB status here.

Indian banks, however, do not get automatic entry into Singapore and have to meet the criteria set out by the Monetary Authority of Singapore.

As of now, eight Indian banks are operating in Singapore.

Indians comprise about eight percent of Singapore's population of over four million.

Iran asks for inter-religion cooperation to solve int'l crises

Moscow, July 4, IRNA ,Head of Iran's Global Assembly for Proximity of Islamic Schools of Thought, Ayatollah Mohammad-Ali Taskhiri, said here at International Conference of Heads of Monotheist Religions that cooperation among leaders and followers of all faiths is needed to solve international crises.

Taskhiri who was the second speaker at the international event and spoke on behalf of the Islamic World after the host and keynote speaker, President Vladimir Putin, also stressed that such cooperation would be the cornerstone for rationalism, and added that the means for solving those problems would be holding dialogues.

He added, "Cooperation, mutual respect, and lenience are the major elements required for holding meaningful dialogues, and such dialogues and interactions can strengthen the foundations of faith, justice, and spirituality, that are also the objectives of all true religions."
The Head of Proximity Assembly reiterated, "Islam considers rationalism, cooperation, and holding dialogues, as models for religious conduct, and those were the points stressed in late founder f the Islamic Republic of Iran, Imam Khomeini's famous letter to the former leader of the former Soviet Union."
Taskhiri as the representative of the Islamic delegations at the conferences appreciated the Russian President for his country's sponsoring of the international religious event, particularly stressing, "We appreciate the chance to get closer with our Christian brethren."
The Moscow International Conference of Heads of Monotheist religions began its activities on Monday in the presence of the Russian President and 150 religious leaders from 140 countries around the globe, including Muslims, Christians, Judaists, Buddhists, Zoroastrians, and Shinto leaders.

President Putin said in his address, "The main objective of all monotheist religions has been the establishment of peace and justice in the world, but ethnic, religious and tribal crises are among the major threats against global peace and stability today."
He considered dialogue among religions and the existing spirit of brotherhood among them as the best manifestation of the ideals of the monotheist faiths, adding, "leading the international campaign against terrorism, and hoisting the flag for global peace and stability should be the major slogans of the monotheist faiths today."
Islamic Republic of Iran's Ambassador to Moscow, Gholam-Reza Ansari and the Cultural Attache of our country there, Mahdi Imanipour were among the guests at the three day international event on the eve of the G8 Summit there.

Israeli rocket hits Palestinian interior ministry

Gaza, July 5 (Xinhua) The Palestinian interior ministry was targeted by Israeli forces for the second time as an air-to-ground rocket was fired early Wednesday at its building in Gaza City.

Witnesses said that a huge explosion was heard after a rocket was fired by a reconnaissance pilotless drone, which had directly hit the third and fourth floors of the interior ministry.

This is the second time that Israeli forces have attacked the interior ministry building within the last four days.

Witnesses said that the Israeli drones fired another rocket at an elementary school run by the Hamas movement in a northern Gaza City neighbourhood, causing severe damage to the school. No injuries were reported as the school was empty.

The Israeli military offensive called Summer Rains is aimed at freeing an Israeli soldier that was abducted by militants during an armed ambush carried out into an Israeli army base southeast of Gaza Strip last week.

Italy through to the final after beating Germany

Dortmund, July 5 (DPA) Italy Tuesday advanced to the final of the World Cup with a last-gasp 2-0 victory here in extra time against the hosts Germany.

Fabio Grosso opened the scoring in the 119th minute after the German defence failed to clear a corner. Allesandro Del Piero added a second in injury time to put the victory beyond doubt.

The second finalist will be determined in the other semi-final Wednesday in Munich between France and Portugal.

Both coaches made changes to the sides that had won their respective quarter- final matches.

German coach Juergen Klinsmann brought on Sebastian Kehl for suspended midfielder Torsten Frings, while Werder Bremen's Tim Borowski lined up in place of Bastian Schweinsteiger.

Klinsmann's Italian counterpart Marcello Lippi introduced Marco Materazzi, who had been suspended for the 3-0 quarter-final win against Ukraine, for Andrea Barzagli.

The first half was a very tactical affair as neither side wanted to risk too much going forward and as a result there were hardly any chances.

Italy came close to opening the score in the 16th minute when Francesco Totti sent through Simone Perotta, but the English-born midfielder pushed the ball forward too far and goalkeeper Jens Lehmann was quick off his line to thwart the danger.

The hosts, who were seeking a historic eighth final appearance, concentrated their play on playing high balls into the area for the tournament's top scorer Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski, but the Italian central defenders Fabio Cannavaro and Materazzi easily managed to deal with all the attacks.

Ten minutes from the break Germany had their best opportunity of the first half through Bernd Schneider after Andrea Pirlo had given the ball away. Klose unselfishly layed off to the right, but the Bayer Leverkusen midfielder ballooned his shot over the bar.

Klose came close five minutes after the restart when he beat Gennaro Gattuso and Cannavaro but Italian goalkeeper Gianluigi Buffon rushed off his line to prevent the Germans from going ahead.

As the match progressed the Italians started playing five or six players behind the ball and relying on counter-attacks, without really putting Germany under any pressure.

The game then went into extra time.

Italy came agonizingly close to scoring 39 seconds into extra-time as substitute Alberto Gilardino beat defender Christoph Metzelder and pushed the ball past Lehmann but saw it bounce against the upright and roll across the goalmouth.

A minute later Gianluca Zambrota hit the crossbar with a long range effort after a corner.

In the second half of extra time Germany looked the more eager side, but failed to break through the compact Italian defence and Italy snatched victory with two late goals.

Jharkhand minister accused of patronising criminals

Ranchi, July 5 (IANS) Jharkhand assembly speaker Inder Singh Namdhari has accused the state's home minister Sudesh Mahto of patronising criminals.

"The home minister is inducting criminals into his party. He is also pressurising the police to remove honest officers from its force so that the criminals patronised by him can go scot free," said Namdhari while addressing a rally Tuesday in the state's Palamau district, which is his home constituency.

He asserted that till the time he represents Palamau, no criminals would be allowed to "hold the district to ransom".

Namdhari, a Janata Dal-United (JD-U) member, is a long-standing legislator from Palamau.

Namdhari said that criminals joining the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), to which Mahto belongs, are threatening police and government officials.

"The home minister should work to improve the law and order situation in the state. But here, the home minister is exploiting officers and his men are threatening officials. The situation is alarming and not good for the health of the state," he remarked.

Reacting to these accusations, Mahto Wednesday said: " The charges levelled by the speaker are political in nature. I always take the views of Namdhari in a positive manner and act upon them."

He added: " Namdhari sees the political expansion of my party as a threat. His statement is a reaction to my party expansion in his district". He brushed away these allegations as being completely "baseless".

Kerala to get a Global Village

Kochi, July 5 (IANS) Kerala is set to get a Global Village complex costing Rs.1 billion (around $22 million) to bring together Malayalis from around the world.

It would include a residential complex, educational institutions, resorts and medical facilities. The mega project, an initiative of the World Malayalee Council (WMC), would be built at the picturesque Kuttikannam in Idukki district.

WMC is a global community organisation, providing a meeting point for Malayalis. The concept of Global Village is to be showcased at the WMC Global Conference here Aug 1-7.

Organisers expect around 500 Malayalis from 40 countries and at least 1,500 from within the country to attend.

Said Sabu Karikkassery, president of WMC, Kochi: "We are planning to set aside 25 acres for plantation activities. This is being visualised as the ideal place for people who prefer to spend their retired life in peace.

"The Global Village is going to be a project in which all Malayalis would be able to buy shares. The first phase would be ready in three years, the second in seven years from now," Karikkassery told IANS.

WMC was formed in 1995 in New Jersey in the US.

Madrasas up for a makeover

New Delhi: The contrast between the various educational institutions in India is too evident and it is time that Indian madrasas started looking like a 21st century school.

And this is what the National Commission for Minority Education Institution (NCMEI) wants the Human Resource Development Ministry to do � to bring the madrasas under a centralised umbrella board like the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE).

So, could this be the step to modernise madrasa education all over the country?

"The Central Madrasa Board will speed up the modernisation of the madarasas. We feel that a board like this will help the Muslim community," Chairman, NCMEI, Justice M S A Siddiqui said.

It’s been an experiment that has been hugely successful in West Bengal. The state madrasa board has even helped UNICEF to launch polio eradication programmes in Muslim dominated areas.

So, like the CBSE, the commission proposes to have a board that would conduct exams and give passing out certificates that are recognised across the country.

Modernisation of the curriculum to bring uniformity in madrasa education is being proposed by channelising grants and aid from the Centre and the states.

"If the Central Madrasa Board takes care of these issues then there should be not be any problem," educationist, Kamal Farroqi said.

However, a section of the religious leadership is still not convinced. The fear obviously is Government interference in running the madrasas, especially in imparting religious education.

"We don't consider anyone in the Government to be competent to prescribe any course for our religious institutions," Muslim Personal Law Board’s Zafaryab Jilani said.

It's the kind of skepticism that has for long been a hurdle in the minority education roadmap. A beginning has been made but a consensus still eludes Muslim education in India.

Source: IBN Live

Musharraf opens dry port for Sino-Pak border trade

Islamabad, July 5 (IANS) Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has opened a "dry port" to facilitate border trade with China in Sust in the Northern Areas, a move that came two days before China and India resume trading through Nathu La in Sikkim Thursday.

Located 11,000 feet above sea level, the Chinese-built dry port at Sust, 87 km from Khunjarab Pass and 455 km from the Chinese city of Kashgar, was opened Tuesday.

It would earn Rs.1.5 billion revenue annually and enhance trade between the two countries as well as help control smuggling, The News reported from Gilgit.

Pakistan would import auto parts, watches, toys, crockery and garments amongst other things from China, while exporting cotton, cloth, dry fruit, dates and leather goods.

Inaugurating the port, Musharraf dwelt on Pakistan's "central geo-strategic location at the heart of regions, including Western parts of China, Central Asian states, Afghanistan, Iran, India and the oil-rich Gulf countries". He said he saw a pivotal role for Pakistan in enhancing trade between them.

"Such is Pakistan's geo-strategic strength it would play a vital role in promoting trade between members of major regional groupings, including SAARC, Economic Cooperation Organisation and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation. Trade interaction between the regional countries has to take place through Pakistan," Musharraf underlined.

The Pakistan president pointed out that the new dry port facility was part of an elaborate infrastructure network being put in place across Pakistan. Improvements in the Karakoram highway would provide China the shortest access to the Middle East and other world markets through Pakistani deep-sea ports like Gwadar.

Pakistan, he said, would become a trade and energy corridor for China and landlocked Central Asian countries.

Musical show to kick off World Cup final

Berlin, July 5 (DPA) Singer Shakira and rapper Wyclef Jean are expected to perform in a 30-minute show before the start of the World Cup final in the Olympic stadium here Sunday.

Spanish tenor Placido Domingo will sing a song composed by his son Placido Domingo Jr. during the half-time break at football's pinnacle event.

The stadium, which has a capacity of 72,000, has been sold out months ago. The final, between Italy and either France of Portugal, will be beamed around the world to a television audience of more than one billion.

Among the foreign political dignitaries present will be South African President Thabo Mbeki and UN Secretary General Kofi Annan.

South Africa hosts the next World Cup in 2010. FIFA, football's governing body, has engaged Annan to promote the tournament after his term at the UN expires at the end of the year.

Placido Domingo, an avid football fan, has attended every World Cup final since 1982, when Italy beat Germany 3-1 in Rome.

Talking about this year's tournament, he said: "The standard has been mediocre, it has not lived up to expectations."

The knock out rounds "caused a lot of teams to play nervously", he told DPA. In particular, he found the performance of the Brazilian team and Spain disappointing.

North Korea tests six missiles

Tokyo/Washington, July 5 (DPA) North Korea launched six missiles early Wednesday, including a long-range Taepodong-2 missile capable of hitting the US coast, sparking strong responses from across the globe.

However, the US government said the Taepodong-2 rocket failed in mid-air within one minute of launch, adding that President George W. Bush had been informed of the launches and was consulting with his advisors.

The long-range missile was the third out of six tests carried out, the White House confirmed. The other tests were of Nedong and Skud medium and short-range missiles, all of which landed in the Sea of Japan.

The first two reportedly short-range missiles, launched at 3.33 a.m. (1933 GMT) and shortly after 4.00 a.m. respectively, landed in the Sea of Japan about 600 km off the Japanese coast. The Taepodong-2 missile was reportedly launched at 5.01 a.m.

Japanese government spokesperson Shinzo Abe, in a hastily arranged press conference, said Japan regretted North Korea's decision to go ahead with the tests.

A crisis meeting of the Japanese government was under way to evaluate North Korea's move and consider its response. South Korea issued no immediate reaction to the launches.

The US, South Korea and Japan all had suspected North Korea was fuelling a Taepodong-2 missile, with an estimated range of more than 6,000 km and capable of carrying a nuclear warhead to parts of the US.

Countries in the region, as well as the US, had repeatedly warned North Korea against such a test launch, threatening serious repercussions. Japan and the US had threatened economic sanctions should the missile launch go ahead.

US National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley called the tests "provocative behaviour," but added that they marked "no immediate threat" to the US.

Assistant Secretary of State and special envoy Christopher Hill would be sent to the region Wednesday to consult with US allies, the White House said.

"In doing this, the North Koreans have once again isolated themselves," White House spokesman Tony Snow said, adding that the US was committed to a diplomatic solution.

The UN Security Council is expected to meet in New York later Wednesday to discuss the international community's response to the missile tests.

Australian Prime Minister John Howard also condemned North Korea's missile launches and urged China to exert pressure on its reclusive neighbour to get six-party talks back in session.

"It's an extremely provocative act by North Korea," Howard said. "Australia wants North Korea to go back immediately to the six-party talks."

North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the US are the six parties represented at the stalled talks on North Korea's nuclear and missile programme.

Australia is one of the few nations with diplomatic ties to North Korea and has played the role of an intermediary in negotiations between Pyongyang and US allies.

North Korea in 1998 shocked the region by firing without warning a long-range Taepodong-1 missile over the Japanese island, landing in the Pacific Ocean, but had agreed to a moratorium on missile testing in 1999.

Nuclear deal will boost US military sales to India

By Arun Kumar, Washington, July 5 (IANS) If Congress approves the India-US nuclear deal, it would cement a historic new alliance between the two countries and open the doors to billions of dollars worth of high-tech and military sales to the South Asian nation, says an American daily.

Boston Globe suggested that the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) spent more than $1 million on fact-finding trips to India for members of the US Congress, their staff, and spouses and on lobbying Congress to lift the ban on nuclear commerce with India.

"It is clear that business interests and US defence contractors and former US officials involved in South Asia policy have been working hard to push this deal," said Daryl Kimball, executive director of the Arms Control Association.

"History has shown that US non-proliferation policy has consistently been compromised by interests in maintaining good relations or expanding business ties."

Few deny that the prospect of business opportunities worth billions of dollars helped fuel the deal, the paper said. For Indian entrepreneurs, it is an opportunity to make money on privatised nuclear power plants and buy high-tech equipment that has been restricted for decades.

For US businesses, it is a chance to invest in India's rapidly growing energy sector, to sell supplies to Indian nuclear reactors, and - for the first time - to have a shot at large-scale military contracts.

"I believe that all things being equal, we will get a considerable portion of the $20 (billion) to $40 billion in acquisition that the Indians plan on making by 2020," said Raymond Vickery, a senior adviser to the US-India Business Council.

Vickery said congressional approval of the deal would give Lockheed Martin a reasonable chance to get a $4 billion to $9 billion contract to supply 126 combat fighter planes to India's Navy, a contract that India would have been unlikely to approve while sanctions were in place.

Westinghouse, whose nuclear division is based in Western Pennsylvania, could help India build a civilian nuclear reactor, and Atlanta-based General Electric would be well placed to get a contract to supply India's reactors with nuclear fuel, Vickery said.

The business prospects have spurred the US-India Business Council, which represents 200 US businesses operating in India, to hire heavyweight lobbying firm Patton Boggs to work on the issue and hold strategy meetings about how to approach sceptics on Capitol Hill. Reports on the expenses of the American group's lobbying on India have not been filed.

But one of the quietest and most persistent efforts to influence Congress on India policy has come from the Indian industrial lobby CII, which represents some of India's most profitable companies, Boston Globe claimed.

The group was among the top international organisations paying for congressional travel between 2000 and 2005, even though they were not registered to lobby at the time, according to a review of congressional disclosure records conducted by the Center for Public Integrity, a non-profit research organisation in Washington.

During that period, they paid more than $538,000 in travel expenses for trips by 19 Congress members, 11 spouses, and 58 congressional staffers, according to the records.

Of the 50 members serving on the House Foreign Relations Committee, eight had trips to India paid for by CII, travelling or sending a staffer. One of the eight, Representative Barbara Lee, a California Democrat, voted against the proposal last week when the committee overwhelmingly approved the deal.

In April 2005, the Confederation registered to lobby for the first time, paying Barbour Griffith & Rogers, a well-connected lobbying firm, $520,000 to lobby US government agencies, including Congress, the White House, the State Department, and the Department of Defense.

Robert Blackwill, who served as ambassador to India and deputy national security adviser under Bush, was hired by the firm to run the effort. A former foreign policy staffer for Senator Chuck Hagel assisted. In September 2005, the embassy of India also hired the firm, paying $240,000, Boston Globe said.

Opposition gets together to stymie Musharraf's re-election

Islamabad, July 5 (IANS) Leaders of Pakistan's major opposition parties plan to meet in London later this week in what is another significant move to prevent President Pervez Musharraf from getting a second term as president, media reports said.

Exiled prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif would be joined by Qazi Hussain Ahmed of the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) in the meeting that throws up the possibility of the big ideological divide between a liberal Benazir and a conservative Qazi being bridged.

The two rivals turned allies, Bhutto and Sharif, had received leaders of another major grouping, Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD) in London and had secured endorsement for the Charter of Democracy drawn up in May.

Together, they may discuss the idea of holding an all parties conference on the Charter of Democracy and also a movement by a united front of opposition parties, reported The News.

It said the London meeting, if held, "may provide the opposition a rare chance to get united on a one-point agenda of launching a joint struggle against the government".

Pointing to the traditional ideological differences, it said: "The question vexing the minds of political observers is as to how Benazir, who is a leader of the liberal and moderate forces in the country, and Qazi, who represents the conservative and religious segments of the society, would be able to bridge the wide gulf between them."

A top priority would be to study the feasibility of seeking Musharraf's impeachment and moving a no-confidence motion against the government of Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz.

Simultaneously, resignations by lawmakers at the national and provincial levels are being planned in the bid to thwart Musharraf's re-election.

The JI chief has secured resignations of all its lawmakers, while a PPI news agency report from Rawalpindi said Pakistan Peoples Party legislators had also sent in their resignations to Bhutto.

While Musharraf himself not gone on record, the Pakistan Muslim League-Qaid that supports the president has repeatedly said that the National Assembly and the provincial legislatures, whose terms end next year, would be giving Musharraf "a second term in uniform".

The reference to "in uniform" is to the opposition demand that Musharraf step down as army chief and enter politics as a civilian.

Opinion, both legal and political, is divided on whether the legislatures can perform this role.

Pakistan's F16 deal will not reduce India's military advantage: US

By Arun Kumar, Washington, July 5 (IANS) A $5.1-billion arms package that Washington has offered to Islamabad would neither reduce India's military advantage nor affect the regional balance of power, claims the Pentagon.

Unless stopped by the US Congress, the largest arms deal with Pakistan that has sent alarm bells ringing in New Delhi will give Islamabad 36 new F-16C/D fighter planes besides 36 advanced pilot helmets that can display targeting information on the visor and 500 kits for ground-attack satellite-guided bombs.

But the Pentagon's Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) has in a statutory notification to Congress claimed that purchase of the aircraft and weapons systems by Pakistan would not significantly reduce India's quantitative or qualitative military advantage.

Release of the weapons systems too will neither affect the regional balance of power nor introduce a new technology as this level of capability or higher already exists in other countries in the region, it told the Congress on June 28.

While the Bush administration officially denies any linkage between the arms package to Pakistan and Washington's civil nuclear deal with New Delhi, observers note that the F-16 proposal was sent to Congress just a day after a key house panel endorsed the India-US nuclear agreement. The next day a Senate panel too approved the India deal.

The House International Relations and Senate Foreign Relations committees have 30 days to approve the sale of F-16s to Pakistan or pass formal resolutions of disapproval. The House committee has scheduled a July 13 hearing to examine the arms package.

Implementation of the proposed deal with Islamabad will require multiple trips to Pakistan involving US government and contractor representatives for technical review/support, programme management, and modification of the aircraft, DSCA said.

"Given its geo-strategic location and partnership in the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT), Pakistan is a vital ally of the United States, as reflected in the June 2004 designation of Pakistan as a Major Non-North Atlantic Treaty Organization Ally (MNNA)," the agency said in justification of the deal.

The proposed sale will contribute to the foreign policy and national security of the United States by helping an ally meet its "legitimate defence requirements". These weapon systems will be used for close air support in ongoing operations contributing to the GWOT, it said.

Various Bush administration spokespersons, including White House's Tony Snow and State Department's Julie Reside, have since justified the deal as a demonstration of US commitment to a long-term relationship with Pakistan, a Major Non-NATO Ally, which has cooperated closely with it in the Global War on Terror.

Reside has also dismissed any suggestion that the sale could contribute to an arms race in South Asia and said a dialogue between India and Pakistan has already helped reduce tensions and provided greater stability in their region.

New Delhi has described the new arms deal with Pakistan as a "step not conducive to improving ties between India and Pakistan." Prime Minister Manmohan Singh too had expressed "disappointment" over such a move during his meeting with President Bush.

But as Stephen P. Cohen, a South Asia specialist at the Brookings Institution, noted, there may be "a minor Indian backlash, but the nuclear deal is so big that they will probably tolerate this kind of US sale to Pakistan as just the cost of a relationship with Washington".

The jet fighter's manufacturer, Lockheed Martin that continues to sustain F-16 through overseas sales, is hopeful the deal with Pakistan will help it keep the production lines open beyond 2011. It's also pursuing a deal for F-16s and F-18s with India.

Pakistani Muslim dies for British Army in Afghanistan

Islamabad/London, July 5 (IANS) This is the story of the first Muslim born and bred in Pakistan joining the British Army and dying in action fighting the Taliban in Afghanistan.

The British media has hailed Lance Corporal Jabron Hashmi as a "hero" and "a true Brit." But back in Pakistan, his family is divided over his perceived divided loyalties between his faith and the call of duty.

As his body was being taken to England for burial, family members and Fellow townsmen who attended his "Ghaibana Namaz-i-Janaza" (funeral prayer held in absentia), expressed conflicting sentiments.

The largely attended congregation took place at a housing complex in Peshawar, the heartland of Pushtuns of Pakistan who openly sympathise with the Taliban.

Hashmi, 24, died with Corporal Peter Thorpe, 27, in a Taliban attack last Saturday, bringing to five the number of British troops killed in Helmand province since their deployment in April.

His portrayal in patriotic terms came three days ahead of the first anniversary of the London bombings.

"British Muslim, British hero Asian immigrant died in Afghanistan, proudly serving the country he loved," read the page one headline in the Daily Mail about Hashmi who belonged to the Intelligence Corps attached to the Royal Signals.

"As a Pakistani-born British Muslim, Jabron Hashmi was proud to serve in his adopted country's army," its story said, recalling how there are 'only 300 Muslims' in the British armed forces.

"He was happy to be sent to Afghanistan and dreamed of bringing peace to the region where he spent his childhood," it said alongside a portrait of a smiling Hashmi in uniform and beret.

The top-selling Sun tabloid called Jabron "a true Brit" and a "Muslim lad (who) 'had no fear'."

Like other newspapers, it quoted his brother Zeeshan Hashmi, who said: "He went to Afghanistan hoping to build bridges between East and West."

"He combined his love of Islam with the love of Britain and his main reason for joining the army was to make a difference. He certainly did that," said Zeeshan, who serves in the Royal Air Force, The Nation said.

Back home, lauding the bravery of Jabron, his maternal uncle Javed Iqbal, who had raised him in the absence of his father, said Jabron was unhappy with his deployment in Afghanistan. "I was not happy with his deployment in Afghanistan or even in any other Islamic state to fight against Muslims," he said, The News quoted him as saying.

However, a statement from the deceased family said: "Jabron was proud of his role as serving soldier and looked forward to his deployment to Afghanistan."

His commanding officer, Lt Col Steve Vickery of 14 Signal Regiment has lauded his role by saying: "Enthusiastic, confident and immensely popular, Lance Corporal Hashmi displayed all qualities of a first class soldier. His enthusiasm for the role he had been given was simply outstanding and the fine young man, his sad loss will be felt by us."

Parliament attack accused urges reduction of sentence

New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) Shaukat Hussain, sentenced to 10-year imprisonment in the parliament attack case, Wednesday moved the Supreme Court urging reduction of sentence.

Five Pakistani militants had attacked the parliament on Dec 13, 2001 and were killed by security personnel. In the shootout, nine security personnel were also killed and 16 were injured.

A trial Court on Dec 18, 2002 had awarded death penalty to Mohammad Afzal, Hussain, and Delhi University lecturer S.A.R. Geelani while sentencing Navjot Sandhu alias Afsan Guru to five years' imprisonment on charges ranging from conspiring the attack to concealing knowledge of the conspiracy.

The Delhi High Court on Oct 29, 2003 upheld the death penalty to Afzal and Hussain but acquitted both Geelani and Guru.

The apex court in August 2005 upheld the death sentence imposed on Afzal, the acquittal of Geelani and Afsan Guru and modified the sentence of life imprisonment to 10 years' imprisonment for Hussain. Thereafter review petitions were also dismissed.

A five-Judge constitution bench will hear Hussain's petition.

Supreme Court rejects Andhra's Muslim quota petition

New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) The Supreme Court Wednesday rejected an application filed by the Andhra Pradesh government seeking directions to reserve five percent seats in educational institutions in the state for Muslims during the academic year 2006-07.

A bench of Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal and Justice C.K. Thakker observed that if the application were entertained it would virtually amount to staying an Andhra Pradesh high court judgment quashing quotas for Muslims.

The bench said that a well-considered order was passed Jan 4 refusing to stay the impugned judgment and it did not want to interfere with that order.

The state in its application said that the high court had struck down the 'Andhra Pradesh Reservation of Seats in Educational Institutions and of Appointments to Posts in Public Services under the State to Muslim Community Act, 2005' as unconstitutional and as violative of articles 15(4) and 16(4) of the constitution.

On a special leave petition filed by the state challenging the high court judgment, the apex court by an interim order of Jan 4 declined to stay the operation of the judgment and posted the matter for hearing by a five-Judge constitution bench.

The application said the state government had implemented the reservations for Muslims during 2005-2006. For the academic year 2006-2007, the admission process was about to begin at various educational institutions, especially engineering and medicine colleges.

The state government submitted that it had an obligation to ensure that admissions took place every year in a uniform manner and the student community would not be prejudiced if admissions were made by extending reservations to Muslims for 2006-2007.

Take steps to curb prices: Gandhi tells Congress chief ministers

New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) Congress president Sonia Gandhi Wednesday asked chief ministers of party-ruled states to ensure sufficient supply of essential commodities to common people at reasonable prices.

At a meeting of Congress chief ministers, also attended by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, Gandhi asked 14 party-ruled states to take measures to strengthen the public distribution system (PDS) and ensure its proper functioning to arrest the spiralling prices of essential commodities and thereby rein in inflation.

However, the chief ministers asked the government to amend the Essential Commodities Act, which had been amended in 2002 during the opposition National Democratic Alliance (NDA) rule, to enable the states to take steps to restrict hoarding of essential commodities.

"The chief ministers have asked the government to amend the law. According to the present law, the state governments need centre's permission to intervene in cases of hoarding of essential commodities," said Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who also attended the meeting at Gandhi's 10 Janpath residence here.

"The chief ministers also wanted to regulate forward trading in food grains and some other essential commodities to curb excessive speculation," Mukherjee told reporters.

"The prime minister has assured that the government would look into the suggestions."

According to party leaders, Gandhi directed the chief ministers that it was their responsibility to see that the PDSs functioned properly and food grains were being made available to the people.

All the Congress chief ministers except Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi, who were reportedly ill, and Meghalaya Chief Minister J.D. Rymbai - who was attending state assembly session - were present at the meeting.

Congress leaders were at pains to explain that the meeting was a "party affair" and not a governmental one after the opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) criticised the move saying the government was concerned only about the Congress-ruled states.

Asked why Gandhi was taking initiative instead of the prime minister, Congress spokesman Rajiv Shukla said: "The Congress president was concerned about the spiralling prices and the burden on the common man."

Mukherjee also dismissed suggestions that the exercise initiated by Gandhi meant isolation of the prime minister. "Where is the question of isolation? A prime minister is a prime minister", he said.

Party leaders said Gandhi was alarmed over the diminishing popularity of the party-led government among "aam admi (common man).

The meeting followed criticism from the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) partners and Left parties, which announced a weeklong protest against government's inaction in containing the price rise of essential commodities.

In the meeting that lasted for almost two hours, there were criticisms against the agriculture, food and public distribution ministry - under Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) chief Sharad Pawar - for "mishandling" the issue.

Congress and NCP leaders have been blaming each other for the insufficient procurement of food grains and subsequent price rise. The Congress Working Committee, which met last week, also criticised the food ministry's failure to meet the target of wheat procurement.

UN agency appeals for unfettered access for aid to Gaza

GENEVA, July 5 (NNN-Xinhua) -- A UN agency has appealed to Israel to ensure unfettered access for humanitarian aid to the Gaza Strip.

Mattias Burchard, a spokesman for the UN Relief and Works Agency for
Palestine Refugees in the Near East (UNRWA), said there were severe backlogs in deliveries into the territory.

"UNRWA appeals to Israel to continue to allow the much-needed essentials for life to enter unfettered," Burchard told a press conference Tuesday.

"Any renewed blockage will again bring the (Gaza) Strip to the brink of
catastrophe," he said. He voiced grave concerns over Gaza residents' access to clean water, saying chlorine supplies for water purification was expected to run out in 15 days while a shortage of power prevented water from being pumped to high-rise buildings.

The UNRWA was running out of aid materials in Gaza, said the spokesman, appealing for urgent international aid. Israel had closed Gaza's borders and sent tanks, troops, gunboats and aircraft to raid the Gaza Strip over the past days in a bid to press Palestinian militants to free a captured Israeli soldier.

The Palestinian militants have demanded that Israel release Palestinian
prisoners in exchange for the soldier and set Tuesday as the deadline.

However, Israel has rejected the ultimatum, saying it would not give in to blackmails.

US House for selling F-22 Raptor to allies only

By Arun Kumar, Washington, July 5 (IANS) The US House of Representatives has recommended lifting a nine-year ban on international sales of the F-22 Raptor, its most advanced fighter made by the same firm that manufactures F-16s proposed to be sold to Pakistan.

But instead of putting the plane in the general shopping window, Lockheed Martin is eyeing US allies like Australia, Britain and Japan as potential buyers for the expensive plane.

The House voted to lift the ban after an 11-minute debate on June 20, Washington Post reported.

Prospects of passage in the Senate are unclear, but it has been generally more tolerant of allowing international involvement in military programmes.

The ban was put in place to keep the Raptor's high-tech systems out of the hands of foreign governments. But with US military orders for the jet lagging, members of Congress and some top staffers in the air force have become concerned that Lockheed may shut down the plane's production line in coming years.

The $70 billion fighter programme is one of Lockheed's largest, employing more than 4,500 workers in Georgia and Texas and bringing in hundreds of millions of dollars in annual revenue.

The Pentagon has steadily lowered the number of F-22s it planned to purchase from the 750 -- it thought it needed to face off against the Soviet Union nearly 20 years ago -- down to 183. As with the older F-16, foreign purchases could keep the Raptor in business.

Lockheed and some in the air force began making a case for overseas sales of the fighter early this year as the Pentagon lowered the number of planes it would buy to save $10 billion over the next few years.

Until that point, Lockheed had expected to sell about 381 planes to the US government. The reduction prompted Lockheed to say it would have to close the F-22 production line by 2011.

Any specific sale is likely to face concerns about the export of technology that is still considered sensitive. Congress has continued funding the plane, despite its increasing cost, in part because the Raptor's technology was considered worth sustaining.

Excluding development costs that the Pentagon paid early in the programme, the price of the plane drops to between $150 million and $183 million, or even less for a stripped-down model. Foreign sales could also help defray some of the cost of the plane to the US military and keep the production line going.

US offers Pakistan its largest arms deal

By Arun Kumar, Washington, July 5 (IANS) The United States has offered to sell a miffed Pakistan not just 18 odd F-16s, but a four-in-one package of aircraft, weapons and electronics worth over $5.1 billion in what would be its largest arms deal with Islamabad.

Unless stopped by the US Congress, Pakistan will get 36 new F-16C/D fighter planes worth $3 billion, weapons worth $650 million for them, 60 F-16A/B modification kits worth $1.3 billion and F-16 Engine Modifications and Falcon UP/STAR Structural Upgrades worth $151 million -- all ostensibly in aid of America's Global War on Terror.

Notified to the Congress by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) on June 28, the deal also includes 200 sidewinder missiles, 200 air-to-air missiles, 500 kits for ground-attack satellite-guided bombs and 36 advanced pilot helmets that can display targeting information on the visor.

The F-16C/D fighter aircraft, and the $650 million dollar weapon systems going with it, will be used for close air support in ongoing operations contributing to the GWOT or Global War on Terror, DSCA told the Congress.

This will also allow the Pakistani Air Force to modernise its aging fighter and weapons inventory, thereby enabling Pakistan to support both its own air defence needs and coalition operations.

The upgraded F-16A/B aircraft also will be used for close air support in ongoing GWOT operations. In addition, Pakistan intends to purchase the MLU Programme equipment to enhance survivability, communications connectivity, and extend the useful life of its F-16A/B fighter aircraft.

The modifications and upgrades in this proposed sale will permit Pakistan's F-16A/B squadron to operate safely, and enhance Pakistan's conventional deterrent capability. Pakistan's air fleet can readily use these updates to enhance and extend the life of its aircraft, DSCA said.

The modification of the engines and Falcon UP/STAR structural updates will provide capable F-16's that can be used for close air support in ongoing GWOT operations, it said.

Eleven American companies have been listed as the principal contractors for the four deals: BAE Advanced Systems, Boeing Corporation, Boeing Integrated Defense Systems, Raytheon Company, Raytheon Missile Systems, Lockheed Martin Aeronautics Company, Lockheed Martin Missile and Fire Control, Northrop-Grumman Electro-Optical Systems, Northrop-Grumman Electronic Systems, Pratt & Whitney United Technology Company, and General Electric Aircraft Engines.

Top on Pakistan's shopping list with a price tag of $3 billion are: 36 F-16C/D Block 50/52 Aircraft with either the F100-PW-229 or F110-GE-129 Increased Performance Engines (IPEs) and APG-68(V)9 radars; 7 spare F100-PW-229 IPE or F110-GE-129 IPE engines; 7 spare APG-68(V)9 radar sets; 36 Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems; 36 AN/ARC-238 SINCGARS radios with HAVE QUICK I/II; 36 Conformal Fuel Tanks (pairs); 36 Link-16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminals; 36 Global Positioning Systems (GPS) and Embedded GPS/Inertial Navigation Systems; 36 APX-113 Advanced Identification Friend or Foe Systems; 36 Advanced Integrated Defensive Electronic Warfare Suites without Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) or AN/ALQ-184 Electronic Counter Measures pod without DRFM or AN/ALQ-131 Electronic Counter Measures pod without DRFM or AN/ALQ-187 Advanced Self-Protection Integrated Suites without DRFM; or AN/ALQ-178 Self-Protection Electronic Warfare Suites without DRFM and 1 Unit Level Trainer.

Next come weapons worth $650 million. These cover: 500 AIM-120C5 Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAM); 12 AMRAAM training missiles; 240 LAU-129/A Launchers; 200 AIM-9M-8/9 SIDEWINDER missiles; 500 Joint Direct Attack Munition (JDAM) Guidance Kits: GBU-31/38 Guided Bomb Unit (GBU) kits; 1,600 Enhanced-GBU-12/24 GBUs; 800 MK-82 500 pound General Purpose (GP) and MK-84 2,000 pound GP bombs; and 700 BLU-109 2,000 pound with FMU-143 Fuze.

Third on Pakistan's wish list with a price tag of $1.3 billion are: 60 F-16A/B Mid-Life Update (MLU) modification and Falcon Star Structural Service Life Enhancement kits. These consist of: APG-68(V)9 with Synthetic Aperture Radar or APG-66(V)2 radar; Joint Helmet Mounted Cueing Systems; AN/APX-113 Advanced Identification Friend or Foe Systems; AN/ALE-47 Advanced Countermeasures Dispenser Systems; Have Quick I/II Radios; Link-16 Multifunctional Information Distribution System-Low Volume Terminals; SNIPER (formerly known as AN/AAQ-33 PANTERA) targeting pod capability; Reconnaissance pod capability; Advanced Air Combat Maneuvering Instrumentation Units; MDE included in the MLU modification and structural upgrade kits 21 ALQ-131 Block II Electronic Countermeasures Pods without the Digital Radio Frequency Memory (DRFM) or ALQ-184 Electronic Countermeasures Pods without DRFM; 60 ALQ-213 Electronic Warfare Management Systems; 1 Unit Level Trainer; and 10 APG-68(V)9 spare radar sets. Also included are radars, mode, receivers, installation, avionics, spare and repair parts.

The fourth deal worth $151 million covers modification/overhaul of 14 F100-PW-220E engines, 14 Falcon UP/STAR F-16 structural upgrade kits, de-modification and preparation of 26 aircraft with support equipment, software development/integration, modification kits.

Want to quit smoking? Try a new drug

New York, July 5 (IANS) A new drug that aids in kicking the smoking habit has been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The drug Chantix (varenicline) quadruples a smoker's odds of quitting the habit, and is twice as effective as an existent smoking-cessation drug, Zyban (bupropion), reported health portal HealthDay News.

According to scientists, Chantix will also help smokers stay away from smoking months after quitting.

It greatly decreases smokers' likelihood of relapse in the first six months after quitting, said a study conducted recently.

The result is encouraging, say experts, as smokers have little that's pharmacologically useful in helping them to quit.

However, they warn that much of the hype around the new drug may be unwarranted, because Chantix remains a far-from-perfect means of quitting smoking.

Whenever a new smoking-cessation aid gets FDA approval, "there is often unbridled enthusiasm regarding the potential to solve the problems associated with smoking," said Robert Klesges at the University of Tennessee Health Science Center in the journal Memphis.

While Chantix does appear to perform better than either a placebo or Zyban, high rates of both side effects and treatment failure mean the drug "definitely is not a panacea for smoking cessation," added Klesges.

The results of these trials are promising, he said, but pointed out that nicotine addiction remains an impossibly tough challenge for most smokers.

The resilience of the smoking habit against all interventions suggests that "patients currently cannot and probably never will be able to 'take a pill' that will make them stop smoking."

War room leak: Navy distances itself from CBI probe

New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) The Indian Navy has distanced itself from a federal probe into the leakage of classified information from its war room, saying the issue was now "beyond" its "purview".

"We are no longer in the know (of how the investigations are proceeding). The issue is now beyond our purview," sources in the naval headquarters said.

They also sought to play down reports of "panic" in the naval establishment after the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) said in its charge sheet in the war room leak case that 7,000 pages of strategic data relating to the operational plans of the three services had been compromised between 2002 and 2005.

"We conducted a probe and came to certain conclusions. The CBI was then brought into the picture and has come to certain conclusions. We understand the Intelligence Bureau is also in the picture. Let the evidence be presented in court. That's when the true picture will emerge," the sources said.

"It is a fact that some information has been leaked but this does not impact on our operational preparedness or that of the other two services," they asserted.

The CBI, which had begun investigating the case in February at the behest of Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, had conducted countrywide raids in April, leading to the arrest of five people, including three officers who had been dismissed from the navy.

In June, the CBI conducted raids at 19 places across the country on the premises of 14 people, including four navy officers, two army officers, three defence ministry officials and arms dealer Abhishek Verma, who is said to have been involved in the sale of French Scorpene submarines to the Indian Navy.

It has now been established that the raid on one of the naval officers was a case of mistaken identity.

While no arrests were made after the second round of raids, the CBI filed its charge sheet soon after.

The case had broken last year after classified information was found in the possession of retired Wing Commander S.L. Surve, a former joint director (Air Defence) at air headquarters.

The navy then carried out a probe after it was alleged that nine people were involved in leaking classified information relating to its planned purchase of a wide array of sophisticated equipment from its Directorate of Naval Operations, better known as the war room.

The navy dismissed three officers in October 2005 after the probe concluded they had sold classified information for commercial benefits.

They included Captain Kashyap Kumar, who headed the Directorate of Naval Operations at the time of the leak and was described as its "mastermind", as also Commanders Virender Rana and Vinod Kumar Jha were dismissed for their involvement in the leak.

The two commanders were among the five people the CBI arrested in April. The other three were retired Lt. Cdr. Kulbhushan Parashar, Mukesh Bajaj and Rajrani Jaiswal.

Among those charged in the case is retired Lt. Cdr. Ravi Shankaran, a relative of navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash. The CBI says Shankaran is an arms dealer and an alleged recipient of the sensitive information that was stolen from the war room.

Interpol, on the request of the CBI, has already issued a red corner notice against Shankaran, who was initially thought to be in London but whose whereabouts now are not known.

The navy chief had offered to resign after the scandal broke but the government had firmly turned this down.

According to highly placed sources, the CBI is under increasing pressure from several quarters to act, especially after media reports sought to suggest a connection between the war room leaks and alleged kickbacks in the Scorpene submarine deal.

The names of those mentioned as end users in the war room leak, such as Shankaran and Parashar, frequently appeared in the submarine deal as well.

'Rules have changed', Israel warns Palestine; launches air strikes

Gaza, July 6 (DPA) Israeli military strikes killed two militants and one police officer early Thursday in the northern Gaza Strip, even as Tel Aviv warned that the "rules of the game" have changed after a Palestinian rocket attack in its coastal city of Ashkelon.

Two militants of Hamas's armed wing, al-Qassam Brigades, were killed in separate air strikes as the groups were trying to launch homemade rockets at southern Israel, security sources said Thursday.

Medics at Kamal Odwan Hospital said that the body of militant Osama Hejazi was brought to the hospital in the northern Gaza Strip.

Meanwhile, Palestinian security sources said that an Israeli naval gunship fired one artillery shell at a Palestinian police post close to a northern beach in the Gaza Strip, killing one and wounding at least 10 others.

On Wednesday, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert's security cabinet authorised the Israeli army to further expand a military offensive after a Palestinian missile hit a field next to a residential neighbourhood in southern Ashkelon and another an industrial zone still further south.

The army began preparations Wednesday night to send large numbers of ground troops and tanks into northern Gaza, to join smaller forces already operating in the area since Monday, Israel Army Radio reported. The reinforcements are to take up positions in the sandy dunes north of Gaza City from where the rockets are launched.

The large-scale offensive was launched last week with the primary goal of pressuring the captors of 19-year-old corporal Gilad Shalit into releasing him.

But the latest events have raised fears of a further escalation of violence. Palestinian security sources said some Israeli tanks and troops had already begun moving into the region Wednesday night.

In Washington, United States Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice urged Israel to exercise restraint, but also called on Syria to use its connections with the governing Palestinian Hamas movement - whose armed wing is keeping the soldier along with two other groups - to get the soldier released.

"There are many countries that believe that Syria has a lot of leverage that it could use to get the release of this Israeli soldier, that they really ought to do it, and they ought to do it now," Rice said.

In Brussels, European Union External Relations Commissioner Benita Ferrero-Waldner urged both Israel and the Palestinians to "step back from the brink".

She said the spiralling violence "greatly complicated" efforts to launch an international aid fund for the Palestinians, which would bypass the Hamas-led government, and warned of a worsening humanitarian situation in Gaza.

In Geneva, the new United Nations Human Rights Council devoted its first emergency session to the situation in Gaza, but postponed a vote on a controversial resolution drafted by Muslim states and condemning human rights violations "caused by the recent Israeli military operations against Palestinian civilians".

Israel, the US and some non-governmental organisations criticized the draft resolution as being one-sided.

Despite the Israeli military activity, Palestinians in northern Gaza fired four more Gaza-produced Qassam rockets into Israel Wednesday evening. One hit a field next to a residential neighbourhood in southern Ashkelon and another an industrial zone still further south.

No injuries were reported, but five residents were treated for shock.

Israeli media, quoting foreign diplomats involved in the mediation with Shalit's captors, reported that the hostage-takers have relaxed conditions for his release and are demanding Israel accept a timetable for a future release of prisoners.

The militants had initially demanded the immediate release of more than 1,400 Palestinian militants jailed in Israel in return for corporal Gilad Shalit's freedom.

17 Indians conferred Italian knighthoods

New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) Seventeen Indians, including filmmakers Gautam Ghose and Ramesh Sharma, fashion designer Tarun Tahiliani, restaurateur Ritu Dalmia, and entrepreneur V.N. Dalmia were among those conferred Italian knighthoods Friday for significantly contributing to the development of friendly relations with Italy in language, culture and socio-economic activities.

Visiting Italian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Gianni Vernetti conferred the awards.

"I am honoured to be presenting these awards, which recognise the contribution of individuals from this great country for promoting India-Italy ties," Vernetti said in a brief address at the function.

Among the others honoured were pianist Mehroo Jeejeebhoy, litterateurs K. Satchidanandan and B.G. Sidharth and industrialists Rakesh Bakshi and Karan Paul.

Also honoured were 90-year-old Luigi Jellici, a priest of the Don Bosco order who has completed 50 years of his ministry in India, and Stefano Pelle, the New Delhi-based head of an Italian confectionary firm.

(The Italian Embassy here had earlier circulated a list of 10 Indians and an Italian who would be conferred the awards.)

The Order was instituted in 1947. It is in three ranks: Grande Ufficiale (Grand Officer), Commendatore (Commander), and Cavalliere (Knight).

It consists of a five-pointed star held by a red ribbon with narrow green and white stripes on the edges, representing the colours of the Italian flag.

Vernetti's visit is the first by a member of Prime Minister Romano Prodi's government that came to power after the April general elections.

Ahmadinejad vows support for Iraqi government, parliament

Tehran, July 6, IRNA, Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad reiterated Iran's support for the Iraqi government and parliament.

At a meeting with the visiting Iraqi Parliament Speaker Mahmoud al-Mashhadani late Tuseday, President Ahmadinejad stressed that the two Islamic nations are bonded by a common religion, interests and enemies.

Referring to the unfavorable situation in Iraq, he called on Iraqi officials to strive to improve the country's state of affairs.

"I am sure that Iraqi authorities will be able to tackle their problems with prudence, wisdom, unity and reliance on God as well as the support of the people," he said, adding that tyrants exploit divisions and differences among Muslims to advance their interests.

President Ahmadinejad said "unity in the Muslim world will destroy the interests of enemies."
"Differences in opinion are only natural. The important thing is that Muslim nations are united," he said.

Al-Mashhadani, for his part, hailed Iran's support for the Iraqi nation and said the Iraqi govenrment and parliament are determined to open a new page in relations between the two countries.

Commemorating the late father of the 1979 Islamic Revolution, he said the people of Iraq regard Imam Khomeini as the catalyst of a new, dynamic generation.

He also hailed President Ahmadinejad for having the courage to reveal the real identity of the Zionist regime.

AIIMS director sacked, senior faculty on strike

New Delhi, July 5 (IANS) The governing body of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) Wednesday sacked its director P. Venugopal, prompting most of the senior faculty to go on a 24-hour flash strike that crippled medical services.

The decision to oust Venugopal came after a three-hour governing body meeting chaired by Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss, the president of the prestigious institution, passed a resolution to remove the director for "violating the code of conduct".

Authorities said the governing body's resolution would be referred to the cabinet, which has the power to either accept or reject it.

Venugopal, a renowned cardiologist, had a public spat with Ramadoss last month after AIIMS emerged as the epicentre of protests against the government's decision to hike caste-based quotas in higher education.

While Ramadoss alleged that "some people" had turned the country's leading medical institute into a "political hub" and warned of action against them, Venugopal accused the minister of curtailing the institute's autonomy.

Many faculty members and resident doctors at the institute have reacted sharply to the decision to sack the director and gone on an indefinite strike to protest the "autocratic decision of the health ministry", paralysing emergency services at the hospital.

The out patient department, which closed Wednesday, will remain shut Thursday too. AIIMS treats over 8,000 patients every day.

Taking an urgent view of the matter, the general body of the faculty association of AIIMS held an emergency meeting and unanimously condemned the development as an attack on the institute's autonomy.

"The association strongly condemns the removal of director P. Venugopal and demands immediate withdrawal of the order regarding the dismissal. We condemn the interference in AIIMS and the various statements questioning the quality of research and clinical work at AIIMS," said K.K. Handa, general secretary of the association.

The three-point resolution passed by the faculty body also demanded "an apology from the health minister on above issues".

"To express our anger and anguish at these development, the faculty association has unanimously resolved to proceeded on an immediate 24-hours flash strike. The situation will be reviewed tomorrow," Handa added.

"Both the emergency and casualty services have stopped functioning and no new patients are being admitted to the hospital after the decision (to sack Venugopal) was taken. Hundreds of resident doctors and students have called for a strike," said Binod Patra, president of the AIIMS resident doctors association.

"This is a case of autocracy on the part of the health minister and we will continue to protest till Venugopal is reinstated," Patra said, adding they have started referring patients to the nearby Safdarjung Hospital.

"We have two demands - immediate reinstatement of Venugopal as director and removal of the health minister," Anil Sharma, a resident doctor, told reporters. Doctors also marched a candlelight procession in the campus to express their resentment against the decision.

Ramadoss refused to comment but said: "We have given a recommendation to the government of India. I don't think I can divulge any details at this point of time."

Bharatiya Janata Party MP V.K. Malhotra, a member of the governing body, said the decision was not unanimous and the issue was discussed despite not being listed on the agenda.

"It's a black day. One by one they are destroying all autonomous institutions. This is a draconian decision and we condemn it," said Malhotra.

Of the 15 members who participated in the meeting 12 voted against Venugopal and three including Malhotra and Delhi University vice chancellor Deepak Pental were against the move.

A section of the faculty said that the decision was not imposed by the minister but by the governing body.

"It is not a sudden decision. Looking at the sequence of events and the style of functioning of the director, the decision seems to be wise," said a senior faculty of AIIMS on the condition of anonymity.

Meanwhile, the Supreme Court Wednesday criticised the government for denying salaries to the medicos for the period they were on strike and asked it to be a "model employer".

Cabinet to discuss amending Human Rights Act

New Delhi, July 06: The Union Cabinet is likely to take up today the issue of amending the Human Rights Act and keeping a strict check on reimbursement of Security Related Expenses (SRE) in insurgency-hit northeastern states.

Sources in the Home Ministry said some provisions of the Human Rights Act needed to be made people-friendly and more powers were also required to keep an effective check on rights abuses by the security personnel.

They said the Union Cabinet was also likely to take up the issue of proper utilisation of SRE funds meant for North Eastern states following complaints that the money either was being diverted to other areas or was left unutilised.

The sources said the modernisation of the police is likely to figure in the agenda of a meeting of the Cabinet Committee on Security to be held today.

Bureau Report Cabinet to take up Foreign Educational Institutions Bill Foreign Universities will now be able to set up campuses in India with the Union Cabinet all set to clear Foreign Educational Institutions Bill. "After the Bill is cleared by the cabinet and passed by Parliament, foreign universities will be able to set up campuses in India and award degrees," sources said. The universities who meet the criteria and fulfil all the conditions will be given the status of a deemed university under the UGC Act. To guard against fly-by-night operators, only universities accredited by the competent authorities in their home country would be allowed to set up base in India, the sources added. The Bill will make it mandatory for universities wanting to start operations in India to set up operations on their own. "The franchisee system would not be allowed," sources said, adding that though existing franchise operations of foreign universities in the country would be allowed to continue. The universities wanting to enter India will have to have a corpus of Rs 10 crore and will have to get a "no objection certificate" from the embassy or High Commission of their home countries in India. The Bill also has penal provisions which include divesting them of deemed university status. Bureau Report (Source : zeenews.com)

Concrete steps demanded to improve educational backwardness of Muslims in India

Washington DC, July 5 (IMI) Indian Muslims living in America demanded Government of India to take effective steps to improve the educational backwardness of Muslims in India.

A delegation of Association of Indian Muslims of America (AIM) comprising of its two board members Dr Syed Naseem, Kaleem Kawaja - held a one hour meeting in Washington DC with Mr Vylar Ravi, minister for Overseas Indians, Government of India on the situation of Muslims in India.

The delegation presented a memorandum to the minister demanding concrete steps for the education of Indian Muslims. They also requested Government of India to do more to preserve the minority character of Aligarh Muslim University.

Minister Vylar Ravi explained what the current Indian Govt is doing in this direction, and promised to convey AIM's requests directly to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and to provide a point of contact person in the Indian government with whom AIM can pursue these subjects further.

Kaleem Kawaja and Syed Naseem of Association of Indian Muslims of America (AIM) in a meeting in Washington DC with India’s minister for Overseas Indians Vylar Ravi and Anil Gupta of the Indian Embassy.

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ASSOCIATION OF INDIAN MUSLIMS OF AMERICA
P O Box 10654, Silver Spring, MD 20914

Memorandum to Honorable Vylar Ravi, Minister for Overseas Indians,
Government of India by AIM

Issue:
How we Indian Muslims in U.S. can contribute to:
(a) the continuation of fast rate of growth of the Indian economy and,
(b) the improvement in the educational status of Muslims to prepare to meet
the challenges of 21st century and the requirements of the rapidly growing
Indian economy.

1. Indian Muslims in America are proud of India's economic achievements. The high rate of economic growth with democratic system of governance is unparalleled in history. India's advancement in science and technology and highly educated manpower are also contributing to the global economy. Much of India's progress can be attributed to the pool of educated manpower that is at the cutting edge of knowledge in the world. These are of course a small proportion of India's large pool of manpower and many from poverty
stricken areas are left out. Only very few Muslims are able to take advantage of it.

2. The current situation of Muslims with respect to education is pitiful. About half the Muslims are literate and the proportion is much lower among Muslim women (11%)... Less than one of every 10 teen agers goes to school. One in four adult Muslim women works. They are a minority within minority. Only about 4% of the examinees in class 10 are Muslims. Their representation in higher level technical and professional education is more limited.
Muslims are not even in large businesses. Due to lack of qualification they are not well represented in the corporate sector. Muslims are starting with a very low base and have a long way to go. India cannot become a super power with a vast majority of people (Muslims) having no education or little irrelevant education.

3. AIM appreciated the recognition of the above problems by the Government of
India. The Prime Minister has rightly formed a High Level Committee to report on the Economic and Educational Status of India's Muslim Community. AIM is waiting for the results of the Committee's deliberation and a plan for the implementation of the recommendations of this Committee. AIM would like to help the Government in raising the economic and educational status of Muslims in India so that they can be equal partners in India's quest to become a super power. We would like to seek your advice as to how you think the NRIs in US can help in this effort.

4. AIM also appreciates the efforts currently being made by Muslims and other organizations in improving the status of Muslims especially in education. However, you will agree that bold, innovative and large scale measures are needed to reduce the gnawing gap between the current situation and the rapidly growing requirements of the Indian economy. A few areas needing special attention are:

o Implementation of the recommendations of the Committee in a speedy manner. AIM would like to comment on the Committee report and be partner with the Government in these efforts to the extent it can.

o AIM could develop a common framework for actions taking the findings of the Committee into account so that a number of agencies/organizations can take coordinated and concerted actions.

o Help expand educational opportunities and employment of Muslim women especially in most depressed areas.

o Improve the quality of traditional craft in which Muslim men and women are
engaged to compete in the global economy and find foreign market.

o Help Government select the best from among young Muslim students for providing special opportunities (financial support and coaching) to go to higher education, especially to compete for IITs, IIMs, IIScs and other universities. There are good examples of it.

o Improve the quality of education in Madarsas by intensive training of trainers. There are best practices in this respect and could be expanded to other areas.

o Involve the private sector to pay special attention to Muslim education and employment.

o Provide reservation for Muslim students in technical and professional higher education institutions for a few years, to help the community recover from its extraordinary backwardness in these areas.

AIM would like to have recognition and be provided with counterpart institutions and responsible officials in the Government of India, for implementing the above action items for the educational uplift of India's Muslim community.

DMK threatens to quit Indian government

Chennai, July 6 (IANS) Tamil Nadu's ruling DMK Thursday threatened to quit Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's coalition government if it persisted with plans to sell shares in the profit-making public sector Neyveli Lignite Corp (NLC).

Speaking at the party headquarters, Chief Minister and DMK chief M. Karunanidhi said: "Since the (central) government cannot concede the demands of (NLC) workers, we are (wondering) whether DMK should continue in the government and accept the responsibility for this (disinvestment)".

As many as 19,000 employees of NLC went on strike from June 4 night to protest against the central government decision to sell 10 percent of the company's shares, fearing it will lead to eventual privatization. Consequently, supply to Tamil Nadu from the Neyveli grid has been cut off.

NLC chief general manager A. Babu Rao said Thursday, the third day of the strike, that as much 90 percent of the staff were on strike. Nyeveli town where the factory is based is also shut in solidarity.

Only 100 MW power was being generated for emergency supply to the township hospital and to drain water from the mines.

"Lignite mining from the three mines, where 70 tonnes of lignite was being mined daily, has come to a standstill," Rao said.

Tamil Nadu got 1,000 MW of power from Neyveli. Now NLC is suffering a daily loss of Rs.60 million.

The NLC has three open cast lignite mines in Neyveli, in Cuddalore district, about 400 km south of Chennai. It produces 24 million tonnes of lignite a year, generating 2,490 MW of power for Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Karnataka and Pondicherry. The company has assets totalling Rs.46,000 crore and makes a profit of Rs.1,000 crore every year.

The central government hopes to raise Rs.1,100 crore by selling the shares. In the wake of DMK protests earlier, the central government offered the shares to NLC's employees.

New Delhi's decision has made the DMK-backed union, Labour Progressive Front, as unhappy as other political parties in the prime minister's United Progressive Alliance (UPA). The Left is vehemently opposed to any creeping privatization of NLC or for that matter any profit-making public sector company.

Labour Progressive Front leader S. Rajavanniyan said: "Employees of NLC reject the idea of buying NLC shares as they cannot raise the money."

AIADMK leader and former chief minister J. Jayalalitha saw "an ulterior motive" in the decision to disinvest NLC and criticized Karunanidhi for taking a "wishy-washy stand".

On Thursday, she accused the chief minister of trying "avoid responsibility for the NLC disinvestment".

Karunanidhi dashed off a letter to Manmohan Singh two days ago to "immediately" spike plans to disinvest stakes in NLC.

Karunanidhi warned: "Some disgruntled elements are trying to instigate violence. Any time that may turn out to be a grave law and order problem.

"The situation in the NLC is becoming serious day-by-day and the opposition is trying to exploit the situation.

"Further", he added, "the continuation of the problem may result in breakdown in the supply of electricity not only to Tamil Nadu but to entire south India."

The DMK patriarch also expressed his unhappiness with Finance Minister P. Chidambaram. However he made it clear that the DMK would continue to support the Manmohan Singh government from the outside, like the Left parties do.

In 2002, when the DMK was part of the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance, the NDA government too had plans to disinvest NLC. That led to an eight-day strike by the NLC staff.

EU approves organic farming agreement with India

Brussels, July 6 (IANS) India will be able to export select organic products to the European Union, according to a plan approved by the European Commission.

"This is a very opportune development. Thousands of acres of farmlands are being used in India for organic products," said Amar Sinha, minister for trade and economy at the Indian mission in Brussels.

An EU mission had visited India to inspect and evaluate the system implemented in the country. The matter was discussed in the meeting of the Standing Committee on Organic Farming in June when EU member-states unanimously supported approval of the Indian proposal.

India's name is now included in the list of the approved third countries from which the EU member states may import certain organic products. The names of the inspection bodies approved in India have also been listed in the decision.

Thus, one of the long-pending issues with the EU in the agriculture and marine products sector has been sorted out and India would now be able to export organic products certified by the approved agencies and the same would be accepted by the EU, according to INEP agency.

France set up final date with Italy

Munich, July 6 (DPA) A penalty from Zinedine Zidane was enough to see France overcome Portugal 1-0 in their World Cup semi-final match here Wednesday and now only Italy stand between Les Blues and a second winner's trophy.

Captain Zidane was coolness personified as the Real Madrid star clinically despatched his spot kick in the 33rd minute after Ricardo Carvalho brought down Thierry Henry.

Next up for France is an intriguing final date Sunday in Berlin against Italy, who booked their place the previous night with a last-gasp 2-0 victory in Dortmund in extra time against the hosts Germany.

Portugal must face Germany in Stuttgart Saturday in the match for third place.

Luiz Felipe Scolari welcomed back Deco and Costinha, who were both suspended for Portugal's quarter-final penalty shootout defeat of England, while France were unchanged from the side that shocked Brazil.

Portugal started the stronger and it was Brazilian-born Deco who had the game's first chance after four minutes, testing Fabien Barthez with a long-range effort.

Maniche was next to probe the French goalkeeper from distance five minutes later while Lilian Thuram also had to be alert to cut out a Luis Figo cross destined for Pauleta.

France slowly found their feet in the game with Eric Abidal nearly finding Thierry Henry with a low cross while Ricardo saved well from the striker in the 28th minute.

However, there was nothing Ricardo could do to prevent France taking the lead five minutes later when referee Jorge Larrionda pointed to the spot after Carvalho caught Henry.

Ricardo may have become the first goalkeeper to save three spot kicks in a World Cup penalty shootout against England but despite getting his fingertips to Zidane's powerful strike he could not keep it out.

Cristiano Ronaldo, who was booed throughout by fans unhappy at his apparent role in Wayne Rooney's sending off in that England match, was lucky not to be booked four minutes later when diving in the French area in search of a penalty of his own.

France started the second half much the stronger with Ricardo saving well from Henry and Frank Ribery before the up to then virtually anonymous Pauleta fired wide for Portugal in the 53rd minute.

With France appearing more and more comfortable in defence, Scolari decided to ring the changes, first bringing on Paulo Ferreira for Miguel and then Simao for Pauleta and the more offensive Helder Postiga for Costinha.

Raymond Domenech's decision to start with Barthez instead of Gregory Coupet in goal nearly came back to haunt the France coach with 13 minutes remaining when Barthez completely misjudged a Ronaldo free-kick but Figo headed over with the goal gaping.

Louis Saha came on for Henry for the last eight minutes but still found time to get himself booked and will now miss Sunday's final through suspension.

Portugal had never been behind in a match before in this tournament and apart from a late effort from Fernando Meira, France's defence held firm.

France now move on to their second final looking to emulate the victory on home soil against Brazil in 1998.

Portugal have now lost both World Cup semi-finals they have played in, their only other appearance in the last four coming in 1966, losing to eventual winners England.

GM to roll out Chevrolet Spark by 2007

Kolkata, July 6 (IANS) General Motors India, the wholly owned subsidiary of General Motors Corporation, is planning to roll out its Chevrolet Spark model by early 2007.

"The Spark, to be positioned in the A+ segment, will compete with the Santro and Wagon R," Ankush Arora, vice-president (marketing, sales and aftersales), said here Thursday.

The company is targeting the sale of 50,000 cars in 2006, representing a 53 percent growth over the previous year.

"General Motors India will invest Rs.2 billion ($43 million) in 2006 to expand the capacity of its assembly plant at Halol in Gujarat to 85,000 units from 60,000 units at present," he said.

GM India presently assembles the Chevrolet Tavera, the Chevrolet Optra and the Chevrolet Aveo at its Halol facility.

"The expansion is necessitated to meet the demand for the existing product lines and for the new models to be launched in future. The expansion will be complete by September 2006," he said.

GM's total investment in India after the capacity expansion will be Rs.14 billion.

The company will be introducing the CNG variant of its Optra model in Mumbai, Gujarat and Delhi in a week's time, Arora disclosed. It will cost Rs.48,000 extra.

"GM is evaluating options to further increase its capacity in future to fulfil its vision of selling 200,000 cars to occupy at least 10 percent market share of the Indian car market," Arora said.

Arora was in the city to introduce the newly launched Chevrolet SRV model priced at Rs.711,000 (ex-showroom).

Government move against equity sell-off upsets industry

New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) India's leading industry lobbies Thursday expressed concern over Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's decision to put on hold all plans to dilute the government stake in state-run firms following protests by key allies including the DMK and the Left parties.

Cautioning the government against the impact of the decision, the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) said: "It will send wrong signals about the future of reforms programme of the country."

FICCI president Saroj Kumar Poddar pointed out that the programme to sell the government equity in public sector units had played a critical role in the development of the Indian capital market since economic reforms began in 1991.

The Confederation of India Industry (CII) too expressed deep concern over the government's decision.

"Since large public investments are required in critical areas like education, health and infrastructure, the government could face major resource constraints without disinvestments," said CII in a statement.

It urged the government to review the decision in consultation with the constituents of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) such that economy grows unimpeded.

The Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) hoped the decision to hold back the dilution of the government stake in Nevyeli Lignite Corporation (NLC) will not set "a bad precedent for the Indian economy".

Assocham president Anil K. Agarwal said: "Disinvestment in profit making companies is the reality of the day as the government needs revenue to contain its fiscal deficit and also needs resource generation for building infrastructure.

"At a time when resource raising is a big challenge for the government, disinvestment is one of the ways out and any opposition to it will send a bad signal in an economy which is market driven," said Agarwal.

Government to stick to decision on wheat, sugar packaging

New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) The cabinet committee on economic affairs (CCEA) Thursday overruled the suggestions of a parliamentary standing committee and said the government would continue with its decision on use of jute bags for packaging of wheat and sugar.

"The CCEA has given its approval for 100 percent compulsory packing for food grains and sugar in jute bags for the Jute Year 2006-07 (July-June)," Information and Broadcasting Minister P.R. Dasmunsi told reporters after the meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"Use of jute bags for packaging of wheat and sugar has been mandatory, continuing the decision taken last year. We did not accept the report of the standing committee to discontinue this rule."

The minister said the decision was taken in keeping with the commitments made under the Common Minimum Programme of the United Progressive Alliance government as use of these bags provides sustenance to millions of people engaged in the jute sector, particularly in the northeastern region.

To a query that with India importing substantial quantity of jute bags from Bangladesh to meet its requirement and as such the benefit of the rule is accruing to the neighbouring country, the minister said the arrangement helps to improve trade relations with Dhaka.

"The bilateral arrangement works to improve the balance of trade, which is currently in India's favour. We have to import jute from Bangladesh, which offers the best quality, as it is keen to supply more products to India."

The industry has, however, been seeking relaxation in the rule as some of the exporting countries demand alternate packaging for better protection of the products.

India sends another army battalion to Congo

New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) India will send an infantry battalion to the Congo ahead of elections there later this month to beef up an Indian Army brigade that is deployed with the UN Peacekeeping Force in the insurgency-hit country.

"The second battalion of the Rajputana Rifles will be deployed in the Katanga province to ensure smooth conduct of the elections July 31," an Indian Army spokesman said.

"A request was received from the UN May 15 and we took immediate steps to accede to this," he added.

No timeframe has been set for the additional force, but it is likely to stay till the election process is complete and a new government is installed. Katangese rebels have threatened to disrupt the polls.

Meanwhile, the Sixth UN Military Contingent Junior Officers Capsule was inaugurated here Monday at the United Services Institution of India-Centre for UN Peacekeeping (USI-CUNPK).

Thirty-five officers are attending the three-week capsule. The officers have been empanelled as UN Military Contingent Officers for ongoing UN missions in Lebanon, Congo, Sudan, Eritrea and Ethiopia.

In addition 17 officers from Australia, Botswana, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Fiji, Ghana, Japan, Kenya, Kyrgyzstan, Lesotho, Nigeria, Papua New Guinea, Senegal, Singapore, Sri Lanka and Britain are also attending the course.

The Indian Army's participation in the UN Peacekeeping operations spans a period of 50 years covering 29 UN Missions, in which over 50,000 Indian soldiers have served in various parts of the world.

Presently, India is the second largest troop contributor to the UN. It has also offered one brigade of troops to the UN Standby Arrangements. On its part, the Indian government has honoured its soldiers for gallantry displayed while serving the cause of world peace.

The largest (and longest serving) contingent was sent to the Congo in 1961. A complete independent brigade group, it helped bring about peace and thereafter enforce it - which involved light to heavy engagements with motley groups beefed up by white mercenary columns.

Apart from the Congo, India has sent battalion groups, engineers, medical teams, military observers and staff personnel to Cambodia, Sierra Leone, Rwanda, Lebanon and Ethiopia. Observers and staff personnel have made their contributions to the international peace efforts in Central America, Iran, Yemen, Iraq, Kuwait, Liberia, Lebanon and Mozambique.

India has also provided able leaders for various missions in Gen. Thimayya in Korea and Cyprus, Lt. Gen. Dewan Prem Chand in Cyprus and Namibia, Lt. Gen. Satish Nambiar in Bosnia, Maj. Gen. Inderjit Rikhye in Sinai, West Irian and Yemen, Maj. Gen. P.S. Gyani in Yemen, Sinai and Cyprus, Maj. Gen. V. Jaitley in Sierra Leone and Maj. Gen. L.M. Tiwari in Lebanon, apart from many a contingent commander.

India to buy three more stealth frigates

New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) The Indian Navy will acquire three additional Talwar-class stealth frigates from Russia at a cost of Rs.55.14 billion, the government announced Thursday.

The Cabinet Committee on Security, which met under the chairmanship of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here, gave its approval to the purchase.

Of the total cost, Rs.51.14 billion will be the cost of the warships and Rs 4 billion for additional equipment to be fitted on, Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee told reporters after the meeting.

The first ship will arrive five years after the signing of the contract.

The committee also approved the procurement of 28 submarine-launched Klub land attack missiles at a cost of Rs8.44 billion.

India to make gold hallmarking mandatory

Kolkata, July 6 (IANS) The Indian government has decided to make gold hallmarking mandatory from Jan 1, 2008, it was announced here Thursday.

"The initiative is being undertaken to protect consumer interest and to boost gold jewellery exports from the country," said L. Mansingh, secretary in the consumer affairs department.

India is considering joining the International Convention on Control and Marking of Precious Metals popularly known as "Vienna Convention" by the end of this year to boost gold jewellery exports from the country, he said.

Gold hallmarking is a criterion for being a member of the convention.

The government is already providing financial incentives for creating infrastructure for assaying and hallmarking of gold. The procedure of granting of licence and certification fees have been rationalised, he said.

According to a Bureau of Indian Standards survey in 2000 on 120 samples drawn from eight cities, an average shortage of purity of 11 percent was reported in 88 percent of the samples, Mansingh pointed out.

India to strengthen child protection, human rights laws

New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) The central cabinet Thursday approved amendments to two bills on juvenile justice and protection of human rights to widen their scope and ensure better implementation.

"In the case of the Protection of Human Rights (Amendment) Bill 2005, the cabinet has taken on board all suggestions made by the parliamentary standing committee," Minister of Information and Broadcasting P.R. Dasmunsi told reporters after the cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The move would ensure proper functioning of the national and state human rights commissions through changes in the criteria for selection of its heads.

Further widening the scope of the national human rights commission, the amendment would allow it to take up cases referred in courts in addition to the present system of making inquiries suo motu or on the petition of the victim or on behalf of the victim.

The amendments in the Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection of Children) Amendment Bill 2005, approved by the cabinet, seek to provide better care for children in custody by ensuring that they are not kept in a jail or lock-up along with any adult.

They also seek to treat child beggars as vulnerable children requiring special focus.

Expressing hope that both the bills would be cleared by parliament during the monsoon session, Dasmunsi said they would help ensure better protection of the human rights and dispensation of justice.

The parliamentary standing committee has stated that the number of juvenile justice boards and child welfare committees constituted so far is inadequate to cater to those juveniles in conflict with law and in need of care and protection.

It has sought a definite timeframe for the states to constitute such boards.

An important component of the amendment is that it would raise the penalty for violation of the clause prohibiting publication of the name and other identifying details of the juvenile facing criminal charges from Rs.1,000 to Rs.25,000.

The penalty fund is to be used for the welfare of the child under supervision, the new amended draft legislation states.

India, China re-open Silk Road pass after 44 years (LEAD)

By Syed Zarir Hussain, Nathu La (Sikkim), July 6 (IANS) India and China made history Thursday by re-opening the old Silk Road along the Himalayas for border trade after more than four decades, ushering in a new era in their warming relations.

Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling and C. Phuntso, chairman of the Tibetan Autonomous Region, cut a red silk ribbon at the Nathu La Pass, on the once hostile border between India's Sikkim state and China's Tibet region.

Brass bands from both the countries struck up friendly tunes as the two leaders declared the symbolic opening at the 15,000-foot (4,545-metre)-high pass at around 9.45 a.m. The pass is being re-opened after 44 years.

Indian traders crossed over to the Chinese side with silk scarves to welcome their Chinese counterparts.

This is the third border trade point between the two countries, the other two being Lipulekh pass in Uttaranchal and Shipki La in Himachal Pradesh.

As per modalities worked out between the two countries, normal trade would begin each year on June 1 and continue till Sep 30, as the area would become impassable after that due to heavy snow, freezing weather and high velocity winds.

"This is the beginning of a new era of hope and prosperity and the improving of bilateral ties between both nations," said Phuntso, in his remarks at the ceremony.

"This is not just a trade route, but a cultural highway. It will take India-China trade to new heights," said Chamling.

Goods were displayed on both sides at the trade marts set up and the entire area was bustling with officials, security personnel and eager locals.

Traders from both sides would use trade passes for the purpose of border trade. Trade passes would also be issued to drivers of vehicles, which are utilised for the purpose of border trade.

For a start, 60 four-wheeled vehicles including passenger buses, if any, would be issued border trade passes. This number could be increased or decreased based on mutual agreement, a press release by the Indian external affairs ministry said in New Delhi.

The reopening of the Nathu La Pass, 52 km (33 miles) east of Sikkim capital Gangtok, is the first direct trade link since a 1962 border war between the two countries.

Border trade would be transacted for items contained in the agreed list of commodities for border trade between the two countries, which presently includes 29 items for exports from India to China and 15 items of import into India from China.

"The reopening of border trade is seen as an instrument for economic development for this region," Chamling told IANS.

Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Yuxi told IANS: "This is not just symbolic trade but, we hope, it would help to improve relations between the countries. Today the border is open for trade and we hope the border will soon open for tourists and a bus service from Gangtok to Lhasa very soon."

Despite the sweeping rains, dense clouds and freezing temperature, the Himalayan pass echoed Thursday with Hindi film music and Chinese songs. The atmosphere was full of bonhomie with soldiers from both sides shaking hands and clicking pictures, though wielding their automatic weapons.

The Chinese delegation led by Phuntso crossed over to the Indian side along with some 100 Tibetan traders after the border was thrown open.

A group of 100 Indian traders led by 80-year-old businessman Motilal Lakhotia set foot on Chinese soil and made their way to the trade mart at Renqinggang located some 10 km from Nathu La.

The Chinese traders are to move to Sherathang, a small hamlet five km below the Nathu La Pass, where the main business hub is located for the Chinese to trade their commodities.

The trade mart at Sherathang spread over eight acres have 29 pre-fabricated tin sheds to handle customs and immigration, security posts, a telecommunication centre, a branch of the State Bank of India (US dollar is the currency to be used for trade), besides facilities for quarantine and power generation.

India and China had signed a memorandum on expanding border trade on June 23, 2003. Modalities for conducting border trade between India and China are detailed in the memorandum on the resumption of border trade signed between the two countries in December 1991 and the protocol on entry and exit procedures for border trade signed in July 1992.

Other details for border trade were worked out between the two countries last month when an Indian delegation visited the Tibet Autonomous Region from June 17-20.

Business would be duty-free with India being able to export 29 items ranging from textiles and blankets, agricultural implements, liquor, cigarettes, tea, barley, rice, vegetable oil, and local herbs. Chinese traders would be able to trade in 15 items from horses to goats and sheep, yak tail, yak hair, goat skin, wool, and raw silk.

A study conducted by the Sikkim government says bilateral trade was expected to reach $12 billion by 2015.

Trading would take place four days a week from Monday to Thursday between 7.30 a.m. (Indian Time) to 3.30 p.m. A total of 100 traders and 60 trucks carrying goods will be allowed to operate from either side of the border, said an official.

Nathu La was a major trading point between the two countries before the 1962 war. It was also one of the main arteries of the Silk Road, which historically linked China via Central Asia to Europe. The Silk Route stretch from Lhasa to Gangtok was 563 km long.

Beijing had in 2003 given up its territorial claim over the Indian state of Sikkim and India in turn had recognised the Tibetan Autonomous Region as part of Chinese territory.

India, IAEA to discuss safeguards agreement

New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) A team of officials from the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) will arrive here over the weekend to negotiate a safeguards agreement with India - a necessary pre-condition before the US and the international community resumes nuclear trade with New Delhi.

The two-day talks on "India-specific safeguards agreement" over India's civil nuclear energy facilities - a crucial obligation agreed to by New Delhi in negotiating a civil nuclear deal with Washington in March this year - will begin Monday.

Senior officials from the external affairs ministry and Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) headed by Atomic Energy Commission chairman Anil Kakodkar will represent the Indian side during the discussions.

Kakodkar had visited Vienna early this year to engage in preliminary discussions with the IAEA officials to work out finer details of the safeguards agreement that will supervise India's present and future civilian nuclear facilities.

The conclusion of the "India-specific safeguards agreement" between New Delhi and the IAEA will boost the chances of the nuclear deal clearing the US Congress and the prospects of a bilateral deal passing muster in the US Congress.

The powerful House International Relations Committee cleared the nuclear deal late last month with an overwhelming majority in a mark-up that approved of changes in the US law to enable civil nuclear cooperation with India.

The 50-member committee approved by a vote of 37 to 5 the legislation that will make exemptions in the 1954 Atomic Energy Act to enable the US to sell nuclear fuel and technology to India in return for New Delhi placing its civilian nuclear reactors under permanent safeguards.

As part of its obligation under the India-US nuclear deal, New Delhi identified 14 of its 22 atomic reactors as civilian, which will be covered under the IAEA safeguards agreement. India, a non-signatory to Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty, has, however, retained its strategic option and has repeatedly stressed that the deal does not compromise its right to determine the size of nuclear deterrence.

India-China make history with re-opening of Silk Road

By Syed Zarir Hussain, Nathu La (Sikkim), July 6 (IANS) With the symbolic snipping of a red silk ribbon at the 4,500-metre Nathu La Pass, history was made Thursday morning when the old Silk Road along the Himalayas was opened for border trade between India and China after 44 years.

The Nathu La Pass, on the once hostile border between India's Sikkim state and China's Tibet region, was thrown open with the cutting of a red silk ribbon by Pawan Kumar Chamling, chief minister of Sikkim state whose Indian sovereignty was once disputed by China, and C. Phuntso, chairman of the Tibetan Autonomous Region.

Brass bands from both the countries struck up friendly tunes as the two leaders declared the symbolic opening at the 15,000-foot (4,545-metre)-high pass at around 9.45 a.m.

Indian traders crossed over to the Chinese side with silk scarves to welcome their Chinese counterparts.

"This is the beginning of a new era of hope and prosperity and the improving of bilateral ties between both nations," said Phuntso, in his remarks at the ceremony.

"This is not just a trade route, but a cultural highway. It will take India-China trade to new heights," said Chamling.

Goods were displayed on both sides at the trade marts set up and the entire area was bustling with officials, security personnel and eager locals.

The reopening of the Nathu La Pass, 52 km (33 miles) east of Sikkim capital Gangtok, is the first direct trade link since a 1962 border war between the two countries.

"The reopening of border trade is seen as an instrument for economic development for this region," Chief Minister Chamling told IANS.

Chinese Ambassador to India Sun Yuxi told IANS: "This is not just symbolic trade but, we hope, it would help to improve relations between the countries. Today the border is open for trade and we hope the border will soon open for tourists and a bus service from Gangtok to Lhasa very soon. We are excited and feel really good."

Despite the sweeping rains, dense clouds and freezing temperature, the Himalayan pass echoed Thursday with Hindi film music and Chinese songs. The atmosphere was full of bonhomie with soldiers from both sides shaking hands and clicking pictures, though wielding their automatic weapons.

For the first time in 44 years since the bloody winter war between the two countries, this heavily guarded border separated by a barbed wire fence had a relaxed look as frontier guards on either side exchanged friendly gestures and pleasantries.

The Chinese delegation led by Phuntso crossed over to the Indian side along with some 100 Tibetan traders after the border was thrown open.

A group of 100 Indian traders led by 80-year-old businessman Motilal Lakhotia set foot on Chinese soil and made their way to the trade mart at Renqinggang located some 10 km from Nathu La.

"I am thrilled at the prospect of being part of history," said Lakhotia, a prosperous businessman in Gangtok. Lakhotia had businesses in Lhasa before the 1962 war broke.

The Chinese traders are to move to Sherathang, a small hamlet five km below the Nathu La Pass, where the main business hub is located for the Chinese to trade their commodities.

The trade mart at Sherathang spread over eight acres have 29 pre-fabricated tin sheds to handle customs and immigration, security posts, a telecommunication centre, a branch of the State Bank of India (US dollar is the currency to be used for trade), besides facilities for quarantine and power generation.

"The Chinese traders would probably not come to trade on the inaugural day as this is something symbolic," Sikkim's director of industries Saman Prasad Subba had said.

Business would be duty-free with India being able to export 29 items ranging from textiles and blankets, agricultural implements, liquor, cigarettes, tea, barley, rice, vegetable oil, and local herbs. Chinese traders would be able to trade in 15 items from horses to goats and sheep, yak tail, yak hair, goat skin, wool, and raw silk.

A study conducted by the Sikkim government says bilateral trade was expected to reach $12 billion by 2015.

"Trading would take place four days a week from Monday to Thursday between 7.30 a.m. (Indian Time) to 3.30 p.m. A total of 100 traders and 60 trucks carrying goods will be allowed to operate from either side of the border," Subba said.

As per modalities worked out between the two countries, normal trade would begin each year on June 1 and continue till Sep 30, as the area would become impassable after that due to heavy snow, freezing weather and high velocity winds.

"We hope this trade brings in economic growth to the area," said Sonam Bhutia, a local trader hailing from a village close to Nathu La.

Nathu La was a major trading point between the two countries before the 1962 war. It was also one of the main arteries of the Silk Road, which historically linked China via Central Asia to Europe. The Silk Route stretch from Lhasa to Gangtok was 563 km long.

Beijing had in 2003 given up its territorial claim over the Indian state of Sikkim and India in turn had recognised the Tibetan Autonomous Region as part of Chinese territory.

Indian embassy in Bahrain resolves workers' dispute

Dubai, July 6 (IANS) A dispute regarding non-payment of wages by a Bahraini firm to its Indian workers came to an end after the matter was reported to the Indian embassy in Manama.

According to reports, 14 Indian labourers, employed with Classified Construction Company in Salmabad in Bahrain's Central Governorate, had alleged that they had not been paid their salaries for two to five months.

"We have repeatedly asked our employer to give us our dues. He would pay us for 15 days and nothing more than that," one of the labourers told the Bahrain Tribune newspaper.

"All the workers are heavily in debt," another said.

They also alleged that some of them were beaten up by their sponsor for asking for their wages. The incident happened Tuesday when the workers refused to leave their Salmabad accommodation unless they were paid their dues.

"Later on in the day our boss came with his brother-in-law and hit two of us, tearing their shirts and we had to rescue them from their grip," a report in the Gulf Daily News newspaper quoted one of the workers as saying.

The men then lodged a complaint with Bahrain's labour ministry, which advised them to inform the Indian embassy too.

On Wednesday morning, the workers apprised officials of the embassy in Manama about their plight.

The embassy then summoned the Bahraini managing director of the firm against whom the allegations were made.

During the talks that followed, he agreed to pay any money owed to ensure that the workers are treated properly, according to the newspaper report.

According to the agreement that was finally reached, the company will pay two of the employees, who had joined just two months ago, their whole salaries, including overtime.

The remaining 12, who are owed five months salary, will now get two months' salary and the rest over the next three months.

"We will agree to any decision taken by the embassy and also the boss has agreed that if we still want to go home, he will send four of us now and the remaining after submitting a month's notice," one of the workers later told the Gulf Daily News.

"Earlier, when business was not good we were paid our wages on time. But now, when it is booming, we are not being paid," he said.

There are over 130,000 Indians in Bahrain, many of them working as contract labourers.

Indian origin woman new British Medical Association head

By Prasun Sonwalkar, London, July 6 (IANS) An eminent Indian origin woman physician has taken over as president of the British Medical Association (BMA).

Parveen Kumar, gastroenterologist and a practising physician, quoted from poet laureate Rabindranath Tagore's "Gitanjali", "Where the mind is without fear..." during the function to take over office.

Kumar, who was born in India, is also a professor at Barts, Royal London and the Homerton Hospitals and has a distinguished academic career. She worked in the National Health Service for nearly 40 years.

Kumar succeeds Dame Deirdre Hine as the BMA president.

Kumar has published widely on small bowel disorders, particularly coeliac disease, and taught successive groups of medical student at Barts and The London, Queen Mary School of Medicine and Dentistry, University of London.

Her ethos of accessible and fun learning has been passed on beyond her own classroom through her textbook, "Clinical Medicine", (co-authored with Michael Clarke), which has now become a standard source for medical students and doctors across the world.

In 2000, Kumar was awarded CBE (Commander of the British Empire) for services to medicine having become the first Asian Woman of the Year (Professional) in 1999.

On her appointment to the post at BMA's annual conference in Belfast last week, she said: "I am delighted and honoured to have been appointed president of the BMA for the coming year. I have a background of 40 uninterrupted years working for the NHS and I have loved every minute of it."

She dwelt on several key issues facing the medical profession in Britain, including education and training of junior doctors.

"(It) is predicted that next year, thousands of junior doctors will have no jobs - a huge waste of talent and also public money in training these young doctors. For the first time we are seeing unemployment in our medical profession and this may also get worse with more doctors coming from the European Union," she said.

Striking a personal note, Kumar said: "I came to this country with my family as an immigrant from a country without a free health service. I have been here now for the greater part of my life and have been most fortunate in having had the opportunity, the encouragement and the training, to serve the NHS.

"I have travelled much over the last few years - teaching, examining, advising, lecturing and, of course, learning. Every time I return, I am even more convinced that the NHS is a good model of care... I believe that the British health service is the best system in the world and the envy of many abroad."

Kumar concluded her presentation by dedicating Tagore's poem as a celebration to the courage of the people of Belfast, and also, "as a hope for all those in countries undergoing strife, wars and victimisation, where many of our profession are caring for the sick with great professionalism and absolute impartiality."

She said: "Please listen to these words - they are very powerful: 'Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high/Where knowledge is free/Where the world has not been broken up into fragments/ By narrow domestic walls/ Where words come out from the depth of truth/ Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection/ Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way into the dreary desert of dead habit..../Into that heaven of freedom, my father, let my country awake'."

Indian-born yoga guru threatens $10 mn suit against LA

By Sujoy Dhar, Kolkata, July 6 (IANS) US-based yoga guru Bikram Chowdhury, accused of violating safety norms at his school visited by the likes of Salma Hayek, Venus and Serena Williams and Madonna, has threatened to slap a $10 million damage suit against Los Angeles city and the district attorney's office.

"If they don't settle everything right now I will file a damage suit of $10 million. They should seek an apology or else they would be in big trouble. I have lots of reasons to sue them," Chowdhury, who is visiting his mother in India, told IANS.

Los Angeles city attorney Rocky Delgadillo has charged him with 10 criminal safety violations, including violations of fire and safety exit rules and guidelines and cramming people into overcrowded rooms at his La Cienega Boulevard studio in the Bikram School of Yoga.

"They (the LA district attorney's office) should apologise and compensate. The move, I have reasons to believe, is driven by the vindictive attitude of an individual," said the 60-year-old Chowdhury who has kept in good shape some of Beverly Hills' most celebrated residents.

"John Kelly, whom I have not met, is one of the supervisors of the Building Safety Department of LA. He may be taking revenge for the firing of his brother-in-law who did not do his duty years ago when he was supposed to check the safety norms in my facility," Chowdhury said.

"The place in contention (40,000 sq ft) was developed by me in stages to accommodate growing number of pupils, but I had to break down a bathroom four times costing $800,000. Still, they brought 42 citations against me last month. I have cleared those minor inconsequential charges immediately."

He said he had already complained to the mayor of LA, who wanted know why the building was not checked properly for safety norms.

"I am being harassed for the past five-and-a-half years by the LA authorities. So I have decided to set up my yoga university in a hotel in Honolulu that is offering me 25,000 square feet of space. I am not moving out of LA where I am setting up more yoga schools."

Choudhury began teaching yoga in California in the early 1970s and later went on to become a cult figure with high-profile clients from the world of Hollywood, music, sports and US politics.

Known for his friendship with Michael Jackson, he has also claimed that the pop star had given him his ranch Neverland for setting up a retirement home and healing centre.

Choudhury, who founded the worldwide Yoga College of India, was born in Kolkata in 1946.

He began yoga at the age of four with India's most renowned physical culturist at that time Bishnu Ghosh, the younger brother of Paramahansa Yogananda (author of the most popular book on yoga, "The Autobiography of a Yogi", and founder of the Self-Realization Fellowship in LA).

Indo-Pak dialogue to figure in Kasuri's US visit

Washington, July 06: A range of issues including the status of the ongoing Indo-Pak dialogue will be discussed when Pakistani Foreign Minister Khurshid M Kasuri pays a three-day visit to the US capital starting July 9.

The Pakistani Foreign Minister will also raise the issue of a nuclear deal with his country similar to the Indo-US civilian nuclear agreement.

Kasuri's visit follows the recent trip made to Pakistan by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and the Bush Administration's formal notification to Congress of a proposed F-16s package for that country totalling US $5 billion and including new planes, refurbishments to existing ones and munitions.

He is expected to meet top administration officials at various departments and will be interacting at leading think tanks and on Capitol Hill. Kasuri will be addressing the Carnegie Endowment on July 11.

The basic thrust of the talks are expected to be on Pak-US relations which became especially significant in the aftermath of the terror attacks of September 11, 2001 and the Bush Administration classifying Islamabad as a major partner in the global war on terror.

In recent weeks Washington has also been quite apprehensive at the state of Pakistan-Afghanistan relationship and has been trying to soothe ruffled feathers on both sides of the border. The situation in Afghanistan is likely to be raised when Kasuri meets Rice next Monday.

Kasuri, who is in Paris to hold talks with his French counterpart Philippe Douste-Blazy, had told state-run PTV before leaving that he would not "hesitate to press" French and American officials on Pakistan's case for civilian nuclear technology.

He had said that he would ask both nations to rethink their stand on their persistent refusal to reach a pact with Pakistan similar to the Indo-US civilian nuclear deal.

Meanwhile, officials of the Bush Administration have denied any connection between the announcement of the F-16s package and the passage of the civilian nuclear energy deal between India and the United States in the House International Relations Committee and the Senate Foreign Relations Committee last week.

However, political observers have drawn a linkage between the two, especially with regard to its timing.

The notification to Congress on June 28 has left the legislature with thirty days to reject the package; and the House International Relations Committee has scheduled a hearing on the subject for July 13.

Congressional aides pointed out that a formal up-down vote in the House and the Senate was not required for the deal to pass through Capitol Hill.

The arms package is expected to be approved as observers said that Congress hardly strikes down arms deals of this nature; and secondly because the Congressional calendar being what it is, does not permit a major debate and vote on this issue.

Senior officials have said that over the last one year or more the administration has been speaking to members of Congress in private or in closed sessions. The decision to go ahead with the F-16s to Pakistan was made in March 2005, it is being pointed out.

Bureau Report (Source : zeenews.com)

Italian PM Prodi to visit in January

New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) Newly-installed Italian Prime Minister Romano Prodi is expected to visit India in January 2007 during which the two countries are likely to take their political, strategic and cultural relations to new levels, a visiting Italian minister said Thursday.

"I am happy to announce that premier Prodi is likely to visit India in January 2007," Italian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Gianni Vernetti said.

He was speaking at a function here where he conferred the Order of the Star of Italian Solidarity on 35 (eds: correct) Indians and Italians who have excelled in the fields of design, culture and industry.

"The visit will provide a platform for taking our already strong bilateral relations to a new level," Vernetti told IANS on the sidelines of the function.

Vernetti's visit is the first by a member of Prodi's government that came to power after the April general elections.

Jaipur pen collector enters Limca Book of Records

Jaipur, July 6 (IANS) An eye surgeon in Jaipur will feature in the Limca Book of Records 2007 edition - not for eye surgeries but for his unmatched collection of wood finish pens.

With a collection of 80 ink pens made of steel and plastic with wooden bodies, Sunil Gupta wrote to the Limca Book of Records in March. He received a reply in affirmative.

The collection of Gupta, who has been collecting pens since 1992, has reached 92.

"I have 92 wood finish ink pens, of which about 10 are imported. Though they are made of steel and plastic they give the feel of wooden pens," said Gupta.

"The pens range from Rs.7 to Rs.600. No two pens are alike," he added.

Gupta said he had always been fascinated with ink pens and his collection included pens from different cities, including Jaipur, Baroda, Agra, Lucknow and London.

He said: "Whenever I travel out of the city I buy at least one pen that appears different from the ones I already have.

"Some of the pens I have emanate light from the rear end so that one can write even in darkness while a few of them can verify a currency note."

Attributing the achievement to his wife, Gupta said he would not have been able to collect pens had it not been for the encouragement he received from his better half.

Gupta now wants to register for the Guinness Book of World Records.

"When I applied for the Limca Book of Records in March, I had 80 pens. But now the number has reached 92 and it will keep increasing. Therefore, I must go for the Guinness World Records," he said.

Besides wood finish pens, Gupta also has a collection of about 100 other rare pens.

Jamaat chief cancels London visit to meet Bhutto, Sharif

Islamabad, July 6 (IANS) Pakistani opposition leader Qazi Hussain Ahmed has called off his visit to London to meet former prime ministers Nawaz Sharif and Benazir Bhutto to plan a movement against President Pervez Musharraf.

The News reported this, quoting an unidentified close aide of the Jamaat-e-Islami leader who gave no reasons for the cancellation.

Ahmed, who heads the rightwing political combine Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA), was scheduled to visit London this week at the invitation of the Islamic Mission in Britain.

Playing down the cancellation, the newspaper said the meeting with the two former heads of government was not on the priority list of the MMA president. The purpose of the visit was to attend the Islamic Mission meeting.

There has been speculation about a rapprochement between the rightwing combine and the relatively moderate former prime ministers with the JI chief broadly endorsing the Charter of Democracy, worked out by Sharif and Bhutto to forge a broad opposition against Musharraf.

However, the MMA is not united on the issue and Maulana Fazlur Rahman, who is leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, distanced his part of the combine from any direct move against Musharraf.

While Ahmed secured resignations of Jamaat lawmakers, Rahman was not in favour of a direct confrontation with Musharraf. He said Ahmed had acted on his own.

The opposition remains divided in its approach, even though Bhutto, who heads the Pakistan's People's Party (PPP), and Sharif, chief of the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, have worked out an understanding with another grouping, the Alliance for Restoration of Democracy (ARD).

Kumaran elected to Rajya Sabha

Chennai, July 6 (IANS) DMK nominee K.P.K. Kumaran was Thursday elected unopposed to the Rajya Sabha.

Kumaran, a former owner of the 'Dinakaran' newspaper, fills the vacancy that came up after DMK's Sarath Kumar had resigned ahead of the Tamil Nadu assembly elections earlier this year and joined the AIADMK.

Marandi demands CBI probe into iron ore mines allocation

Ranchi, July 6 (IANS) Former chief minister and Jharkhand Vikas Morcha (JVM) supremo Babulal Marandi has demanded a CBI inquiry into the allocation of iron ore mines by the state government to private parties.

"Allocation of iron mines to private parties is a big fraud," Marandi told reporters here Thursday.

"The Sao iron ore mines lease was first cancelled by the government and later renewed after taking Rs.200 million," he pointed out. "I have proof that the money was given to Chief Minister Arjun Munda," he claimed.

Marandi demanded resignation of the chief minister and said, "Stern action should be taken against the officials who were involved." He also called for cancellation of lease to the company.

"If the government does not constitute a CBI inquiry to probe my charges, I will write a letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and ensure that the allocation procedure is investigated," Marandi warned.

"This is only one example of the corrupt practices of the government," he said adding, "I quit the BJP (Bharatiya Janata Party) for raising issues related to corruption. In future I will raise more such issues."

Musharraf says he is a soldier, will not contest polls

Islamabad, July 6 (IANS) Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said he is aware that "as a soldier" he cannot contest elections, but has rooted for the Pakistan Muslim League-Qaid (PML-Q), indicating his keen interest in political affairs.

In a clear response to his critics in the opposition, Musharraf told a rally in Gilgit that he was a soldier and therefore could not contest elections, The News reported.

He also said he would quit office the day people withdrew their support for him.

While declaiming against any move to retain his post as army chief and get re-elected for a second term as president, Musharraf made clear his political preference for the PML-Q that seeks to invoke the halo of Pakistan's founding father Mohammed Ali Jinnah.

"If people want my leadership, they should cast votes in favour of my supporters. When people retract their support, I will quit power the same day," he said while addressing a public gathering at the Lalak Jan stadium and members of Northern Areas Legislative Council.

"If people want development, they should support the Pakistan Muslim League and ensure its success in the next general elections," he observed.

Musharraf also underscored the need for stamping out extremism, terrorism and prejudices for the sake of peace and development of the country, the newspaper said.

Promising development for the remote region, he said: "We are planning to work out a gas pipeline project besides laying the railway track to China and Central Asian republics through the Karakoram highway, keeping in view the geo-strategic significance of the Northern Areas."

A major controversy has been fanned by the PML-Q leadership that promised "a second term in uniform" to Musharraf by conducting polls in the National Assembly and the provincial assemblies.

To counter this move, major opposition parties are securing resignations of its own lawmakers across the country and is planning a no-confidence motion against the government headed by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz. The likely date is Aug 2.

New Kerala education law irks NRIs in UAE

Dubai, July 6 (IANS) The recent bill passed by the Kerala assembly to regulate admissions and fees in private professional colleges in the state has come in for fire from the expatriate Keralite community in the United Arab Emirates (UAE).

According to reports here, the community is irked by the provision of the new law that allows the institutions to charge up to five times the normal fee from children of non-resident Indians (NRIs).

The Kerala Professional Colleges/Institutions (Prohibition of Capitation Fee, Regulation of Admission, Fixation of Non-Exploitative Fee and Other Measures to Ensure Equity and Excellence in Professional Education) Bill, 2006, was passed June 30 after much debate.

The bill covers 70 engineering colleges and eight medical colleges in the self-financing sector in the state. These colleges have close to 10,000 seats for engineering and 800 seats in the medical colleges.

It also allows for reservation of 15 percent of the seats for NRI children.

A report in the Khaleej Times newspaper quoted members of the community as saying that the new law only reinforced the Kerala government's general antipathy for NRIs.

"The decision of the government to allow the managements of self-financing institutions to charge high fees from NRI students reflects its attitude towards the NRI community. The government thinks all NRIs are rich and it is justifiable to charge us the way it likes," Puthoor Rahman, president of the national committee of the Kerala Muslim Cultural Centre (KMCC), UAE, told the newspaper.

Punnakkan Muhammad Ali, the general secretary of the Indian Overseas Congress, said the new law was a clear example of double standards by the politicians in Kerala.

"Now the spouses of labourers who earn about 800 dirhams a month have to cough up huge tuition fees. We will collect signatures of students from all over the UAE and send them across to the government."

"We do not have voting rights. The political parties always treat us as milch cows," he added.

There are around 200,000 NRIs from Kerala in the Gulf countries. They send home around Rs.70 billion annually, contributing almost 22 percent of the state's gross domestic product (GDP).

Around 800,000 people of Kerala's 30-million population depend on these remittances for their living.

NLC workers withdraw strike

Chennai, July 6 (IANS) Thousands of workers at Neyveli Lignite Corporation (NLC) here, protesting the proposal to sell a part of the government equity in the state-run firm, were set to return to work Thursday night after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh decided to reconsider the proposal.

After a late night meeting, the Joint Action Committee of the company's trade unions announced that the striking workers will return to duty at 10 p.m. Thursday.

The participating unions included the DMK-led union that has about 10,000 members and Left trade unions.

As many as 20,000 NLC employees and 10,000 support personnel had gone on a strike from July 4, protesting the central government's plan to sell 10 percent of its stake in the NLC and other public sector units.

In the meeting attended by about 3,000 workers, union leaders reviewed the government assurance and applauded Manmohan Singh's decision Thursday morning to put the plan on hold.

DMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi, who had Thursday morning threatened to quit Manmohan Singh's coalition government if it persisted with the plan, sent 'thank-you' letters to the prime minister as well as Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and Congress president Sonia Gandhi for reconsidering the decision.

"DMK always supports labour issues," the veteran politician said.

Leader of Opposition J. Jayalalitha, who had supported the workers, termed the government decision as "a victory for the workers".

NRI centre in US mooted

By Arun Kumar, Washington, July 6 (IANS) India proposes to open an NRI centre in Washington to "encourage, instigate and provoke" Indian Americans to become partners in the progress of their native country, according to visiting Minister for Overseas Indians Affairs Vayalar Ravi.

Working under the Indian ambassador, the proposed centre is to provide assistance to overseas Indians who wish to invest in or contribute in some way to the economic development of India, as also help Indians abroad in distress, he said at a news conference here Wednesday.

Ravi, who is on his first visit to the United States since assuming office in January, said a parliamentary standing committee was considering a proposal to extend voting rights to Indians working abroad by removing the six-month residence requirement for enrolment as voters.

While the Persons of Indian Origin (PIO) and Overseas Indian Citizen (OIC) certificates did not exactly offer dual citizenship, it was almost amounting to that as its holders will be treated practically as Indians, he said.

Asked what New Delhi was doing to channelise investments from Indians abroad, Ravi said under the liberalised regime, states have full freedom to invite overseas investment and in fact a healthy competition was developing among them.

His own ministry too would facilitate NRI investments in various states as also in 125 Export Processing Zones by offering a five-year tax holiday, single window clearances and other facilities.

The government was also trying to curb the menace of fake marriages by NRIs by launching awareness drives with the involvement of panchayats (village councils) to educate people about the need to be careful before entering into such relationships. The states too had been asked to set up special cells to extend help in making proper inquiries.

Asked about the controversy surrounding the annual Pravasi Bhartiya Divas Awards, Ravi said a high-level committee headed by the vice president would choose the winners for the next event to be held in Delhi, and he was hopeful, the persons selected would be acceptable to all.

The minister said he had witnessed a visible change in the attitude of Indian Americans during his interactions with the community in San Francisco, Los Angeles, Atlanta, Orlando, Florida and in the American capital on this trip.

First, they are now more confident and assertive. Second, they demonstrate a commitment and enthusiasm towards their country of origin, Ravi said. Having done their little bit for the India-US nuclear deal, they all want to contribute in more ways towards India's progress.

Ravi, whose fortnight-long visit to the US was to take him to Los Angeles, San Francisco, Atlanta, Orlando, Washington DC, New York and Chicago, has had a packed schedule including participation in conventions of people of Indian origin from Andhra Pradesh, Kerala and Gujarat.

Ravi also addressed the general body meeting of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI), the second largest physicians' organization in the USA, in Atlanta.

The minister is scheduled to have a series of meetings with Indian community members in New York later Thursday. On Friday, he will inaugurate the Rajiv Gandhi Centre for International Harmony and Peace at New Jersey and open the International Gujarati Convention at New Jersey.

Ravi returns to India on July 9 after another meeting with the Indian community in Chicago.

Orissa rains kill 31, affect over 40,000 people

Bhubaneswar, July 6 (IANS) The rains that continued for three days have subsided in Orissa, but the deluge has left a trail of disaster - at least 31 killed, over 40,000 people affected and thousands of houses destroyed.

These are preliminary official estimates, officials here said.

The monsoon rains caused by a depression over the Bay of Bengal hit the state Saturday and continued relentlessly for over three days.

The situation has improved, but reports are pouring in from various parts of the state about the damage wrought.

The 31 cases of people being killed came in from various districts, including Bhadrak, Bolangir, Gajapati and Raigada. Some were swept away by the floodwaters while others were killed in a landslide.

Besides, the rains have affected 1,730 hectares of crop, damaged 2,964 houses and affected 41,619 people, a government official said.

Pakistani media says India sending troops to Afghanistan

Islamabad, July 6 (IANS) Claiming that India wants to send peacekeeping troops to Afghanistan, the Pakistani media has criticised Islamabad for not doing anything to prevent the move.

Pakistan should not allow a situation when it faces Indian troops on both the eastern and the western fronts, the media reports warn.

According to The News, India is supposed to be contemplating sending troops for peacekeeping at the instance of the US and the European Union. The daily, in a front-page report, said there are "serious discussions in New Delhi" on the subject.

"It is safe to presume the last thing that Pakistan would like to see is Indian troops on both its western and eastern borders. For over a week now, the Indian government has been contemplating this request, which many feel is not the same as the request to send Indian troops inside Iraq, which it rejected," The News said.

But it said that Islamabad's "silence is deafening" and there are no "pre-emptive statements coming from Islamabad to block this move".

In a different twist, The Nation said India is "keen to deploy" its troops in Afghanistan under the coalition command but the US and NATO "have assured Pakistan they would not entertain any such request by New Delhi".

"Owing to its desire to increase influence in Afghanistan, India have expressed its wish vis-à-vis troops deployment in the war-ravaged country", the newspaper said, quoting diplomatic sources.

It added: "However, they said the United States and NATO have extended firm assurance to Pakistan against the deployment of Indian troops in Afghanistan."

This is a new line of argument for Pakistan that have for long been accusing India of nurturing a strategic aim by opening consulates in Afghanistan and its ministers and officials have insinuated the role of "Indian agencies" in the ongoing militancy in Balochistan, besides sectarian riots in Karachi.

For good measure, The News warned India against sending troops on two counts - sending troops would anger the Indian Muslims and that military involvement in Sri Lanka (ostensibly, peacekeeping operations in the late 1980s) proved expensive for India and did not help the Lankan situation in any way.

An article by Indian commentator Prem Shankar Jha has been cited, both as a proof of the Indian intentions and as a warning against taking such a step.

The News also reminded that Islamabad had made it clear to the US, EU and others involved in peacekeeping in Afghanistan that troops from any country, except India, would be welcomed because of military implications for Pakistan. This has been respected so far.

It wondered why and how this could be changed.

The News further added: "If this proposal is accepted by New Delhi, Indian troops would take over various duties in the calmer areas of the country and thus release more British and American troops to fight the Taliban in the troubled south and east of the country."

Pesticide exposure could affect unborn children

New York, July 6 (IANS) Exposure to the pesticide DDT may cause harm to the child while still in the womb, says a study.

DDT or dichloro-diphenyl-trichloroethane was developed as the first of the modern insecticides early in World War II. It was banned in the US and Britain in the 1970s, but it is still used in some countries to kill malaria-carrying mosquitoes. Earlier studies have found it to be linked to premature births and low birth weight.

Now Brenda Eskenazi and other researchers at the University of California, Berkeley, found that children exposed to DDT while in the womb also experience development problems, reported the online edition of BBC News.

DDT, an organochlorine, persists in the environment long after use, accumulating in the food chain and in fatty tissues of animals and humans. Over time, it degrades into DDE and DDD, metabolites of DDT, which have similar chemical and physical properties.

Thirty-three years after its use was banned in the US, DDT is still detectable in about five to 10 percent of people, while DDE is detectable in nearly everyone.

The researchers measured the levels of DDT and one of its breakdown products, DDE, in the blood of 360 pregnant women, the majority of whom were born in Mexico where agricultural use of the chemical was only banned in 2000.

The researchers tested the mental and physical skills of the women's babies at six, 12 and 24 months using established tests to measure the children's development.

For each tenfold increase in DDT levels measured in the mother, the team found a corresponding two to three-point decrease in the children's mental development scores at 12 and 24 months.

Children with the highest DDT exposures in the womb were associated with a seven to 10-point decrease in test scores, compared to the lowest exposures, the researchers say

When the children's physical skills were measured, there were two-point decreases in children's scores at six and 12 months for each tenfold increase in DDT levels in the mothers. Similar, but weaker effects, were linked to DDE exposure.

The team also found that the longer babies were breastfed for, the better they scored on the developmental tests - even though they would have been exposed to DDT through the milk.

People need to consider these data if they are going to continue using DDT or reintroduce it in countries where it's been banned, the researchers say.

Rs.3.2 trillion for infrastructure in 11th Plan

New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) The Planning Commission has earmarked a whooping Rs.3.2 trillion ($69.5 billion) for modernisation and upgrade of ports, airports and highways for the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-12) to help improve India's competitiveness as a manufacturing hub.

"The objective is to make India a world-class manufacturing hub with the best of infrastructure facilities," said Gajendra Haldea, advisor in the Planning Commission, at a function held here Thursday by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham).

The event marked the release of Assocham's study "Infrastructure: The $150 Billion Growth Story".

Giving sector-specific details for the 11th Plan period, Haldea said around Rs.400 billion has been earmarked for modernisation of leading airports and Rs.600 billion for the upgrade of ports.

For building highways across the country Rs.2.2 trillion has been earmarked, with 75 percent of the resources to be generated through public-private partnership.

"The enabling model will be shortly announced for the execution of 11th Plan programme for infrastructure building," he said.

Haldea stressed that resource generation would not be a constraint for the government as it is committed to build a world-class infrastructure for the Indian industry to grow at a double-digit rate, with manufacturing expected to register a 12 percent annual growth.

Assocham president Anil Agarwal said the business association envisaged an investment requirement of Rs.6.5 trillion or around $150 billion, for the government's "big ticket programmes" like Bharat Nirman, National Urban Renewal Mission, completion of the National Highway Development Programme including the Golden Quadrilateral and North-South and East-West Corridor, modernisation of Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Hyderabad and non-metro airports and mega power projects in the next five years.

The study has suggested creation of consortium of banking and financial institutions to finance domestic infrastructure needs.

"The consortium of suggested institutions will conveniently support and meet requirements of infrastructure sector but also enlarge its exposure as these institutions are fully aware of market trends in infrastructural financing," said Rajiv B. Lall, managing director of Infrastructure Development Finance Co. Ltd.

SBI opens branch in Birmingham

London, July 6 (IANS) The State Bank of India has opened another branch in Britain - this time in Birmingham, which is fast emerging as a world-class location for international financial services.

The branch in Handsworth is located in a predominantly business district inhabited by businessmen of Indian origin.

SBI's move to Birmingham was supported by inward investment specialists at Advantage West Midlands and Locate in Birmingham, who provided guidance and access to appropriate business support.

The new branch is part of an expansion programme, which has seen branches open in Manchester and Leicester this year in addition to the three the bank operates in London.

The Birmingham branch will offer a range of services for both personal banking and corporate finance.

Richard Butler, head of inward investment at AWM, told Birmingham Post: "The West Midlands is a dynamic and cosmopolitan region with a thriving and diverse and economy and a long tradition of trading internationally.

"The welcome arrival of the State Bank of India is a superb example of the leading global companies setting up in the region."

Mike Loftus of Locate in Birmingham said: "It is great to see the long-established links between Birmingham and the subcontinent being sealed in such a practical and positive way."

Sudha Malhotra, State Bank of India's chief manager for Britain, said: "We are absolutely delighted to be opening our branch in Birmingham. This marks a new milestone in the steadily increasing India-UK business relations, both for us and the city of Birmingham.

"We at SBI are very well positioned to carry this momentum forward. We bring to Birmingham our established strengths in trade finance, retail and corporate services as well as our traditional values of fine and transparent rates.

"Our team here is from Birmingham and understand the business requirements of the city well. We will leverage this local knowledge with our international capability to provide a world-class banking service to our customers."

Sixteen-year-old Lakhveer Derewal from Smethwick was the first customer at the new branch.

SC turns down AP plea on Muslim quota

New Delhi, July 05: The Supreme Court today turned down Andhra Pradesh government's plea to allow it to admit Muslim candidates in various educational institutions for the current academic session under the controversial law providing five percent reservations for Muslims in the state.

A bench of Chief Justice Y K Sabharwal and Justice C K Thakker said allowing the plea would amount to staying the Andhra Pradesh High Court order which had declared the impugned law as unconstitutional.

The court had earlier refused to stay the High Court order striking down the Andhra Pradesh reservation of seats in the educational institutions and of appointments/posts in the public services under the state to Muslim Community Act, 2005.

The act provided five percent reservation for Muslims in educational institutions and government jobs in the state.

The bench reiterated its January four order in which it had said "we are not inclined to stay the operation of the impugned judgment and make operational a law which has been invalidated by the High Court, as an interim measure."

The bench had, however, clarified that those already admitted in educational institutions or employed with public offices under the impugned law would not be disturbed and status quo would continue to this extent.
Bureau Report (Source : zeenews.com)

South African granny, 132, may be world's oldest

Johannesburg, July 6 (Xinhua) At 132 years of age, South African granny Moloko Temo may be the world's oldest citizen, though her name has not appeared in the Guinness World Records.

Temo, who lives in Mohodi village in South Africa's northern province of Limpopo, celebrated her 132nd birthday Tuesday, said The Citizen newspaper Thursday.

"Her skin still looks healthy, even though she is wrinkled, and her complexion is very light," said the newspaper, which carried a picture of her identity document that records her year of birth as 1874.

Another newspaper Sowetan said Temo has outlived three of her eight children, has 29 grandchildren, 59 great-grandchildren and five great-great-grandchildren.

Agnes, Temo's 77-year-old daughter, told the newspaper that though her elderly mother cannot see and has to use a wheelchair, she still speaks well and enjoys the company of others.

Efforts were being made to have her recognised as the world's oldest living person by the Guinness Book of Records, which currently lists Maria Esther de Capovilla of Ecuador, born on Sep 14, 1889, as the oldest living woman.

"I wish I can live to see the 2010 Soccer World Cup (in South Africa). Everyone here is talking about it," Temo told Sowetan at her colourful birthday party in her village Tuesday.

Supreme Court dismisses SIMI plea against ban

New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) The Supreme Court Thursday dismissed as withdrawn a petition filed by the Students' Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) seeking a direction to lift a five-year-old ban imposed on it by the central government.

A bench of judges Arijit Pasayat and Lokeshwar Singh Panta observed that since a tribunal was already looking into the matter, it would not like to interfere.

When the bench indicated that it would dismiss the petition, the counsel for the petitioner said he would withdraw the petition and it was dismissed as withdrawn.

The petitioner had challenged the ban order on the ground that no reasons were given to proscribe SIMI and the organisation had not been found indulging in any terrorist or antinational activities.

Taiwan develops missile capable of hitting Chinese coast

Taipei, July 6 (DPA) Taiwan has secretly developed a missile which can hit China's south-east coast, a Taiwanese online newspaper said Thursday.

The ETtoday, quoting an unnamed military source, said the military Chungshan Institute of Science and Technology has secretly developed the Hsiung Feng III (Brave Wind III), which has a range of 600 km and a precision to within less than one metre.

China's coastal provinces like Guangdong and Fujian are within its range, the online paper said.

The Taiwan military plans to test-fire Hsiung Feng III in September in a ceremony attended by President Chen Shui-bian, it said.

If true, the development is likely to spark worries from the US, and other countries in the region, that the missile could raise tension in the Taiwan Strait. The US has already expressed its concern over the missile development to Taipei, the online paper said.

ETtoday said that after having developed missiles that can strike China, Taiwan's next aim is to develop an anti-missile system to intercept missiles fired by China.

Taiwan and China are separated by the 120 km-wide Taiwan Strait. China sees Taiwan as a breakaway province and has vowed to reclaim Taiwan by force if Taipei decides to seek full independence.

Three injured in Kashmir explosions

Srinagar, July 6 (IANS) Three people were wounded in two powerful explosions in Jammu and Kashmir Wednesday, police said.

Guerrillas fired a rifle grenade at a Border Security Force camp at Sopore in north Kashmir's Baramulla district, injuring two passers-by.

"The grenade fell and exploded on the road near the camp resulting in injuries to two people. They were shifted to hospital for treatment," said a police officer here.

In another incident, guerrillas lobbed a hand grenade at a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) picket near the main bus stand at Batmallo in uptown Srinagar that missed the target and exploded on the road.

"One bystander received minor injuries and was taken to the SMHS hospital for treatment.

No group has claimed responsibility for the blasts.

Top ISI man suspected in kidnap of army official, family

Islamabad, July 6 (IANS) A top Pakistani official has denounced the kidnapping of a retired army officer, his daughter-in-law and four teenagers allegedly on the orders of a senior Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) official.

Director-General of Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) Maj.Gen. Shaukat Sultan said: "The incident is most unfortunate and extremely regrettable."

Sultan, who is also press secretary to President Pervez Musharraf, said the incident "has been taken note of at the highest level".

ISI, which is armed with immense powers and funds, is responsible for intelligence operations at home and abroad.

Brig. Muhammad Taj, a veteran of India-Pakistan wars, was kidnapped along with his daughter-in-law and two grandchildren last week over a fight on the playground among children on Tuesday. Taj was released by his kidnappers later.

Taj and the father of another person who was kidnapped wrote angry letters to Musharraf seeking his intervention. He alleged his daughter-in-law and grand children were beaten up. They were released along with the others on Wednesday.

He alleged that his only son, an officer in the Pakistan Air Force, had also been beaten up. "I am unable to face my family," Taj wrote to Musharraf.

The News daily said: "Already the ISI top offices, perturbed by this incident, had constituted a board of inquiry to fix responsibility".

"A senior ISI official had actually ordered the illegal operation against the helpless civilians. Today, he visited Brigadier (retd) Muhammad Taj's place along with his wife to tender an apology after his son and others allegedly beat up the retired brigadier's son."

However, the official denied he had ordered the kidnapping. So far, the focus of the authorities is only on the influential victim. The others have not so far been approached either in connection with the inquiry or to assuage their feelings.

UK poll used to demonise Muslims ahead of 7/7 anniversary

London, July 6, IRNA, Muslim leaders are questioning the findings of a new poll that is being used to demonise the UK's 1.8 million community ahead of this week's anniversary of last year's London bombing.

"A significant minority of British Muslims believe they are at war with the rest of society," the Times said Tuesday in reporting a joint survey with ITV news, claiming that 13 percent believe the culprits of the 7/7 bombings should be seen as 'martyrs'.

But editor of the 'Muslim News' Ahmed Versi said polls can be misleading, including in the way questions can be constructed and in the way they are perceived by respondents.

"The findings do not appear to reflect the reality on the ground.

Tens of thousands of Muslims have been targeted by police stop and searched but had not led to even one being charged," Versi said.

Ironically, the poll also found that 79 percent of British Muslims said their community has experience increased hostility since last July's bombings and 74 percent reported that Muslims are viewed with suspicion by fellow citizens.

While being questioned during a coinciding parliamentary hearing, Prime Minister Tony Blair put the onus on 'moderate' Muslim leaders to do more to change the attitudes of extremists.

"We are not having a debate of a fundamental enough nature within the community, which is where the moderate majority go and stand up against the ideas of those people, not just their methods," Blair said.

"Government itself cannot go and root out the extremism in these communities," he argued in a reactionary mood.

His hearing came after Muslim Labor MP Sadiq Khan accused the government of causing a 'huge amount of frustration' within Muslim communities over its failure to implement a raft of Muslim-led recommendations put forward after last year's bombings.

On Monday night, Khan said that Muslim task force set up by Blair felt 'let down' by the government as 'very little appears to have changed'.

"We need to show it was not a short-term exercise, and that these ideas have not been shelved," he said in referring to only three out of 64 recommendations being implemented and especially the government's refusal to hold a full inquiry into the bombings.

"A public inquiry into the July 7 bombings could have provided one way to start the public debate which we need. Very few British Muslims, myself included, have been able to understand why government set itself so strongly against this," the lawmaker said.

The poll's negative findings were also seen overshadowing the killing of the first British Muslim soldier in Afghanistan, which several newspapers praised as having died for his country.

UK public needs inquiry into 7/7 bombings, says former minister

London, July 6, IRNA, Former home office minister John Denham Wednesday added his voice to the growing calls for a judicial inquiry into last year's London bombing.

"We must have a full inquiry to help us stop another 7/7 outrage," said Denham, who now chairs the parliamentary Home Affairs Committee.

"No one wants to play the blame game. No one wants an
investigation to find one person who was at fault and make them pay.

But we need to fully understand what happened on July 7," he said in an article for the Daily Mirror newspaper.

His call comes after Prime Minister Tony Blair again ruled out holding a public inquiry despite the fact that the demand is being backed by a growing number of MPs, by survivors of the bombings and bereaved families as well as by Muslim community leaders.

"Every Muslim who the Government has consulted and we have talked to, is unanimous in saying there should be a public inquiry," Denham said.

He said the Muslim community had concerns which are not so much about immediate policing and security issues, but "want to know about the underlying factors which led four young British men to kill themselves and 50 others."
For the Muslim community, the holding of an independent inquiry "would be a significant, symbolic step" and for the government, it would "kickstart its engagement with the Muslim community," the former minister said.

"We need to support the people from the Muslim community who have put themselves at the forefront of tackling extremism. If we listen to what they say, react to what they want, then we will be doing our bit to tackle extremism and terrorism," he said.

But giving evidence to the parliamentary Liaison Committee on Tuesday, Blair insisted that an inquiry would end up diverting vast amounts of energy and resource into something already known, which he said was "that these four individuals went and committed this act." The prime minister's persistent refusal has led to claims that the government has something to hide about the bombings, but Denham said "as an MP, I don't believe there has been a security service cover-up."
"The problem is that we have to assure the public that the inquiries were thorough. They need to know that all the ground has been covered. They need to know that the right people have been questioned," he said.

At the Liaison Committee hearing, the former home office minister taunted the prime minister, saying he does not like public inquiries after the inquiry into the death of Iraq arms inspector David Kelly, and asked "why is your position so implacable?"

Denham said there is a very simple reason why an inquiry should be held -- "it is the best way to stop it from ever happening again" and the public needs to know "if there was anything that could have been done immediately before the attacks to prevent them."

V.P. Singh ups the ante against Mulayam

New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) Former prime minister V.P. Singh, who is on a comeback trail to active politics, is intensifying his new battle against Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh and his Samajwadi Party ahead of the upcoming assembly elections in the state.

In a fresh attack against the Mulayam Singh government, V.P Singh Thursday announced that he and his newly formed Jan Dal activists would plough the land given to Anil Ambani's Reliance Energy Ltd. in Dadri to protest against the delay in the implementation of the gas-based power project.

"When the land was given to the Reliance group in 2004, the chief minister had promised that the villagers would get the power in two years. Nothing has been done so far," Singh told reporters here at his residence.

"On Saturday (July 8), Jan Morcha and other political party activists will go to Dadri and plough the land which was acquired by the government from the farmers. I myself will plough the land," he said.

V.P. Singh, also a former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, last month joined hands with expelled Samajwadi Party leader Raj Babbar's Jan Morcha, which has now been renamed Jan Dal.

Farmers of Dadri have been up in arms against the state government saying they have been compensated inadequately for their fertile land that has been handed over to the Reliance group for setting up the power generation unit.

V.P. Singh, who had announced his retirement from active politics nearly a decade-and-a-half back but has been active recently, alleged that the state government had allowed corporate groups to take over the state.

"The corporate sector has overtaken the state," he said.

"Why there is no power project yet on a land acquired from the farmers? There is no penalty clause in the agreement so that the company could be questioned for the delay? In fact they have not even announced at what rate the power will be distributed at the completion of the project."

Pointing out that the big corporate groups have been taking over the best agricultural lands in the world for industrialisation, the former premier demanded the land should be returned to farmers.

"The Uttar Pradesh government is also acquiring agricultural land on the sides Lucknow-Kanpur road for the Lucknow Industrial Development Authority," he said.

The Jan Dal has received pledges of support from Steel Minister Ram Vilas Paswan's Lok Janshakti Party, Railway Minister Lalu Prasad's Rashtriya Janata Dal, Communist Party of India, Revolutionary Socialist Party, Forward Bloc and some smaller parties and social organisations.

Political analysts have pointed out that if the new front manages the support of the Congress, it would post a major threat to Mulayam Singh and his party in the politically crucial state.

VIP houses: notice to central government, three states

New Delhi, July 6 (IANS) The Supreme Court Thursday issued notice to the central government and the states of Uttar Pradesh, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh asking them to furnish information on allotment of houses to former chief ministers and other VIPs.

Acting on a petition by the organisation Lok Prahari challenging the decision of the Uttar Pradesh government to allot bungalows to former chief ministers, the court in 2004 had issued notice to the state.

However, in January the court enlarged the scope of enquiry and said it would consider whether government bungalows could be allotted to ex-chief ministers on the lines of accommodation given by the central government to former presidents, vice presidents and prime ministers.

A bench comprising Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal and Justice C.K. Thakker was Thursday told that the practice of allotment of bungalows to VIPs was confined only to the three states besides the central government. Hence the earlier order was modified and notice was issued only to the central government and the three states.

The petition challenged the Ex-Chief Ministers Residence Allotment Rules framed by the Uttar Pradesh government in 1997. It was argued that the non-statutory rules for allotment of bungalows to chief ministers for life was unconstitutional, illegal, inoperative, discriminatory and violative of Article 14 of the constitution.

The petition sought a direction to the state government to cancel forthwith, illegal allotments made in favour of 16 former chief ministers, including former prime minister V.P. Singh, Uttaranchal Chief Minister N.D. Tiwari and Bahujan Samaj Party leader Mayawati.

It also sought a direction to recover as arrears, the additional rent due from the beneficiaries. It pointed out that the rules did not provide for allotment of bungalows to family members of ex-chief ministers or to any trust or society. Despite this, allotments were made to all former chief ministers and others and no steps were taken for their eviction, the petitioner said.

$15 bn target set for foreign investment into India

New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) India should attract $15 billion in foreign investment by 2007-08, making a three-fold increase from its present level, an investment commission headed by top industrialist Ratan Tata has recommended.

The target enclosed in a report by the Investment Commission was presented to Finance Minister P. Chidambaram during a meeting here where a strategy was also unveiled on how India can raise its level of investment from 30 percent of gross domestic product to 34 percent.

This, the commission felt, was necessary to accelerate India's long-term growth to eight percent from an average of around seven percent for the past few years by targeting 25 key sectors over the next five years.

The sectors, spanning infrastructure, manufacturing, services, natural resources and knowledge industries represent a significant part of the economy and require an investment of $525 to $550 billion over the next five years, the panel said.

"We are on the right path," Chidambaram said after the meeting, adding that the country's economic policies were on a solid wicket strong and the fundamentals strong to be able to attract the desired level of overseas capital.

According to the commission, its suggestions were made after wide interactions with companies, industry associations, government and business delegations from the US, Britain, Italy Japan and the Scandinavian countries.

The commission said among the impediments to foreign investment were investment caps, absence of long-term policies, inflexible labour laws, high cost of entry, bureaucratic delays, discretionary interpretation and poor infrastructure

The commission's recommendations include:

-Remove or reduce investment caps on all sectors other than those considered strategic and allow automatic route for all investments within the sector cap

-Provide labour flexibility and permit Contract Labour in all areas

-Promote special ewconomic zones for key sectors and redefine norms on the basis of scale, investment quantum and sector focus.

-Provide a level playing field in sectors dominated by state-run firms and set up independent central regulatory commission for each such sector

-Provide long-term visibility and consistency of policy

-Improve business environment by reducing the number of procedures and approvals and make them time bound and non-discretionary

-Eliminate the scope for discretionary powers to stem corruption and update key laws using study groups with Government and industry participation

'Stern action' against AIIMS medicos, warns Ramadoss

By Prashant K. Nanda, New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss Friday warned of "stern action" against doctors who went on strike at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) to protest its chief's sacking.

"It is really painful to see doctors neglecting their duty. What happened to their promise of serving society at any cost? Stern action awaits the protesting medicos," Ramadoss said.

"No doctor will be spared for taking poor patients for granted," the minister told IANS in an interview at his Nirman Bhavan office.

The AIIMS resident doctors were on a flash strike since Wednesday after the institute's governing body passed a resolution recommending the government to sack its director P. Venugopal on charges of violating the code of conduct.

The decision followed a public spat between the minister and the director, though Ramadoss insisted that the current controversy was not a feud between him and Venugopal.

"The resolution was passed by 12 members favouring it and three against it," he said.

Venugopal, a renowned heart specialist, filed a suit in the Delhi High Court that Friday stayed the execution of the resolution till its next hearing in August.

The strike caused immense hardship to thousands of patients who come to the country's premier healthcare institute.

"Three people have died in last three days. We will enquire into the matter. Any doctor found guilty will be dealt with strongly," the minister said adding that he was shocked to learn that the emergency gate of the AIIMS campus was locked by resident doctors and students.

"If Venugopal believes in human values, he should have told doctors to return to work on the very first day of the protest - at least for the sake of those poor souls," said Ramadoss, who is also the president of the institute.

Defending the decision to pass a resolution against the director, Ramadoss said: "Venugopal's appointment for a period of five years was inappropriate. He is 64 but is still the director. His appointment letter empowers him to work till the age of 66, which is completely inappropriate."

The minister also said that striking doctors will not receive any salary for the period of protests. "According to the law of the land, no one would be given any salary for the period of their protests," he said.

The health ministry's move to cut salaries of those doctors who struck work in May - to protest the government policy of hiking caste-based quotas in higher education - was opposed by the medical community and a petition was filed in the Supreme Court, which asked the government this week to be a "model employer".

Ramadoss, however, said the court's observation was merely a comment, while the final order was still awaited.

"The administration of the AIIMS has been going down the drain," he said, adding the current action was a step in bringing things into order.

The minister said those AIIMS faculty members who were against him had earlier complained to him about the director. "Two months ago, 99 percent of the faculty were against Venugopal and I have piles of complaint letters from them against him."

"The governing body's resolution is now with the cabinet and till it receives the final nod Venugopal is the director," Ramadoss said adding that if the cabinet rejects it he will accept it in true spirit. "There is no other option."

'US wants free, fair elections in Pakistan'

Lahore, July 7 (IANS) US Ambassador to Pakistan Ryan C. Crocker Thursday said Washington wanted free, fair and transparent elections in Pakistan for the stability of democratic institutions in the country, Online news agency reported.

Crocker said this while talking to reporters during his visit to Masjid Wazir Khan here.

"America considers Pakistan a close ally and we appreciate Islamabad's efforts in the war against terrorism," he said.

US President George W. Bush, he recalled, during his Pakistan visit in March had reassured President Pervez Musharraf of every support to ensure fairness and transparency in the elections in the country.

On self-exiled former prime ministers Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif returning home, he said it was an internal affair of Pakistan.

Earlier in the day, Crocker inaugurated the craft bazaar adjoining the historical mosque, which has been restored with a grant from the US ambassador's fund for cultural preservation.

116,000 tonnes of pulses to be imported

New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) With prices of pulses scaling new highs across the country due to the supply-demand gap, India will import over 116,000 tonnes of the protein-rich grams July-August.

The National Agricultural Cooperative Marketing Federation of India (NAFED) is finalising the modalities of importing 5,000 tonnes of assorted grams from Myanmar, Deepak Sandhu, director general (Media and Communications) of the Press Information Bureau said here Friday.

Briefing reporters about the review meeting held by the consumer affairs secretary Friday, she said this consignment would include pigeon pea, black gram and green gram.

In addition, NAFED has finalised a tender for importing 5,000 tonnes of moong pulses, and 25,000 tonnes of black gram - out of which 15,000 tonnes will arrive in July and the remaining in August.

State-owned Project and Equipment Corporation (PEC) has also floated the tender for importing 81,000 tonnes of pulses of different varieties for delivery at Mumbai, Kolkata and Chennai.

Of the total, 15,000 tonnes of black gram, 5,000 tonnes of moong gram, 5,000 tonnes of toor gram and 2,000 tonnes of channa gram is planned for delivery at each of the three ports.

"The last date for the tender floated by PEC is July 11," she said.

Another state-owned company, MMTC Ltd., has also floated a tender for importing pulses.

A major producer of pulses, India, however, still depends on imports for 50 percent of its demand. Given the fact that pulses are a rich source of protein, the government is keen that it remains more affordable especially for poor and middle-income families, for whom it is an important part of the everyday meal.

13 Martyred, 36 wounded in Kufa car explosion Najaf

Iraq, July 7, IRNA, Some 13 people were martyred and 36 others wounded in a car bomb explosion Thursday morning in the Iraqi holy city of Kufa, according to initial reports.

The reports said four Iranians were martyred and 15 wounded in the explosion which occurred at 7:15 (local time) Thursday morning near a Shiite mosque in Kufa, 160km south of the Iraqi capital Baghdad.

The bomb exploded in a car stationed between two buses carrying Iranian pilgrims.

According to security and hospital sources and eyewitnesses, the explosion occurred as the Iranian pilgrims were preparing to board a bus at the site.

The number of casualties could still go up, sources said.

The martyred and injured in the blast have been brought to various hospitals in the holy city of Najaf for treatment.

After Nepal king, Pashupatinath's assets come under scrutiny

By Sudeshna Sarkar, Kathmandu, July 7 (IANS) Less than a week after it asked the royal family to submit details of their properties, Nepal's parliament will now investigate the wealth of an even greater power - Lord Pashupatinath, one of the Hindu trinity.

The Pashupatinath temple in Kathmandu, one of the holiest pilgrimage destinations for Hindus, Buddhists and Jains alike, has come under the scrutiny of the Parliamentary Public Accounts Committee, recently formed to probe the misappropriation of state funds since 2002, when King Gyanendra began ruling the country through a series of nominated prime ministers before finally seizing direct control with the help of the army.

"Devotees undertake special worship at the temple throughout the year, offering cash and jewellery worth millions," Chitra Bahadur KC, chairman of the probe committee, told IANS. "Yet there is no audited record. For a long time, people have been suspecting the money goes elsewhere."

The temple, one of the most popular tourist sites in Nepal, is run by a trust that is chaired by the queen. The current queen, Queen Komal, is the present chairman of the trust.

"There have been allegations that trust members were chosen not because of their competence or auditing skills but because of their closeness to the palace," KC said. "It is also suspected that most of the money accruing from offerings goes to the palace instead of being spent on the temple or charitable organisations, like the norm in other temples. This is public money and every paise has to be accounted for."

On Thursday, prior to holding an on-the-spot assessment, the parliamentary committee heard the director of the trust who denied knowing anything about the income generated from devotees; offerings. He also said the head priest is in sole charge of the offerings.

The head priest is Mahabaleshwar Bhatta from southern India. According to tradition, the four priests at the shrine, including the head priest, has to be appointed from the "south of the Vindhyachal mountain range" - virtually meaning India and beyond.

On July 13, the probe team will visit the temple, where they will meet Bhatta.

KC said Pradip Gyawali, culture, tourism and civil aviation minister, would also be asked to attend the session.

"In India, big temples like the Tirupati temple, are managed by trusts formed of skilled and competent officials and they pay tax to the government on the temple earning," KC said. "Nepal too should have similar arrangements. We are also mulling asking parliament to formulate laws, if necessary."

AIIMS medicos on strike, medical services affected

New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) Medical services at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here were paralysed following the flash strike of resident doctors protesting the move to sack director P. Venugopal who moved the Delhi High Court challenging his sacking.

At least two patients at the country's premier medical institute died Thursday, though AIIMS spokesperson Shakti Kumar Gupta said they were being attended to by doctors at the time of their death, and the strike was in no way to be blamed for it.

Four doctors also sat on a hunger strike to protest the AIIMS governing body's resolution of Wednesday to recommend the government to sack the director for "violating the code of conduct" applicable to the employees.

The faculty association, which launched a flash strike Wednesday, decided Thursday to continue it for 24 hours more, Gupta said.

Venugopal, India's best-known heart specialist, marked his 64th birthday Thursday by filing in the court a petition seeking a stay on his removal saying he had not flouted any code of conduct of AIIMS as alleged by Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss Wednesday.

The petition, which was listed for hearing Thursday was adjourned by the court till Friday.

"Director saab kisi se milna nahin chahte (the director does not wish to meet anyone)," said a guard outside Venugopal's residence.

"We went to wish him this morning but he was in no mood to either celebrate or meet anyone," Patra told IANS.

Patra said resident doctors and students from three Delhi-based institutes, the Maulana Azad Medical College, Lady Harding Medical College and University College of Medical Sciences, would soon join them in their protest.

"We just want Venugopal back in his position," he said.

Healthcare services at the institute were badly affected, with emergency and out patient department services derailed, causing inconvenience to thousands of patients.

On Thursday, Harbhajan Kaur, a heart patient died in the intensive care unit (ICU) where she was admitted June 30. Another patient, Ramjeet Prasad, 48, died in the ICU of the Neuro Sciences Centre on the same day.

However, the AIIMS spokesperson said: "The fact that the two patients were in ICU shows that they were in critical condition. They were being attended to by doctors at the time of death. It has nothing to do with the ongoing strike."

On Wednesday night, a seriously ill patient died allegedly after being denied admission at the AIIMS.

"We have no idea of what is happening at AIIMS but no one is attending to me," said Gomti, a patient suffering from acute chest pain.

"I came to the hospital at 5 a.m. but no one is around to listen to me. They are busy fighting for their own interests and have no care for thousands of patients like me," said the 60-year-old woman.

Angry relatives of seriously ill patients pounded the doors of the emergency wards.

However, Gupta said the casualty and emergency services would be suspended for the time being. "The doctors are looking after the in patients," the spokesperson said.

"Today, over 700 patients were attended to at various OPDs. Twenty-seven operations were carried out. Right now the situation is under control and registry of patients is being done on a restricted basis.

"The OPD would function tomorrow and number of patients to be attended would be decided as per the availability of doctors," Gupta added.

He said over 50 doctors are working and since 2,000 nurses of AIIMS are not on strike the in-patients are being looked after by them.

The current AIIMS imbroglio has its roots in Venugopal's public spat with Ramadoss last month after the institute had emerged as the epicentre of protests against the government decision to hike caste-based quotas in higher education.

While Ramadoss alleged that "some people" had turned the country's leading medical institute into a "political hub" and warned of action against them, the sacked chief accused the minister of curtailing its autonomy.

Apex court notice on 'routing' of Narmada funds

New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) The Supreme Court Friday issued notice to the central government and the states of Gujarat and Madhya Pradesh on a petition seeking a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) probe into the alleged routing of foreign funds received by the Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA).

Acting on a petition filed by V.K. Saxena, president of the National Council for Civil Liberties, a bench of the Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal and judge C.K. Thakker also issued notice to the NBA, through Medha Patkar and her close associate Rahul Bannerjee.

Saxena sought a direction to the CBI to investigate into the affairs of the NBA and the source of foreign funds received by it.

The petitioner's counsel Amar Dave contended that the NBA had been stalling the construction of Sardar Sarovar Dam project at the behest of foreign agencies.

He also alleged that no action had been taken on a police complaint registered in 2000 despite the Madhya Pradesh vigilance department giving a report against the NBA.

In the petition, Saxena alleged that the agitations of the NBA virtually resulted in delay and suspension of several important hydel projects such as Sardar Sarovar and Maheshwar.

Saxena said in spite of several reports, the authorities had not taken any action against the NBA, its members and associates, who were getting large amounts of foreign money and local funds to subvert various hydro projects in the country.

He said there was an emergent need for issuance of appropriate directions and guidelines to the central and state governments to ensure that activities of the NBA and other similar organisations causing detrimental impact, jeopardising national interests were nipped in the bud by stringent action

Bush seeks common stance on North Korea

Washington, July 7 (DPA) US President George W. Bush Thursday urged the international community to stand united against North Korea's test missile launches while pushing for a diplomatic resolution to the crisis.

Bush telephoned presidents Hu Jintao of China and Vladimir Putin of Russia to remind "them of the importance of speaking with one voice," he told reporters.

"My message was that we want to solve this problem diplomatically, and the best way to solve the problem diplomatically is for all of us to be working in concert and to send one message," Bush said.

Bush also spoke with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun following North Korea's launch of a long-range Taepodong 2 missile and six short and medium range rockets early Wednesday.

US officials sought to downplay the threat to show they will not bow to North Korean pressure for one-on-one negotiations with Washington.

The US wants discussions aimed at convincing North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons programme and to remain in the six-nation format that also includes China, Japan, Russia and South Korea.

North Korea has refused to rejoin the discussions since the September gathering in Beijing.

US, British and Japanese officials have presented a resolution to the UN Security Council that would require North Korea to halt the developing of ballistic missiles. Russia and China have shown a reluctance to come down too hard on the North Koreans.

"One way to send a message is through the UN," Bush said at a press conference with Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper.

The message to North Korean President Kim Jong Il needs to be that "we expect you to adhere to international norms, and we expect you to keep your word," Bush said.

"They're trying to turn this into a contest of wills between North Korea and the US, and that's not what it's all about," Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns told CBS television.

Bush dodged questions about the reclusive North Korea leader's quirky reputation.

"It's hard for me to tell you what's on his mind," Bush said. "He lives in a very closed society."

"We're dealing with a person who was asked not to fire a rocket by the Chinese, the South Koreans, the US, the Japanese and the Russians. And he fired seven of them," Bush said on his 60th birthday.

Check price rise, halt sell-off: CITU to government

Bhopal, July 7 (IANS) The Centre of Indian Trade Unions (CITU) Friday came down heavily on the central government on the issue of selling equity in state-run firms, saying instead of such a move it should check the price rise of essential commodities.

CITU secretary Deepankar Mukherjee told reporters here that the government needed to explain why NALCO had not been given a 'navratna' status when it was included in the category three years ago.

"What was the need for disinvestment when the country's 57 public sector undertakings (PSUs) had a reserve fund of Rs.2.31 trillion and hardly 30 percent of it was required for fresh investments?" he asked.

"Neither the country's assets would be allowed to be sold nor the violation of Common Minimum Programme would be tolerated in the name of market reforms," he warned.

The government should instead concentrate on checking price rise, removing unemployment and bringing about land reforms speedily, he advised.

Mukherjee was here to attend CITU's state unit meeting.

CITU members also accused the coal minister of preparing to privatise the country's coal reserves and resolved to oppose it tooth and nail.

"The workers of all the three coal companies in Madhya Pradesh - SECL, NCL and WCL - will launch an intensified agitation to oppose the privatisation of coal reserves," said CITU state general secretary Badal Saroj.

China explosion leaves 43 dead

Taiyuan, July 7 (Xinhua) Forty-three people were killed and 28 injured early Friday in a blast caused by privately stored explosives in north China's Shanxi province.

The explosion took place at around 6.30 a.m. in a villager's home in Dongzhai village in the province's Ningwu County, said a police official.

Preliminary investigation suggests that a fire triggered the explosion.

A worker with the Ningwu county committee of the Communist Party of China (CPC) said a villager's home suddenly caught fire and many fellow villagers rushed to extinguish it.

Suddenly, the house exploded, killing 37 villagers on the spot and injuring many others. Six more died in the hospital.

The house was reduced to rubble and the explosion shattered the windows of adjacent homes, said the party worker.

Zhang Baoshun, secretary of the Shanxi provincial committee of the CPC, demanded that all efforts be made to rescue the injured, and responsible persons be punished according to law.

Party and government authorities of Ningwu and Xinzhou have rushed to the spot to oversee the rescue work.

Over 200 fire fighters and armed police are clearing off the debris from the explosion.

Ningwu county was witness to a fatal blast on July 2 last year when a gas explosion at the Jiajiabao coal mine killed 36 people and injured 11. The mine's owner hid the bodies of 17 dead miners after the explosion to evade punishment.

With vast coal reserves, Shanxi province, commonly known as the "sea of coal, is the biggest coal producer in China. However, legions of fatal accidents occur in the province each year, and tragedies caused by illegal storage of explosives used for mining.

In June this year, 10 people were killed when privately stored explosives went off in a residential building in Fanshi county of the province.

China, US discuss North Korea nuclear issue

Beijing, July 7 (Xinhua) US Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill held talks Friday with Chinese officials on North Korea's missile tests and nuclear weapons programme.

State Councillor Tang Jiaxuan told Hill: "China is deeply concerned over the current situation.

"China will constantly maintain its efforts and close contact with all parties involved in preserving peace and stability in the Korean Peninsula to realise denuclearisation there and push forward the six-party talks."

Hill said the US administration attached importance to the six-party talks and was willing to settle problems via diplomatic efforts.

The talks, which involve China, North Korea, US, South Korea, Russia and Japan have stalled since September because of Pyongyang's objections to the imposition of financial sanctions by the US.

Hill, who is also the chief US negotiator in the six-party talks, arrived here early Friday morning to discuss North Korea's launch of missiles Wednesday.

Before meeting with Tang, Hill held talks with Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wu Dawei and also met with Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing.

Hill is later expected to travel to South Korea and Japan.

Wu is also to hold talks with Kenichiro Sasae, Japan's chief negotiator to the six-party talks.

He is scheduled to visit North Korea next week along with Vice Premier Hui Liangyu.

Defence offsets policy to bring $10 bn in 11th plan

New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) India's new offsets policy for defence procurements is likely to bring in $10 billion (Rs.500 billion) during the 11th Five Year Plan (2007-11), opening up new growth avenues in terms of technology upgrades, industry participation, exports and employment generation, figures released Friday show.

"Capital expenditure on defence during the plan period will be Rs.300 billion per year and Rs.1.5 trillion for the entire period. Thirty percent of this - Rs.500 billion will flow back by way of offsets," a defence ministry spokesman said.

The government's new offsets policy that came into effect earlier this year, makes it mandatory for foreign companies to invest 30 percent of the amount in India in case of defence deals worth over Rs.3 billion.

The figures acquire significance as Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee is currently undertaking a review of all defence public sector undertakings (DPSUs) and has urged them to immediately get their act together to take advantage of the inflows.

"The first priority for the offsets investments will be in defence-related industries, followed by other sectors," the spokesman pointed out.

Mukherjee has thus far reviewed the performance and preparedness of four DPSUs - Bharat Electronics Ltd (BEL), Mazagon Docks Ltd (MDL), Bharat Dynamics Ltd (BDL), and Garden Reach Shipbuilders and Engineers Ltd (GRSE).

In his interactions with the top managements of the four firms, he asked them to expand their vendor base and to increase cooperation with small and medium private sector enterprises to boost employment generation.

"The minister was of the view that there should be healthy linkages between the public and private sectors," the spokesman said.

Urging the units to strictly comply with financial and physical targets, Mukherjee called for a joint monitoring of major projects by DPSUs, the defence ministry, service headquarters and the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO).

Delhi court stays Venugopal's ouster, AIIMS strike set to end

New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) The three-day strike of resident doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here was likely to be called off Friday after the Delhi High Court stayed the move to sack its director P. Venugopal.

Expressing happiness over the court order, Venugopal said: "Satyamev Jayate (Truth always wins)! I am looking forward to maintaining the autonomy of the institute for which I have fought."

Venugopal, a renowned cardiologist, had moved the court following the AIIMS governing body's decision Wednesday to recommend his removal on charges of violating the code of conduct.

The court said: "The decision of the AIIMS governing body, recommending the termination of Venugopal's services, is stayed and the government is restrained from taking any decision on the recommendation."

Jubilant medical students welcomed the court order.

"We are happy with the court stay. We are holding a general body meeting (of the resident doctors association) and we will decide by 9 p.m. We will decide the future of the protest. In all likelihood we will call off the strike by that time," Anil Sharma, a senior resident doctor in the institute told IANS.

"(Health Minister Anbumani) Ramadoss' personal enmity with our director led to the current problem and his interference in the AIIMS must be restricted," Sharma said, demanding the minister's resignation in the light of the court order.

But the doctors had to face the wrath of the people -mostly poor- many of whom who had come to Delhi for treatment from long distances.

Over 100 relatives of patients staged a rally outside the hospital, saying the controversy between doctors and the government was causing them hardships.

"My sister is under treatment for cancer at AIIMS, but doctors told me to take her home," said P. Kumar who has come here from Jehanabad of Bihar.

"Doctors are now only concerned about their own interests and it seems patients are no more their priority," added Kumar.

Ashwini Yadav from Patna lamented: "I am here since Wednesday evening to get my son admitted for treatment of his stomach tumour. But neither senior doctors nor resident medicos are in a mood to listen to me.

"Since four doctors are on the hunger strike, why can't others join work? Thousands of patients like me are coming to AIIMS just for the sake its reputation and low charges but when doctors are not treating patients, what is the value of reputation?" Yadav asked.

Earlier, former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, urging him to intervene in the matter.

Meanwhile, police clashed with striking doctors at the AIIMS campus earlier Friday and destroyed tents erected in the central lawns of the institute for the four doctors who were on a hunger strike.

Students and doctors, however, set up a fresh tent and started parallel out patient department (OPD) services to treat patients.

"As we are concerned about patients, we have started parallel OPDs and will continue the service as long as the protest lasts," said Binod Patra, president of the AIIMS resident doctors association.

Doctors call off strike after court stays Venugopal's sacking (LEAD)

New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) The three-day strike by resident doctors of the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here was called off late Friday after the Delhi High Court stayed the move to sack its director P. Venugopal.

"We have temporarily taken back the strike and would immediately join work," said Binod Patra, president of the resident doctor's association.

He said all the doctors would resume work from immediate effect, but if the government decides to take any action against them, then they would review the situation and could resume their strike.

He added the doctors have decided in the two-hour meeting to demand for the resignation of Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss.

"We have decided to demand for the resignation of the health minister on moral ground," said Patra.

Soon after the decision of the high court was made public, Venugopal said: "Satyamev Jayate (Truth Will Prevail). I am looking forward to maintaining the autonomy of the institute for which I have fought."

Venugopal, a renowned cardiologist, had moved the court following the AIIMS governing body's decision Wednesday to recommend his removal on charges of violating the code of conduct.

The court said: "The decision of the AIIMS governing body, recommending the termination of Venugopal's services, is stayed and the government is restrained from taking any decision on the recommendation."

Jubilant medical students welcomed the court order.

"(Health Minister Anbumani) Ramadoss' personal enmity with our director led to the current problem and his interference in the AIIMS must be restricted," Anil Sharma, a senior resident doctor in the institute, said, adding the minister should quit in view of the court order.

But the doctors had to face the wrath of the people - mostly poor- many of whom who had come to Delhi for treatment from long distances.

During the day over 100 relatives of patients staged a rally outside the hospital, saying the controversy between doctors and the government was causing them hardships.

"My sister is under treatment for cancer at AIIMS, but doctors told me to take her home," said P. Kumar who has come here from Jehanabad of Bihar.

"Doctors are now only concerned about their own interests and it seems patients are no more their priority," added Kumar.

Ashwini Yadav from Patna lamented: "I am here since Wednesday evening to get my son admitted for treatment of his stomach tumour. But neither senior doctors nor resident medicos are in a mood to listen to me.

"Since four doctors are on the hunger strike, why can't others join work? Thousands of patients like me are coming to AIIMS just for the sake its reputation and low charges but when doctors are not treating patients, what is the value of reputation?" Yadav asked.

Earlier, former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee had written to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh urging him to intervene in the matter.

Meanwhile, police clashed with striking doctors at the AIIMS campus earlier Friday and destroyed tents erected in the central lawns of the institute for the four doctors who were on a hunger strike.

EU cool to Kashmir propaganda by pro-Pakistan lobby

By Manish Chand, Brussels, July 7 (IANS) As its relationship with India deepens, the European Union (EU) is cool to the propaganda of the pro-Pakistan lobby in this Belgian capital about alleged human rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir.

Gleaming billboards flashing striking visuals of hands thrown in despair, with words such as 'Help Kashmir: Demilitarization, Human Rights,' stare at commuters at most metro stations in Brussels that is home to key EU institutions.

The Kashmir Centre, an NGO funded by the International Council for Human Rights, has put up these posters to cash in on the European sensitivity to rights violations to dent the growing profile of India in Europe.

Most scandalously, the posters advertise the website kashmircentreeu.org - a gratuitous reference to EU, according to senior EU officials.

"We have nothing to do with it. We are aware of these posters and the website and asked them to delete any reference to the EU in their website," a senior EU official told IANS here.

The official also recalled how some lobbyists tried very hard to put Kashmir on the joint action plan that was launched at the India-EU summit in New Delhi last year.

"They tried very hard but they didn't succeed. Kashmir is not an issue between India and EU," said the official who did not wish to be named.

"Besides, the EU's relationship with India is growing in every sphere, be it political, economic or cultural. A freak website like this can't be allowed to impinge on this relationship," the official added.

When the posters were pointed to an Indian diplomat, he chose to tactfully ignore, saying he did not want to give "free publicity to anti-India elements". He, however, said the issue would be taken up with Belgian authorities soon.

The 'Help Kashmir' posters, however, highlight the role of lobbying in the seat of the EU. According to an estimate, there are over 20,000 lobbyists in this mid-size European city pitching for a hundred causes and clients.

The pro-Pakistan lobby, said an EU official, is highly organized and focused. His advice to India: Catch up with the lobbying game as it helps - at times.

"EU and India need to go in for intensive engagement. India is the flavour of the season in Europe and it should not allow its image to be dented by lobbyists," he added.

An EU delegation led by Baroness Nicholson, member of the European Parliament and rapporteur, visited Jammu and Kashmir last month on a fact-finding mission but refused to meet any separatist group.

The foreign affairs committee of the European Parliament is preparing an initiative report on earthquake rehabilitation in Kashmir - the first draft of which is likely to be tabled later this month.

The debate on the situation in Kashmir is likely to take place in the European Parliament around September.

Hosts, winners of previous World Cup finals

Berlin, July 7 (DPA) The complete list of the hosts, winners and scores of previous World Cup finals.

Year Host Winners Final

1930 Uruguay Uruguay Uruguay-Argentina 4-2
1934 Italy Italy Italy-Czechoslovakia 2-1 AET
1938 France Italy Italy-Hungary 4-2
1950 Brazil Uruguay Deciding game: Uruguay-Brazil 2-1
1954 Switzerland West Germany West Germany-Hungary 3-2
1958 Sweden Brazil Brazil-Sweden 5-2
1962 Chile Brazil Brazil-Czechoslovakia 3-1
1966 England England England-West Germany 4-2 AET
1970 Mexico Brazil Brazil-Italy 4-1
1974 West Germany West Germany West Germany-Netherlands 2-1
1978 Argentina Argentina Argentina-Netherlands 3-1
1982 Spain Italy Italy-West Germany 3-1
1986 Mexico Argentina Argentina-West Germany 3-2
1990 Italy West Germany West Germany-Argentina 1-0
1994 U.S. Brazil Brazil-Italy 0-0 AET, 3-2 pen
1998 France France France-Brazil 3-0
2002 S.Korea/Japan Brazil Brazil-Germany 2-0
2006 Germany Italy-France

India backs OIC, flays Zionist regime on Gaza

New Delhi, July 6, IRNA, On most days, the Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) and India are at daggers drawn. Yet, India last week signed on to an OIC petition for a special session of the newly-constituted Human Rights Council of the UN held on Wednesday -- to give Zionist regime a hollering for its activities in Gaza.

The vote to keep the situation in the occupied territories on the Council's agenda was passed with 29 countries in favor, 12 against and five abstentions, while one country was absent.

India voted along with Egypt, Iran, Jordan, Lebanon, Saudi Arabia and Syria, while UK, Canada, France, Germany and Japan voted against, said a report published in a leading English daily "Asian Age" here on Thursday.

The Indian action comes amid a perception among the Congress led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government's political managers that New Delhi's stance against its traditional Muslim allies, like Iran, at the behest of its newest strategic partner, US, was having its repercussions in the Congress' Muslim vote, not least in the recent state assembly elections.

This unease has been compounded in the Congress party, starting from India's Iran vote at the IAEA in 2005 to a much reviled clause in the US Congress' nuclear Bill asking India to 'isolate and sanction' Iran for its nuclear weapons activities -- and being seen as detrimental to the Congress party's chances to trawl in the Muslim vote in the forthcoming UP elections.

The Indian action at the UN is also designed to keep carping Communist allies at bay, by indicating that India was capable of taking 'independent' foreign policy decisions.

In recent days, South Block has tried to accomplish some delicate balancing on its Middle East policies.

On June 27, it openly condemned Hamas' capture of an Israeli soldier.

But three days later, secretary in the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), Rajiv Sikri, called in the Israeli ambassador to protest against the resultant Israeli military offensive in Gaza, citing humanitarian concerns.

Nevertheless, India's moves have left the powerful Jewish lobby, in the US and in Israel, unamused.

Representatives of this lobby have met key members in the Indian government to explain Israel's point of view.

This lobby has ears in the Indian establishment because it has been batting for India openly in Washington trying to work on bipartisan support for India's nuclear Bill.

Sources said the Jewish lobby has also been responsible for the turnaround of many key US legislators to support India, after New Delhi voted against Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

In fact, India's candidate for UN secretary general, Shashi Tharoor, is also known to be actively courting this lobby, assisted by the Indian government.

Interestingly, as India reverts to its old Islamic constituency, Europe has been rethinking its own traditionally pro-Arab stance in the Middle East, especially after Hamas took over the reins in the Palestinian territories.

In the recent crisis in Gaza, analysts say Europe's reactions against Israel have been muted.

India's bilateral relations with both Israel and the Arab countries remain sound. The odd part of it is, despite strong economic, defense and intelligence ties with Israel, India shows no inclination of changing its UN voting record.

With the Arab states, growing political relations with India have failed to obscure the fact that at every OIC summit, India is singled out by its friends for special criticism, following Pakistan's footsteps.

India demands end of Israeli military action

London, July 07: India joined 28 countries at the UN Human Rights Council to demand an end to military action by Israel in Palestinian areas and agreed to send urgently a fact-finding mission to the area to assess the ground situation.

A special session of the UNHRC in Geneva adopted a resolution on the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory expressing "grave concern at the detrimental impact of the current Israeli military operation on the already deteriorating humanitarian conditions of the Palestinian people."

Israel launched military action after one of soldiers was abducted in an attack by Hamas at a security post on June 25.

India and 28 other countries voted in favour of the resolution, while 11 voted against and five abstained.

"The council (resolution) demanded that Israel end its military operations in the occupied Palestinian territory," a statement issued by the UNHRC after the two-day session said.

The council also asked Israel to immediately release the arrested Palestinian ministers, and members of the Palestinian Legislative Council.

The UNHRC decided to dispatch an urgent fact-finding mission headed by the special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in the occupied Palestinian territory, the statement said.

Bureau Report (Source : zeenews.com)

India denies sending troops to Afghanistan

New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) India Friday denied that it was planning to send any peacekeeping troops to Afghanistan.

"These news reports are totally mischievous and baseless," external affairs ministry spokesperson Navtej Sarna told reporters in response to a question about a report in Pakistani daily The News.

A report published in The News claimed that India was contemplating sending troops for peacekeeping at the instance of the US and the European Union. The daily, in a front-page report, said there are "serious discussions in New Delhi" on the subject.

"It is safe to presume the last thing that Pakistan would like to see is Indian troops on both its western and eastern borders. For over a week now, the Indian government has been contemplating this request, which many feel is not the same as the request to send Indian troops inside Iraq, which it rejected," The News said.

India is one of the world's top six contributors to the reconstruction of Afghanistan and has pledged over $600 million for a slew of socio-economic projects in Afghanistan.

India's increasing profile in Afghanistan is deeply resented by the Pakistani establishment that is prone to regard Kabul as its backyard.

India objects to Pakistan move on SAFTA

New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) India Friday objected to attempts by Pakistan to impose "extra conditions" on a South Asia free trade area agreement that would severely limit the number of items the two countries can trade under a multi-lateral pact that came into force this year.

"We regard this action against the very essence of the SAFTA (South Asian Free Trade Area)," external affairs ministry spokesperson Navtej Sarna told reporters Friday.

He was alluding to a notification issued by Pakistan July 1 regarding tariff concessions under SAFTA, which is meant for South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) member countries.

According to this notification, goods can be imported into Pakistan under the agreed SAFTA tariff concessions "subject to import policy order notified by the ministry of commerce".

"This last qualification refers to the import policy order of July 21, 2005 which limits SAFTA tariff concessions for India only to items on the existing bilateral positive list," said Sarna, explaining the larger ramifications of Islamabad's decision on the future of the free trade area pact.

"SAFTA operates on the basis of agreed sensitive lists. SAFTA has little operational meaning if member countries do not honour their commitments in letter and in spirit," Sarna stressed.

The spokesperson stressed that "attempts are made to introduce additional conditionalities that were neither discussed nor agreed to when SAFTA was being negotiated" and such a move will "compromise the credibility of the participating member country and SAFTA itself."

"Any efforts to subject SAFTA to such conditionalities would be a derogation of the agreement," he underlined.

The spokesman repeated India's "full commitment to honour its commitments and its readiness to "shoulder a major share of responsibility to promote intra-regional and other forms of economic and technical cooperation".

Commerce Minister Kamal Nath has taken up the issue with SAARC Secretary General Chenkyab Dorji.

In a letter to Dorji, he wrote: "I am sure you would agree with me that SAFTA has little meaning if Pakistan does not apply SAFTA to all the items except those tariff lines in the Sensitive List to all member countries."

He requested Dorji to convene the SAFTA Ministerial Council Meeting "urgently for consideration of this important matter".

A framework agreement on the SAFTA was signed during the third summit in Islamabad in 2004. SAFTA came into effect retrospectively from Jan 1 this year and is to be operationalized through a phased trade liberalization programme which covers all tariff lines except those kept in the sensitive or negative list by each member country.

India, Bangladesh to upgrade infrastructure to boost trade

Agartala, July 7 (IANS) India and Bangladesh have decided to modernise and upgrade existing infrastructure, including roads, to boost their bilateral trade, officials said here Thursday.

"We have decided to modernise and upgrade our existing infrastructure including road connectivity to further boost the trade between the two countries - especially between the northeastern states of India and Bangladesh," said M.V.P.C. Sastry, joint secretary in India's commerce ministry, after a marathon two-day joint working group meeting on trade.

Terming the meeting as "very successful", Sastry said: "It is our constant endeavour to reduce the huge bilateral trade gap existing between the two nations."

"The northeastern states of India have huge resources and raw materials and these can be exported to Bangladesh. After due processing, the finished products can be made available to the people of the region at much cheaper rates," said Sastry, who led the 16-member Indian team.

Elias Ahmed, additional secretary in Bangladesh's commerce ministry, led his country's eight-member team.

Ahmed said northeastern states of India and Bangladesh have common culture, language and lifestyles and these similarities can easily enhance bilateral trade.

Custom officials of both the countries will soon meet and review the performance of 176 land custom stations in the five states along the India-Bangladesh border.

Some of the stations will be further strengthened and some of them will be redeployed.

Sastry said the meeting also discussed the recommendations of the task force constituted by the Federation of Indian Chamber of Commerce and Industries (Ficci) and Bangladesh Chamber of Commerce and Industries.

"We have also discussed issues relating to tariff and non-tariff barriers," Sastry said, adding the Indian government had already taken a series of measures to provide greater market access to Bangladesh.

He said road and rail connectivity, container movement, transit and transhipment issues also came up during the hectic deliberations.

At present, the daily volume of trade between India and Bangladesh is estimated between Rs.8.5 million ($184,630) and Rs.9 million at the 20-odd land customs stations located along the four of the eight northeastern states of India.

Senior officials of the commerce and industries departments of the five bordering states - West Bengal, Assam, Meghalaya, Mizoram and Tripura - also participated in the meeting, held in the northeastern state and outside New Delhi and Dhaka for the first time.

India, IAEA to discuss safeguards agreement Saturday

New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) India will hold talks with the Vienna-based International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Saturday to negotiate a safeguards agreement over its civilian nuclear facilities - a key precondition for the resumption of global nuclear trade with New Delhi.

A team of senior IAEA officials arrived here Friday morning for talks on an "India-specific safeguards agreement" with officials from the Indian external affairs ministry and the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) headed by Atomic Energy Commission chairman Anil Kakodkar.

During the discussions, the focus will be on devising India-specific safeguards that will take into account New Delhi's independent strategic programme and its commitment to non-proliferation despite the fact that it is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

A specific safeguards agreement with the IAEA was agreed to by New Delhi in negotiating a civil nuclear deal with Washington during the visit of US President George W. Bush here in March.

As part of its obligation under the India-US nuclear deal, New Delhi identified 14 of its 22 atomic reactors as civilian, which will be covered under the IAEA safeguards agreement.

Kakodkar had visited Vienna early this year to engage in preliminary discussions with the IAEA officials to work out finer details of the safeguards agreement that will supervise India's present and future civilian nuclear facilities.

The conclusion of the "India-specific safeguards agreement" between New Delhi and the IAEA will brighten the chances of the nuclear deal clearing the US Congress and the prospects of a final bilateral deal getting approval of the US Congress.

The powerful House International Relations Committee cleared the nuclear deal late last month with an overwhelming majority in a mark-up that approved of changes in the US law to enable civil nuclear cooperation with India.

The 50-member committee approved by a vote of 37 to 5 the legislation that will make exemptions in the 1954 Atomic Energy Act to enable the US to sell nuclear fuel and technology to India in return for New Delhi placing its civilian nuclear reactors under permanent safeguards.

India, Italy to intensify ties with Prodi visit

By Vishnu Makhijani, New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) India and Italy will seek to raise their political, strategic, economic and cultural ties to new heights when Prime Minister Romano Prodi visits here in January 2007, a visiting Italian minister says.

"We hope Premier Prodi will be able to make a visit in January 2007. We are confident that during this visit, we will be able to take forward our relations on the political, strategic and economic levels to greater levels," Italian Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Gianni Vernetti told IANS in an interview.

Vernetti is the first ranking Italian minister to visit India since Prodi assumed office in April after the general elections.

"We have good bilateral relations and good commercial relations. There is good scope for building a special partnership with India," Vernetti maintained.

"We want to build a strategic and political partnership with India," he added.

Asked for specifics, he said this could translate into greater engagements in the political and defence spheres.

"India is the largest democratic country in the world. We can do more since we think on the same lines so we have to increase our political engagement. Then, there is the case of military cooperation - particularly between our navies and coast guards," the minister pointed out.

Asked if this would translate into more exercises involving navy and coast guard vessels, the minister replied: "I'm not an expert on that but I think there can be greater coordination between our navies and coast guards."

During his two-day visit, Vernetti said he was "overwhelmed" by the degree of "goodwill" that Italy enjoyed in India.

"At my meeting with (Indian counterpart) Anand Sharma, I was pleasantly surprised to discover how much goodwill we enjoyed here. Then I thought about it and I realised how much we have in common in the way we think. This makes us natural allies," Vernetti maintained.

Indian ICBM Agni-III test imminent?

New Delhi/Bhubaneswar, July 7 (IANS) India Friday seemed to be on the verge of test firing the nuclear-capable Agni-III intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) and there were indications the preparations had been underway for a month.

The defence establishment, however, said it was "not aware" of this.

"I do not know from where they have got the report from. I am not aware of any such test," a defence ministry official said, not wanting to be identified.

He was reacting to a report by a TV news channel that the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) that developed the missile which is capable of reaching China, was on the point of sending it aloft.

Inquiries in Orissa capital Bhubaneswar revealed that preparations for a Agni-III launch have been underway for at least a month and that President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who has mentored India's missile programme, had visited the test site earlier this week.

Kalam, who was on a three-day visit to the state, had visited Wheeler Island, a DRDO facility off the Orissa coast, where he was given a detailed briefing on the Agni-III launch, sources said.

Kalam, when he was scientific advisor to the defence minister and DRDO head, had in 1992 selected Wheeler Island for testing the Agni series of missiles.

Avinash Chandra, the director of the Agni-III programme, has been camping at the site for a month, the sources added.

There have been indications since 2004 that Agni-III, a three-stage missile that adds a third stage to the first and second stages of Agni-II, was ready for launch.

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee has repeatedly stated the launch had been put off due to India's "self-imposed restraint" on testing the missile.

Media reports in May said the Agni-III test flight had been put off under pressure from Washington, which felt this would send all the wrong signals at a time when the US Congress, as also the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), were considering the proposed India-US civilian nuclear deal.

Mukherjee immediately rubbished the suggestion, saying: "We have no pressure on us. We have decided on a self-imposed restraint," Mukherjee said May 15.

"As responsible members of the international community, we want to keep our international commitments on non-proliferation," he added.

Last month, Indian officials had dismissed a media report that claimed the US had given its nod for test firing Agni-III, saying this was only the interpretation of Washington think tank Stratfor.

"The think tank has interpreted a statement Gen. Peter Pace (chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff) made (in New Delhi) here (this week) to imply that the US had given its go ahead for the test. India has made it amply clear that we have imposed a voluntary ban on testing and that is where the matter stands," a defence ministry official said.

Pace, while replying to a question on Agni-III at a press conference here, had said: "India is a sovereign nation and can decide for itself what weapons it needs. Missile tests do not necessarily destabilise the region."

The think tank has taken this as tacit US approval for the test, the official said.

Deployed from rail or road mobile launch vehicles, Agni-III is understood to be equipped with inertial guidance systems with improved optical or radar terminal phase correlation systems.

This would give it a high degree of accuracy with a medium to large nuclear payload of between 200 and 300 kilo tonnes (KT).

The Agni-I, with a range of 700-800 km, and Agni-II, with a 2,000 km range, have already been inducted in the Indian Army as part of country's minimum deterrent.

Agni-I can reach Pakistan while Agni-II and Agni-III can reach targets in China.

Iran 'serious' about nuclear talks

Brussels, July 7 (DPA) Iran's top nuclear negotiator Ali Larijani said he was prepared to open "serious" negotiations next week on international efforts to defuse the current nuclear standoff with Tehran.

Larijani, who met EU foreign and security policy chief Javier Solana Thursday for long-awaited nuclear talks here, said real "work" on an international package of incentives for Tehran - if it suspends uranium enrichment - would begin July 11.

"We are serious about continuing negotiations and we are going to start our talks next Tuesday," Larijani said before sitting down to a working dinner with Solana.

Welcoming Larijani, Solana said he hoped to secure a deal which would be beneficial to both parties.

"We are going to work, not talk much," said Solana.

EU diplomats said details of the dinner discussions would be kept confidential until the formal opening of negotiations next week.

The Iranian official's meeting with Solana next week comes a day before Germany, France, Britain, the US, China and Russia were to meet in Paris to discuss the nuclear standoff with Iran. The US has made it clear it wants an answer by July 12.

The issue is also expected to top the agenda of the Group of Eight (G8) summit talks in St. Petersburg, which opens July 15.

Larijani was originally scheduled to meet Solana on July 5 but delayed his visit at the last minute because of the presence of Iranian opposition groups at the European Parliament.

The talks will centre on EU demands that Iran respond rapidly to an international offer made last month to provide Tehran with a package of incentives if it agrees to suspend uranium enrichment.

An EU statement said the meeting would "provide an opportunity to create conditions for the start of negotiations with Iran."

The EU and the US, which fear that Iran is building nuclear weapons, have said they want Tehran to give a straight answer to the package, which includes an offer to transfer civilian nuclear technology to Iran.

But Iran, which says its nuclear programme is for peaceful purposes, has said it opposes any deadlines and wants further clarification on the international package.

The European offer includes a range of incentives for Iran but also a stark warning that continued deadlock could mean the issue will be taken to the UN Security Council for discussions on possible sanctions.

L.N. Mittal proposes $8.5 bn steel unit in Orissa

Bhubaneswar, July 7 (IANS) After winning the battle to take over rival Arcelor, Indian-born global steel magnate Lakshmi Niwas Mittal Friday said his group will set up a 12-million-tonne steel unit in Orissa with an investment of about Rs.40,000 crore (around $8.5 billion).

"Soon we will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Orissa government for the plant to be build in two phases," he told reporters at the state secretariat prior to his departure to New Delhi. "As I have said, we will focus on China and India to grow."

Mittal, who arrived here at around 9.30 a.m. in his private jet along with top officials of his group, held discussions with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and senior officials for over 90 minutes on his investment plans for this mineral-rich eastern coastal state.

The state has attracted other steel companies including the South Korea steel giant POSCO - whose investment plans are however dogged by controversy due to opposition from locals.

Describing Mittal's proposed project as a venture that will create more job in the state, Patnaik said his government would constitute an empowered committee to facilitate the newly announced investment intent.

The owner of Mittal Steel flew in from London to the Biju Patnaik International Airport here, where top state government officials, including Steel Secretary L.N. Gupta, received him and his team.

"Though the Jharkhand government is extending all its cooperation I am not happy with the progress of the project," Mittal said.

Mittal had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Jharkhand government last year to set up a 12-million-tonne steel unit in that state with a proposed investment of Rs.400 billion ($8.5 billion).

The proposed plant in Jharkhand is the first of Mittal's projects in India. The Friday tour is his first India trip after successfully concluding the Arcelor deal that made headlines around the world.

During his visit to New Delhi, Mittal - who is set to acquire European steel giant Arcelor - is expected to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Petroleum Minister Murli Deora and other federal ministers.

Officials said his scheduled trip to the Indian capital was a "thanksgiving visit" for the support India had extended during his takeover bid for Arcelor, especially by Commerce Minister Kamal Nath.

Minority Appeasement!

By Ram Puniyani

While the opposition to reservation is on its peak, another front has been opened by those opposed to affirmative action of any sort. It may be a common observation by now that the most ?consistent? political and social force opposed to any sort of affirmative action is the communal politics, the politics of RSS affiliates. Surly there are other elite affluent sections who also are diehard opponents of affirmative action and reservation but for communalists, reservation/affirmative action is a red herring. So it was not much of a surprise when Rajnath Singh, the current BJP chief , came down heavily against the 15 point scheme for minorities, which aims at all round upliftment of the minorities, more so the economically deprived sections of minority. Mr Singh, (26th June 2006), went to label the cabinet decision to allocate 15% of the funds for social welfare schemes for minorities as the "appeasement" of minorities, an oft repeated allegation of this political outfit.

The central cabinet in its meeting on 22nd June approved Dr. Manmohan Singh's new 15 point program for minority welfare, including ways to prevent communal riots. In a comprehensive proposal the prime minister has asked for introduction of ways to enhance the living conditions, and allocation of 15% of funds from welfare budget for minorities. The aim of the proposal is to upgrade the facilities for minority education, modernize madrassa education and to provide scholarships for meritorious students. The program lays emphasis on equitable share in economic activities and employment. It also touches on different facets of lives including the rural housing schemes.

Before we take up the issue whether all this is appeasement or is a much needed measure to ensure that minorities also are able to progress like any other community, it is imperative that we have a brief look at the implementation of National Rural Employment guarantee scheme (NRES) in Gujarat. Reports indicate that Muslim minority is not able to take the benefit of this scheme as the Sarpanchas and concerned officials have been preventing Muslims from registering for this scheme. They are sent back couple of times, after which they get a subtle message and keep away from approaching the authorities.

Currently Rajinder Sachchar committee is in the process of finalizing its report about the status of Muslim minorities in India. What ever one could glean from the parts of report, and from the document prepared by a voluntary organization for presenting to the Sachchar Committee, (National Study on Socio-Economic Condition of Muslims of India, Indian Social Institute, Delhi, May 2006) makes one sit up with deep sense of anguish. The current socio economic status of Muslim minorities in particular, has slipped down in the human development indices. Also their abysmal representation in jobs, the more of them living below poverty line and more of them being illiterate, leaves no doubt in one?s mind that without serious affirmative action, this community will go on being deprived more and more. The additional problem of post communal violence ghettotization is adding salt to the wounds, as in the ghettoes the living conditions go down and threatened psyche, fuels the conservative ideology.

Earlier, Gopal Singh Commission report had also brought to our attention a similar fact in the decade of early 1980s. It showed that only 3.41% students in Engineering colleges are Muslims, only 6.77% of them are registered at the employment exchange, in private sector they are 8.16%, borrowers under bank loan schemes-9.41% getting 3.37% of borrowings, poor representation in judiciary. No action was taken based on this report, which has been gathering dust since. Later data (Shariff, India Development Report, OUP 1999) also shows that Muslims continue to get their share from artisanship and petty trade as compared to other social groups; in contrast their income is far below the national average and less than that earned by Hindus from this source. NSS data (Rounds 50 and 55 for years 1993 and 1999-2000) reveal the unsettling trend of increasing disparity between Hindus and Muslims during 1990s with respect to the consumption, education, employment and landholdings, though literacy rates of both communities showed gradual improvement.

While the charges of appeasement abound and have been made part of the social common sense the reality is the contrary. No doubt the earlier governments have appeased the Mullahs and conservative sections of society for electoral purpose; it is also true that the Muslim community has been getting marginalized by the day. Right after partition, the elite Muslims left for Pakistan and majority of the Muslims remaining here were the poorer ones, coming from Shudra background and now living as ajlafs with Islamic identity. They were bypassed in the social development process so the percentage of their representation in jobs, bank loans, higher education and other social benefits has been declining constantly. During last two decades when communal politics has been on the rise their situation is worse off, and without a determined effort they can in no way come close to the national averages of social and economic indices. The problem is not that, they are being appeased but that most of the development schemes for minorities have been too few and whatever were there, have not been implemented properly.

Communal outfits, irrespective of which religion they derive their identity from, generally stand for status quo, so any measures which can lead to social transformation are shirked and opposed, some times upfront, sometimes in a subtle way. Since the opposing to reservation for Dalit/OBC will be an electoral hara-kiri, so Mandal is not opposed directly, instead Kamandal (Rath yatra for Babri demolition) is engineered. To oppose the Mandal II, "Youth for Equality" or some such forum is created. In case of Muslims where talking of reservation, barring at few places, is not a rewarding electoral strategy, the opposition to this can be upfront under the banner of Minority appeasement. As such, communal forces are opposed to minorities' welfare and have been opposing it right since the formation of Congress in 1885. At that time Congress was charged with appeasing Muslims as Congress regarded Muslims as a part of Indian nation. The most ghastly manifestation of this came up when a Hindutva trained volunteer, Nathuram Godse, killed the father of the Indian nation, Mahatma Gandhi on the same change of Muslim appeasement. And now we have Mr. Singh opposing the welfare measures and labeling these overdue measures as minority appeasement!

Mittal in Orissa to discuss possible investment plans

Bhubaneswar, July 7 (IANS) India-born global steel magnate Lakshmi N. Mittal arrived in Orissa Friday to discuss with Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik possible investment plans in the eastern state.

The owner of Mittal Steel flew in from London in his own private aircraft around 9.30 a.m. at the Biju Patnaik international airport. Top state government officials, including state Chief Secretary Subash Pani and Steel Secretary L.N. Gupta, received him at the airport.

Mittal went straight to the Trident Hilton hotel where he will stay during his brief visit here.

"He will meet the chief minister at about 10 a.m. at the state secretariat," Baisnaba Mohanty, director of the state public relations department, told IANS.

Mittal, who recently acquired European steel giant Arcelor, is expected to have a nearly two-hour meeting with Patnaik, after which he is to fly to New Delhi to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, the official said.

Mittal is also expected to meet Petroleum Minister Murli Deora and other central ministers in what is being described as a "thanksgiving visit" for the support India had extended during his takeover bid for Arcelor.

He is slated to review with representatives from Jharkhand plans for setting up a 12-million-tonne steel plant in that state with an estimated investment of Rs.400 billion ($8.6 billion). He had signed a memorandum of understanding with the Jharkhand government in this regard last year.

The proposed plant in Jharkhand is the first of Mittal's projects in India. The Friday tour is his first India trip after successfully concluding the Arcelor deal.

Mittal's Orissa visit assumes significance as his project in Jharkhand has not made much progress with the state government reported to be seeking a firm investment commitment from him.

Musharraf to decide uniform issue in 'supreme national interest'

Islamabad, July 7 (IANS) Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said he would decide when to resign as chief of the army staff (COAS) and shed his uniform "in supreme national interest".

Musharraf used his "home audience" of Pakistan Muslim League-Qaid (PML-Q) lawmakers and leaders to make this announcement Thursday, a day after he said in Gilgit that he was aware that being "a soldier" he could not contest elections.

According to The Nation, Musharraf indicated that he might gather "international opinion" before deciding, but did not elaborate.

"I will decide about it according to the constitution and keeping in view the best interest of the nation and country", he told parliamentarians "who were pursuing him not to even talk about quitting the uniform".

Noting that in doing so, Musharraf was "brushing aside opposition parties' campaign", The News said "the president minced no words that this will be a decision, which he would take in the best national interest, stressing it would be far-reaching".

One source said the president told the meeting that the decision regarding his re-election as president for another five-year term would be taken within the constitutional framework.

Musharraf has been army chief since Oct 7, 1998. He ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif in 1999. Holding of the two offices has been an issue between the opposition and his government since the October 2002 general election.

Musharraf attained the age of superannuation in October 2001. At that time, he was holding the offices of army chief, chief executive and president. He extended his tenure as army chief for an indefinite period, an order that coincided with the US military intervention in Afghanistan.

Parliament was paralysed throughout 2003 as the opposition refused to cooperate pending resolution of the uniform issue. In December 2003, Musharraf entered into an agreement with the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) to end the stalemate and promised to leave the army job by Dec 31, 2004.

In return, the alliance of religious parties endorsed several controversial amendments he had made to the constitution and facilitated ratification of his election as president through referendum held in 2002.

In August 2002, Musharraf had a new provision to the constitution added incorporating a role for himself. On his continuation as president and COAS for another five years, Musharraf has been saying: "I see a role for myself and the need for my continuation. It is too important to be delegated to anyone else."

OIC did not ask for Palestine session at rights council: India

New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) India Friday clarified that it voted for a resolution moved by the Group of Arab States on the deteriorating situation in Palestine at a special session of the Human Rights Council held in Geneva early this week.

A report published recently in an Indian daily had claimed that India had voted on a resolution on the escalation of conflict in Palestine, which was moved by the Organization of Islamic Conference.

The OIC is known for its annual resolution on the Kashmir issue, that talks about alleged rights violations in Jammu and Kashmir These reports are invariably rejected by New Delhi.

"A special session of the Human Rights Council was called by the Group of Arab States headed by Tunisia," external affairs ministry spokesperson Navtej Sarna told reporters in response to a question. The request by Tunisia was supported by a total of 21 member states of the 47-member council.

"The call for the special session was supported by countries across the political spectrum, including China, Russia and South Africa," he added.

Our voting on the resolution was in line with our official position on the Palestine issue, clarified Sarna.

The HRC passed a resolution demanding a stop to Israel's offensive in the Gaza Strip. Twenty-nine of the council's 47 member states supported the resolution, 11 voted against, five abstained and two members were absent.

The recently-formed council also said it would send a fact-finding mission, led by John Dugard, a UN special rapporteur on human rights, to investigate the human rights situation in the Palestinian territories.

The resolution, which was brought by Arab states, expressed "grave concern at the violations of the human rights of the Palestinian people caused by the Israeli occupation, including the current extensive Israeli military operations."

ONGC Mittal Energy to invest $6 bn in Nigeria

New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) ONGC Mittal Energy Ltd (OMEL), the joint venture of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation and Mittal Investment Sarl - the investment arm of the L.N. Mittal Group, has committed to invest $6 billion in Nigeria where they have got two exploration blocks.

"In return for the exploration blocks, OMEL has committed to a $6 billion investment in Nigeria in infrastructure and petroleum downstream," said R.S. Butola, managing director of ONGC Videsh Ltd, the overseas investment arm of ONGC.

OMEL recently won two exploration blocks in a mini bid round with a commitment of $50 million as a signature bonus for Block OPL 212 while in the case of block OPL 209 the signature bonus was $65 million, revealed Mittal Steel chairman Lakshmi Mittal at a joint press conference here Friday.

The London-based steel baron, on a short visit to his native country, expressed satisfaction at the progress achieved in the first year of OMEL's operations.

"We have an understanding to work together with ONGC in 21 countries, and Nigeria is the first major step," said Mittal.

The other success the joint venture has tasted has been the acquisition of a stake in a Syrian producing field.

Stressing that the objective was to acquire exploration assets at the right time and right value, Mittal said the joint venture was looking at opportunities in Central Asia, Africa and South America.

While the expectations are that the Nigerian blocks will yield around 500,000 to 1.0 million barrels per day, the officials said anything below 200,000 barrels per day would not be a viable proposition for the size of investment envisaged.

The business plan meeting for investments in Nigeria is expected to be taken up later this month.

ONGC signs gas supply agreement with GAIL

New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) Oil and Natural Gas Corp Ltd (ONGC) will supply gas to GAIL (India) Ltd for the next 15 years at controlled prices under an agreement signed by the two state-owned energy majors here Friday.

The gas supply agreement was signed by ONGC chairman and managing director R.S. Sharma and GAIL chairman and managing director Proshanto Banerjee in the presence of Petroleum Minister Murli Deora.

Prior to the execution of this agreement, the sale and purchase of gas between the two companies was pursuant to a memorandum of understanding executed in 1990 and extended further in 1999.

Under the new agreement, ONGC has committed to supply around 60 percent of the gas produced from its fields in the western offshore, KG Basin (Andhra Pradesh), Cauvery Basin (Tamil Nadu), Tripura, Gujarat and Assam to GAIL, ending uncertainties of supply.

Initially this would work out to about 60 million standard cubic metres per day (mmscmd) of gas but would be less than that later with gas production from ONGC fields on the decline.

Given that gas sold from blocks held in joint venture is priced at $4.75 per million British thermal unit (mbtu) and imported liquefied natural gas bought from spot markets costs over $9 mbtu, the gas supply by GAIL to consumers after the purchase from ONGC works out much cheaper.

GAIL markets this gas to downstream customers connected to its pipeline network, mainly to power and fertiliser customers, at government-determined prices which is lower than the commercial rates.

ONGC Videsh may pick up stake in Russian oil company

New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) State-owned ONGC Videsh is studying strategic investment to acquire up to five percent stake in Russia's state-owned oil company Rosneft through its initial public offering (IPO), a top official said here Friday.

"We are in discussions to invest $3 billion through ONGC Videsh in Rosneft. It would be for about 4.5-5.0 percent stake in the company," Petroleum Secretary M.S. Srinivasan told journalists.

Currently holding 20 percent share in Sakhalin-1 block, which has commenced oil and gas production, the overseas arm of Oil and Natural Gas Corporation (ONGC) is keen to buy a slice of Russia's third biggest oil company as part of plans to acquire stake in more exploration blocks.

Others in the fray for stakes in the Russian company, which has several oilfields as part of its assets, include British major BP Plc and state-owned exploration major China National Petroleum Company (CNPC).

According to sources, Rosneft plans to raise $11.6 billion from the IPO through selling between 13-19 percent of its stock on July 14.

The IPO values Rosneft at between $60 billion and $80 billion. A five percent stake would mean a $3-4 billion investment.

Pakistan army to get modern weapons: Musharraf

Skardu, July 7 (IANS) Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf Thursday said armed forces would be equipped with sophisticated weapons to make the country's defence invincible, Online news agency reported.

Addressing army men here, Musharraf noted that the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) was being equipped with modern weapons. He also said the PAF would become stronger with the inclusion of JF-17 Thunder combat jet, manufactured in collaboration with China.

Air rehearsal of JF-17 Thunder would be held on the occasion of the Pakistan Day, he said.

The president added that sophisticated frigates were being included in the Pakistan Navy while Al-Khalid and Al-Zarar tanks had already been included in the army.

He also said eradication of extremism and terrorism was essential for the progress of the country.

Pakistan asked to stick to deadline on prisoners

New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) India Friday reiterated its commitment to provide consular access to Pakistani prisoners before July 31 and urged Pakistan to do the same for the remaining Indian prisoners.

"India hopes Pakistan will reciprocate by providing consular access to 118 civilian prisoners and 192 fishermen in custody in Pakistan by July 31," external affairs ministry spokesperson Navtej Sarna told reporters here.

The agreement between the two countries reached during the home secretary-level talks held in Islamabad May 30-31 provides for facilitating consular access by July 31 to the remaining civilian prisoners whose lists had been received by 15 June 2006.

India will be providing consular access to Pakistani civilian prisoners as per the following time schedule: In Central Jail, Kolkata July 10-11; Central Jail, Jaipur, July 13-14; Central Jail, Amritsar, July 20-21; and Central Jail, New Delhi, July 27-28.

Consular access to Pakistani fishermen is scheduled for July 13 at Jamnagar, Gujarat.

There are 136 Indian prisoners in Pakistan. Of the 136, 16 are those to whom consular access has already been given and whose nationality confirmation is being awaited; two got consular access and their nationality status has also been confirmed.

India has already released 38 Pakistani prisoners whose nationality had been confirmed and who have completed their sentences.

New Delhi has sought consular access from Islamabad for 118 prisoners.

Pakistan may hear a different tune from US

By Arun Kumar, Washington, July 7 (IANS) Pakistan may well again raise the issue of an India typenuclear deal with US when Foreign Minister Khurshid Mahmood Kasuri visits Washington next week, but he is more likely to hear a different tune - the war on terror and restoration of democracy in Pakistan.

When she meets Kasuri on Monday, US Secretary of State Condoleeza Rice is expected to focus more on how growing tension between Kabul and Islamabd is affecting the global war on terror and how further democratisation of Pakistan can put it firmly on what President Pervez Musharraf calls the road to "enlightened moderation."

In tune with President George Bush's famous phrase in Islamabad last March that "Pakistan and India are different countries with different needs and different histories", she may well remind Kasuri, as she did during her recent trip to Islamabad that the nuclear deal with India resulted from "a special circumstance."

And Pakistan's energy needs could well be met by other means like development of its coal reserves with US help as promised by Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman. But on the nuclear issue, the Americans are not expected to be any more receptive especially after offering it a $5.1 billion arms package, including 36 new F-16 fighter planes.

The Kasuri visit is taking place in the backdrop of a widening gulf between Kabul and Islamabad on the question of flushing out terrorists, especially the Taliban, operating from the tribal belt of North Waziristan and parts of Baluchistan.

He is thus expected to address a major US concern that in the face of increased terrorist activities, Kabul and Islamabad keep blaming each other instead of working together to curb terrorism. He would also try to remove misperceptions about Islamabad's new strategy to tackle extremism in the tribal belt through dialogue.

Washington would like to strengthen the trilateral mechanism of US, Afghanistan and Pakistan, aimed at eliminating the threat from Al Qaeda and the Taliban, at both tactical and strategic levels to make more effective.

Kasuri's interlocutors are also likely to remind him about Washington's expectation that starting with what Musharraf calls an "enlightened and moderate Pakistan", Islamabad is finally going to move further on the road to democracy with free and fair elections in 2007.

While Afghanistan will be the primary focus, issues like US-Pakistan strategic dialogue and the composite dialogue process with India are expected to figure on Kasuri's agenda.

Kasuri will also meet with the National Security Advisor Steve Hadley and the chairmen of two key panels of US Congress, Richard Lugar and Henry Hyde, which are due to review the $5.1 billion arms package for Pakistan with the lower house committee taking it up on July 13.

The Congress has only until July 27, or 30 days after it was notified by the Pentagon, to reject the arms package. But it is widely expected that the deal would be approved as the administration has kept Congress members in the picture since March 2005 when US decided to sell F-16s to Pakistan.

Kasuri winds up his visit to Washington with a lecture on the war on terror, the Indian nuclear deal and US-Pakistani relations at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace on July 11.

Pakistan revives body for federal, provincial coordination

Islamabad, July 7 (IANS) Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has revived a constitutional body to debate on federal and inter-provincial issues and find a way to tackle contentious matters between the federal government and the provinces.

To be headed by Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, the body was revived on Thursday on the directives of the Supreme Court.

Named Council of Common Interests (CCI), it would have the four provincial chief ministers as members as well as three federal ministers from three provinces concerned with inter-provincial issues.

Somewhat akin to India's Inter-State Council, the members are to be nominated by the prime minister.

The ministers include Salim Saifullah Khan, minister for inter-provincial coordination, from North-West Frontier Province, Safdar Yar Mohammad Rind, minister of states and frontier regions, from Balochistan, and Ghaus Bakhsh Mehar, minister for narcotics control, from Sindh.

Addressing a press briefing, Shaukat Aziz said the CCI had been revived after several years to provide a constitutional platform to provincial representatives to freely express their views on issues of concern.

The News daily said: "Not only the incumbent regime but also successive governments took a long time to realise the significance of the CCI in a federation." The government and media analysts did not indicate after how many years the CCI was being reconstituted.

The Supreme Court in its verdict on the Steel Mills privatisation case had last month asked the government to revive the CCI. The privatisation process of the Pakistan Steel Mills was criticised and the deal scrapped.

Aziz said the president had approved his recommendations on reconstitution of the CCI, which is answerable to parliament.

The body is required to formulate and regulate policies in relation to matters in the Federal Legislative List and, in so far as it is in relation to the affairs of the federation, in the Concurrent Legislative List.

If the federal or a provincial government is dissatisfied with a decision of the CCI it may refer the matter to the parliament in a joint sitting, the decision of which will be final.

Pakistan has several long-pending disputes among the provinces and regions on sharing of natural resources, including river waters and gas. The CCI would be the forum where aggrieved parties, including the government, could make their appeals.

Pakistan to receive F-16 in two years: Envoy

Washington, July 7 (IANS) Pakistan's envoy in the US Mahmud Ali Durrani has said Islamabad will start receiving the delivery of US F-16 fighter jets within next two years, Online news agency reported Friday.

Pakistan would also get other weapon systems, ships and defence equipment from the US, he said while talking to a private news channel.

Durrani termed a recent meeting between officials of the two countries encouraging for boosting bilateral cooperation in the energy sector.

Meanwhile, US President George W. Bush, while accepting the credentials of the new Pakistani envoy Thursday, said his country was willing to play a role for improving Pakistan-India relations.

Police, medicos clash as AIIMS strike continues

New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) As doctors at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) continued their strike for the third day, police early Friday destroyed tents erected in the central lawns for the doctors on hunger strike after a one-and-a-half-hour clash with striking doctors.

Doctors and students have been striking as a protest against the sacking of P. Venugopal as director of one of India's most well known specialised hospitals.

However, students and doctors have set up a fresh tent, and have also started parallel OPD services to treat patients.

"Looking at the betterment of the patients, we have started parallel OPDs and will continue the service as long as the ongoing protest lasts," said Binod Patra, president, AIIMS resident doctors association.

Said Patra: "Though we know that it is creating a lot of problems for patients, there is no other way to express our grievance. The strike has entered the third day but no government authorities are interested in solving the problem. We hold the government responsible for any inconvenience caused to the patients."

Vinod Khaitan, vice president of the AIIMS faculty association, said he would fast unto death if Venugopal is not reinstated. "Is there no value of his 47 years of service at AIIMS?"

Four doctors - Vinod Khaitan, Binod Patra, Anamay Sharma, president of the students union and Rama Prabhu, president of the society for young scientists at AIIMS - were on a hunger strike since Thursday.

Meanwhile, thousands of patients continued to suffer at AIIMS and over 100 relatives of patients staged a rally outside the hospital, saying the controversy between doctors and the government was causing them untold misery.

"My sister is under treatment for cancer at AIIMS, but doctors told me to take her home. The treatment in the last three days has been negligible," P. Kumar from Jahanabad, Bihar, told IANS.

"Doctors are now only concerned about their own interest and it seems patients are no more their priority," added Kumar, whose sister is in AIIMS since May.

Ashwini Yadav from Patna lamented: "I am here since Wednesday evening to get my son admitted. But neither senior doctors nor residents are in a mood to listen to me. His tumour in the stomach needs to be operated soon."

"Since four doctors are on strike, why can't others join work? Thousands of patients like me are coming to AIIMS just for the sake its reputation and low fees but when doctors are not treating patients, what is the value of reputation," said Yadav.

OPD services at the Maulana Azad Medical College (MAMC) started functioning early Friday. All doctors in MAMC will continue to work while wearing black badges.

"The resident doctors will burn the effigy of Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss in the evening," said Shashank, a member of the MAMC resident doctors association. "The future course of action will be decided in a general body meeting to be held later in the day."

Scrap sell-off plan: CPI

Hyderabad, July 7 (IANS) Saying it was not satisfied with the government's decision to put on hold plans to sell equity in state-run firms, the Communist Party of India (CPI) Friday urged that the proposal be dropped.

The party, which began its three-day national council meeting here, said the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government should drop plans of selling shares of all profit making public sector undertakings (PSUs) since it had committed to do so in the Common Minimum Programme (CMP) agenda of governance.

The party also wanted the government to clarify whether the National Mineral Development Corporation (NMDC) was also included among the PSUs where the sell-off process has been put on hold.

Briefing newsmen about the deliberations on the first day of the meeting, party secretary Shamim Faizi said the strike in NMDC would continue till the government clarifies its position.

Faizi said the base on which the Left parties had extended outside support to the coalition was being eroded due to wrong economic policies of the government.

"Disinvestment in public sector undertakings is unacceptable to us because the UPA government had given a commitment in this regard in the CMP," he said.

The party congratulated workers of public sector firms Nalco and Neyveli Lignite Corp for their struggle that forced the government Thursday to put the equity sell-off plan on hold.

CPI secretary A.B. Bardhan, in his inaugural remarks, said though the government has talked of putting on hold the decision, "it looks that for this government, everything will be on hold".

Referring to the scheduled weeklong protest against the price rise by four Left parties from July 13, Bardhan urged party workers to ensure its success.

He said the three major demands of the party on the issue of price rise include end to the forward trading in food grains as it was root cause of stocks getting cornered by the private persons, big houses and whole sellers.

The CPI also called for strengthening of the public distribution system that had fallen in to disarray during the past few years and launching of a de-hoarding operation.

Bardhan presented a draft report on political developments, which gave an assessment of two years of functioning of the UPA government.

He expressed satisfaction over the results of recent assembly elections in four states. The draft report also presented electoral tactics for polls to be held early next year in Uttar Pradesh, Punjab and Manipur.

Bardhan severely criticised the pro-US drift in India's foreign policy and warned against forging a strategic alliance with Washington. He also deplored India's vote against Iran at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).

On the issue of Palestine, the CPI condemned Israel for its latest aggression against Palestinians.

The party asked the UPA government to provide assistance to Palestinians and mobilise world opinion against Israel.

State high courts asked to deal with pleas on quotas

New Delhi, July 7 (IANS) The Supreme Court Friday declined to entertain petitions challenging the laws on quotas by Kerala and Andhra Pradesh and asked them to approach the respective high courts.

It refused to entertain the Kerala assembly legislation fixing quotas in unaided (self-financing) minority and non-minority educational institutions from this academic year (2006-07).

It did likewise to a similar petition filed by the Dar-Us-Salam Educational Trust, Hyderabad, through its trustee Akbaruddin Owaisi, assailing two Andhra Pradesh government orders regulating admissions to undergraduate courses in engineering, pharmacy, MBA and MCA in unaided educational institutions and fixing quotas.

A bench of Justices K.G. Balakrishnan and D.K. Jain told senior counsel Fali Nariman and others that being state legislations it would be better for the petitioners to approach the high court concerned.

When the bench said it would dismiss the petitions, Nariman and others said they would withdraw the petitions and move the high court concerned for relief.

The bench permitted them to withdraw the petitions and requested the high courts of Kerala and Andhra Pradesh to dispose of the petitions (once they are filed) as expeditiously as possible.

The Kerala Private Medical College Managements Association, Malankara O.S.C. Medical Mission and Kerala S.F.E. College Managements Associations challenged the Kerala Professional Colleges (Prohibition of Capitation Fees, Regulation of Admissions, Fixation of Non-Exploitative Fees and Other Measures to Ensure Equity and Excellence in Professional Education) Act, 2006.

They submitted that the law took away the rights of minorities in the matter of admission.

The petitioners also submitted that the state government had been given powers to decide the fee structure and conduct only one Common Entrance Test (CET).

They contended that the new law was a blatant attempt by the state to usurp legislative competence in respect of running unaided colleges and against the judgments of the Supreme Court in the Unnikrishnan, T.M.A. Pai and Inamdar cases.

Further, imposition of the CET held by the state and enforcement of the reservation policy on available seats in unaided professional institutions would amount to serious encroachment into the autonomy of minority and non-minority education institutions.

They said the act also empowered the state to constitute a fee committee for determining and approving the fee structure followed by the colleges and sought quashing of the impugned law and an interim stay on its operation.

Ten things to love and hate about the World Cup

By Andy Goldberg

Berlin, July 7 (DPA) As the World Cup finals are eagerly awaited by football fans across the world, here are 10 things that people loved and hated about the mega championship:

Love

1. Fan Zones - In dozens of German cities, millions of fans gathered around giant viewing screens to watch the games and turn the World Cup into a mass spectator street party.

2. Girls - Some watched because of the dishy players. Others genuinely appreciated the more subtle forms of the art. But the presence of millions of females among the World Cup followers was a civilising influence and provided plenty of alternative viewing options when the game got particularly boring.

3. Deutsche Bahn - The famous German public railway transport system zipped over 15 million spectators around the country with legendary German efficiency, punctuality and order.

4. Marcello Lippi - The grey-haired Italian coach went against his country's defensive traditions to bring on two extra strikers in extra time and knock Germany out of the tournament.

5. The German police - Their massive presence at every venue kept security tight but they were always polite, restrained and thoughtful.

6. Goals - There were several stunning goals but for sheer virtuosity, it was hard to beat Joe Cole's spectacular long range volley for England against Sweden, or Maxi Rodriguez's similar winner for Argentina the following night.

7. Fans - Far more than the players, the millions of fans who attended the World Cup expressed the highest aspirations of football as the game that ties the world's population together. Win or lose, they were a credit to their nations.

8. Zinedine Zidane - The former world footballer of the year rolled back the years with a masterful display to knock the Brazilians out of the competition, while alone among the world's top footballers, he manages to retain at least a semblance of humility.

9. Excuses - From croaking frogs, to lack of siesta, to dry grass, to the weather, the world's best footballers showed they are true world champions at coming up with excuses for failing.

10. Weather - German weather, like its people, is meant to be damp, chilly and grim. But for the month of the World Cup, the weather and the people were sunny, warm and tropically inviting. It was football's and Germany's month in the sun.

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Hate

1. Over-commercialisation - FIFA raked in almost$2.5 billion from the tournament through sponsorship and the sale of TV rights. But it risks turning the world's most popular sport into the exclusive marketing vehicle of huge conglomerates.

2. Tickets - FIFA screwed up the ticketing system by allocating far too many to corporate sponsors. This meant there were too few partisan fans at matches and way too many dispassionate business executives on corporate freebies.

3. Referees - The standard of refereeing was consistently inconsistent and so pathetic at times that it has forced FIFA boss Joseph Blatter to consider introducing two referees for the next World Cup and the insertion of a chip in the ball to detect if it crosses the goal line.

4. Sven-Goran Eriksson - The England coach failed miserably to find his best team or inspire his superstar players to achieve anything near their potential. He paralysed them with a negative system and defensive tactics that made a mockery of the world's most popular professional league.

5. Togo fiasco - The team from Togo threatened to boycott their first round games because of a disagreement over bonuses. A FIFA mediator eventually persuaded them to participate but the fiasco reinforced doubts that African football is not ready for the big time, even as South Africa prepares to host the tournament in 2010.

6. Knockout games - Many of the first round games featured open and entertaining football. But once the knock out stages started, teams resorted to defensive tactics that almost invariably led to sterile games.

7. Red and yellow cards - There were a record number of red and yellow cards as referees implemented a by-the-book approach that often punished players for minor infractions and meant that stars like Portuguese midfielder Deco were missing from key games.

8. Goals (lack thereof) - The first 62 games averaged 2.27 goals per game the lowest since the record-breaking low of 2.21 per game in 1990. This year's average would dip below that if no goals are scored in Saturday's Germany-Portugal third-place game and the France-Italy final Sunday.

9. Young players - The supposed young superstars were more like superflops. German wunderkind Klaus Podolski did bag three goals, but other great young hopes like Cristiano Ronaldo, Lionel Messi, Wayne Rooney and Robinho showed the dangers of being overhyped, overpaid and over here.

10. Divers - No-one wants defensive goons to kick the truly talented players off the pitch. But football is a contact sport that is as much about courage, honour and passion as it is about ball-juggling artistry. So true fans cringe when players con referees by diving under an innocuous challenge or writhing in agony in order to get their opponents in trouble. The absurd convention of kicking the ball out every time a player claimed to be injured made it all the worse.

Thankful Mittal announces $8.5 bn investment in India

By Lola Nayar and Jatindra Dash, New Delhi/Bhubaneswar, July 7 (IANS) A week after winning a five-month battle to acquire rival Arcelor, Indian-born steel magnate Lakshmi N. Mittal Friday announced a $8.5 billion investment into the steel industry of his native country that he said was intrinsic to his group's growth.

The planned investment would go towards creating new units in the mineral-rich coastal state of Orissa and the other possibly in Jharkhand - another mineral-rich neighbouring state where the company already has a pact for a steel unit, but unhappy with the progress in getting approvals.

"We will invest Rs.40,000 crore (Rs 400 billion) over the next five to seven years in Orissa and also, perhaps, in Jharkhand," Mittal told a press conference in New Delhi with his son Aditya, who is president and chief financial officer of the group.

"We have a definite commitment to grow in India," he said, before leaving for a meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in what he termed as a "thanksgiving" call on him for India's support in his efforts at taking over Arcelor.

"As I have said, we will focus on China and India to grow."

At one stage, when Mittal's deal with Arcelor was on the verge of turning sour, the prime minister had even asked the Rajasthan-born world's largest steel manufacturer to come back to India and develop the Indian steel industry.

Mittal, also known as a takeover tycoon who picks up sick steel units cheap and turns them around, spoke about his long-term vision in India but added he had no immediate plans to acquire Indian steel firms.

"There aren't many takeover candidates in India. We do not see any possibilities at least this year," Aditya added.

The Kolkata-educated chairman of the world's largest steel group said the two joint ventures he had forged last year with the state-run Oil and Natural Gas Corp (ONGC) were also doing well.

He said one of the joint venture firms in the area of hydrocarbons exploration - ONGC Mittal Energy - had managed results in Syria and Nigeria, and added that this was a model that other public sector companies could emulate for growth overseas.

The joint venture has committed to $6 billion in Nigeria in infrastructure and downstream petroleum industry in return for the exploration blocks.

The owner of Mittal Steel arrived in New Delhi from London in his private jet after a stopover in Bhubaneswar where he met Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik and top state government officials to discuss his plans in the mineral-rich state.

"Soon we will sign a memorandum of understanding with the Orissa government for the steel plant to be build in two phases," he told reporters at the state secretariat prior to his departure to New Delhi.

Describing Mittal's proposed project as a venture that will create more jobs in the state, Patnaik said his government would constitute an empowered committee to facilitate the newly announced investment intent.

The state has attracted other steel companies including the South Korea steel giant POSCO - whose investment plans are however dogged by controversy due to opposition from locals.

Orissa has signed deals with 43 companies over past two years for establishment of steel plants but barring a dozen of small plants, none of the mega units have progressed because of the delay in land accusation due to local oppositions

Mittal said his investment in Jharkhand - where a pact was signed last year for a 12-million-tonne steel unit with a proposed investment of $8.5 billion - would depend on adequate infrastructure, land and mining deal.

"Though the Jharkhand government is extending all its cooperation, I am not happy with the progress," Mittal told reporters in Bhubaneswar referring to the first project announced by his group in India.

Top scorers at the World Cup

Hamburg, July 7 (DPA) The top World Cup scorers - year-by-year and overall:

Year Name (Country) Goals

1930 - Guillermo Stabile (Argentina) 8
1934 - Oldrich Nejedly (Czechoslovakia) 5
1938 - Leonidas (Brazil) 8
1950 - Ademir (Brazil) 8
1954 - Sandor Koscis (Hungary) 11
1958 - Just Fontaine (France) 13
1962 - Garrincha (Brazil) 4 by drawing of lots
- Valentin Ivanov (Soviet Union) 4
- Leonel Sanchez (Chile) 4
- Vava (Brazil) 4
- Drazen Jerkovic (Yugoslavia) 4
1966 - Eusebio (Portugal) 9
1970 - Gerd Mueller (Germany) 10
1974 - Grzegorz Lato (Poland) 7
1978 - Mario Kempes (Argentina) 6
1982 - Paolo Rossi (Italy) 6
1986 - Gary Lineker (England) 6
1990 - Salvatore Schillaci (Italy) 6
1994 - Oleg Salenko (Russia) 6
- Hristo Stoitchkov (Bulgaria) 6
1998 - Davor Sukor (Croatia) 6
2002 - Ronaldo (Brazil) 8

Name (Country) Participation Goals

15 goals: Ronaldo (Brazil) 1998-2006
14 goals: Gerd Mueller (Germany) 1970/1974
13 goals: Just Fontaine (France) 1958
12 goals: Pele (Brazil) 1958-1970
11 goals: Sandor Kocsis (Hungary) 1954
Juergen Klinsmann (Germany) 1990-1998
10 goals: Helmut Rahn (Germany) 1954/1958
Teofilo Cubillas (Peru) 1970-1978
Grzegorz Lato (Poland) 1974-1982
Gary Lineker (England) 1986/1990
Gabriel Batistuta (Argentina) 1994-2002
Miroslav Klose (Germany) 2002/2006
9 goals: Leonidas (Brazil) 1934/1938
Ademir (Brazil) 1950
Juan Schiaffino (Uruguay) 1950/1954
Vava (Brazil) 1958/1962
Uwe Seeler (Germany) 1958-1970
Eusebio (Portugal) 1966
Jairzinho (Brazil) 1970/1974
Paolo Rossi (Italy) 1978-1986
Roberto Baggio (Italy) 1990-1998
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge (Germany) 1978-1986
Christian Vieri (Italy) 1998/2002
8 goals: Stabile (Argentina) 1930
Ademir (Brazil) 1950
Maradona (Argentina) 1982-1994
Rudi Voeller (Germany) 1990/1994
Rivaldo (Brazil) 1998/2002

UK terror laws equivalent to Muslim "witch-hunt": IHRC

London, July 7, IRNA, Britain's 1.8 million Muslim community has been under siege since before the 9/11 attacks in the US in 2001, according to a new report on the UK's anti-terrorism laws published Thursday.

The report, the second in a series by the London-based Islamic Human Rights Commission (IHCR), said that Muslims in the UK have been "under severe persecution by the British government, police and other institutions" since Terrorism Act 2000 was introduced.

Analyzing a raft of subsequent "draconian" legislation with case studies, it equated the government's anti-terrorism strategy as a "later day witch-hunt" against Muslims.

The strategy, including internment without trial, control orders and house arrests, not only violate basic human rights and curtail civil liberties, but is counter-productive in Britain's declared war on terrorism, IHCR warned.

"Daily stop and search of tens of thousands of Muslims and hundreds of arrests of innocent Muslims have effectively demonized the Muslim community in Britain as `the enemy within'," it also said.

The 116-page report predicted that the new Terrorism Act 2006 will only "confer previously unthinkable powers on law enforcement authorities to counter terrorism and will effectively remove what few civil liberties remain in Britain today."
"They bear the hallmarks of authoritarian dictatorships rather than liberal democracies. Such laws are only the latest in a series of such measures which have been used to victimize British Muslims even before the events of September 11, 2001," it said.

But the human rights group warned that such measures will "not prevent terrorism similar to how draconian laws in police states around the globe do not prevent terrorism in those countries." "As long as there is a perceived injustice held by a section of the population against the government and this injustice is not addressed, the threat of terrorism will remain," it said.

The report, timed to coincide with the first anniversary of last year's London bombings said that if the British government was "truly committed to defeating terrorism, it is crucial that the root causes of terrorism are correctly identified and efficiently tackled." "Not to do so will only perpetuate this `war' that has indiscriminately claimed the lives of thousands of innocents," it said.

In its report, the IHRC made 42 recommendations to the UK government ranging from repealing existing anti-terrorism legislation and more precisely defining future laws to making the police more accountable in using unfettered powers.

"Racial and religious profiling must be abandoned as a method of policing. It is ineffective and counter-productive and will only lead to further alienation and marginalization of the victimized community," it said.

The report also called for the police to immediately suspend its `shoot to kill' policy against terrorist suspects following the mistaken killing of a Brazilian engineer last July and the shooting of a 23-year-old Muslim in a bingled anti-terror raid last month.

It also recommended that the hundreds of suspects released without charge should be issued with an apology by the police to help remove the stigma of the publicity of their detention.

The British government was also advised to refrain from using the term `extremism' in its discourse on the causes of terrorism because it has "no tangible legal meaning or definition" and was also "unhelpful and emotive" in misrepresenting Muslims.

The human rights group also referred to a parallel campaign to denounce anyone who questions the legitimacy of Israel which, it said, is seen as an attempt to silence academic thought and legitimate political expression.

"If the government hopes to pander to Zionist pressure by condemning and excluding from this country people who are critical of Israeli apartheid, it is in fact supporting apartheid," it said.

"Criminalizing the mere possession of certain opinions is the hallmark of dictatorships," it added.

The report said that similar reasoning for attempts to ban certain political groups applied to threats to close mosques if they are arbitrarily defined as being "extremist" and amounted to "collective punishment" of whole communities.

Initiatives were also condemned such as CampusWatch, which is aimed to make students spy on one another.

Such schemes "will lead to mistrust and religious segregation on campus, and must therefore be discontinued," it said.

The IHRC recommended that in order to protect the rights of Muslims in Britain, religious discrimination must be outlawed, otherwise it leaves the "impression that Muslims are not full citizens entitled to protection in Britain."
It also warned against terror suspects being tried by the media or by comments made by politicians, saying that the Contempt of Court Act 1981 must be used to prevent reports which could prejudice the right to a fair trial and to punish those who breach it.

UN Human Rights Council to send fact-finding mission to Palestine

New York, July 6 (IMI) Gravely concerned over the impact of Israel’s current military operations, the new United Nations Human Rights Council today decided to “urgently dispatch� a rights expert to undertake a fact-finding mission on the human rights situation in the occupied Palestinian territory, as it concluded its first-ever special session in Geneva.

According to the resolution, which was adopted by a vote of 29 in favour to 11 against with 5 abstentions, the Council will send its Special Rapporteur on the situation, John Dugard, to the area, while demanding Israel end its military operations, saying they are having a “detrimental impact� on the “already deteriorating humanitarian conditions of the Palestinian people.�

Speaking in explanation of their votes, many of those who voted against the resolution called the text unbalanced. Vesa Himanen of Finland, for example, speaking on behalf of the European Union, regretted that it did not call for the immediate and unconditional release of the captured Israeli soldier or for the cessation of Qassam rocket fire into Israeli territory.

A Pakistani amendment – which urged “all concerned parties� to respect the rules of international humanitarian law, to refrain from violence against the civilian population and to treat under all circumstances all detained combatants and civilians in accordance with the Geneva conventions – did not go far enough to create such balance, according to some who voted against the resolution.

The result of the vote was as follows:

In favour (29) Algeria, Argentina, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Bangladesh, Brazil, China, Cuba, Ecuador, Ghana, Guatemala, India, Indonesia, Jordan, Malaysia, Mali, Mauritius, Morocco, Pakistan, Peru, Philippines, Russian Federation, Saudi Arabia, Senegal, South Africa, Sri Lanka, Tunisia, Uruguay, and Zambia.

Against (11): Germany, Canada, Czech Republic, Finland, France, Japan, Netherlands, Poland, Romania, United Kingdom and Ukraine.

Abstentions (5): Cameroon, Mexico, Nigeria, Republic of Korea, and Switzerland.

Video threatens more attacks on London

London, July 7 (DPA) A chilling video allegedly showing one of the London suicide bombers and backed up by a top Al Qaeda figure Thursday threatened more attacks unless Britain pulled its troops out of Iraq and Afghanistan.

The video, showing suicide bomber Shehzad Tanweer, included a statement by Ayman al-Zawahiri, Al Qaeda's second-in-command.

It was first broadcast by the Arabic-language broadcaster al-Jazeera, and extracts were shown on the BBC.

"What you have witnessed now is only the beginning," Tanweer is heard saying.

The attacks would continue until "you pull your forces out of Afghanistan and Iraq," he added, justifying attacks on civilians in Britain because "they voted for the government."

The official spokesman for Prime Minister Tony Blair said the government had no reaction to the video.

"I think we want the attention to focus on the quiet reflection of the nation as a whole and I don't think anything should be allowed to get in the way of that," he said.

The video is seen by security experts as a "last testament" from Tanweer, 22, who was from Leeds, in northern Britain.

The threats added to a feeling of anxiety and unease among Londoners as they prepared to join the whole nation in a minute's silence to mark the anniversary Friday.

"There can be no doubt that the release of the video at this time can only cause maximum hurt and distress to the families and friends of those who died on 7/7 and the hundreds of people who were injured in the terrorist attacks," said Andy Hayman, the assistant commissioner of Scotland Yard.

Altogether, 52 passengers died and more than 700 were injured in the attacks by four suicide bombers on Underground (Tube) trains and a bus in London on July 7, 2005.

22 dead as bus falls into gorge

Dehradun, July 8 (IANS) At least 22 people were killed when a bus in which they were traveling plunged into a deep gorge in the Himalayan state of Uttaranchal Saturday.

The bus was on its way from capital Dehradun to Uttarkashi, about 160 km away, with 34 people including the driver and his helper.

"The accident took place around 2.15 p.m. when the driver apparently lost control over the wheels, pushing it down the gorge," a police official told IANS over telephone.

In all, 22 bodies were retrieved from the gorge till the evening while search was on for the remaining passengers who are feared dead.

The official said rescue teams rescued eight passengers from the site, but one of them later died in the Uttarkashi district hospital. The remaining seven were struggling to survive.

"Road accidents of this nature are quite common in this state due to the mountainous terrain, and 200-250 lives are lost every year as a result of such accidents," he pointed out.

AIIMS returns to near normalcy

New Delhi, July 8 (IANS) Health services at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) returned to near normalcy Saturday after the calling off of the doctors' strike protesting the sacking of its director P.Venugopal.

The doctors ended their three-day strike after the Delhi High Court Friday ordered a stay of action against Venugopal.

As doctors resumed duty, hundreds of patients were seen in front of the Out Patient Department (OPD) and the emergency ward of one of India's most well known hospitals.

"We are happy about the court's order and will work extra to compensate the damage done in the last three days. We can understand the pain of the patients and will continue to serve them," said Anil Sharma, a senior resident doctor at AIIMS.

He added: "We resumed our duty Friday night and some of our resident doctors were taking their usual rounds. But there is a sense of fear among the residents as Health Minister Anmbumani Ramadoss talked about punitive action against striking doctors. Considering the true spirit of his post and the observation of the court, the government should not take any action against any doctor."

P. Venugopal is to resume charge at AIIMS later Saturday.

Amarinder's campaign caravan set to roll

By Jaideep Sarin,
Chandigarh, July 8 (IANS) Punjab's next assembly elections are about seven months away but Chief Minister Amarinder Singh wants to take no chances. He is set to unleash a multi-million-rupee publicity campaign to help the Congress retain power.

The state government, its departments and other agencies are likely to spend nearly Rs.150 million in the publicity blitzkrieg to "reach out" to the people.

The high-flier chief minister - he uses government helicopters and aircraft excessively - seems to be realizing the ground realities. No wonder a motorized chariot, which his supporters will call a 'rath', is being prepared for him.

The vehicle will ferry the chief minister, his loyalists and select mediapersons across Punjab to cover his interaction with the voters.

"Media - electronic and print - would be given utmost importance. It would be something on the lines of the US presidential poll campaign," said a confidant of the chief minister.

He said talks were on with a leading coach fabricator to build the bullet-proof luxury vehicle for the chief minister's entourage.

Songs, jingles and other publicity material are being beamed on a few Punjabi channels highlighting the achievements of Amarinder Singh's four years in office.

"Captain di sarkar" (Captain's government) -- Amarinder Singh is widely called a captain because he was one in the Indian Army in the 1960s - is one of the songs being shown on television channels.

In newspapers, Amarinder Singh makes it to the front pages of all publications that sell in Punjab, thanks to an advertising campaign launched by the public relations department over two months ago.

Sources in the chief minister's office say that a professional PR firm would be hired to run the election campaign. Fresh polls are most likely in February, and the Congress faces a tough challenge from the Akali Dal and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

At a meeting here last week, various departments and government agencies were directed to release funds to the state's PR department for the publicity work to be carried out for the government.

Amarinder Singh's powerful media adviser B.I.S. Chahal is coordinating the entire media and publicity exercise in the run-up to the polls.

Can trade in yak tail and horses boost economy?

By Syed Zarir Hussain,
Nathu La (Sikkim), July 8 (IANS) The historic reopening of the fabled Silk Road for border trade between India and China has ushered a sense of euphoria. But can the much-hyped border trade really change the locals' economic life?

On Thursday the road at the 14,400-foot-high Nathu La Pass opened to much applause after 44 long years.

The 563-km Silk Road links Tibet with Gangtok, capital of India's Sikkim state, via Nathu La, a small valley sandwiched between two lofty mountain ridges.

"Is this going to promote Tibet-Sikkim trade or India-China trade?" one man who witnessed the opening asked Sikkim Chief Minister Pawan Kumar Chamling.

The chief minister had no clear answer.

There are reasons to be cynical about the so-called border trade; there are real doubts over the economic spin-offs from the trading.

For one, trading along this hostile terrain is open for just 64 days a year - four days a week from June to September each year due to the extreme weather conditions.

And the items for trade range from commodities like yak tail, yak hair, spices, goatskin, goats, horses, barley and local herbs - 29 items to be exported by India and 15 by China.

With infrastructure on the Indian side just symbolic, the 52-km narrow winding road from Gangtok to Sherathang, the main business hub on the Indian side five km below Nathu La, is definitely not ready for container traffic.

"I think more than business, this is just a symbolic trade," quipped a Chinese journalist covering the event. "You think selling yak tail, yak hair, goats, horses and local herbs would change the economic fortunes of the two nations?"

Interesting is the motley group of 100 people who were part of the first team of Indian traders to cross over to China Thursday.

"I really don't know what I am going to sell. Let me visit China first and see," said one of them, Janakumari Gautam, a middle-aged Sikkimese woman.

There are murmurs among genuine Indian traders - trade permits would be allowed to people from Sikkim only.

"How can you call it India-China trade when traders from outside Sikkim are not allowed to do business," asked Naren Singh, a wholesale grocery dealer in the nearest business centre of Siliguri in West Bengal.

But despite the cynicism, there are some positives emerging out of the historic event - prospects of Sino-Indian relations reaching new heights and some major political brownie points scored by the Sikkim chief minister as he was given the chance by New Delhi to hog international media attention.

Chamling has for long been promising the people of the state that he would ensure the Silk Road is reopened in his tenure - a fact New Delhi accepted to woo the powerful ruling Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF) to the Congress fold.

Chamling's SDF is ruling the state for the third successive term with no opposition at all. There is just one Congress legislator in the 32-member legislature.

Business or no business, the reopening of the Silk Road has indeed warmed relations between the two Asian giants. And it has happened in the Himalayan heights.

Cufre, Rodriguez suspended, Rooney penalised

Berlin, July 8 (DPA) FIFA Saturday imposed match bans on Argentine players Leandro Cufre and Maxi Rodriguez for their involvement in the brawl at the end of the quarter-final match against Germany.

Cufre received a four-match suspension for kicking German defender Per Mertesacker and was also fined 10,000 Swiss francs ($8,170).

Rodriguez was banned for two matches for striking German midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger and fined 5,000 Swiss francs ($4085).

German defender Torsten Frings was earlier suspended for one game by FIFA for his role in the June 30 melee, which erupted after Germany defeated Argentina on penalties to reach the semi-finals.

England's Wayne Rooney was given a two-match ban and 5,000-franc fine for stamping on an opponent during his country's quarter-final loss to Portugal July 1.

DMK may reshuffle ministers in Manmohan Singh government

Chennai, July 8 (IANS) With strong rumours of a cabinet reshuffle in the air, the DMK - a partner in the Manmohan Singh government - is said to be considering a reshuffle of its own in New Delhi.

K.P.K. Kumaran, a newly elected Rajya Sabha member, may be inducted into the Singh cabinet, said DMK sources here who wished to remain anonymous.

Two ministers that the DMK is keen to change are said to be S.S. Palanimanickam, the minister of state for finance, and K. Venkatapathy, the minister of state for law and justice.

DMK MP from north Chennai C. Kuppusamy, a well-known labour leader and trade unionist, may be recommended for a cabinet post, after the embarrassment both the DMK as well as the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government faced over the Neyveli Lignite Corporation's (NLC) disinvestment plan earlier this week.

While Prime Minister Manmohan Singh put a stop to the disinvestment plans of his government following a face-off with the DMK, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M. Karunanidhi is being credited with having achieved in a jiffy what the Left parties could not in two years.

Karunanidhi, however, Saturday played down the incident, blaming the media for saying that he had threatened to withdraw from the UPA government.

He said he had merely suggested on Friday that the DMK was thinking whether to continue in the alliance or not in the light of the developments on the NLC issue.

A fallout of the episode may be a cabinet place for one veteran voice of labour in the Singh cabinet.

Eat less to live long, healthy life

Toronto, July 8 (IANS) Eating less may help in living a long and healthy life, indicates a Canadian study.

Russ Hepple, a physiologist, along with other researchers at the University of Calgary examined the effects of calorie restricted diets on rats and found that elderly rats on such diet had the muscle mass and function of a 20-year-old rat, reported science portal The News Medical.

These rats, bred at the US-based National Institute of Aging, were fed a diet rich in nutrition but 40 percent lighter in calories than normal from a very young age.

At the same time, the rats that were fed a normal diet lost 50 percent of their muscle mass as well as muscle function at old age, the study found.

The study also discovered that elderly rodents on a strict diet experienced only a 20 percent drop in muscle mass with no loss of muscle function.

The researchers say it has been known for some time that a calorie restricted diet extends life span by as much as 35 percent, but they have now found that it also maintains muscle function.

Apparently the diet appears to help the aging rats rebuild and replace muscle and, Hepple says, it is unclear why.

He suggests a restricted-calorie diet preserves the function of mitochondria, which provides energy to body's cells as the animals grow old.

Despite evidence that reducing calories has a profound impact on the muscles of rats, Hepple does not suggest that people follow suit and cut their food intake by 40 percent.

His advice is instead that humans eat a healthy diet, refrain from overindulging and remain active to maintain their muscles.

A similar diet for humans can be drastic and possibly destructive to muscle, especially if the calories come from protein, he warns.

Ethan Hawke blasts Bush

London, July 8 (IANS) Actor Ethan Hawke has criticised US President George W. Bush's decision to go to war in Iraq and feels American men should re-think the concept of masculinity.

Hawke said Bush's attempt to be a big man prompted him to go to war, reported contactmusic.com. He said: "I'm from Texas. I love cowboy hats and riding horses. No American idealises all that more than I do. But when I see George W. Bush walking around in his cowboy hat, I feel it's time for some new kind of masculine identity."

Hawke urged American men to re-evaluate their masculinity because he fears that the men who took the country to war are misguided.

"Masculine identity has been ruling the world for a long time. You could make a case that it was needed at one time to keep people safe, build buildings, make roads and conquer nature. But that masculine thing has also led us to war. Men like to fight. But, because of globalisation, I think, in some fundamental way, 'Might makes right' is over."

Filmmaker sues Rumsfeld over Iraq detention

Los Angeles, July 8 (Xinhua) A Los Angeles filmmaker has sued US Defence Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and many high-ranking military officials for wrongly imprisoning him for 55 days in Iraq last year.

Cyrus Kar, 45, filed his suit in a Los Angeles federal court Friday, alleging that his imprisonment violated his civil rights, international law, the Geneva Convention and fundamental principles of the due process of law.

The suit is the first civil action challenging the constitutionality of the detention and hearing policies of the US government in Iraq.

Kar, a US citizen and navy veteran, went to Iraq 14 months ago to make a documentary film about Cyrus the Great - the Persian king who issued the world's first human rights charter.

On May 17, 2005, he was stopped at a Baghdad checkpoint in a taxi and was detained after security personnel found a common component for improvised explosive devices in the trunk.

The driver told military authorities that Kar and his cameraman were passengers and knew nothing about the devices, which the driver said were washing machine timers that he was taking to his brother-in-law.

The US military said they detained Kar as he posed "an imperative security threat", noting that the washing machine timers found in the taxi were a "common component" in the construction of improvised explosive devices.

The FBI later searched Kar's house but found nothing incriminating. However, Kar was held for many weeks in various prisons around Iraq, including the notorious facility at Abu Ghraib.

While in confinement, the suit states, Kar was at various times hooded, restrained "in painful flexi-cuffs," and "repeatedly threatened, taunted and insulted" by US soldiers. At one point, according to the suit, a soldier at Abu Ghraib slammed Kar's head into a concrete wall.

Even after military judges found him to be an "innocent civilian" under the Geneva Convention, Kar was held for another week.

Kar was freed after the American Civil Liberties Union, where he worked, sought his release.

"The abuses experienced by Kar - prolonged arbitrary detention without charge, the systematic denial of access to counsel, and the absence of any court in which to challenge the legality of his detention - are the norm for thousands of persons held in US military detention in Iraq," the suit stated.

In addition, the suit cited a 2004 report of the International Committee of the Red Cross, which said military intelligence officers of coalition forces admitted that "between 70 and 90 percent of the people deprived of their liberty in Iraq had been arrested by mistake".

In addition to Rumsfeld, the defendants include Gen. George W. Casey Jr., the commanding general of the multi-national forces in Iraq; Maj. Gen. William H. Brandenburg, commanding general of the task force in charge of detainee operations in Iraq at the time of Kar's detention; Lt. Col. Carol Haas, the commandant of Camp Cropper when Kar was held there in solitary confinement; and Lt. Col. John Dunlap, who was president of the military's detainee status board in Iraq.

Honey may reduce inflammation in cancer patients

London, July 8 (IANS) A special type of indigenous honey available in New Zealand has special anti-infection properties that may help reduce inflammation in cancer patients, say scientists.

Manuka honey's healing powers have been known for centuries. It has been used as a medicine since the ancient Egyptians, who regarded it as a cure all.

The Christie Hospital in Didsbury, Manchester, have been using special honey-coated dressings at the Manchester Royal Infirmary since May, reported the online edition of BBC News.

"Manuka honey has special anti-inflammatory and anti-infection properties and is believed to reduce the likelihood of infection," said Nick Slevin, a specialist at the hospital.

The hospital is buying Manuka honey, produced by bees that mainly feed on the Manuka bush from New Zealand, in bulk.

The doctors at the hospital now plan to use it on mouth and throat cancer patients.

According to doctors, 60 patients at the hospital are taking part in a study to see if the honey can prevent infections that may be resistant to antibiotics.

India 12th richest nation in 2005

Washington: India has emerged as the 12th wealthiest nation in the world with its GDP touching $785.47 billion (Rs 35,34,615 crore) in 2005, calculated by the World Bank.

US was the wealthiest nation with GDP of $12.46 trillion, according to a list of 15 wealthiest countries prepared by the World Bank in terms of their gross domestic product.

The GDP figures have been adjusted to reflect purchasing power.

While India was way down compared to China, positioned fourth with a GDP of $2.23 trillion, it was wealthier than Mexico, Russia and Australia.

The first nine countries had GDP of more than a $1 trillion.

The United States was followed by Japan with $4.51 trillion and Germany $2.78 trillion.

Britain, France and Italy occupied fifth, sixth and seventh ranks with GDP of $2.19 trillion, $2.11 trillion and $1.72 trillion, respectively.

Next came Spain, Canada, Brazil and South Korea with their GDP estimated at $1.124 trillion, $1.115 trillion, $794.10 billion and $787.62 billion, respectively.

There was no African country among the 15 richest nations, while India was the only south Asian country in the list.

Full Report:http://siteresources.worldbank.org/DATASTATISTICS/Resources/GDP.pdf
Source: IBN Live

India to host women's cricket World Cup

London, July 8 (IANS) The 2013 women's World Cup will be held in India, the International Cricket Council (ICC) said at its annual meeting here.

India was one of the 19 hosts approved by the ICC's board of directors for the ICC-owned tournaments between 2007-2015, the world body announced here.

India, along with Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh, will host the men's World Cup in 2011.

2007-2015 calendar:

2007: Twenty20 World Cup in South Africa

2008: Champions Trophy in Pakistan, and under-19 World Cup in Malaysia

2009: Twenty20 World Cup in England, women's World Cup in Australia, and ICC Trophy in United Arab Emirates

2010: Champions Trophy in West Indies, under-19 World Cup in Kenya, and World Cricket League Division One in the Netherlands

2011: Men's World Cup in India, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and Bangladesh

2012: Champions Trophy or Twenty20 World Cup in Sri Lanka, and under-19 World Cup in Canada

2013: Champions Trophy or Twenty20 World Cup (venue to be decided), women's World Cup in India, and ICC Trophy in Scotland

2014: Champions Trophy or Twenty20 World Cup in Bangladesh, under-19 World Cup in United Arab Emirates, and World Cricket League Division One (venue to be decided)

2015: Men's World Cup in Australia/New Zealand

India, Bangladesh to boost bilateral trade

Dhaka, July 8 (IANS) India has offered to export to Bangladesh a large variety of raw material from its northeastern states that could be processed in the country and sold back to the region to help Dhaka bridge its bilateral trade gap.

The offer was made by Joint Secretary in Indian Commerce Ministry V.P.C. Shastri at a two-day meeting of the Indo-Bangla joint working group at Agartala, Tripura. His counterpart Elias Ahmed led the Bangladesh side.

The Bangladesh news agency UNB, reporting on the meeting, gave no indication of any specific commodities mentioned or the reaction from the Bangladesh side to the offer.

India has from time to time been making suggestions such as this to help Bangladesh bridge the balance of trade gap.

"The northeastern states of India have huge resources and raw materials and these can be exported to Bangladesh. After due processing, the finished products can be made available to the people of the region at much cheaper rates," Shastri was quoted as saying in The Daily Star newspaper.

Elias Ahmed stressed that India's northeastern states and Bangladesh have common culture and lifestyle and these similarities could easily help enhance bilateral trade.

The poor infrastructure on both sides was discussed and it was decided to step up efforts at modernising and upgrading existing facilities, including roads, to boost bilateral trade.

"We have decided to modernise and upgrade our existing infrastructure, including road connectivity, to further boost trade between the two countries, especially between the northeastern states of India and Bangladesh," said Shastri after the meeting.

Terming the meeting "very successful", he said: "It is our constant endeavour to reduce the huge bilateral trade gap existing between the two nations."

The meeting also discussed issues relating to tariff and non-tariff barriers.

Customs officials of both the countries will soon meet and review the performance of land customs stations.

The meeting also discussed the recommendations of the task force constituted by the Federation of Bangladesh Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FBCCI) and the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI). Details were not announced.

India, IAEA hold 'productive' talks on safeguards agreement (LEAD)

New Delhi, July 8 (IANS) India and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Saturday held "useful and productive technical discussions" on the contours of a safeguards agreement covering New Delhi's civilian nuclear facilities - a precondition for the resumption of global nuclear commerce with New Delhi.

"They held useful and productive technical discussions on concepts relating to India specific safeguards emanating from the India-US Joint Statement of July 18, 2005," an external affairs ministry statement said.

It was agreed that the two sides would meet again "at a mutually convenient date to continue these discussions".

The IAEA team comprised Olli Heinonen, deputy director general (Safeguards), Vilmos Cserveny, director (External Relations and Policy Coordination), Johanne Rautenbach, director (Legal) and Herman Nackartes, director (Safeguard Operations).

Talks are progressing well. We have had fruitful talks on India-specific safeguards with the IAEA," an Indian official told IANS.

Indian officials underlined New Delhi's impeccable record in non-proliferation and its commitment to keeping its strategic programme separate and independent from its civilian programme, the source added.

The Indian team comprised Hamid Ali Rao, joint secretary (disarmament) in the external affairs ministry, and officials from the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) headed by chairman Anil Kakodkar.

The IAEA team arrived here Friday. Informal talks were held over a lunch hosted by Rao for the delegation.

A specific safeguards agreement with IAEA was agreed to by New Delhi while negotiating a civil nuclear deal with Washington when US President George W. Bush visited here in March.

As part of its obligation under the India-US nuclear deal, New Delhi identified 14 of its 22 atomic reactors as civilian. These will be covered under the IAEA safeguards agreement.

Kakodkar had visited Vienna early this year to engage in preliminary discussions with IAEA officials to work out finer details of the safeguards agreement that will supervise India's civilian nuclear facilities.

The finalisation of the "India-specific safeguards agreement" between New Delhi and IAEA will brighten the chances of the nuclear deal getting the back of the US Congress.

International committees of both the US House of Representatives and the Senate last month approved two bills providing for a change of law that will end New Delhi's nuclear isolation.

India is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

India, IAEA hold talks on safeguards agreement

New Delhi, July 8 (IANS) India and the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Saturday discussed the contours of a safeguards agreement covering New Delhi's civilian nuclear facilities -- a precondition for the resumption of global nuclear commerce with New Delhi.

"Talks are progressing well. We have had fruitful talks on India-specific safeguards with the IAEA," an Indian official told IANS.

Indian officials underlined New Delhi's impeccable record in non-proliferation and its commitment to keeping its strategic programme separate and independent from its civilian programme, the source added.

The Indian team comprised Hamid Ali Rao, joint secretary (disarmament) in the external affairs ministry, and officials from the Department of Atomic Energy (DAE) headed by chairman Anil Kakodkar.

The IAEA team arrived here Friday. Informal talks were held over a lunch hosted by Rao for the delegation.

A specific safeguards agreement with IAEA was agreed to by New Delhi while negotiating a civil nuclear deal with Washington when US President George W. Bush visited here in March.

As part of its obligation under the India-US nuclear deal, New Delhi identified 14 of its 22 atomic reactors as civilian. These will be covered under the IAEA safeguards agreement.

Kakodkar had visited Vienna early this year to engage in preliminary discussions with IAEA officials to work out finer details of the safeguards agreement that will supervise India's civilian nuclear facilities.

The finalization of the "India-specific safeguards agreement" between New Delhi and IAEA will brighten the chances of the nuclear deal getting the back of the US Congress.

International committees of both the US House of Representatives and the Senate last month approved two bills providing for a change of law that will end New Delhi's nuclear isolation.

India is not a signatory to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.

India, West Indies to play in Canada

Toronto, July 8 (IANS) The cricket matches between India and West Indies that were scheduled to be played in the US are likely to be held in Toronto in September.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the West Indies Cricket Board (WICB) made the decision during the International Cricket Council (ICC) executive meeting at Lord's this week, according to a leading cricket website.

"The series had been reportedly scrapped and the boards were said to be looking at alternative venues in the Far East," the website said.

Apparently, the ICC did not give clearance to the grounds in the US, but Toronto has hosted one-day cricket matches earlier.

However, the website also says that the series may face hurdles as the West Indies players have not been consulted about their participation in the series. This is required as the match falls outside ICC's Future Tours Programme.

Indian equities end lower after three weeks of gains

New Delhi, July 8 (IANS) Indian shares ended lower during the trading week ended Friday after three straight weeks of gains as the mood was dampened by political uncertainties and rumours of resignation by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

The threat by the Dravida Munnetra Kazagham (DMK) to withdraw from the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government over the proposed part sale of equity in state-run Neyveli Lignite Corp also caused nervousness in the markets.

The subsequent decision by Manmohan Singh to put on hold all proposals to sell a part of government equity in state-run enterprises was also viewed as a setback to the economic reforms programme and caused the equities to slide further.

Looking ahead, the market is expected to remain choppy with a battle between the bulls and the bears as many companies, led by technology firms, are expected to start unveiling their first quarter results for this fiscal from next week.

"So far it was the Left parties that kept the government in tenterhooks, which had become a matter of routine. But with DMK, too, joining the chorus of bashing the reforms programme, the nervousness was imminent," said an equities analyst.

"In the ensuing sessions, the focus will be mainly on the quarterly results of companies, as the previous concerns over interest rates have sort of died down after a dip in inflation to below the five-percent mark," the analyst added.

During the week under review, the sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) ended at 10,509.53 points Friday, to register a loss of 99.72 points or 0.94 percent over the previous week's close at 10,609.25 points.

This was despite foreign funds turning net buyers in the equities market, with a volume of $251.2 million, as per data available with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), the markets watchdog.

On Friday alone, the 30-share key index shed 258.44 points or 2.40 percent on rumours that Manmohan Singh had offered to tender his resignation over the sale of equity in state-run enterprises - subsequently denied by his office.

With heavy rains lashing Mumbai, India's commercial capital, trading commenced amid low volumes, but the Sensex managed to gain 86.01 points or 0.81 percent at 10,695.26 points at close Monday.

But Tuesday saw the representative index shed 33.04 points or 0.31 percent at 10,662.22 amid low attendance by traders, only to bounce back Wednesday with a gain of 257.42 points or 2.41 percent to move close to the 11,000-point mark.

But Thursday was again a different story and the bellwether index ended lower by 151.67 points or 1.39 percent at 10,767.97 points that was once again repeated Friday with a loss of 99.72 points or 0.94 percent.

The main gainers during the week were National Thermal Power Corp, Hindustan Lever, Housing Development Finance Corp, ICICI Bank, Dr. Reddy`s Laboratories, Associated Cement, Infosys Technologies and Tata Consultancy Services.

The losers, on the other hand, included Wipro, Hero Honda, ITC, Hindalco, Larsen and Toubro, Bharat Heavy Electricals, Tata Motors, Satyam, Ranbaxy Laboratories and Reliance Industries.

Indian scribe celebrates birthday with Bush

By Arun Kumar,
Washington, July 8 (IANS) An Indian journalist, popular at the White House, edged out visiting Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper at a photo op with President George W. Bush on his July 6 birthday.

As the premier stretched out his hand for the traditional handshake picture after a press conference on Thursday, journalist Raghubir Goyal of India Globe newspaper piped in a cheery "Happy Birthday!" from the press corps. "We share the same date!" Goyal called out to Bush, who was celebrating his 60th.

"Today's your birthday, too?" asked a delighted Bush, dropping Harper's hand. "Well, come on up - let's have a birthday picture. Come on, come on, come on. Come on, come on, get up here! Anybody else have their birthday today?"

Within moments, USA Today's Richard Benedetto took the stage, too. "If we start to get any more, I'm going to start to question it," said a befuddled Harper, who stood off to the side, rubbing his nose. "Another one?" Harper blurted out when a sound technician from the State Department, Todd Mizis, joined the group.

Television crews in the rear struck up a round of "Happy Birthday to You". The cameras zoomed in on the four birthday boys, cutting the Canadian premier out of the picture.

Goyal has been a White House pressperson for many years and is often ridiculed for his softball questions that deal exclusively with India and for which he has been labelled the "Goyal foil" - or a way out for White House spokesman Scott McClellan when he is in a tight spot.

"Every day my question is about India," Goyal says proudly.

Born in the small village of Badsikri in Haryana, Goyal visited India in March 2006 along with Bush, his second trip with a US president to India. He had also come with president Bill Clinton in March 2001.

Through a series of accidental and sometimes unfortunate events, Goyal landed in the US in 1976 via Austria, doing odd jobs along the way.

He did his high school in Chandigarh, worked his way through college, was employed part-time at the Chandigarh Coal Company and the Punjab Land Acquisition Office, and attended classes in Punjab University in the evenings.

At 16, he told his mother he wanted to leave the country and the village leaders met to discuss the issue.

"My village got together and they said I was incapable of doing anything. Finally my uncle said: 'Give him Rs.10,000 and he will not waste it, I guarantee'."

The rest, as is said, was history.

Internal strife threatens Jharkhand government's survival

Ranchi, July 8 (IANS) The internal strife in the ruling National Democratic Alliance (NDA) in Jharkhand has put a question mark on the survival of the state government.

The five independents, popularly known as "G-5", have threatened to withdraw support to the government if Chief Minister Arjun Munda fails to restrain Speaker Inder Singh Namdhari from making public statements against state Home Minister Sudesh Mahto.

The independents have also threatened to join the Opposition United Progressive Alliance (UPA).

"We have kept all the options open. We will not hesitate to go with the UPA. We are supporting the NDA for the development of the state. We will not tolerate the kind of statements Namdhari is making against our member (home minister)," said G-5 spokesperson and Mines and Geology Minister Madhu Koda.

"We will take up the issue with the chief minister," he said.

On July 2, Namdhari, who is from Palamau district, accused the home minister of patronising criminals and inducting them into his party in Palamau to expand its base. He also accused Mahto of forcing honest officers to shield criminals.

Mahto belongs to the All Jharkhand Students Union (AJSU), which has two legislators in the assembly. His party is a part of the G-5 group.

Namdhari belongs to the Janata Dal-United (JD-U), which has demanded dismissal of the home minister.

"The chief minister should remove the home minister from his cabinet. Mahto's party is inducting criminals and Maoists. Some of the AJSU leaders are even facing murder charges," alleged state JD-U president Jaleshwar Mahto, who is also a minister in the government.

Munda needs support of both the JD-U and G-5 for his government's survival.

The government is having only a wafer-thin majority in the legislative assembly. In the 82-member house, Munda has the support of 42 legislators, excluding the speaker.

Iran wants rights under NPT

MADRID, JulIy 8 (NNN-IRNA) -- Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) Ali Larijani here on Friday stressed that the Islamic Republic of Iran desires nothing beyond its legitimate rights under the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).

Talking to reporters, he said Iran is a signatory to the NPT and wants only recognition of its rights.

"If we are dealt with according to international rules, we will accept the proposal," he added. He was referring to the nuclear package handed by EU foreign policy chief Jaiver Solana to Iran on June 6 offering economic and other incentives in exchange for suspension of uranium enrichment.

Asked whether Iran was optimistic with regard to the new European offer, Larijani said "there is no reason for being pessimistic." On his scheduled meeting with Solana on Tuesday, Larijani said:

"We believe Iran's nuclear-case can be settled through negotiations because the issue is not that complicated that it cannot be settled through talks."

On the issue of Iran taking further confidence-building measures, Larijani said the matter would be decided when Europe changes its attitude towards Iran.

He said settlement of this issue is "possible only through practical means and not by words."

"Iran is ready to take joint steps with Europe on the basis of mutual interest but only when the ground is suitable," he added.

He cited lifting of the ban on the sale of modern equipment to Iran by Europe as one of the conditions for Iran to take more confidence-building measures, saying this was an obstacle to Iran-Europe relations.

Larijani said that Iran and the European Union had many common interests in the region, adding that Iran was capable of providing energy security to Europe through continued supply of gas to European states.

He said the issue is among "several issues" confronting states and suggested that the two sides work on these "common interests."

As to the change of attitude noted in the Europeans toward Iran's nuclear -case, Larijani said that Tehran, from the very beginning, believed sending of Iran's case to the United Nations Security Council was a mistake.

"We believe that the language of force is not effective today," he added.

Iran has repeatedly said that the nuclear issue ought to be settled through negotiations, he said, and added that_"in the field of peaceful nuclear technology, we, as a member of the NPT, do not want anything more than our rights."

"Iran, as a member of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) and a signatory to the NPT, has accepted supervision and sees no problem in observing international rules.

“Therefore, problems regarding its nuclear activities should be settled through negotiations," Iran's chief negotiator said.

On that logic, "Iran has noticed a change in the attitude of Western countries and welcomes the change," he told reporters.

Islamic organisation condemns Israeli excavations

RABAT, JULY 8, (NNN-WAM) -- The Islamic Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (ISESCO) has condemned the archaeological excavations being carried out under one of gates of the Al-Haram al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary), which threatens the building of the Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

In the statement issued Friday, ISESCO stated that these excavations only add to the seriousness of the aggressive practices led by the Israeli forces, and further aggravate the situation in the Palestinian territories, and in the Al-Qods in particular.

ISESCO revealed in its statement that the archaeological authorities in Israel decided to destroy the Gate of Maghariba, which is one of the most known outer gates of the Al-Haram- Al-Sharif. Excavations under the Gate of Maghariba were initiated and led in 1994 to the destruction of one of its walls.

ISESCO called upon the international organizations concerned with the protection of world heritage, especially UNESCO, to take immediate action to pressure Israel into halting these excavations which constitute a violation of international instruments and declarations.

It also appealed to the Islamic world to start a practical initiative to mobilise international support to the Arab and Islamic stand regarding these excavations.

The Islamic organisation further condemned the ongoing aggression led by the Israeli occupation forces against the Palestinian people and its civil institutions, and expressed its surprise at the silence maintained by the world on these serious crimes and blatant violations of human rights and the international Law.

Islamic world should aid Iraq: Ahmadinejad

Tehran, July 8 (DPA) Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad Saturday called on the Islamic world to aid Iraq in gaining peace and stability.

"Iraq is one of the main challenges of the Islamic world and it should therefore aid Iraq in gaining peace, security and stability," Ahmadinejad said in a conference here dealing with the political future and security of Iraq.

"A stable Iraq could decrease and weaken the pretext of alien powers to continue their stay in Iraq," he said.

Iraq's neighbouring states Jordan, Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Syria and Turkey plus Egypt and representatives from the Arab League and the Organisation of the Islamic Conference are attending the conference in the Iran capital.

Iran has several times called for the withdrawal of foreign troops from Iraq as the only option to return peace to Iraq.

Israel `terrorizing' entire Palestinian nation, say British Jews

London, July 7, IRNA ,Some 300 prominent British Jews Friday condemned Israel for its brutal invasion of Gaza and urged the UK government to achieve an immediate ceasefire.

The Zionist regime is "using its enormously superior military might to terrorize an entire people," they said in a full-page petition published in the Times newspaper.

"Bombing power stations and cutting off fuel supplies deprives people of electricity, refrigeration, pumped drinking water and sewage disposal services. It holds hostage hospital patients on life support systems, or undergoing dialysis," the petition said.

The well-known British figures, describing themselves as Jews for Justice for Palestinians (Jfjfp), included playwright Harold Pinter, film director Mike Leigh, historian Professor Eric Hobsbawn, and actor Miriam Margoyles as well as a large number of academics.

They said that Israel was trying to present an isolated incident regarding the capture of a soldier, while ignoring their "regular snatching of Palestinians from their home."
There were "thousands" of Palestinians held without trial, including women and children.

Jfjfp spokesman Dan Judelson said the prominent Jews "simply do not see how Israel can defend attacking civilian targets such as water works and power supply."
"There are those in the community who say that Jews should not criticize Israel. But Israel is damaging itself through this kind of action," Judelson said.

He told the BBC that many people believed the attacks on Palestinian infrastructure "were less about liberating Cpl Shalit and more about seeking a pretext to over-throw Hamas."
Their petition criticized the response by the US and its allies in calling for restraint as "desperately inadequate."
It was a situation that requires "determined action by the international community," it warned.

"We watch with horror the collective punishment of the people of Gaza. Everything reasonable must be done to secure Corporal Gilad Shalit's safe release but nothing Israel is doing contributes to that aim," it warned.

The Jewish leaders called on the British public to write to their MPs to demand that the UK government breaks its silence and acts "to achieve an immediate ceasefire."
Their community leaders were also urged to write to the Israeli Embassy to "make them understand their actions are wrong, their explanations unconvincing."

Kalam to visit Jammu and Kashmir

Jammu, July 8 (IANS) President A.P.J. Kalam will pay a two-day visit to Jammu and Kashmir this month to inaugurate a conference of jurists and participate in the 2,550th anniversary celebrations of Lord Buddha in Ladakh.

Kalam arrives in the state July 28. He is to inaugurate the conference in Srinagar that day.

The chief justice and other judges of the Supreme Court as well as the chief judges and judges of all the high courts will attend the meet.

The president will also address a joint session of the state legislature. He will deliver a special lecture to the lawmakers - the first such event in Jammu and Kashmir.

Kalam is also scheduled to take part in the 2550th anniversary celebration of the Buddha - the founder of Buddhism - in Leh, the main city in Ladakh region of the state where Buddhists are in a majority.

The president's visit will be the third high-profile visit by important functionaries to the state in the past two months.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh presided over the second round table conference on Kashmir in Srinagar in the latter part of May. United Progressive Alliance Chairperson Sonia Gandhi flagged off the passenger bus on Poonch-Rawalakote road connecting the two parts of Kashmir June 20.

Kalam was also in the state in December when he visited victims of the Oct 8 earthquake in the northwestern part of Kashmir.

Kerala seeks Rs.20 bn relief for farm, traditional industries

New Delhi, July 8 (IANS) Kerala Chief Minister V.S Achuthanandan Saturday sought Rs.20 billion from the central government for rejuvenating the agriculture sector and traditional industries in the state.

During a meeting with Prime Minister Manmonhan Singh here, Achuthanandan requested a relief package on the lines of the assistance offered in the Vidharbha region of Maharashtra, where scores of debt-trapped farmers have committed suicide following losses due to natural calamities and fall in prices of cash crops.

Briefing reporters about his meeting, the chief minister disclosed he has also sought the prime minister's intervention on the Planning Commission's decision to reduce the borrowing ceiling for the state.

"The finance minister has informed us that the borrowing ceiling for Kerala for the current financial year (2006-07) is Rs.47.72 billion. This is Rs.25.74 billion less than the minimum borrowing requirement fixed by Planning Commission. It will affect the state adversely," he said.

Kerala has also sought speedy clearances for the Vizhinjam deepwater international container transhipment terminal project near the state capital Thiruvananthapuram as also the national maritime development programme and environmental clearance for the Vallarpadam container terminal project.

In a 46-page memorandum submitted to the prime minister, the chief minister demanded various other infrastructure projects including national highway development projects with an eye to promoting industrial activities and boosting investment inflow.

London gets Indian autorickshaws

New Delhi, July 7, IRNA ,Brighton, a popular sea resort of Britain, has got 12 three-wheelers from an Indian company Bajaj.

These have been nicknamed "tuk-tuks" and would be carrying people for a flat fare of 2.50 pound for adults and 1.50 pound for children.

The resort plans to introduce them in Central London next year, where the non-motorized rickshaws are now allowed to ply after 1900 hours.

Most of these rickshaws at 10 round an hour are plied by students who earn extra money through working four to five hours in the evening.

The tuk-tuks in Brighton, imported by 26-year-old Dominic Ponniah have been painted in various colors, one with a Union Jack painted on its front and have additional safety features-- roll bars, side-impact protection, seat belts, a plastic curtain to prevent rain or cold wind hitting passengers and a maximum speed of 35 mph.

Its drivers have license to drive cars, and receive four days training in driving and repairing tuk-tuks.

The ride could be shared by three people.

There are many other changes to satisfy the requirements of the Vehicle and Operator Service Agency.

No portraits of gods or of drivers' family members have been allowed.

The tuk-tuks run on compressed natural gas, thereby minimizing noise levels and emissions of air pollutants.

"Riding in a tuk-tuk always puts a smile on people's faces, especially if it reminds them of an Asian holiday, he said.

There is fear that taxi drivers would be hit by tuk-tuk.

Ponniah has plans to ply them in Manchester, Birmingham, Bristol and cross the northern border to take them to Edinburgh.

Malaysian Indians facing major social problem: minister

Kuala Lumpur, July 8 (IANS) The Indian community in Malaysia is faced with a major social problem, according to the country's works minister and Malaysian Indian Congress (MIC) president S. Samy Vellu.

His comments came after reports of suicides by ethnic Indians in recent days in different parts of the country. Indians comprise about seven percent of Malaysia's total population of around 24 million.

According to reports, Vellu called for the setting up by the government of a unit to look into the social problems faced by families and provide counselling to those in need.

"If this is done, I believe the incidence of suicides could be reduced in the future," a report in the Malaysia Star newspaper quoted him as saying.

On Tuesday, a 30-year-old Indian origin woman, M. Sangitta, took her two daughters - Anthonyama, six, and Esther, three - and son, Jason Kalidas, to a railway track near Seremban, capital of the country's Negri Sambilan state, to commit suicide.

While the woman and her two daughters were killed after being run over by a fast moving train, five-year-old Jason escaped with injuries after being flung off the track.

The woman had reportedly been having heated arguments with her husband in recent times and the situation had worsened after he lost his job.

Earlier, last week, an 11-year-old Indian origin girl committed suicide at Sungai Sipur in the state of Perak. Her act came a year after her elder brother had committed suicide.

Expressing sadness over the deaths, Vellu said it was difficult to prevent suicides even if there were laws enacted against it.

"If a person decides to commit suicide, no one can stop him or her. We must find social ways to overcome this," the Star report quoted him as saying.

He, however, disagreed with the statement of G. Palanivel, MIC's deputy president and country's deputy minister for women, family and community development, that suicide scenes in Indian films are also a reason behind these suicides.

Following the deaths of Sangitta and her two daughters, Palanivel had called for censorship of suicide scenes in Indian films.

This, however, is not a recent trend. Two years ago, another leading ethnic Indian politician G. Vimalah Nair had also blamed Indian films for suicides and other social problems like alcoholism afflicting the Indian community in this Southeast Asian nation.

In a BBC report, she had said that many Malaysians of Indian origin are trapped in poverty and face family break-ups. For these people, movies are not just a main source of entertainment; they are a means of escape from lives often constrained by poverty and marred by violence.

Vimalah had said that Bollywood films leave many impressionable young people with unattainable dreams.

In 2002 a report in Time magazine had described how decades of official discrimination had turned Malaysia's ethnic Indians into a disgruntled underclass.

According to the Time article, affirmative action-type quotas for the Malay population, along with a political system controlled by the Malays and Chinese, make many Indian Malaysians feel like third-class citizens.

The result is an increasingly aggrieved population, and a timid one, that isn't very happy about its place in society, the report said.

Mauresmo wins Wimbledon title

London, July 8 (IANS) Top seed Amelie Mauresmo of France held her nerve to beat Belgian Justine Henin-Hardenne 2-6, 6-3, 6-4 to win her first Wimbledon title here Saturday.

Mauresmo, who won the Australian Open earlier this year, became the first Frenchwoman to lift the Venus Rosewater Dish since the great Suzanne Lenglen in 1925.

Henin-Hardenne won the first set but Mauresmo rallied back to win the next two sets.

NASA extends Discovery mission by a day

Washington, July 8 (DPA) Space shuttle Discovery's mission will be extended by a day so astronauts can perform an additional spacewalk to remove gap fillers between the craft's heat protective tiles, said a NASA official.

NASA wants to study how far the fillers protrude from the shuttle surface, although it was believed to be minimal based on photographs, flight director Tony Ceccacci told reporters at mission control in Houston Friday.

Discovery and its crew had been scheduled for a 12-day journey that began Tuesday. The trip has already delivered German astronaut Thomas Reiter to the International Space Station (ISS), where Discovery docked Thursday.

The spacewalks will also be used to check suspicious marks on the shuttle nose that officials believe may just be bird droppings. Ceccacci said NASA wants to ensure it is not damage to the tiles.

Discovery will now remain docked with the ISS until July 15 and return to Cape Canaveral, Florida, on July 17.

The shuttle fleets' heat shielding tiles have been a major focus of the missions to space since the 2003 Columbia disaster was blamed on damaged tiles that caused the craft to disintegrate while re-entering the atmosphere.

NASA has since introduced new safety procedures that include orbital inspections of the shuttle surface to ensure the tiles are not damaged by foam debris that falls from the exterior fuel tanks during takeoff.

Reiter's arrival at ISS marks the first time since Columbia that the station has been occupied by three astronauts. The shuttle crew will also assist with much needed repairs to the station orbiting 400 km above the earth.

The shuttle awoke Friday to the Beatles song "Good Day Sunshine." NASA typically beams music up to space to start the astronauts' workday.

Reiter, 48, was warmly greeted by US astronaut Jeffrey Williams and Russian cosmonaut Pavel Vinogradov, who also gave the German astronaut a hug and kisses on both cheeks. The three men will spend the next half-year working together aboard the station.

Before docking, Discovery flipped over at a distance of just 182 metres below the ISS so the shuttle's underbelly could be photographed by the space station crew to check for any damage to the tiles.

Vinogradov and Williams took 350 pictures of Discovery during the orbital manoeuvre that were transmitted back to earth.

"We saw nothing out of the ordinary," Williams told CNN in an interview.

Pakistan denies links with London bombers

Islamabad, July 8, IRNA,Pakistan has denied any links with people involved in last year's London suicide bombings.

Information Minister Muhammad Ali Durrani dispelled the impression that a video tape of a suicide bomber, Tanveer Shehzad, might have been prepared in Pakistan.

Tanveer Shehzad, in his video released by Al-Qaeda on Thursday, a day ahead of the first anniversary of the London bombings, had threatened more attacks.

Durrani told the BBC Urdu website that Pakistan was playing the role of frontline state in the war on terrorism and that hundreds of its security men had been killed in the anti-terror campaign.

Pakistan is itself victim of terrorism, the minister said.

He said those who have evidences to link Pakistan with the July 7 London suicide bombers should provide these to the government.

He said Pakistan will fully cooperate in the ongoing
investigation.

Three alleged bombers were stated to be British-born Pakistanis.

Some 52 people were killed in the blasts.

British investigators have been saying that Tanveer Shehzad had visited Pakistan before the bombings and had studied in a religious seminary.

But the Pakistani information minister said the government had not found any proof to substantiate the accusation that Tanveer Shehzad had studied in a Pakistani madrassa.

He said all the bombers were British citizens of Pakistani origin.

They were born, grew up and studied in Britain, Durrani said.

Pakistan's airline facing cash crunch

Islamabad, July 8 (IANS) Faced with an acute liquidity crunch, Pakistan's national carrier is hoping to persuade the government to consider equity injection of around Rs.6 billion ($100 million).

Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) plans to make a renewed bid on Wednesday with the government for the equity injection, which has been refused so far. The government has been asking it to arrange money from commercial banks.

The national carrier requested the government to take over PIA's interest in PIA Investment Limited (PIA-IL) and advance $100 million, without which it would go in the red.

PIA chairman Tariq Kirmani made two presentations before Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz, but failed to win his approval, The Nation newspaper said.

Instead, Aziz asked the PIA to go to the commercial banks and directed the finance ministry to facilitate this.

PIA operates 40 aircraft on domestic and international sectors. It has pleaded, like most airlines across the world, especially in the developing world, that it has been hit badly by the rising fuel prices.

Kirmani also emphasised the need to continue with the fleet renewal plans and to meet the financial commitments made to Boeing.

Due to non-liquidation of PIA-IL properties, the airline was faced with liquidity crunch. It has resorted to charging $40 fuel surcharge on international return tickets to meet the increase in oil prices, besides a $5 fiscal surcharge.

Police report blames Iraq war for instigating terrorism

London, July 7, IRNA ,The war in Iraq has had a "huge impact" on motivating acts of terrorism, according to a police report compiled by anti-terrorist specialists.

The document, marked `restricted,' explains that British foreign policy, particularly over Iraq and Palestine, is used to justify acts of violence and that early progress in reducing the threat to the UK is not expected, according to the Guardian newspaper Friday.

"Iraq is cited many times in interviews with detained extremists but it is over-simplistic to describe terrorism as the result of foreign policy. What western foreign policy does provide is justification for violence," it said.

Prime Minister Tony Blair has consistently rejected any suggestions that Britain has become a target of terrorism because of its leading involvement in the invasion of Iraq and the ensuing debacle.

But within weeks of last July's London bombings, a poll in the Guardian found that an overwhelming 85 per cent of the British public believed the Iraq war was to blame as the main reason or a contributory factor.

Working parties, set up by the government, also unanimously reported in November that a key contributory factor was "British foreign policy - especially in the Middle East," which said Friday it had seen the report.

The police report, which was said to have been completed within the past three months before being distributed to senior officers, warned that the removal of grievances to justify terrorism will take time.

"What will change them - gradually - is argument, the removal of justifying causes (Palestine, Iraq), the erosion of perverted beliefs and day-to-day frustrations," it was quoted saying.

The police document added that terrorist anger at UK foreign policy "masks" other motives, which are "insecurity and fear, loss of identity through encroaching secularism and a sense of cultural failure, past and present."
"All that said, though, it is still important to (a) continue to explain foreign policy, (b) accept failings and disappointing results, and c) remember that a few seconds of film footage showing ill-disciplined behavior by allied troops has more impact than thousands of well-argued words," it also said.

The last point was believed to be a reference to allegations of UK and US troops abusing and even killing Iraqi civilians, and to the Abu Ghraib prison scandal.

The Guardian reported that there was support of the role of Iraq in making Britain a target for terrorism among counter-terrorism experts.

"We should not slavishly follow the government line. It damages our ability to do our job," one counter-terrorism source was quoted saying.

Power cuts give Delhiites sleepless night

New Delhi, July 8 (IANS) Thousands of residents in the national capital are hot under the collar for spending sleepless night due to long power cuts.

Several parts of Delhi, including Mayur Vihar, Preet Vihar, Dwarka, Lajpat Nagar, Janak Puri, Subhash Nagar, Laxmi Nagar and Model Town, remained without power for over six hours Friday night.

"There was virtually no light. We could not sleep even for few hours. This is the worst time of the year for us," Ashok Anand, a resident of Subhash Nagar in west Delhi, told IANS.

"The government must deal with the power crunch on priority," he said.

"We did not get power for nearly 10 hours and this morning we had two hours of load shedding. For the last couple of weeks a day begins and ends with frustration," said Amit Puri, a resident of Dwarka.

"It seems the government is not serious about the problem. Everyday there is a meeting, but still no improvement," said Puri, adding that the crisis had affected his children's studies.

Delhi Friday experienced a deficit of 699 megawatts (MW) - the worst in 2006. The peak demand was of 3,312 MW.

With Delhi chief minister taking up the issue with the central government, power secretary R.V. Shahi is expected to meet with authorities of other states to facilitate power transmission to the capital.

Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Friday assured that a deal with the governments of Orissa and Gujarat to purchase additional power would be finalised soon to help overcome the existing shortage of around 500 MW.

However, a Delhi Transco official said: "Till we get power from neighbouring states, the situation cannot improve."

Rights group to step up protest against land acquisition

Bhopal, July 8 (IANS) The National Alliance of People's Movements (NAPM), a conglomeration of about 200 organisations, has decided to intensify its protest against the acquisition of land for setting up special economic zones.

"The alliance has resolved to launch a nationwide campaign from Oct 3 against the National Urban Renewal Mission (NURM) and other infrastructure projects and SEZs funded by corporate and international financial institutions," Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar told reporters here.

The NBA is a part of NAPM.

"These institutions are displacing people, alienating them from their livelihood and even privatising services like water and electricity.

"Our campaign will cover all states and will culminate in 2007 as a national action programme named 'Halla Bol' against forced evictions."

She said the NAPM is an attempt towards building a people's political force, outside the electoral politics that can counter the forces of destruction, inequality and exploitation and realise the values of equity, justice, peace and non-violence.

"No less than 14,000 hectares of land have been given to Reliance for developing a SEZ in Raigarh near Mumbai. This will displace people of 45 villages and no one is talking about their rehabilitation. But we will not allow this to happen and go to the extent of launching 'Reliance hatao' agitation," she warned.

Shari'ah compliant financing seen increasing in Mid East

DUBAI, July 7 (NNN-WAM) -- Improved regulation and accounting standards in the Middle East and the introduction of complex financial products will drive demand for Shari'ah-compliant financial advice, according to Yasaar Limited, the first Shari'ah compliance advisory firm to receive approval to operate from the Dubai International Financial Centre (DIFC).

Majid Dawood, Yasaar;s chief executive officer, says the increasingly sophisticated nature of regional markets will require more time-intensive consultation from Islamic scholars, whose services are already in short supply.

"As companies in the region grow and become compliant with international accounting standards, increasingly complex funding structures will require greater consultation from Shari'ah scholars,� he added

“Combined with a growing demand for sophisticated financial products, including exotic credit derivatives and synthetic securities, further pressure will be placed on the already tight supply of scholars."

The Islamic securitisation market is growing, with Islamic housing finance firm Tamweel planning to launch a 300 million USD mortgage-backed securities issue later this year. Several other Islamic securitisation deals are in the pipeline for 2006.

Developments in the derivatives market are continuing in line with growth in conventional markets. Sociiete Generale Asset Management Alternative Investment (SGAM-AI) is launching BARAKA, a Sharia'h-compliant protected product invested in an actively managed selection of Sharia'h stocks.

Work is already being done on developing Shari'ah-compliant CDOs and equity derivatives, while the structure of interest rate swaps are being modified to provide a similar product for Shari'ah investors.

The Jersey Financial Services Commission also this year approved the launch of its first Shari'ah-compliant total returns fund.

Dr Omar Bin Sulaiman, Governor of the DIFC, says the Centre gives financial service providers a platform from which to meet growing global demand for complex Shari'ah-compliant investment and funding structures.

"The Islamic finance market is becoming increasingly sophisticated. We expect to see growth in primary and secondary capital markets in 2006, which will contribute toward the growing Islamic funds and securitisation markets. The DIFC provides firms such as Yasaar Limited with the base from which to access opportunities in the Gulf region and throughout the world", he said.

Yasaar Limited recently partnered with global index provider FTSE Group to create a Pan-Asian index of the top 100 Shari'ah-compliant stocks.

The two companies plan to establish indices for other regions. Yasaar Limited also plans to launch its own training programme to produce qualified financial Shari'ah scholars.

The 300 billion USD Islamic banking industry grew at a rate of 15 per cent in 2005. This growth is expected to continue, driven by the increase in wealth in the Gulf region, a growing awareness of Islamic banking products and services and the introduction of sophisticated financial products.

Yasaar Limited was awarded 'Most Innovative Islamic Product' in 2004 by Deloitte Consulting Malaysia for its work on structuring the Caravan 1 Sukuk, which used an innovative SPV structure to give international investors access to assets in Saudi Arabia.

Two Indian hostages rescued in Philippines

Manila, July 8 (DPA) Policemen rescued two kidnapped Indian men and arrested their five abductors in a northern Philippine city, a police official said Saturday.

Chief Superintendent Ismael Rafanan, a regional police chief, said the victims - brothers Francis and Sanjo Singh - were rescued unhurt Friday in Angeles City, 75 km north of Manila.

Rafanan said policemen recovered the victims inside a van, along with the five suspects who surrendered without resisting.

"The van was slowly cruising near the victim's house, making the policemen suspicious because it had a covered license plate," he added.

The Singh brothers were abducted Thursday by five armed men who barged into their house in the village of Santo Domingo in Angeles City.

The suspects demanded 300,000 pesos ($5,660) in exchange for the freedom of the victims.

UK urges US to pressure Israel to end Gaza violence

London, July 7, IRNA, The UK is calling on the US to intervene and force the Zionist regime to find a political and diplomatic solution to the "absolutely ghastly" situation in Gaza, government spokesperson in the House of Lords, Baroness Royall has revealed.

Royall also broke Britain's silence on Israel's latest war crime since it reinvaded Gaza by becoming the first member of the government to effectively condemn Israel for its attacks.

"The EU and G8 have urged both sides to act with restraint, but we also urge our American friends to put pressure on the Israeli Government," she said.

Speaking in a parliamentary debate on Palestinian Poverty Thursday, the Labor peer revealed that the UK was also calling on "our Arab friends to put pressure on the Palestinians to end the current violence."
She further agreed that "serious international pressure has to be brought to bear on the Israelis to restore the power supply to the Palestinians, which has been cut, and to facilitate vital
international aid reaching Palestinian women and children." "This is an absolutely ghastly but intensely political situation which is having dire consequences for women and children in Gaza," Royall said.

"They have little electricity, diminishing food supplies and a reduced supply of water. They are in need of humanitarian aid, but the aid cannot get through," she warned.

The government spokesperson repeated that the attacks being made in Gaza by Israel are unutterably ghastly and said "we condemn them." But she was quick in balancing her criticism by stating "we should not forget that Hamas wants to obliterate the State of Israel and has openly welcomed the attack by a suicide bomber. Both sides are to blame, and we have to bring both sides together."
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UN agency appeals for emergency funding for hard-pressed Gaza residents

Gaza, July 8 (IMI)With 70 per cent of Gazans relying on food aid, the main United Nations humanitarian agency for Palestinian refugees is calling on donors to fund its emergency appeal, which it has already almost doubled to over $170 million to feed 900,000 people in light of the current humanitarian crisis.

“For someone not living in the Gaza Strip, daily life today is hard to imagine,� the UN Relief and Work Agency (UNRWA) said in its latest update on the Gaza Strip following the outbreak of renewed fighting between Israel and Palestinian militants.

“Sonic booms shatter the night skies, making sleep all but impossible. Waking in the morning, mothers cannot prepare breakfasts, nor children shower and wash - there is so little water. Leaving home, children find the streets and alleys en route to schools strewn with sewage. Delivery of water and maintenance of sewage disposal is dependent upon electricity – a sporadic commodity these days.�

UNRWA increased its 2006 emergency appeal from just over $95 million earlier this year after Israel stopped the transfer of Palestinian value added taxes (VAT) and other countries suspended contributions to the Palestinian Authority (PA) following the Hamas election victory in January.

Israel and international donors are insisting that Hamas must commit itself to principles of non-violence, recognize Israel’s right to exit, and accept previous agreements and obligations, including the UN-backed Roadmap plan providing for two states living side by side in peace.

“With crossings into Gaza from the outside world closed for most of the past two weeks, food prices for staples have increased more than 10 per cent,� UNRWA said. “Family breadwinners, many unemployed for months and without savings, have no choice but to turn to international aid agencies such as UNRWA to put food on the table.

“Seventy per cent of Gazans now rely on food assistance. UNRWA is providing the basics – flour, rice, oil, sugar, beans and whole milk - to 900,000 individuals,� it added.

Overall, UN agencies, including UNRWA, have raised the 2006 Consolidated Appeal for the occupied Palestinian territory by 80 per cent, from the originally budgeted $215 million to $385 million.

The UN World Food Programme (WFP) said today the frequent closing of the crossing points from Israel into Gaza as well as the ongoing hostilities put enormous strain on the population, but the passage of commercial, food and fuel supplies last Sunday had helped to alleviate the situation slightly.

There was a real need for a humanitarian corridor so that relief items could have a priority for entry over commercial goods into Gaza and WFP was asking for permanent and unhindered access for humanitarian personnel and relief goods, spokesman Simon Pluess told a news briefing in Geneva.

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Donate to UNRWA

UN chief calls for ceasefire in Gaza

United Nations, July 8 (Xinhua) UN Secretary General Kofi Annan called on all parties in the recent conflict in Gaza to refrain from any further violent actions to save the lives of all civilians in the region.

He urged Israel to stop immediately its "disproportionate use of force", which has already killed and wounded many civilians, and called for the release of Israeli Army Corporal Gilad Shalit.

"These measures are an absolute prerequisite for defusing the tensions which are escalating every day," he said.

He reminded both sides of their responsibilities under international humanitarian law, and urged them to refrain from any attack, which may cause loss of civilian life and property.

The situation on the Palestinian front worsened recently as Israel launched the "Summer Rain" military operation in the Gaza Strip after Palestinian militants kidnapped Israeli soldier Gilad Shalit in a cross-border raid on June 25.

Meanwhile, the US also urged Israel and Palestine to exercise restraint.

"There is no question that Israel has a right to defend itself and the lives of its citizens. But we also urge the Israeli government to ensure that innocent civilians are not harmed, to exercise restraint and to refrain from adversely affecting the Palestinian humanitarian situation," said State Department spokesperson Julie Reside.

Reside also called for the immediate and unconditional release of the kidnapped Israeli soldier by the Palestinian extremists.

Israeli air and ground operations against the Palestinians continued in Gaza Friday, and six Palestinians were killed and 10 injured. An Israeli soldier was also killed in the fighting.

UN Human Rights experts again call for closing of Guantanamo Bay detention

New York, July 8 (IMI)Five independent United Nations human rights experts have renewed their call for the speedy closure of the United States detention centre at Guantánamo Bay, noting that it still holds more than 450 prisoners in breach of international human rights law five months after they first urged that it be shut.

“We take this opportunity to reaffirm the grave concerns and recommendations set out in our report,� they said in a joint statement, referring to their February findings that terrorism suspects should be detained in accordance with criminal procedure that respects the safeguards enshrined in relevant international law.

The five, who specialize in issues related to arbitrary detention, freedom of religion, health rights, torture and the independence of judges and lawyers, welcomed last week’s US Supreme Court’s decision that the tribunals created for prisoners at Guantánamo violated the Geneva Conventions and US military law.

They said they were also encouraged that an increasing number of highly influential figures and institutions, such as UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan and UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour, as well as regional organizations including the European Parliament and the European Union Presidency, have called for the detention centre to be closed.

“We especially welcome recent indications from the highest levels of the United States Government of their wish to close Guantanamo Bay as soon as possible,� they added.

“In particular, we encourage the United States, in consultation with the international community, to develop a detailed plan of action, with timeframes, for the closure of Guantánamo Bay,� as soon as possible, they added, calling on UN Member States, the UN Secretariat and specialized agencies, and the International Committee of the Red Cross to “collaborate actively, constructively and urgently� with the US.

Where the US Government decides to press charges against detainees, it should provide for their transfer to the US and fair and expeditious trials in accordance with international law, they said. If not subjected to trial, detainees should be allowed to return to their country of citizenship or residence.

But it is “of utmost importance� that they not be returned to countries where they are at risk of torture or other serious human rights violations, such as disappearance, summary executions or arbitrary detention, they stressed.

“Where such a risk does exist, it cannot be overcome by seeking so-called 'diplomatic assurances'. In these cases, we call upon other States to assist by accepting Guantánamo Bay detainees for resettlement,� they said.

Receiving states should make available counselling and rehabilitation services, as well as other legal and social support, they added, citing “the recent tragic reports� of the suicide of three detainees, confirming “both the urgency of closing the detention centre and the importance of providing long-term assistance to the detainees.�

The five, who serve in an unpaid, personal capacity, are: Chairman Rapporteur of the Working Group on Arbitrary Detention, Leila Zerrougui; Special Rapporteur on the independence of judges and lawyers, Leandro Despouy; the Special Rapporteur on torture and other cruel, inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, Manfred Nowak; the Special Rapporteur on freedom of religion or belief, Asma Jahangir, and the Special Rapporteur on the right of everyone to the enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of physical and mental health, Paul Hunt.

US asks emerging powerhouses to open markets to save trade talks

By Arun Kumar,
Washington, July 8 (IANS) The United States has accused advanced developing countries like India, China and Brazil of hiding behind the poorest nations at the world trade talks and asked them to instead open their markets to make the Doha round a success.

The talks for a new trade deal are "not a North/South debate," said US Trade Representative Susan Schwab at a news conference at the National Press Club, Washington Friday to explain what in her view led to breakdown of negotiations at Geneva last week.

"There are developing countries that were over in Geneva that have been as vocal if not more vocal than the United States when it comes to the question of market opening. So we're in very very good company," Schwab claimed.

"But there are some developing countries, advanced developing countries, arguably emerging or existing powerhouses, that would like to hide behind the least developed and poorest among us that clearly should be given a pass in these negotiations.

"The Brazil's, the China's, the India's of this world can and should be expected to participate in this negotiation, including opening their markets to benefit other developing countries because the sad fact is that 70 percent of of the duties paid by developing countries, are paid to other developing countries.

"So if you really want to meet the promise of the Doha round, we need to be generating not just more North/South trade, as we clearly want to do; not just more North/North trade which we want to do; but also more South/South trade," Schwab said.

At Geneva, "we also learned, much to my chagrin as a long term development economist, that there are some advanced developing countries like India that are questioning the benefits of open market development," she said.

The US had signalled a willingness to modify its domestic support proposal in agriculture but also made it clear that this willingness is attached to a prerequisite for more market access, Schwab said suggesting WTO members have a clear choice: to reduce barriers, to spur growth and to spur economic development.

Meanwhile, the Washington Post editorially asked the Bush administration to make one last effort to resuscitate the talks by making a more generous offer to cut US farm subsidies lest it be blamed for the failure of trade talks.

"The Bush administration faces a dilemma in the wake of last weekend's breakdown of world trade talks. It can allow the hope of freer trade to die, comforting itself that this failure is due mainly to the intransigence of the European farm lobby and to grandstanding by developing countries, foremost among them India," it said.

"Tempting though it is to denounce the hypocrisy of the Europeans and Indians, the Bush team should overlook their infuriating behaviour and offer further concessions," the newspaper suggested.

Even though the US offer to cut farm subsidies was more substantive than the reciprocal European Union offer, the US position is not above criticism, it said pointing out that Bush administration had repeatedly proclaimed its dislike for the country's scandalously wasteful farm programme and its belief that the United States has benefited from trade.

"They are correct on both counts, so they shouldn't hesitate to propose more serious cuts in agricultural subsidies if that's what it takes to get trade liberalization," the Washington Post concluded.

V.P. Singh, Raj Babbar arrested

Lucknow, July 8 (IANS) Former prime minister V.P. Singh and actor-turned-politician Raj Babbar were arrested Saturday for protesting against the transfer of agricultural land to Reliance Energy on the Uttar Pradesh-Delhi border.

Singh and Raj Babbar were arrested when they were on their way to join the demonstration. Their supporters were chased and hit with batons by the police, who also arrested another 100 people.

The Uttar Pradesh government has acquired 2,100 acres of land to be handed over to Reliance Energy for setting up a 3,500 MW power plant in Dadri town of Greater NOIDA.

However, local farmers allege a raw deal by the Mulayam Singh Yadav government.

While Singh and Raj Babbar flayed the Yadav government for using "brutal force" on the demonstrators, largely comprising local farmers seeking appropriate monetary compensation for their land, Uttar Pradesh officials denied any use of force.

Hours after the clash, Chief Minister Yadav denied any knowledge of the incident. However, while addressing a function in Kanpur earlier, he accused Singh and Raj Babbar of "inciting farmers".

He told the gathering: "Some people are unnecessarily trying to incite farmers who had already been paid a decent compensation against the acquisition of their land for building the country's biggest power plant."

Flatly denying the use of force against the demonstrators, state principal home secretary S.K. Agarwal told reporters here: "The Allahabad High Court had directed the state government to ensure protection of the acquired land and that was what the police were detailed to ensure."

He said V.P. Singh and Raj Babbar, who had earlier declared their decision to stage a demonstration, were duly informed about the court order that disallowed any activity, including demonstrations, on the 2,100-acre land.

Both Singh and Raj Babbar demanded that the deal signed between the Uttar Pradesh government and Reliance Energy be made public.

"If there is nothing shady about the deal, then why is it kept under wraps? I am sure the whole plan is a design to extend undue favours to a pet industrialist," Raj Babbar told IANS over telephone.

While Singh and Raj Babbar accused Mulayam of "doling out special favours to Anil Ambani at the expense of poor farmers", state Congress party president Salman Khurshid termed the caning of demonstrators as a reflection of "barbarism by the Mulayam government".

World Cup brings mixed fortunes for German retailers

By Sascha Meyer

Berlin, July 8 (DPA) As the World Cup draws to a close with Sunday's final between Italy and France here, German retailers are slowly removing footballs and flags from their display windows and assessing the effect the tournament has had on business.

Everyone from individual chemists to publicly listed companies had been hoping for a boost from the month-long sporting festival, but it appears some retail branches did markedly better than others.

Host nation Germany's run to the semi-final stages was a boon to T-shirt and German flag-makers while beer and fan articles also sold exceptionally well. Other winners include electronics retailers, who enjoyed an increase in the sale of top-of-the-range television sets, and sports goods retailers.

For example, World Cup sponsor Adidas has sold 15 million official tournament "teamgeist" footballs while 1.5 million German team jerseys have been snapped up by fans - nearly six times the figure sold during the 2002 World Cup.

Helped by non-stop sunshine, bars and beer gardens were full on match days while over two million foreign visitors came to Germany, twice as many as hoped for.

The country's rail network has carried 15 million passengers in the last month, five million more than usual, while German airline Lufthansa registered 200,000 more passengers than in the same period last year.

However, Germany's afternoon matches led to a slump in the number of shoppers while games were in progress and there was a smaller than expected number of people taking advantage of the extended opening hours for the tournament.

Cinemas also suffered as non-stop football meant little time for other leisure activities.

In total, Germany's retailers expect an increase in turnover somewhere in the region of two billion euros ($2.5 billion).

"As expected, the World Cup hasn't brought about an economic miracle," said Dirk Ulbricht from the Ifo Institute for market research in Munich.

World Cup trophy is football's Holy Grail

By Christian Hollmann

Munich, July 8 (DPA) The object of desire of footballers everywhere - the FIFA World Cup trophy - stands 36 cm tall and is made of 4.97 kg of 18-carat gold.

Even the most hardened professionals dream about holding aloft the trophy that will be presented Sunday for the ninth time to either French captain Zinedine Zidane or his Italian counterpart Fabio Cannavaro.

The first to enjoy that feeling was Franz Beckenbauer, captain of the German team that won the tournament when it was first hosted by the country in 1974.

An admiring World Cup organizing committed has described the current trophy, designed by Italian artist Silvio Gazzaniga, as the "Blessed Sacrament of world football".

With a diameter of 13 cm, the trophy depicts players supporting the earth on a base containing two layers of malachite. The part of the trophy reserved for plaques bearing the winners' inscription still has space for 16 World Champions, bringing it up to 2038.

The World Cup winners receive the trophy for four years, so it is always on the move. When the time comes to hand it back to owners FIFA, the country gets a gold-plated copy.

Its predecessor, the Jules Rimet trophy, named after the former FIFA president, has meanwhile completely disappeared from view.

Brazil were the first to take possession of that trophy in 1970 when it won the World Cup for the third time. But 13 years later, the Rimet Trophy was stolen and has probably been melted down by the thieves.

Before that, in 1966, the trophy disappeared during an exhibition in London but was later recovered by a dog, Pickles, securing him a place in the annals of canine legends.

Tens of thousands of German football fans have had the chance since April to view the current trophy up close. FIFA showed off the trophy, which is insured for about 400,000 euros, to the public for the first time during a tour of 21 German cities.

Before then, the public only got a glimpse of it at the final World Cup draw, as well at the opening of the tournament.

Zakia Jaffrey seeks action against Narendra Modi

Ahmedabad, July 8 (IANS) The widow of former MP Ehsan Jaffrey, who was killed in Gujarat's sectarian riots of 2002, Saturday filed a police complaint against Chief Minister Narendra Modi, other ministers and senior officials.

In a 100-page-long complaint sent by post to the Gandhinagar police, Zakia Jaffrey demanded action against 63 people, including Modi, on charges of conspiracy and ordering subordinates not to perform their duty when mobs set out to burn and kill during the post-Godhra violence.

Thirty-eight Muslims were killed, including Ehsan Jaffrey, when a mob attacked the Gulberg Society building in the Chamanpura neighbourhood here March 31.

Zakia Jaffrey has also sought that a complaint be registered under section 154 of Criminal Procedure Code against Modi, other ministers and some police officials on the basis of the facts that have come to light in wake of depositions by different police officials.

Jaffrey's family had shifted to Surat following the riots in the city. The complaint has been posted from Surat and copies were also sent to the director general of police, home secretary and chief secretary of the state.

Ehsan Jaffrey, a former Congress MP, pleaded to the police over telephone to rescue him and other inmates of Gulberg Society from a mob that had ringed the houses but the authorities turned a deaf ear. Eventually, 38 Muslims burnt to death.

The police had registered a complaint in the case in 2002 and the case is pending before the Supreme Court.

At least 1,000 people died in riots after a coach of the Sabarmati Express train was set on fire in Godhra, killing 59 passengers, on Feb 27, 2002.

'High industrial accidents rate in Bangladesh'

Dhaka, July 9 (IANS) Bangladesh recorded a high of 480 deaths due to industrial accidents, including 130 in its garments industry, in 2005, said a global trade unions body, describing the country as "one of the worst" for trade union violations.

In its latest report, the Brussels-based International Confederation of Free Trade Unions (ICFTU) said at least 950 workers were also injured in the garments industry due to industrial accidents during the year.

With more than 600 factories, most of them small and medium scale units, and many foreign owned, Bangladesh's textile, garment and knitwear industry is the country's highest export earner.

However, bad working conditions have led to frequent strikes and agitations. In at least two major incidents in April and May this year, about 300 factories were destroyed or damaged causing huge losses.

ICFTU says: "The right to freedom of association and to collective bargaining at the workplace is not respected; garment workers are regularly sacked, beaten or subjected to false charges by the police for being active in unions."

The confederation listed limitations and non-implementation of labour laws, repression of police on protesting workers, employers' negligence and government indifference that cause deaths and injuries to hundreds during factory accidents and the outside protests.

The confederation acknowledged that the trade union movement is relatively weak in Bangladesh. "This is partly owing to the multiplicity of trade unions - there are 5,450 unions affiliated with 25 officially registered national trade union centres."

Wazedul Islam, coordinator of the Trade Union Centre, echoed the observations in the survey report when talking to New Age. "The government is in no way supporting trade unionism," he said.

Arabs to present resolution on halting Israeli aggression, exchanging prisoners

GAZA, July 9 (NNN-KUNA) -- Arab states have decided to present a draft resolution to the UN Security Council for an immediate halt of Israeli aggression in Gaza and the West Bank and for the exchange of Israeli and Palestinian prisoners, said the Palestinian Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Sunday.

The ministry said in a statement that the Arab League made the decision on the level of its UN representatives.

The resolution, it said, would include nine articles stipulating the immediate halting of Israeli aggression in Palestinian territories and Israeli withdrawal from these areas, the release of all Palestinian officials arrested by Israel, and the exchange of prisoners.

It would also stress the importance of consolidating international efforts and for the Quartet to intervene to revive the peace process and resume negotiations, the statement added.

The draft resolution would also call for suspending the economic siege on the Palestinian territories and warn of its consequences and humanitarian dangers.

Bangladesh to host 2011 World Cup cricket opening

Dhaka, July 9 (IANS) Bangladesh will host the opening ceremony of the cricket World Cup in 2011 and plans are underway to make it a grand occasion.

Bangladesh Cricket Board president Ali Asghar said: "We will hold a gala opening ceremony where more than 3,500 dignitaries are expected to attend. It's a great honour for us."

Asghar told The Daily Star Sport that the decision to award Bangladesh the opening ceremony was made on Thursday at a joint conference of the four co-hosts - Bangladesh, India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka - on the sidelines of the International Cricket Council's (ICC) executive committee meeting earlier this week in the England capital.

India will host the final match.

The four countries in May won the rights to hold the World Cup, beating a joint bid from Australia and New Zealand. However, the ICC executive board made it official at this week's meeting.

Online adds from Karachi: Pakistan Cricket Board director Abbas Zaidi, releasing details of the mega event, said, "Pakistan and Sri Lanka will stage the semifinals".

India will host 22 matches with Pakistan staging 16, Sri Lanka nine and Bangladesh six, he said.

"It was a unanimous decision and since Pakistan hosted the 1996 World Cup final it was India's turn on a rotational basis," said Zaidi.

The quadrennial World Cup was initiated in 1975 with England hosting the first event. England also played host in 1979 and 1983 before Pakistan and India jointly staged the event in 1987.

Australia and New Zealand co-hosted the event in 1992 before it returned to the sub-continent with Pakistan, India and Sri Lanka staging the 1996 event.

The 2007 World Cup will be held in the West Indies.

Berlin school renamed after Rabindranath Tagore

By Prasun Sonwalkar, Berlin, July 9 (IANS) Germany's long-standing interaction with India has reached a new high with staff and students of a school in the former east Berlin district deciding to rename their institution after Nobel Laureate Rabindranath Tagore.

Oberchule an der Weide, a gymnasium school offering education up to 13th grade, has nearly 1,000 students and 65 teachers. The story of renaming the school after Tagore began in 2004 when students came across his personality and work as part of a project on major international personalities.

Impressed with Tagore, the students conducted further research and involved themselves in India Day celebrations organised by the Indian embassy here Sep 30, 2004. They presented a series of lectures, cultural programmes and presentations on Tagore.

The school management later debated on the name for nearly one year. As per local custom, which gives discretion to students and teachers on the school's name, the management decided to change the name of the school as Tagore School. The local authorities have ratified the decision.

The formal inauguration of the school's new incarnation was attended by Indian Ambassador Meera Shankar and several prominent Indians and Germans, including the mayor of borough Marzahn-Hellersdorf (in Berlin) and Ravindra Gujjula, the Indo-German mayor of Altlandesberg.

A Tagore bust, sculpted by Gautam Paul, was installed in the school's premises while German students presented songs, music and a mock interview with Tagore on the occasion.

Meera Shankar recalled Tagore's contribution to the field of art, music, literature and theatre and pointed out how his work had left a deep imprint on nearly every aspect of Indian life.

"Today Tagore does not belong to India alone; he belongs to the whole world," she said, adding that the philosophy of humanism practised and propagated by the acclaimed writer and poet had made him a world citizen.

In February 2004, the Indian government had presented a Tagore bust made by Gautam Paul to the South Asia Institute, University of Heidelberg, which stands prominently in the premier institute's premises.

Tagore had evoked much interest in Germany during his visits in 1921, 1926 and 1930.

British call centre shut; entire staff sacked

Bangalore, July 9 (IANS) British telecom firm Belair Communications has shut down its captive call centre here and terminated the services of its 93 employees without compensating them.

According to the Union for ITES (IT-enabled services) professionals (UNITES), Belair Communications India Ltd suddenly decided to cease its India operations last month by handing over the pink slips to its entire staff without notice.

"The company neither paid salaries for May nor compensated the employees with termination benefits," the UNITES, a body for workers in the new economy sector, said here Saturday in a statement.

The Indian subsidiary of the British firm was registered with the state-owned Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) as an export unit and began its operations a year ago to provide transaction processing and call centre services to its customers back home.

The company, however, did not offer any reason for shutting shop abruptly.

"We have lodged a complaint with the Karnataka labour commissioner and requested the authorities to initiate action against the Belair under the Industrial Dispute Act 1947," the union said.

UNITES India general secretary R. Karthik Shekhar told reporters though Nasscom, the software body, was informed about the closure and sought its intervention to protect the interests of the employees, no action was taken against the firm.

It may be recalled British energy firm Powergen relocated about 1,000 jobs last month from India in a bid to achieve economies of scale by cost cutting.

Similarly, the US-based Apple Computer shut its 20-member captive call centre in June. Another US data infrastructure product vendor - Pervasive Software too followed suit, citing high cost of operations in Bangalore.

Both the firms decided to outsource their work to third party Indian vendors.

STPI Bangalore director B.V. Naidu said a detailed inquiry would be conducted soon to ascertain the reasons for Belair to discontinue its India operations.

CPI for constitutional amendment on treaty ratifications

Hyderabad, July 9 (IANS) The Communist Party of India (CPI) Sunday demanded constitutional amendment to ensure that any international agreement or treaty comes into effect and binding on the country only after it is discussed and ratified by the parliament.

The national council of the party, which concluded its three-day meet here Sunday evening, felt that the defence agreement and the nuclear deal with the US has serious implications for independent foreign policy and could have an impact on the country's sovereignty as well.

A resolution passed at the meet demanded that India-US nuclear deal should be discussed thoroughly in the Indian parliament before proceeding on it further.

The meeting lashed out at the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government for the drift from common minimum programme (CMP) on the foreign policy.

"It appears that the UPA government is continuing the policy of the NDA (National Democratic Alliance) government of forging strategic relation with the US and gradually distancing itself from the Non Aligned Movement and developing countries who are our natural allies," it said.

Party general secretary A.B. Bardhan told newsmen that it was amazing that "whatever the prime minister told us in parliament twice about the so called reciprocity that is there in the India-US nuclear deal was not borne out by the facts of the of the entire tortuous process that is going on before the American Congress."

The national council has decided that its parliamentary group will raise the demand that the international agreements and treaties should be discussed in the parliament first and they can become effective after being ratified by it.

The CPI sees the two years of UPA rule in the country as a mixed bag in which not everything was bad and wrong. The meet sent a clear signal that despite its unhappiness with the UPA on several issues especially on the economic and foreign policies, it has not intention of disrupting the Manmohan Singh's apple cart and was ready to give it more time.

"This is the dialectics of the situation. This is a reality that is there that you support generally and also oppose particularly," Bardhan said.

He said that the move of disinvestments was an open violation of the CMP in letter and spirit and expressed happiness that like in the case of BHEL, the government put on hold the disinvestments in Nalco, NLC and NMDS.

Deciphering dark heart of Indian fundamentalism

(REVIEW)
By Manish Chand

Book: "Holy Warriors - A journey into the heart of Indian fundamentalism", Author: Edna Fernandes, Publisher: Penguin, Price: Rs.450, Pages: 332

Fundamentalism is not a singular scourge that afflicts any particular religion - it's certainly no expertise of Islam - but this extreme brand of bigotry cuts across all faiths, argues a new book by a British journalist of Indian origin.

Edna Fernandes' "Holy Warriors" takes readers on a psychic journey into the dark heart of Indian fundamentalism and exposes some of the post 9/11 clichés that equate Islam with terrorism. In quest for a more accurate diagnosis of this modern fret and fever that often erupts in hatred and violence, the author traverses a terrain that stretches from Kashmir to Gujarat and Punjab to Goa to find out some essential truths about this malaise.

A reporter with a gift for details (she has worked with The Financial Times and Reuters in London), Fernandes weaves together voices of key actors as well as innocents caught in the cleft of history to explain the seductions of fundamentalism and its many pernicious variants.

More than any metaphysical lure of 'jannat' (paradise in Islam) or rewards in afterlife, the author zeroes in on more immediate causes to explain terrorism. Economic and political disengagement, deep-seated alienation and fear of modern life and Western values are some of the common elements that go into the making of holy warriors.

Likewise, the author argues that it is bread and butter issues rather than religion or religious ideology that forms the defining challenges of contemporary India.

The author sees no future for divisive communal politics - what she has evocatively described as "an unhealed scab, itching and waiting to be picked off" - based on fervid appeals to exclusivist religious identity. She cites the surprise defeat of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) in the 2004 general election as a cautionary tale for practitioners of religious politics.

There are genuine flashes of wit and a talent for mockery that make the book a racy read. In a chapter aptly titled "Weapons of mass distraction," she caricatures a desperate BJP roping in vacuous beauty queens like Yukta Mookhey and film stars to refurbish the fading appeal of the saffron warriors to a jaded electorate.

Likewise, she mercilessly lampoons Bal Thackeray whom she calls the Godfather of Hindutva politics. The sight of Thackeray chanting, "Why can't we be proud to be Hindu?" while sipping juice on his massage chair is almost ludicrous.

The portrait of young Muslim students reading Jane Austen at madrassas in Deoband is bristling with ironies and dramatises Islam's love-hate relationship with modernity.

But despite extensive interviewing and research reflecting in the book, one wishes that the author took a more empathetic look at some of the genuinely deluded who fall prey to the seductive propaganda of rabble rousers and jehad recruiters.

The book also shies away from exploring the holy unrest that lies at the heart of modernity - the genuine longing for faith in a seemingly mindless modernist carnival, a sense of the sacred and a sense of belonging in the schizoid world we live in. Relentless attempts by some self-styled secularists to deride and vilify the religious-minded betray another form of bigotry.

And herein lies a trap for those wishing to free the world from god-drunk terrorists. The secular fundamentalist, if that is the term for it, forgets that by fanatically insisting on the rightness of his worldview, he is only nudging the believer into the embrace of communal impresarios.

Deoband, panchayat at war over divorce

Muzaffarnagar (UP): Leading Islamic seminary Darul Uloom of Deoband has issued a 'fatwa' (religious edict) against a community panchayat order imposing a fine on a man who had divorced his wife and said the latter has no authority to decide such cases.

However, the panchayat on Sunday decided to revolt against the fatwa and not withdraw the order creating tension in the area.

The panchayat, which had convened on June 30 to decide the fate of Anjum who was divorced by her husband Mubin three months ago, had slapped a fine of Rs two lakh on the husband and asked people to end their relationship with him and his family if he defies the order.

However, Mubin refused to pay the fine and moved the Darul Uloom, which issued the fatwa, saying the panchayat did not have the authority to decide such cases. As per the Shariyat law, the decision was illegal, it said.

According to Shariyat law, a divorced woman can only ask for 'Mehar' (alimony) and maintenance during the 'Iddat' (four-month period after the divorce during which the woman cannot remarry) from the husband and a fine on the husband over and above this was not legal.

Meanwhile, the panchayat has decided not to withdraw its order, sources said.

Source: IBN Live

Dolls may help Alzheimer's patients

London, July 9 (IANS) Dolls and teddy bears can help Alzheimer's patients interact and communicate with others, finds a new study.

A team of doctors at Newcastle General Hospital studied the benefits of dolls after seeing how a patient bonded with a teddy bear from her son, reported the online edition of BBC News.

They found that Alzheimer's disease patients can lose their intellectual, social and emotional abilities over time. The patients also started interacted better with staff and other residents.

In the small-scale study, they gave 14 patients of a Newcastle nursing home a doll or a teddy bear each. They were then assessed over a 12-week period.

Dolls appear to alleviate agitation or distress, help overcome communication difficulties, and reduce withdrawal, the research presented to a British Psychological Society Conference said.

Using toys to help people with dementia has been looked at before as it is an important, non-drug based approach to behaviour disturbances in dementia residents, the study noted.

"What we have done with this study is to look at their use over a longer time period and to investigate whether patients chose to have a doll or teddy bear, said Ian James, a doctor at the hospital.

"Clearly, using a doll doesn't reverse dementia, but it did seem to improve quality of life," he added.

"The findings will, we hope, help advise other clinical teams in their use of this technique."

Dubai World to invest in China

Dubai, July 9 (NNN-WAM) -- Dubai World has signed an agreement to develop real estate and tourism facilities in the Chinese city of Qingdao in its first major overseas venture since its formal launch as a holding company recently.

Foreign-focused Dubai World companies such as Limitless and Istithmar are expected to inject huge sums of money into developing an international convention centre, hotels, shopping malls, marinas, residential blocks and office towers in China.

"The projects are in a strategic location. The investment amount will be sizable, but it is too early to talk about numbers," Dubai World Chairman Sultan Ahmad Bin Sulayem said.

Dubai World officials are expected to present project designs and development plans to the government in a few months.

Covering 16 million square feet, the projects will be developed in the Xiaomaidao area, which has been offered by the municipal government of Qingdao to Dubai World under the deal signed on Thursday.

Qingdao is located in China's eastern Shandong province and borders Yantai, Weifang and Rizhao cities.

"Qingdao is an important economic centre and the port hub of China. China offers huge growth and expansion opportunities for our investments," said Bin Sulayem, who signed the deal with Qingdao mayor Xia Geng.

A major seaport, naval base and industrial centre, Qingdao is also home to a container terminal operated by P&O, a constituent of Dubai World.

European universities join race to woo Indian students

By Manish Chand,

Brussels, July 9 (IANS) In a catch-up game with the US, Europe will showcase its best universities and spotlight its attractiveness as an academic destination for India's best and brightest students at a three-day higher education fair in New Delhi Nov 24-26.

"At this fair, European universities will display their products and expertise and try to attract the best and the brightest of India," a top European Commission official told IANS here.

The European Union (EU) authorities are also working hard to address visa problems for Indian students wishing to study in Europe, he added.

The fair, to be held at the India Habitat Centre here, will also include an Asia-Link Symposium, which will promote discussion on higher education cooperation between the 25-nation EU and India.

Besides New Delhi, a series of European Higher Education Fairs (EHEF), inspired by the success of the first such fair in Bangkok two years ago, will be held in Asia over the next two years in cities as diverse as Bangkok, Kuala Lumpur, Beijing, Hanoi, Vietnam, Manila, and Jakarta.

On behalf of the EU, the series is being implemented by a consortium of four academic exchange agencies, led by EduFrance (France) and involving DAAD (Germany), Nuffic (The Netherlands) and the British Council (UK).

Europe may be late in catching up with the lucrative higher education market in India, but it's surely trying to make up for all that lost time by offering new incentives and generous scholarship programmes.

The Erasmus Mundus programme, named after a peripatetic humanist visionary and a symbol of European enlightenment values, has been a big hit with Indian students.

This year, 319 students - the highest from any single country - qualified for the 21,000-euro scholarship programme. Overall, 1,377 students won the Erasmus scholarship this year.

Indian students are highly valued in European universities for their academic versatility and flair with English.

"Their ease with the English language is an added asset. Given the enthusiastic response from Indian students, a bigger window was created for India this year," an EU official told IANS.

The EU spends 33 million euro on the programme, which was created to raise the attractiveness of European higher education in Asia and elsewhere.

The Erasmus programme, modelled on the Fulbright programme, was launched in 2004 and interlinks over 200 European universities.

Under this programme, students from third countries come to study in the EU to pursue Masters courses at various European universities over two years.

"Mostly, Indian students opt for engineering courses. Liberal arts courses are also quite popular," a EU official said.

Extremism biggest threat: Musharraf

Islamabad, July 9, IRNA ,Internal extremism is a potent threat eroding Pakistan's foundations and the government is committed to rooting it out, President General Pervez Musharraf told a public meeting at the Chitral Polo Ground on Saturday.

According to the 'Daily Times', later, the president opened work on the Lawari Tunnel project. "What we fear is internal extremism. It is undermining our foundations. We have to stamp it out together," he said.

"Islam stands for peace and affinity and teaches tolerance.

No one amongst us has the right to suspect a fellow Muslim's faith," news agencies quoted Musharraf as saying.

He said that Pakistan's economy was far better, robust and stronger than before, adding, "We are now extending assistance to other countries."
The parliament, for the first time in the country's history, would complete its tenure, he said adding that the next general elections would be held in 2007.

On development projects in Northern Areas, Musharraf said, "I had promised at Shandur in 2002 to take up the Lawari Tunnel project and I opened work on it today".

Musharraf said that Pakistan would be linked to China and Central Asian states through Chitral and other parts of the Northern Areas.

He said that Chitral was overlooked in the past, but now it would get more than its share.

Musharraf later said that the government was working on a comprehensive plan to use the rich natural resources of northern areas to benefit locals.

Federer is Wimbledon champion again

London, July 9 (IANS) Top seed Roger Federer Sunday defeated Rafael Nadal 6-0, 7-6 (7-5), 6-7 (2-7), 6-3 to win the men's singles title at Wimbledon, his fourth in a row.

After winning the opening set without dropping a game in 25 minutes, the 24-year-old Federer had to struggle in the next two sets, which went into tie-breaks, but eventually the Swiss player kept his cool and won the fourth set against the Spaniard 6-3.

The 20-year-old Nadal had defeated Federer in June to win the French Open title.

Federer became the third player after Bjorn Borg and Pete Sampras to win four consecutive Wimbledon titles.

Figo bids farewell to international football

Stuttgart, July 9 (Xinhua) Portuguese captain Luis Figo announced his retirement from international football after his team lost the World Cup third place match 3-1 to Germany.

"This was my last game for the national team," the 33-year-old Figo told a Portuguese television Saturday.

"It is hard for me to end my international career in this way. I did everything I could and the team gave their all, but Germany deserved their victory," added Figo, who set up Portugal's sole goal after coming on in the 75th minute.

Figo was part of Portugal's "Golden Generation" that won the under-16 European championship in 1989 and the under-20 world championship in 1991.

The most capped player of Portugal won his 127th cap Saturday and ended his 15 years of international service.

--Xinhua

Germany end World Cup campaign with victory

Stuttgart, July 9 (DPA) Bastian Schweinsteiger was the hero as hosts Germany ended their World Cup campaign on a winning note Saturday with a 3-1 win against Portugal here in the play-off match for third place.

At the end of the match the victorious German team received their bronze medals from UEFA vice president Michel Platini, German Chancellor Angela Merkel and German President Horst Koehler.

Also on hand to congratulate the players, who celebrated their win as if they had won the World Cup itself, was the President of the local organising committee Franz Beckenbauer and the President of the German football association Gerhard Mayer-Vorfelder.

After receiving their medals, the team went on a lap of honour during a powerful and colourful firework display and most of the 52,000 fans in the stadium stayed for well over 30 minutes applauding the players who seemed reluctant to leave the field.

Defender Christoph Metzelder said that he felt proud to have been a part of the team. "We had a terrific time and Sunday when we say thank you to our fans in Berlin it will be another highlight."

Blatter said the second half of the match had been some of the best football seen during this tournament. "Credit goes to both sides, who really went into this match wanting to win and I think it was a terrific performance from them."

Germany coach Juergen Klinsmann was forced to make several changes, with defenders Arne Friedrich and Per Mertesacker, as well as midfielders Tim Borowski and Michael Ballack all out through injury, while Jens Lehmann made way for former captain Oliver Kahn who captained the side in Ballack's absence.

Middlesbrough defender Robert Huth, who was drafted into defence for Mertesacker injured himself during the warm-up and had to be replaced by Jens Nowotny at short notice. It was the 32-year old's first-ever World Cup match.

Although fielding several newcomers in the side, Germany began lively and in a fluid game had their first opportunity in the fifth minute when Christoph Metzelder's shot after a corner appeared to hit Nuno Valente's hand, but referee Toru Kamikawa waved play on.

Portugal, who were out to equal their previous best-ever performance by finishing third as they did in 1966, also played enterprising football and went in search of goals.

Kahn, who won the Golden Ball as the best player in South Korea/Japan four years ago, prevented his side from going behind in the 15th minute when he did well to save Pauleta's shot.

Ten minutes later it was Kahn's Portuguese counterpart Ricardo who was called upon to make a save when he pushed aside Lukas Podolski's powerful freekick.

Schweinsteiger gave his side the lead in the 56th minute with a long-range effort that seemed to change direction in midair and fly in past the outstretched hands of Ricardo.

The Bayern Munich midfielder set up the second goal just four minutes later when his freekick was deflected into his own goal by Petit, who had come on at half time for Costinho.

The 21-year-old scored his second in the 78th minute with another shot from outside the area.

Nuno Gomes pulled one back with a diving header in the 88th minute from a Luis Figo cross, giving the Portuguese captain who started the match on the bench at least something to smile about.

Figo, who is expected to retire after the tournament, said that he was disappointed with the outcome. "It is difficult to end like this, but I did what I could.

We played well, but Germany deserved the victory."

He did not want to commit himself towards his future immediately after the game. "I will think about things and then decide what to do."

Klinsmann brought on Thomas Hitzlsperger and Mike Hanke - who apart from Nowotny and third-choice goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand had been the only players before the match not to have played in the six preceding matches - in the second half.

India on the verge of joining the ICBM club

New Delhi, July 9 (PTI) -- The test-firing of the 3500-km range Agni-III has paved the way for the country to produce intercontinental range ballistic missiles (ICBMs) and provided it a robust second strike nuclear capability, defence scientists said today.

Unlike the Prithvi and earlier versions of the Agni surface-to-surface missiles, the launch of the Agni-III by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) by using all solid fuel propellant systems signaled that India has achieved complete indigenous capability and self-reliance in this field, they said.

This, DRDO sources said, will increase accuracy and marginalise failure rates in the launch of the surface-to-surface missiles.

Agni-III supports a wide range of warheads, both conventional and nuclear, with a total payload weight of 600 kg to 1,800 kg, and features decoys and other anti-ballistic counter-measures, they said.

The missile can be deployed using rail or road mobile launch vehicles, and has an inertial guidance system with improved optical or radar terminal phase correlation capability to guide it accurately to its target.

DRDO sources said this gives the Agni-III a high degree of accuracy with a medium to large nuclear payload, most likely a 200-300 kilotonne warhead.

The Agni-III will provide a robust second strike capability as, according to nuclear experts, this missile system can be disbursed far and wide in the mainland, far- flung islands or on blue water naval assets spread across the world's oceans. The ability to reach all corners of a potential challenger requires a missile range of between 4,000 and 8,000 km and according to the experts, the country is reportedly developing a longer range missile with a heavier payload, but in a compact configuration with a thicker and shorter length.

They said its development is driven by the need for a more assured retaliation that can defeat emerging anti- ballistic missile (ABM) defences and counter-measures.

Such capability requires a compact missile that can also carry ABM counter-measures along with a warhead, in a configuration similar to MIRV, albeit with state-of-the-art decoys.

According to DRDO sources, the Agni-III features two solid fuelled stages with overall diameter of 1.8 meters. This diameter is compatible with the recently tested sub-surface launch system.

The missile's first stage booster is made of advanced carbon composite materials to provide high mass fraction. It weighs about 24 tonnes and has a length of seven meters. The initial stage propulsion (ISP) is comparable to similar large solid motors of ISRO.

The second stage is also made of advanced carbon composite materials weighing around eight tonnes with a length of 2.5 meters. It incorporates flex nozzles to provide necessary flight controls.

India test-fires ICBM capable of targeting China

By Jatindra Dash,

Balasore (Orissa), July 9 (IANS) India Sunday successfully test-fired its nuclear-capable Agni-III long-range intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM), which is capable of reaching targets as far as China, defence officials said.

The missile, for which preparations were on for the past one month, was test fired at about 11.05 a.m. from a mobile launcher at Wheeler Island in the coastal district of Bhadrak, some 200 km from Bhubaneswar.

The Agni-III, developed by the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), is designed to carry a nuclear warhead and can reach targets as far as Beijing and Shanghai. It is India's longest-range missile.

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, top officials of the DRDO, including Avinash Chandra, director of the Agni-III programme, and DRDO Chief M. Natarajan were among those who witnessed the test firing, military officials said. The test firing was successful, they added.

The Agni-III, which has a range between 3,500-5,000 km, features two solid-fuelled stages and has an overall diameter of 1.8 meters.

It can be deployed from rail or road mobile launch vehicles. It is understood to be equipped with inertial guidance systems with improved optical or radar terminal phase correlation systems that gives it a high degree of accuracy.

The Agni-I, with a range of 700-800 km, and Agni-II, with a 2,000-km range, have already been inducted in the Indian Army as part of the country's minimum deterrent programme.

Preparations for the Agni-III launch were underway for at least a month. President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, who has mentored India's missile programme, had visited the test site earlier this week.

Kalam, who was on a three-day visit to the state, had visited Wheeler Island, a DRDO facility off the Orissa coast, where he was given a detailed briefing on the Agni-III launch, sources said.

When he was scientific advisor to the defence minister and DRDO head, Kalam had in 1992 selected Wheeler Island for testing the Agni series of missiles.

There have been indications since 2004 that Agni-III, a three-stage missile that adds a third stage to the first and second stages of Agni-II, was ready for launch.

Media reports in May said the Agni-III test flight had been put off under pressure from Washington, which felt this would send all the wrong signals at a time when the US Congress as also the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) were considering the proposed India-US civilian nuclear deal.

The defence minister on May 15 had immediately rubbished the suggestion, with: "We have no pressure on us. We have decided on a self-imposed restraint."

Last month, Indian officials had dismissed a media report that claimed the US had given its nod for test firing Agni-III, saying this was only the interpretation of the Washington think tank Stratfor.

"The think tank has interpreted a statement by Gen. Peter Pace (chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff) made here (in New Delhi) to imply that the US had given its go ahead for the test. India has made it amply clear that we have imposed a voluntary ban on testing and that is where the matter stands," a defence ministry official said.

Pace, while replying to a question on Agni-III at a press conference here, had said: "India is a sovereign nation and can decide for itself what weapons it needs. Missile tests do not necessarily destabilise the region."

India tests nuclear capable Agni-III

Balasore (Orissa), July 9 (IANS) India Sunday test-fired its nuclear-capable Agni-III long-range intercontinental ballistic missile (ICBM) from a defence base in Orissa, defence sources said.

The missile, for which preparations were on for the past month, is capable of reaching China. It was test-fired at around 11.5 a.m. from a mobile launcher at Wheeler Island in the coastal district of Bhadrak, some 200 km from Bhubaneswar.

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and top officials of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), including Avinash Chandra, director of the Agni-III programme, were present.

Agni-III has a reach of more than 5,000 km. It has the capability of reaching targets virtually everywhere in the neighbourhood till central China and deep into the Indian Ocean as well as south-east Asia.

The Agni-I, with a range of 700-800 km, and Agni-II, with a 2,000 km range, have already been inducted in the Indian Army as part of country's minimum deterrent programme.

Indian military sceptical of sustained peace with Pakistan, China

By Vishnu Makhijani

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee's upbeat statements on China, the resumption of trade at Nathu La after 44 years and the composite dialogue process with Pakistan notwithstanding, many in the Indian military establishment are sceptical of "true and lasting" peace with the two neighbours.

It's not that anyone expects a war to break out in the foreseeable future - at least not with China, though Pakistan is a different kettle of fish. However, conversations with senior officers involved in the strategic planning process reveal that they are concerned over developments in the two countries that have a direct bearing on India's national security.

They fear the Indian political establishment is being lulled into a sense of complacency even as China and Pakistan put in place the elements of a pincer movement that New Delhi would find hard to wriggle out of.

As far as Pakistan is concerned, one view is that to talk about sustainable peace is to negate the very two-nation theory that led to its creation.

The other is that Pakistan was created to serve as a buffer between India and Afghanistan, two countries that have traditionally enjoyed good relations. Proponents of this theory point out that had the sub-continent not been partitioned in 1947, it could have resulted in the creation of a huge pressure block encompassing India, Afghanistan, Iran - and possibly Iraq - stretching right up to the Middle East.

And, with the North Atlantic Treaty Organisation (NATO) firmly ensconced in Afghanistan post the 2001 invasion, there is a school of thought that says certain Western powers would dread the possibility of India and Pakistan coming together - as this could lead to pressure on NATO to withdraw.

Thus, this school says, it would be in Western interests to keep India and Pakistan at each other's throats.

"Besides, at what cost is (India-Pakistan) peace going to come?" asked an officer who has closely followed the composite dialogue process and previous such attempts. "By accepting the LoC (the Line of Control that divides Kashmir between India and Pakistan) as the permanent border? That would mean giving up India's claim to that portion of Kashmir that is in Pakistan's control. Which government would like to commit such hara-kiri?

"Then, you have the current scenario in which the government - justifiably so - says all of Kashmir is rightfully India's and there is no question of converting the LoC into the permanent border. How then will you resolve the Siachen issue? What will you do about that part of Aksai Chin that Pakistan has ceded to China?" the officer, known for his clear thinking and erudite views on Kashmir, contended.

The Siachen glacier, the world's highest and coldest battlefield, has been the scene of a bitter low intensity conflict since the 1980s, when Indian troops first went in to prevent the Pakistan Army from occupying the heights. The guns have been silent since a 2003 truce and there has of late been talk of demilitarising the area.

The Indian Army has made it clear that if a political decision is taken to pull back troops, it will follow orders. At the same time, it has made it clear that it would never be able to reoccupy the heights if Pakistani troops take them.

Siachen has become a bone of contention between India and Pakistan because the Line of Control that divides Kashmir between the two countries abruptly ends at a place called Point NJ9842 at the foot of the glacier.

From there, according to New Delhi, the line stretches northwards to the Chinese border. Islamabad claims the line runs east-northeast to the Karakoram Pass, meaning that the entire glacier falls within Pakistani territory.

It is through the Karakoram Pass that China has built a highway from its Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region that currently runs up to Islamabad but will eventually stretch to Gwadar in Balochistan, where China is developing Pakistan's second deep water port. This would give China access to a seaport virtually at India's doorstep.

That's one element of the pincer spoken of earlier.

The other element is termed the Irrawaddy Corridor connecting China's Yunan province to Myanmarese ports through a series of road, rail and river links.

The third element is the just-opened China-Tibet railway from Gormu to Lhasa that analysts say will greatly augment China's ability to move up offensive military supplies against India.

Given this frightening scenario, many in the military establishment wonder how in a space of six years, China, which then defence minister George Fernandes described as "enemy number one" has zoomed to "prospective best friend" which is how Mukherjee all but referred to it after his visit there last month.

Of course, there is the India-China border dispute over which the two countries fought a brief but bitter war 44 years ago. Mukherjee did refer to this but maintained it would not come in the way of moving forward in the areas of commerce, culture and the like.

"The politicians and the bureaucrats might have their own take on the issue, but from the military standpoint, it would be extremely foolish to think there can be sustainable peace with Pakistan and China. There will not be hostilities but the tension will always be there and we would have to be prepared for any eventuality," was how a retired service chief summed it up.

(Vishnu Makhijani writes on strategic affairs. He can be contacted on vishnu.makhijani@ians.in.)

Indian railways want special security

NEW DELHI, July 9 (NNN-PTI) -- Concerned over increasing incidents of looting and harassment of passengers in trains passing through areas affected by militancy and communal violence, the Indian Railways has mooted the creation of a special security force to deal with the safety and security of travellers.

"We have mooted an idea for a Centrally-administered security force involving Railway Protection Force (RPF) and Government Railway Police (GRP) to provide security and safety in Railways. We are seeking advice from the Ministries of Law and Home about its feasibility," Railway Board Chairman J P Batra said.

In an interview to PTI, he said the need for such a force had been felt for long but "we have now started considering for having such a force. It will take a long time as it involved states". The exact shape and structure of the force will be decided after the idea gets materialised.

He was responding to a query whether the Railways was considering such a force beacuse of the increasing threat to its operation in the wake of militancy and communalism engulfing parts of the country and the Railways being a prime target.

Batra said the Raiways was studying safety and security provided by its US counterpart, which like India has a federal system of governance and involves states in providing safety and security to national organisations like Railways.

-- NNN- PTI

Israel should end systematic killing of Palestinians: OIC Sec-Gen

Tehran, July 9, IRNA ,Secretary General of Organization of the Islamic Conference (OIC) Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu said on Sunday that Israel should put an end to systematic killing of Palestinian people.

He told reporters at the end of Conference of Foreign Ministers of Iraq's Neighbors in Tehran that Israel should respect its
international obligations envisaged in Resolutions of the United Nations instead of taking military action against defenseless Palestinians.

Ihsanoglu said that violence and sabotage have driven Iraq to chaos adding that religious leaders are expected to stop the sectarian violence in Iraq.

He called for withdrawal of foreign forces from Iraq and said that OIC will follow up the subject of withdrawal through resolutions of the United Nations.

The OIC secretary general said that the 57-nation organization supports Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki's plan for national reconciliation.

Jailed Bihar leader sneaks out to Uttaranchal

Patna, July 9 (IANS) A senior leader of Bihar's ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U), who is facing trial on several criminal charges, has sneaked out of the Saharsa district jail to visit Uttaranchal, officials said.

The state administration learnt Saturday that former MP Anand Mohan Singh had left his prison cell along with his security guards to appear before a court in Dehradun, officials said adding that this was done in connivance with jail officials.

State Home Secretary Afzal Amanullah confirmed that Singh had left the jail illegally, as jail officials had not taken permission from authorities.

"The government has taken action against concerned jail officials and the district magistrate has been asked to conduct an inquiry," he said.

Amanullah also said a state intelligence official saw Singh in Patna Friday and he apparently left for Dehradun Friday night.

According to sources, the jailer has been suspended and action against the superintendent initiated. They said a police team would leave for Dehradun soon to bring Singh back to the jail.

However, the police in Dehradun reportedly said Sunday that Singh had not reached the city as yet.

Singh, who surrendered a few months ago, faces 19 criminal charges, including murder, kidnapping and extortion.

Two years ago then Lok Janshakti Party MP Pappu Yadav had sneaked out of a jail in Patna to visit Madhepura district - which drew attention of the Supreme Court.

Jharkhand blames Mittal Steel for project delay

Ranchi, July 9 (IANS) While London-based steel baron Lakshmi Mittal is unhappy with the "slow progress" of a project his Mittal Steel has taken up in Jharkhand, the mineral-rich Indian state government squarely blames him for not doing enough for the proposed plant.

"Mittal Steel has not applied for the lease of iron ore mines, power connection and land. The company should first apply (for these facilities) and then comment on the pace of progress (of the project)," Jharkhand's Mines and Geology Minister Madhu Koda said.

The minister was reacting to Mittal's statement Friday when the billionaire entrepreneur visited his home country and announced plans to invest in neighbouring Orissa.

"The progress of the project is slow despite the cooperation of the state government," Koda said.

Asked whether Mittal was putting any pressure on the state government, the minister said: "For us the interest of the state comes first. We will not buckle under any pressure."

Last year Mittal Steel had signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the state government to set up a 12 million metric tonnes steel plant with an investment of Rs.400 billion.

Mittal Steel had sought a letter of comfort from the government for supply of iron ore from the state's mines, as it needs 600 million tonnes of iron ore for 30 years.

"We are ready to give the letter of comfort for iron ore mines to Mittal Steel but the company should first choose the site for the plant and then apply for the same," said Mines And Geology Secretary S.K Sathapathy.

Mittal Steel wants a lease of the Chiria mines that are currently with Steel Authority of India Ltd (SAIL). As the state government was fighting a legal battle with SAIL in the Jharkhand High Court over the mines, officials said it could not cannot commit to hand them over to Mittal.

Mittal Steel has identified six sites in the state but has not finalised its choice so far, the officials said.

They said Mittal's statement was merely part of pressure tactics.

Maoists kill two, abduct five in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, July 9 (IANS) Maoist rebels killed two special police officers (SPOs) and abducted five people, including three students, in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district, said a police official Sunday.

Armed militants of the outlawed CPI-Maoist, stopped two passenger buses Saturday in the war-torn Konta locality of Dantewada district, 520 km south of Raipur and asked over 25 passengers to get out and kidnapped five. However, 20 passengers were let off.

"The hostages have probably been kept in a forest belt between the Sukma-Konta area near National Highway-221. The police have launched a major search and rescue operation to secure the hostages' safe release," Bastar Range Inspector General T.J. Longkumer told IANS.

He said three local students and two government employees were among the five hostages.

Meanwhile, rebels also killed two SPOs in the Mirtual police station area in Dantewada district. "The SPOs sustained serious multiple bullet injuries in Maoist attack and succumbed to injuries Saturday evening," said Longkumer.

The Chhattisgarh government has recruited nearly 5,000 SPOs from local tribes to act as informers and assistants to the main police force. They are paid a small salary of Rs. 1500 per month. A few of them have been given weapons and training, but most are armed only with bows and arrows.

Chhattisgarh is considered the worst hit among the 13 Maoist-infested Indian states.

Maoists, who claim to be fighting for landless farmers and poor peasants, have killed at least 180 civilians, mostly tribal villagers, since January in the state.

McDonald's extend World Cup sponsorship

Berlin, July 9 (DPA) Fast-food chain McDonald's has extended its sponsorship of the World Cup with football's ruling body FIFA until 2014, it was confirmed Saturday.

FIFA President Joseph Blatter and Mary Dillon, McDonald's executive vice president and global chief marketing officer, signed the agreement here.

"With McDonald's we have another long-time official sponsor on board for the FIFA World Cup events in 2010 and 2014," said Blatter.

"This clearly shows that sponsoring the FIFA World Cup goes beyond backing the event financially."

McDonald's has sponsored the World Cup since 1994 and the extension of this partnership by a further eight years awards McDonald's the global right to both the 2010 World Cup in South Africa and the 2014 event in South America, for which the host country is yet to be designated.

McDonald's will also sponsor the 2009 and 2013 Confederations Cups.

Mottaki: Iran, US do not hold direct talks on nuclear issue

Tehran, July 9, IRNA ,Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki here Sunday said that Iran and US do not hold direct talks about the country's nuclear issue.

He made the remark in response to a reporter from Agence France Presse, who asked whether Mottaki's remark that EU Foreign Policy Chief Javier Solana cannot respond to all ambiguities about Iran's nuclear issues mean that the US is able to do so and that Iran will hold direct talks with the American officials if necessary.

Mottaki said, "The US has proposed to participate in the talks offered by the three European states, China and Russia. We see nothing wrong with it. We support fair and non-discriminatory talks with no preconditions.

"What I said does not apply to any specific country, but I mean the states by whom the package of incentives was offered to us," he added.

He said that any clarification on the content of the proposal, in particular making decisions should take place by those who drew up the proposed package.

In reply to the question raised by a Turkish reporter whether he intends to convey a message for the US by Gul, he dismissed it and said that Iran's stance is clear.

"The US has an interest section at the Swiss embassy in Iran through which any necessary message can be sent to the American officials," said the minister.

Mottaki expressed satisfaction with Iran-Turkish relations, adding that the officials of the two countries have favorable exchanges.

About Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant, he said that the major part of the project has been executed and hoped that Russia will comply with its commitments to complete the power plant as soon as possible in accordance with the mutually reached agreements.

"We have been continuously exchanging views with our Russian friends about our nuclear activities for peaceful purposes and Russia's approach to the matter has so far been based on realities.

"Particularly, their recent attitude to return the nuclear dossier from the UN Security Council to the IAEA Board of Governors is a strategic proposal, which can prepare the ground for further positive measures," he added.

Turning to Palestine, he said that Iran has so far condemned the Zionist crimes against the Palestinians in international assemblies.

Mottaki said that Iran supports the Palestinian government and people in economic field and will do its best to assist them in the reconstruction of their land.

Mulayam meets AIMPLB chairman

Lucknow, July 09: In a bid to placate the All India Muslim Personal Law Board, which has been critical of his government's alleged apathetic attitude towards the issues raised by it, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Mulayam Singh Yadav today met board chairman Maulana Rabe Hasan Nadwi and assured him of speedy action on them.

Yadav, who met Nadwi at his residence here, was closetted with the noted Islamic scholar for about an hour, informed sources here said.

Although there was no official word from either Yadav and Nadvi about their discussions, the Chief Minister is understood to have assured AIMPLB chief that his government would soon look into the issues raised by the board.

The AIMPLB has been criticising Yadav for allegedly ignoring its representations with regard to several issues concerning the Muslim community.

The board had written several letters to him for bringing about changes in the text books at basic and high school levels which they alleged contained wrong and distorted historical facts about Muslims.

The board had urged Yadav to effect a change in the state Zamindari Abolition Act and make provisions for granting rights to Muslim women in the agricultural land of their parents.

Besides it had also been reminding him of his promise that if voted to power he would transfer the special court trying Ayodhya demolition cases from Raebareli to Lucknow.

Source: Zee News

Musharraf repeals anti-women clause in Hudood law

Islamabad, July 9 (IANS) Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf is reported to have repealed an anti-women clause in the Hudood law, a 1979 legislation against extra-marital sex based on Islamic sharia (law).

The direct beneficiaries of the ordinance reportedly signed by Musharraf would be 1,300 women detained without trial for minor offences and domestic disputes across the country. The clause revoked forbade those arrested and charged under the law from getting bail.

While major opposition parties are still silent on the ordinance, the move has been welcomed by Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM), a party dominated by Mohajirs - the migrants from India when the subcontinent was divided in 1947.

The amendment is likely to be criticised by Islamist parties, who consider the Hudood law as holy.

When the ordinance was signed is unclear. The News Sunday said it was introduced "as recently as last week".

"No formal official announcement about incapacitation of the severe clause has been made. It has been left to legal experts to interpret," the newspaper said.

The Hudood legislation was promulgated in 1979 by the then president Zia-ul Haq as part of his campaign to introduce Islamic jurisprudence and eventually make Pakistan Nizam-e-Mustafa, or a country ruled by God.

However, the newspaper observed that the women arrested under the law "have been rescued from enormous social evils and family nightmares they were plagued with" by being behind bars.

The move, as demanded by human rights organisations, would, however, raise new social and administrative problems for women and children from broken families and with no means to fall back upon once out of jail, it warned.

NRIs branching out to India

By Kul Bhushan

"As an NRI, you can't do business in India by telephone and email, you need to set up a proper branch office if you are serious," said Jayant 'Jay' Kumar in Leicester. He plans to invest in real estate. NRI real estate agents and estate developers have been flooded with requests from their local clients after the Indian government allowed foreign direct investment (FDI) in real estate Feb 24, 2005.

At first, Jay made some deals through his business contacts in India but the business has now grown in size and complexity, and he has to set up shop in India.

An NRI is allowed to establish a branch office or an office in India to carry out lawful business. So NRIs are allowed to set up offices for export/import of goods, offering professional or consultancy services, representing the parent company and working as a buyer/seller for it, promoting financial or technical collaboration between Indian and parent companies, carrying research work for the parent company, supplying IT and software services, offering technical support to goods or services supplied in India by the parent company, airline/shipping company or any other activity permitted by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI).

Establishing a branch or an office does not involve too much red tape that India is notorious for. Just fill in one simple form and get approval from the Chief General Manager, Exchange Control Department, Foreign Investment Division, RBI, Mumbai. All that is needed is to fill up one-page form - FNC 1 - and get it approved.

The form seeks basic details such as name and address, details of capital, brief description of activities, value of goods exported/imported from India, representation arrangements of any foreign company, details of the branch or liaison office and the usual declarations that the particulars are true, the activities will be restricted to the ones mentioned, any change of address will be notified and an agreement to abide by any terms and conditions imposed by RBI. Although one can do this task easily, it is always advisable to get the form filled in by a local accountant or lawyer who knows the right language and can also follow its progress.

The normal activities of a Liaison Office are spelt out in the RBI regulations. But for real estate sector it is interesting to note that the RBI allows foreign companies to set up a Project Office in India if the project is financed directly by foreign funds transferred to India or by a multilateral agency like the UN, World Bank or European Union. In this case, RBI's Regional Office under whose jurisdiction the project is located will approve the Project Office. Although this clause is mainly for the aid donor agencies, here is a clear incentive for the private sector to invest in India's real estate development. RBI allows these Project Offices to operate a bank account in foreign currencies under certain conditions. Basic guidelines are laid down for operating this foreign currency account.

Sometimes the Branch or Project Office has to issue or transfer any security, including foreign security in India. Just apply to RBI and the permission is granted subject to some terms and conditions. The Branch Office, Liaison Office or other such offices have to provide details of their business operations to the Department of Company Affairs. Unlike all other limited liability companies, they do not have to file a Balance Sheet and a Profit and Loss Account but deposit other documents including a certified copy of RBI permission, a statement of receipts and payments, a statement of assets and liabilities and a certificate from a Chartered Accountant that the company did not carry oN trading or manufacturing or invoicing of goods in India.

Any foreign company involved in trading, manufacturing or other commercial activity has to follow the full requirements of filing its Balance Sheet and Profit and Loss Account with documents of its RBI approval. Since the whole aim of all this activity is to make profits by the foreign company, these companies are allowed to send their profits overseas. The foreign company can send its profits or surplus through its bank by following the laid down procedure.

Basically, the foreign exchange regulations have been gradually relaxed in India to permit import/export and other business activities. Setting up a business unit in any country involves many steps and India is no different. If Jay Kumar follows the basic rules for doing business in India and has some patience, he will establish his Branch Office to reap the bonanza in real estate development. Of course, he will need the telephone and email but with a proper Branch Office, the sky is the limit.

(A media consultant to a UN Agency, Kul Bhushan previously worked abroad as a newspaper editor and has travelled to over 55 countries. He lives in New Delhi and can be contacted at: kulbhushan2038@gmail.com)

One million school children in India's capital never say report card

NEW DELHI, July 9 (NNN-PTI) -- Believe it or not - over one million children studying in Municipal Corporation of Delhi (MCD) schools in the capital have never seen their report cards for years, an issue that has now invited the ire of the Delhi High Court.

A Division Bench of Acting Chief Justice Vijender Jain and Justice Kailash Ghambhir has asked the MCD commissioner to file a status report on the matter within four weeks and posted the matter for further hearing to August 23.

The Bench also asked the Commissioner to list out in the report the various steps initiated by the MCD to improve the infrastructure in the 1,854 schools run by the corporation.

The directions followed a Public Interest Litigation, filed by a lawyer's forum, Social Jurist, through counsel Ashok Agarwal, which complained about the alleged strange fact of the MCD schools having never issued any report cards to the over one million students studying in the institutions.

According to Agarwal, the fact of students not being issued the basic report cards to acknowledge their performance came to light during a recent inspection conducted by the organisation to study the infrastructure available in these schools.

The fact that report cards were never issued all these years defied logic and showed lack of basic concern of the authorities in promoting literacy in the country, Agarwal complained.

Denial of report cards, the petition argued, would only demoralise the children from attending schools as neither would talent be recognised nor would there be any records to assess their performance.

Painkiller ingredient may lower ovarian cancer risk

London, July 9 (IANS) Regular intake of acetaminophen, found in several painkillers, may cut ovarian cancer risk in women, but scientists add that the findings need to be confirmed.

Women who regularly use acetaminophen may be 30 percent less likely to develop ovarian cancer than those who use the drug rarely or not at all, found Greek researcher Stefanos Bonovas along with his colleagues, reported online edition of health magazine WebMD.

Acetaminophen is an active ingredient found in several painkillers, including Tylenol.

Ovarian cancer is considered as the most fatal gynaecological cancer, largely because doctors do not have a good screening method to detect the disease in its early stages, said Bonovas in the July's issue of the British Journal of Clinical Pharmacology.

However, the researchers have advised women against taking acetaminophen immediately. The possible link between acetaminophen use and reduced ovarian cancer risk "cannot yet be regarded as one that would prompt a public health recommendation," noted Bonovas.

He said that the new findings need to be confirmed and much more information should be gathered before officially recommending the drugs.

Pakistan hosting SAARC finance ministers conference

Islamabad, July 9 (IANS) Pakistan is hosting the first SAARC finance ministers meeting here on Monday to discuss major issues, including the setting up of a poverty alleviation fund for the South Asian region.

Finance secretaries and economic experts of the seven-member South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) met on Sunday to consider details of the fund for which the member countries would be making contributions.

Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz will open the meeting that will be attended by ministers from the member nations and Secretary General SAARC Secretariat Chenkyab Dorji.

India's Minister of State for Finance Pawan Kumar Bansal, Bangladesh State Minister for Finance and Planning Shah Muhammad Abdul Hussain, Sri Lankan Minister of Public Administration and Home Affairs Sarath Amunugama, Nepal's Special Economic Adviser Basudev Dahal; Bhutan Finance Minister Lyonpo Wangdi Norbu, Maldives state minister of finance and treasury Abdul Jihad and Advisor to the Pakistan prime minister on finance Salman Shah will be attending.

The meeting will add another potent dimension to the rapidly progressing regional cooperation amongst the SAARC member states and take up the deliberations and decisions of the 13th SAARC Summit held in Dhaka in November 2005, The Nation newspaper said.

Under the Dhaka Declaration of the 13th SAARC Summit, it was decided to establish a SAARC Poverty Alleviation Fund (SPAF) with voluntary and assessed contributions.

The fund will serve as the umbrella financial institution for all SAARC projects and programmes.

With its own permanent secretariat, the fund would offer concessional and non-concessional funds as well as grants on three spheres - social, economic and infrastructure.

The first informal meeting of SAARC finance ministers was held in Hyderabad, India, on May 3 on the sidelines of the 39th annual meeting of the Asian Development Bank, in which all the member states participated.

Pakistani militants nabbed in Bangladesh

Dhaka, July 9 (IANS) Two Pakistani militants were arrested in Bangladesh's Jhalakathi district, the hotbed of Islamist militancy, in increasing proof of the growing nexus between extremists of both the countries.

The Pakistanis were among nine militants detained in the district. One of the men was living illegally in Bangladesh for the past 18 years. They gave their names to the police as Golam Sabbir of Sargoda in Punjab and Belal Afsar.

According to police, those detained said they were members of 'Dawat-e-Islami (Tablig and Dawat)' and claimed to be engaged in religious preaching.

The Daily Star newspaper said they were suspected to have links with militancy and sent to Jhalakathi District Jail.

Two judges were killed in Jhalakathi for which seven top militants of Bangladesh, including Shaiukh Abdur Rahman and Siddiqul Islam alias Bangla Bhai have been convicted.

The district mosque authority informed Jhalakathi Public Prosecutor Advocate Haider Hossain of the men after they found their movements suspicious. When they failed to give satisfactory replies about their identities and activities, he contacted the police who arrested them.

Golam Sabbir said he had visited Bangladesh twice earlier and came from Pakistan with a valid passport and visa, adding that he had been working with the Tablig and Dawat in Dhaka, Chittagong, Syedpur and Rangamati for the last two-and-a-half months.

He, however, failed to show the original passport, claiming that it has been kept in Dhaka. Belal Afsar said that he came to Bangladesh 18 years ago and had been staying here since then.

Private investors welcome in Kerala: Achuthanandan

By Liz Mathew, New Delhi, July 9 (IANS) Making a strong pitch for investments in his financially crunched state, Kerala Chief Minister V.S. Achuthanandan said his government would welcome all investors - private as well as foreign - in every sector, provided the proposals were "not against the interests of the state".

"We welcome all investments - both private and foreign. But their conditions should not be against the interests of the state and welfare of its people," Achuthanandan told IANS in an interview here.

"All sectors, including traditional industries, are open for private investment," he said.

The chief minister denied the charge that his state did not have a conducive atmosphere for investment.

"That is a wrong campaign by those who just stand for their own profits and causes, and those who want to loot the state and exploit the people," said the 83-year-old veteran apparatchik, who has in the past has been associated with a hardline image.

"It is nonsense."

But Achuthanandan seemed to be keen to live down his anti-development reputation. At a press conference held here Saturday after meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, he sounded more like an administrator, keen on his state's welfare rather than someone who puts ideology over public interest. He was in the capital along with seven of his cabinet colleagues to hold discussions with the Planning Commission and the central government.

The chief minister also said his Left Democratic Front (LDF) government, which completed 50 days on Sunday, would create an investment institution with financial assistance from non-resident Indians, especially Keralites.

"We are planning to seek the expatriates' help to open a financial institution - a kind of a bank - in the state, from which money could be channelised to invest in other projects," he said.

Claiming that many investors who approached Kerala recently had realised that the state was investment-friendly, the chief minister said: "Those who come for investing in the state, without exploiting the state, will definitely realise the efficiency and sincerity of the workers."

The chief minister pointed out that "giant Indian IT companies including, Infosys and Wipro" have expressed their desire in investing in the state.

He, however, ruled out closing down any public sector units (PSUs), not even the loss-making ones. "We will not close down a single PSU. We will use the money from the profit-making companies to revive the others."

"We do not want private partnership to revive the state-owned companies. Right now, the state gets Rs.1.5 billion. We will use that money for revival of others."

Achuthanandan appeared to be quite irked by media reports comparing him to West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya. "I do not know what kind of work they are doing. The government there is taking care of the interests of the state, and Kerala needs a different approach."

"The West Bengal government might be doing good for its people, that is the reason it gets re-elected every time," he said.

He indirectly blamed Kerala's changing governments - the state has been electing the LDF and the Congress-led United Democratic Front alternately - for it's failure to attain development in several sectors.

"Whatever good work we do will be spoiled by the next government. So, now we have to be careful to present a good rule to get re-elected," said Achuthanandan, who has been a party activist for more than six decades.

Asked why Kerala comrades could not follow their West Bengal counterparts, who have recently changed their mode of protests from blockading roads and disrupting work, Achuthanandan said, "We will have to think about it."

Public transport to become costlier in Rajasthan

Jaipur, July 9 (IANS) The Rajasthan government has decided to increase the fares of state and city roadways buses and auto rickshaws by about 10 percent, Transport Minister Younis Khan said.

"We have issued a notification," Khan told IANS.

Even after the hike, Rajasthan would remain the state with the cheapest public transportation in the country, said the minister. He linked the hike to the rise in petrol and diesel prices.

The Indian government on June 5 raised prices of petrol by Rs.4 per litre and diesel by Rs.2 per litre in view of the sharp increase in international crude oil prices.

In ordinary roadways buses, the fare will remain the same for up to 60 km, after which there will be an increase of three paise every subsequent km.

In express and semi-deluxe buses, the fares will increase by five paise per km while travelling in deluxe and air-conditioned deluxe buses will be costlier by six paise and Rs.1.25 per km respectively.

In buses plying within a city, passengers will have to pay Rs.9 for 15-20 km, Rs.12 for 25-30 km, Rs.14 for 30-35 km and Rs.16 for over 35 km.

In auto rickshaws (three seater), Rs.10 will be charged for the first km and Rs.5.5 every subsequent km. Four-seat auto rickshaws will cost Rs.12 for the first km and Rs.6.50 for every subsequent km.

The new fares will come in force from Monday.

Retreat on reforms: low point in Manmohan Singh's premiership

By Amulya Ganguli

When Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh refused to roll back the fuel price hike under pressure from the communists, it was believed that he had finally shed his hesitancy about economic reforms.

This impression was strengthened when he announced 10 percent equity sale of the National Aluminum Co and the Neyveli Lignite Corp despite protests from the Left, which accused the government of favouring a 'creeping privatization' of profit-making public sector units. Since the present time roughly marks the halfway period between two general elections, it was presumed that the prime minister had chosen to push the reforms agenda now, before the proximity of the next general election in 2009 forces him to slow down.

But such surmises have been turned on their head by an abrupt U-turn when the prime minister decided to put all disinvestment proposals on hold following the threat of a key southern ally, the Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK), to withdraw support if the government went ahead.

Not only that. Manmohan Singh had earlier gone on record to say that he was not 'unambiguously committed to reforms', a curious confession suggestive of a rethinking on the reforms process. Taken together with the latest decision on the Neyveli Corp, it can seem that he is unable to withstand the pressure of his coalition partners and the 'socialists' within the Congress, who have long been opposed to what they perceive as pro-market policies dictated by the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund.

Given the turbulent nature of Indian politics, where conflicting views gain ground at different times, it is on the cards that authoritative sources will say that the reforms are on track and that there are no differences between the prime minister and his party. Or a new spin will be given to the very concept of reforms. Some effort in the second direction is already evident from the comments of Montek Singh Ahluwalia, deputy chairman of the Planning Commission, to the effect that reforms mean much more than divestment.

Considering that the prime minister's observation about not being committed to reforms was made during a visit to Vidarbha in the context of the recent rise in suicides by farmers, it is possible that the focus of reforms will shift from the industrial to the agricultural sector. Even then, there is no denying that an element of surrender along with a sense of exasperation was involved in the decision on divestment.

It has to be conceded, though, that Manmohan Singh's options are limited by the fact that his own party is in a minority in parliament and has to depend on its coalition partners for survival of the government. Additionally, most of these parties have an ambivalent attitude towards reforms, usually regarding them as elitist and mainly beneficial for the rich. The fact that the effects of liberalization haven't yet fully percolated down to the poorer classes has lent substance to this belief.

However, nothing in India can be explained in simple terms since ideological hang-ups combine with cynical political calculations to determine a party's position. In the case of divestment, if the DMK ran ahead of the Left, the reason is its need to deny its rival and former Tamil Nadu chief minister J. Jayalalitha any opportunity to pose as a champion of workers' interests.

More than the prime minister's backtracking on divestment, however, what is damaging for the government is its conflicting words and deeds, which suggest that it doesn't have the situation under control, whether it is a matter of determining policies or acting on them.

Even as the government and the Congress have tried to portray the decision on divestment as unavoidable in a coalition, several questions remain.

Wasn't the government aware of the DMK's partisan compulsions? Or did it think that it could treat its complaints in the same dismissive manner as it did the grouses of the Left on the fuel price hike? If it is the latter, why didn't the government call the DMK's bluff, for it is highly unlikely that it would have actually withdrawn its support?

But it isn't only the submission to an obstreperous ally that can send an unsettling message about India's commitment to reforms. Instead, what the one-step-forward, two-steps-back policy can suggest is that the government is in the hands of a weak and vacillating leadership, which is so tentative and uncertain about its policies that it is willing to retreat at the first sign of trouble.

Sensing that the government is losing its nerve, the Left has lost no time in coming up with a new demand relating to the revival of potential profit-making public sector enterprises. Till now, it had opposed only the divestment of the navratnas - or 'nine jewels' among the public sector units - and the profit-making public sector firms. But, predictably, it has gone a step further.

However, economy is not the only subject on which the government is experiencing turbulence. Some of its ministers have also been making life difficult for it on other issues. After the rumpus created by Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh on reservations for backward castes in higher educational institutions, Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss has started a running battle with the director and doctors of the prestigious All India Institute of Medical Sciences in New Delhi.

At the same time, Information and Broadcasting Minister Priya Ranjan Dasmunshi has come up with a bill to 'regulate' the media, especially the increasingly influential 24-hour television news channels so that they may not be able to conduct 'sting' operations that have recently exposed a number of politicians.

As these controversial measures on education, health and the media show, the ministers seem to be out on trips of their own, with the prime minister more or less a helpless spectator to their antics.

Perhaps the poet W.B. Yeats's lament - things fall apart, the centre cannot hold - comes close to describing the government's condition today.

(Amulya Ganguli is a political analyst. He can be reached at aganguli@mail.com)

Russia plane crash kills over 150

Moscow, July 9 (Xinhua) Over 150 people, including many children, were killed when a Russian Airbus A-310 jet crash-landed and burst into flames early Sunday in the eastern Siberian city of Irkutsk, media reports said.

"A total of 43 people were taken to hospital with burns of various degrees, while the rest have died in the crash, according to our preliminary information," Interfax news agency quoted an official source in Irkutsk as saying.

According to the interior ministry, the jet of the Russian airline Sibir, carrying 192 passengers - mainly holiday goers - and eight crew members, slid off the runway and hit a service station building while landing at Irkutsk airport.

After colliding with the service station, the jet caught fire and burst into flames.

The transport police confirmed the preliminary information, noting that all eight crew members were killed.

The was flying in from Moscow's Domodedovo airport. Many of the passengers aboard were children going for vacation to Russia's famous Lake Baikal located near Irkutsk.

The survivors got out from the wreckage through the back of the jet, while the front part of the plane was completely destroyed. Firefighters took three hours to extinguish the flames.

The aircraft's flight recorders have been recovered from the wreckage and will be sent to Moscow for examination. Senior aviation officials and Transport Minister Yury Levitin are expected to arrive in Irkutsk from the capital to join an investigation.

Shiv Sena activists go on rampage after statue's desecration

Mumbai, July 9 (IANS) Right-wing Shiv Sena activists went on the rampage in Mumbai and other parts of Maharashtra Sunday following the alleged desecration of the statue of party supremo Bal Thackeray's wife by unidentified miscreants.

Police have been put on high alert across the state following the incidents of violence and arson.

The Shiv Sena torched two buses, including one carrying domestic tourists, at Shivaji Park, in Dadar central Mumbai, and in Nasik.

The violence broke out after unidentified people allegedly threw mud on the statue of Thackeray's wife, Meenatai, near Shivaji Park. The party has threatened to take drastic action against those involved in the desecration of the statue.

Violence broke out in Dadar when firemen moved in to douse a burning bus torched by the protestors, who then blocked traffic. Shops and business establishments in the western suburbs were forced to close down by the Shiv Sainiks.

Seven people have been arrested so far for arson, said police. Mumbai Police has deployed two extra battalions in Dadar to control the situation. The police fired teargas to disperse the crowd.

Incidents of stone pelting were reported from several areas in the city.

Meanwhile, the Shiv Sena has called a bandh in Navi Mumbai in protest.

"Maharashtra has been put on high alert following violent protest by Shiv Sena activists in Dardar and Nasik. Addition police personnel have been deployed in Dadar to keep the situation under control," said Maharashtra Director General of police P.S. Pasricha.

"A bus was torched at Dadar and another at Nasik by protesters. Protesters had put up road blockades on the Pune and Aurangabad highways. A police outpost was damaged by the protesters near Shivaji Park," Pasricha told IANS.

"The situation is tense but under control in Mumbai," the DGP added.

Uddhav Thackeray, Shiv Sena leader and Bal Thackeray's son, questioned the failure of the Congress-led Vilasrao Desmukh government to tackle the law and order problems in the state.

"Though a police outpost is present just a stone's throw away from the statue at Shivaji Park, police failed to nab the culprits. The government must take action," Udhav said, addressing a press conference.

"It is a question of sentiments. Meenatai, whom the Shiv Sainiks call Maasaheb, is like god to us. Our god has been insulted. The government has to take strong action to nab the culprits."

"You should ask the chief minister why things like this are happening in public places, especially when there is a police station right next door. Should we just stand by and watch while the city gets destroyed," he said.

45 people dead in Pakistan plane crash

Islamabad, July 10 (Xinhua) A Pakistan International Airline plane crashed Monday in the eastern city of Multan, killing all 45 people on board, said an official.

The Fokker F-27 aircraft bound for Lahore, crashed a few minutes after it took off from the airport in Multan, an airport official was quoted as saying by PTV.

The plane caught fire after it came down and fire fighters rushed to the site to extinguish the fire.

All 41 passengers and four crew members on board are feared dead, said the official.

The plane might have hit an electricity wire before it crashed near Multan, said the media report.

--Xinhua

Agni designers are incompetent: Pakistan scientist

Islamabad, July 10 (IANS) The failure of Agni-III reflected "incompetence" of the Indian missile designers and planners, said an eminent Pakistani scientist.

They would need to go back to the drawing board and take two to three years, unless "they borrow something from abroad," said Samar Mubarikmund, chairman of Pakistan's National Engineering and Science Commission (Nescom).

Claiming that Israel was involved in developing India's missile programme, Mubarikmund said Pakistan, which had an "indigenous" programme of its own, retained superiority over all others in the South Asian region.

Mubarikmund told The News Sunday that the circumstances narrated by the Indians for the failure of the missile test were "not acceptable."

The Indian missile met a disaster as it could not attain the altitude where the first stage is over or the second is even ignited.

He disputed the Indian claim, saying that with the range of 3,500 km, the missile had to go above about 800-900 km while the second stage had to be ignited at 28 to 30 km.

"If the missile fell from the height of 12 km, it establishes that either it's motor rocket, the basics of the missile proved failure or the guidance and control system was faulty. In both the probabilities, Indian technology has been exposed in clumsy manners."

"It is interesting to watch that Indian missile programme that was initiated by French and US assistance and later New Delhi also borrowed Russian technical support has been facing tragedies from the beginning," the newspaper quoted him as saying.

The newspaper also quoted from official sources to take pot shots at Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

"In fact he (Manmohan Singh) attained high moral ground for his country just to provide cover to constant failures of his country's scientists engaged in developing long-range missiles and they were hesitating from testing the missile," the sources said.

Pakistan is still maintaining its superiority in missile technology in whole South Asia as it has successfully tested number of missiles with various ranges including Shaheen-II that has the range of the 2,500 km with all remarkably accurate parameters.

These parameters proved in the presence of international neutral empires when the missile hit the target to extent of centimetres accuracy in the Indian Ocean, the sources said.

Ahmedabad neighbourhood tense after land dealer's murder

Ahmedabad, July 10 (IANS) Tension prevailed in Vejalpur neighbourhood of the city Monday after a land dealer was found murdered Sunday night, police said.

"We had deployed enough security immediately after the incident yesterday (Sunday) but people have not sent their kids to schools in the area and many shops have remained closed in Vejalpur and adjoining Satellite area due to the tense situation," said R.M. Patel of the Vejalpur police station.

Following the murder of the 27-year-old land dealer, Suresh Thakore, in Prahladnagar of Vejalpur on the eastern outskirts of the city, his friends attacked a construction site of builder Deepensinh Thakore and torched several vehicles outside his office, alleging the business rival's hand in the killing.

Additional Commissioner of Police P.K. Jha said that the murder seemed to be the fallout of a land dispute between the victim and Deepensinh, even as Suresh himself had some offences registered against him.

Australia needs more migrants to boost economy

MELBOURNE, July 10 (NNN-BERNAMA) -- Australia must increase its migrant intake to stop the economy from stagnating in coming years, a leading business information company says.

IBISWorld said that without more migration to offset the nation's aging population and low natural birthrate, the economy would suffer and key industries would lack sufficient staff.

The comments follow a recent increase in the number of migrants coming into the country. Migrant numbers rose by 10 per cent to more than 120,000 in June last year.

The company's Australian general manager, Jason Baker, said although Australia had the highest foreign-born population of any country in the developed world, it was increasingly likely the nation would need more migrants.

He said even a recent increase in the fertility rate still left it below the replacement level.

Without migration, the economy would groan under the weight of fewer and fewer taxpayers having to cover the cost of an increasing number of retirees, he said.

"By the 2030s, net overseas migration will be the only form of population growth in Australia , as our aging population and low fertility rate will see the number of deaths each year overtake the number of babies born,� he added.

"If our population growth doesn't increase the economy may stagnate, with a declining workforce causing labour shortages and wage hikes.

"If that happens, we'd expect government policy to allow higher immigration levels." IBISWorld, which tracks economic and business trends, said Australian industries in particular would suffer if migration did not increase. “

He said 32 per cent of people in manufacturing were born overseas, while migrants made up 30 per cent of workers in the property and business services area.

Australia urges India to slow down missile test

MELBOURNE, July 10 (NNN-BERNAMA) -- The Australian Government has warned against comparing a missile test by India to the provocative firing of weapons by North Korea, the Australian Associated Press reports.

India test-fired a long-range, nuclear-capable ballistic missile for the first time on Sunday, just days after North Korea sparked an international outcry by test-firing seven missiles.

The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) urged India and Pakistan to show restraint in their missile-testing programME.

"We're aware of media reports India has conducted a further ballistic missile test," a DFAT spokesman is quoted as saying. "We understand India provided Pakistan with advanced warning of the launch and aside from acknowledging the test there's been no other reaction from Pakistan.

"We hope that India and Pakistan will exercise restraint in their ballistic missile program and continue the process of building confidence between them."

Canberra stressed that India's missile firing was very different from North Korea's decision last week to test seven missiles, earning it international condemnation.

The DFAT spokesman said India, while not a signatory to the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, had been a good international citizen on nuclear matters, unlike North Korea.

"It's important not to equate this test with North Korea's recent missile tests," he said.
"North Korea has been a leading supplier of missile-related exports to countries seeking to acquire ballistic missile capabilities.

"India, in contrast, has undertaken to implement missile export controls equivalent to the missile technology control regime (MCTR)."

Countries party to the MCTR apply controls to guard against the export of missiles to rogue nations.

Bishops declare UK's nuclear arms as "profoundly anti-God"

London, July 10, IRNA ,Church of England leaders Monday joined a growing campaign against Britain replacing its aging Trident nuclear weapons, warning Prime Minister Tony Blair that their possession was "evil" and "profoundly anti-God."
Blair is expected to announce later this year that his government will update the submarine-based nuclear deterrent with a new generation of missiles.

But in a letter published in the Independent newspaper, 19 bishops entered the debate for the first time by presenting religious, moral and economic arguments against any decision.

"Trident and other nuclear arsenals threaten long-term and fatal damage to the global environment and its people. As such, their end is evil and both possession and use profoundly anti-God acts," they warned.

Their letter said that nuclear weapons are a "direct denial of the Christian concept of peace and reconciliation, which are social and economic as well as physical and spiritual."
"The costs involved in the maintenance and replacement of Trident could be used to address pressing environmental concerns, the causes of terrorism, poverty and debt and enable humanity and dignity to be the right of all," it further added.

The General Assembly of the Scottish Church has already accused the UK government of having double standards in pressing ahead with its plan to replace its nuclear weapons while denying Iran any right.

"It would be the ultimate in hypocrisy if the UK were to be arguing, for example, that Iran should not be developing a nuclear weapons capability, while at the same time we were extending in scope and in time our own," a church report said in May.

Former environment secretary Michael Meacher, who is leading a rebellion by Labour MPs, welcomed the intervention by the bishops in his campaign for a parliamentary vote on renewing Britain's nuclear arsenal.

"It is not an independent nuclear deterrent because (of the possibility) the Americans don't approve it," Meacher said in House of Commons motion, signed by 122 MPs.

"On non-proliferation grounds -- it is impossible to say to countries like Iran you should not have nuclear weapons but we must have ours," he also said.

BJP criticises UPA on private sector quota

Ahmedabad, July 10 (IANS) Accusing the government of "slack attitude" over the proposed caste-based job quotas in the private sector, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) said here Monday that it had done little to uplift the weaker sections of the society.

"While Social Justice Minister Meira Kumar often talks about bringing quotas for backward castes in the private sector, it has not been implemented so far," said BJP Scheduled Caste Front president Ramnath Kovind, adding his party was not opposed to the proposal.

The Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) had done nothing, "except issuing statements", to provide the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes job reservations in the private sector, Kovind told reporters here.

"While UPA promised it in its Common Minimum Programme, no progress has been made in that regard. The government is betraying the backward communities," he said.

Kovind also criticised the social justice and empowerment minister for not filling up the backlog of 3,00,000 jobs meant for candidates from the scheduled castes and scheduled tribes in the central government.

BMP = Bihar Minority Police?

PATNA: Regimes change. So do jokes. The joke in Nitish Kumar's Naya Bihar is on Muslim officers in the state police. The state's paramilitary force, Bihar Military Police, simply known as BMP, is now being jokingly referred to as 'Bihar Minority Police'.

And rightly so. For, "a large number of us have been shunted to the BMP and other soft postings like the Special Branch or CID," a DSP, belonging to the minority community, rued.

"There's no need to shed a tear for these officers. They reaped a long harvest with prized field postings in the Lalu-Rabri raj," another officer said, recalling the joke in the old regime: A building on Bailey Road in Patna housing several low-key police departments was then rather uncharitably referred to as "Ranvir Bhawan".

Most of the officers belonging to a particular caste were then 'shunted' on these posts. Baba Ranvir is believed to have led the victory of these particular castemen over their foes � once upon a time.

The new joke in the Nitish regime is also not charitable. "And it has substance. Just look at the list of Muslim DSPs shunted to the BMP and other insignificant postings," an aggrieved officer said while reeling off the names of 12 such DSPs in the BMP, two in the vigilance, another two in the CID and one in the Special Branch.

"Talks of victimisation on communal lines are rubbish," a senior police officer said. Admitting that several of the sidelined officers had been entrenched in Patna for most of the past decade, he said the department needed a pragmatic shakeup for better, effective policing.

"What witch hunt?" another senior officer asked, adding all the four Muslim SP-rank officers are holding the fort in districts and the solitary Muslim DIG Shoaib Khan is also in the range.

Of the two IGs belonging to the minority community, one is retiring on Friday and the other next month. The lone Muslim ADG Shafi Alam is in charge of modernisation and training.

However, another officer could not comprehend why Amir Javed and Dilnawaz Ahmed, two young officers with training from the 'Grey Hounds' � Andhra police's elite Special Task Force, have been 'dumped' in the CID and Bhagalpur IG's office respectively.

"The chief minister's secular credentials are unflinching," JD-U spokesman Anil Pathak said. Afzal Amanullah was CM Nitish Kumar's personal choice for state home secretary's post, he recalled and added he is the first Muslim home secretary of the state.

Source: TOI

Congress ahead in Andhra local bodies' polls

Hyderabad, July 10 (IANS) The ruling Congress Monday triumphed in 17 district-level local bodies in Andhra Pradesh while main opposition Telugu Desam Party could manage only two seats in the elections for chairpersons' posts.

Elections in three other districts were postponed due to lack of quorum. Last-minute dramatic developments helped the Congress wrest Anantapur zilla parishad or district level local body from the TDP.

In Khammam, luck favoured the Congress as a toss decided the winner.

Elections to zilla parishads in Nizamabad, Karimnagar and Warangal were postponed till Tuesday.

The Congress, which could not get a majority on its own in Warangal and Karimnagar zilla parishads, has offered the vice-chairperson's posts to its ally - Telangana Rashtra Samithi. This has caused resentment among the party members.

The Congress has won all the nine zilla parishads in coastal Andhra (Srikakulam, Vizianagaram, Visakhapatnam, East and West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur, Prakasam, Nellore), all the four zilla parishads in Rayalaseema region (Chittoor, Kadapa, Kurnool, Anantapur) and four out of nine zilla parishads in Telangana region (Khammam, Mahboobnagar, Medak and Nalgonda).

The TDP could retain only Adilabad and Ranga Reddy zilla parishads.

The elections for district level local bodies were held in two phases. While Congress bagged majority of the districts, the TDP has surprised many by its impressive performance in several districts.

It was not expected to do well after its humiliating defeat in 2004 assembly elections and last year's polls to municipalities or urban civic bodies.

Congress revamp soon, Rahul still not ready

New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) Congress president Sonia Gandhi is set to undertake the long-awaited revamp of the party leadership. But the eagerly talked about induction of her son and first-time MP Rahul Gandhi may not take place soon, party sources said.

Some of her present colleagues in the leadership are to become state governors.

Congress sources said Sonia Gandhi in consultation with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had cleared the names of party leaders Margaret Alva, M.L. Fotedar and former Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Mukul Mithi for the gubernatorial posts.

Alva is a party general secretary while Fotedar is a long-time member of the Congress Working Committee (CWC). Both are known in the party as diehard Gandhi loyalists.

This would give space for others to come into the decision-making echelons of the party. But Rahul Gandhi, elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 2004, will not be one of them.

According to the sources, Rahul Gandhi is not likely to be taking on a high-profile responsibility for now.

"Rahul seems to have told his mother that he was not ready yet to take charge of a top party post and that he needed more time to learn things at the ground level," one informed source told IANS.

Some Congress leaders have been urging Rahul Gandhi, who represents Amethi constituency in Uttar Pradesh, to take on "more serious responsibilities" in the Congress to revive and refresh the country's oldest political party, now facing serious challenges in many parts of the country.

Many also think that Rahul Gandhi's induction could attract the young to the Congress.

"Congress leaders feel that Rahul's presence in the top level would galvanise the party to face the coming assembly elections including in Uttar Pradesh," the source added.

"But Rahul said he needed more time and Soniaji is not likely to force him," the source said.

Sonia Gandhi had indicated earlier that she would not mind him appointing Rahul at a senior post. That was after Rahul campaigned for Sonia Gandhi in the May by-election, giving her mother a handsome victory.

Party sources indicated that former Karnataka chief minister M. Veerappa Moily could be dropped from the party leadership.

"The leadership has not been so happy with his record in the states he is in charge of. Besides, he has other responsibilities too," the source said.

Moily is the CWC member in charge of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and Lakshadweep. He is the chairman of the Oversight Committee that looks into the reservation of seats for backward communities in higher educational institutions, apart from heading the second Administrative Reforms Commission.

Margaret Alva is reportedly not happy to be made a governor, but both Manmohan Singh and Sonia Gandhi are keen that senior party leaders need to take charge of Raj Bhavans.

Raj Bhavans in Andhra Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Meghalaya, Tripura and Andaman and Nicobar Islands are awaiting fresh nominees. The sources said there would also be changes in Haryana, Delhi and Orissa.

The names of Home Secretary V.K. Duggal, who is retiring soon, and Congress leader Prabha Rao are also doing the rounds as possible governors.

However, former Kerala assembly speaker Vakkom Purushothaman, who has been keen on a second term as lieutenant governor in the4 Andaman and Nicobar Islands, is said to be missing from the list of governors, tipped to be announced this week.

Court to hear on Ayodhya security in August

New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) The Supreme Court Monday posted for hearing in the first week of August an application filed by the government seeking permission to carry out some constructions to strengthen security at Ayodhya.

The government has asked for permission to put up a temporary bulletproof, steel structure on the four sides of the Ram Lalla idol to protect it from possible rocket attacks.

A bench of judges K.G. Balakrishnan and D.K. Jain fixed the hearing on a mention made by counsel for the government seeking early hearing of the matter.

In an application filed in May, the home ministry said intelligence inputs warned of a possible attack on certain important Hindu temples including the Ram Janmabhoomi-Babri Masjid complex.

To avoid any terrorist attack on the disputed structure, it was necessary to erect an air-conditioned, bulletproof structure measuring 11 x 11 ft with a height of 7.5 feet.

The ministry proposed to have a wooden roof and an internal wall also. Behind the idol, there would be a makeshift double steel wall structure filled with mud to keep the temperature low. All 13 watchtowers around the complex would also be made bullet proof.

These measures would be in addition to the security steps already in place. The total expenditure on strengthening security measures, Rs.72.2 million, was already released to the Faizabad divisional commissioner.

The ministry sought permission to put up the temporary security structure as the court had ordered status quo on any construction or work in the complex until the dispute was resolved.

On July 5 last year, guerrillas of the Lashkar-e-Taiba launched an attack at Ayodhya but it was foiled by Central Reserve Police Force personnel, who gunned down all the five intruders.

Does Tharoor's nomination shut India out of Security Council?

By Mayank Chhaya

The position of UN secretary-general and permanent membership of the Security Council are mutually exclusive objectives. One is bound to come at the cost of the other. If Shashi Tharoor does indeed become the UN secretary-general, India's aspirations of permanent membership to the Security Council will be as good as dead.

This is notwithstanding Tharoor's own assertion that his candidacy will not adversely affect the prospects of India's permanent membership.

While India's star may be on the ascendancy internationally because of the impressive economic gains it has made in recent times, it has not risen so much as to win for New Delhi the unprecedented twin distinctions. The world community has not become so considerate and fair overnight as to gift positions of such obvious global consequence to one country - that too a country that has a stellar track record of fierce independence of thought in world affairs.

No matter what is being currently argued, in choosing to formally back Tharoor's candidacy, New Delhi has effectively shut itself out of the Security Council in the foreseeable future. Unless of course, one is seriously underestimating the powers of persuasiveness of Indian diplomacy in accomplishing objectives no country has managed to accomplish so far.

Contrary to popular wisdom, it is quite conceivable that the US would view Tharoor's candidacy as the most attractive way of keeping India out of the Security Council. There may not be any clearly articulated linkages between offering India an extraordinary civil nuclear energy deal and blocking its permanent membership, but international diplomacy, especially of the kind that Washington practices, is always about trade-offs.

To expect that New Delhi would get a remarkable nuclear deal, UN secretary-generalship and even permanent membership to the Security Council, all at the same time or even in quick succession, is nothing short of delusional.

It is true that in the scheme of things, Tharoor is the best-qualified candidate. He is an erudite, scholarly and suave UN bureaucrat who is probably waiting to break out of the straitjacket that comes with being an underling. Standing by the side of the incumbent Kofi Annan, it ought to have crossed Tharoor's agile mind frequently - what if it was he and not Annan in that position. All these are great attributes.

But the position he is seeking is much more than about personal attributes. It is about winning solid majority support among 15 members of the Security Council and also not prompt the veto from the five permanent members of the council - the US, Britain, France, China and Russia. Tharoor himself has candidly admitted that one cannot "antagonise" P-5 and yet expect to win the coveted position.

It will not be surprising if the State Department already sees a great opportunity in Tharoor's nomination. "Our administration has not yet made a decision on whom we will support to succeed Secretary General Kofi Annan. But we certainly hold Shashi Tharoor in greatest regard and I look forward to meeting him in my office," Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns has been quoted as saying. The comment, while tactfully non-committal, is indicative of how President George W. Bush might treat Tharoor's nomination when the race comes right down to the rope.

It is by no means clear at this stage of the game how P-5 would view Tharoor's candidacy. There have been some reports that France may already be disinclined to go with New Delhi's choice. China, notwithstanding the current bonhomie with India in their "friendship year", would find it extremely trying to throw its weight behind. In fact, Beijing might reject it altogether. That leaves Russia, Britain and the US.

Russia, somewhat like China, would be on a weak ground to propose its own candidate because of the obvious difficulties in their political system and human rights situation. But would that lead Moscow to support Tharoor? It is hard to speculate unless of course Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who is reported to have personally steered the nomination, goes out on a limb to lobby for Tharoor with important world capitals.

On paper - and in some sense even on the ground - Tharoor is a strong contender but on him also rides India's aspirations to be a permanent member of the Security Council. That may be too much weight to carry even for a seasoned international diplomat.

(Mayank Chhaya is a Chicago-based commentator. He can be reached at chooki6@yahoo.com)

Don't extort concessions from India on weapons programme: expert

By Arun Kumar,
Washington, July 10 (IANS) The US Congress would be ill-advised to try to extort concessions from India on its weapons programme because of a "petty canard" that the nuclear deal would enable New Delhi to rapidly expand its nuclear arsenal, according to an American defence expert.

Criticism of the nuclear deal rests upon two crucial assumptions, says Ashley J. Tellis, a senior associate specialising in international security, defence, and Asian strategic issues at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.

First, that New Delhi in fact seeks the largest nuclear weapons inventory its capacity and resources permit; and, second, that the Indian desire for a larger nuclear arsenal has been stymied thus far by a shortage of natural uranium.

But India is in fact currently separating far less weapons grade plutonium annually than it has the capability to produce, notes Tellis in a new study: "Atoms for War? US-Indian Civilian Nuclear Cooperation and India's Nuclear Arsenal."

Thus the evidence suggests that the government of India is in no hurry to build the biggest nuclear stockpile it could construct based on material factors alone; it also undermines the assumption that India wishes to build the biggest nuclear arsenal it possibly can.

Further, India's capacity to produce a huge nuclear arsenal is not affected by prospective US-Indian civilian nuclear cooperation as India already has the indigenous reserves of natural uranium necessary to undergird the largest possible nuclear arsenal it may desire.

Consequently, the US-Indian civilian nuclear cooperation initiative will not materially contribute towards New Delhi's strategic capacities in any consequential way either directly or by freeing up its internal resources, says Tellis.

The current shortage of natural uranium in India caused by constrictions in its mining and milling capacity too is a transient problem that is in the process of being redressed, while the nuclear deal does not in any way affect New Delhi's ability to do so.

All this implies that the shortages of uranium fuel experienced by India at present are a near-term aberration, and not an enduring limitation resulting from the dearth of physical resources.

"As such, the short-term shortage does not offer a viable basis either for Congress to extort any concessions from India in regards to its weapons programme or for supporting the petty canard that imported natural uranium will lead to a substantial increase in the size of India's nuclear weapons programme," Tellis concludes.

Finland tunes in to the 'new India'

By Manish Chand,
Helsinki (Finland), July 10 (IANS) India is the flavour of the season in Europe and the Finns have been quick to tune into the growing buzz about this "colourful and confusing" Asian country that is being hailed as an emerging player on the global stage.

Exotic myth-making about India is giving way to the image of a paradoxical and economically resurgent nation that has emerged as an IT and outsourcing hub and is showing the world what knowledge societies can accomplish.

"The world is becoming globally competitive with the emergence of India and China as leading economic and political players," Jorma Ollila, chief executive officer of Nokia, told a group of visiting Indian and European journalists recently.

The setting up of a factory by Nokia, a world leader in mobile communications, in the southern metropolis of Chennai, has also tickled the curiosity of the Finns about this populous democracy.

The fifty-odd Finnish companies, including Nokia, employ over 4,000 Indians.

"Colourful and confusing, hectic and exotic, splendidly luxurious and desperately poor: Finland's new destination is full of contrasts, but it is at the vanguard of development in the world's most populous democracy," says the lead article in FinnAir's in-flight magazine entitled 'New Delhi, New India.'

To cash in on the growing India fever among the Finns, Finnair is introducing non-stop flights from here to New Delhi to give the Finns an escape from the excruciating winter and an experience of 'New India,' starting Oct 30.

The flights from Helsinki to New Delhi - the first direct connection from northern Europe to India - will operate thrice a week (Monday, Wednesday and Friday) and cover the distance in six hours and 30 minutes.

The return flights from New Delhi to Helsinki (thrice a week) will give Indians a direct connection to the country of the midnight sun famed for its serene lakes and becalming saunas on the one hand and its sense of flawless design and technology on the other.

"I love this new India. There is something there for everyone. It stimulates my creative instincts," Maarit Kontiainen, alias Meenakshi (her Indian name), told IANS.

Sitting at her stall in the harbour mart, a proud Maarit, an artist who loves travelling to India almost every summer, flaunted some of the sketches she did on her trips to Mumbai and Delhi over the years.

The Finnish capital will host the India-EU summit in October this year. Cementing the burgeoning relationship between the 25-nation European Union (EU) and India is high on the priority list of the Finnish presidency of the EU (that kicked off here July 1), said Finnish Prime Minister Matti Vanhanen on the eve of assuming the EU's presidency.

"So far it was China that was dominating the headlines. But now everyone is talking about India. There is a new respect for Indian technology and its culture," says Saara Rimon, a manager with Finnfacts, an independent media company.

"India is the flavour of the season in Finland. The Finns are curious to know more and more about this country of mind-boggling cultural diversity that is seen as an emerging player on the global stage," an Indian diplomat, who did not wish to be named, told IANS.

The Indian embassy issues 200-300 visas to the Finns every day in the peak season, sources told IANS.

Fourth official tipped off referee on Zidane: Domenech

Berlin, July 10 (DPA) France coach Raymond Domenech said Sunday that Zinedine Zidane's dismissal in the second period of extra time for head butting Italian defender Marco Materazzi came following intervention from the fourth official.

Italy clinched their fourth World Cup title 5-3 on penalties after the match finished 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes and 30 minutes of extra time.

Domenech said referee Horacio Elizondo only decided to send off Zidane, who was playing his 108th and final match for Les Bleus before retiring from football, after talking with the fourth official.

"We had the fourth official saying it to the referee. The second official saw nothing. The fourth official tipped off the referee," he said. "The referee was not on our side."

Domenech said he did not know what Materazzi had said to Zidane but he could not believe that the three-time world player of the year would react without reason.

"I don't know what Materazzi told Zidane. All I know is that the man of the match is Materazzi not (Andrea) Pirlo. He scored a goal and had Zidane sent off," said Domenech.

"I think Materazzi is involved. Something must have happened I don't thing he would react out of the blue."

The red card to Zidane was the pivotal moment of the match, Domenech added.

"Zidane being sent off was a key element of the game because in extra time Italy was waiting for the penalty shootout," he said, adding that losing Patrick Vieira at the start of the second half also affected the result.

"We had the match under control and it was sad that we had these two elements and we were down to 10 men," he said.

Meanwhile Domenech said he was against the idea of a reception for the squad along the Champs Elysees in Paris Monday.

"If it is up to me there won't be a parade," he told the French television station Canal plus. "It is very French to be satisfied with a defeat, but I cannot be satisfied," the coach added.

German court allows Muslim teacher to wear headscarf at work

Berlin, July 7, IRNA, An administrative court in the south German city of Stuttgart has decided that a Muslim teacher has the right to wear a headscarf in class, news reports said Friday.

It ruled that that the school's directive which forced the 55-year -old Muslim teacher to work without a headscarf, was illegal and also violated the religious equal right amendment since Christian nuns are allowed to teach at state schools.

Several German states have adopted anti-headscarf laws as a consequence of a Supreme Court ruling which permitted federal states to bar Muslim public employees with headscarves, provided that they have the necessary legislation on the books.

Muslims number around 3.5 million out of Germany's population of 82.5 million.

Goal scorers at the World Cup

Berlin, July 10 (DPA) List of goal scorers at the 2006 World Cup after 64 matches and 147 goals including the final:

5 goals:
Miroslav Klose (Germany)

3 goals:
Hernan Crespo (Argentina)
Maxi Rodriguez (Argentina)
Ronaldo (Brazil)
Thierry Henry (France)
Zinedine Zidane (France)
Lukas Podolski (Germany)
David Villa (Spain)
Fernando Torres (Spain)

2 goals:
Tim Cahill (Australia)
Adriano (Brazil)
Paulo Wanchope (Costa Rica)
Tomas Rosicky (Czech Republic)
Agustin Delgado (Ecuador)
Carlos Tenorio (Ecuador)
Steven Gerrard (England)
Patrick Vieira (France)
Bastian Schweinsteiger (Germany)
Luca Toni (Italy)
Marco Materazzi (Italy)
Aruna Dindane (Ivory Coast)
Omar Bravo (Mexico)
Bartosz Bosacki (Poland)
Maniche (Portugal)
Alexander Frei (Switzerland)
Andriy Shevchenko (Ukraine)

1 goal:
Flavio (Angola)
Roberto Ayala (Argentina)
Lionel Messi (Argentina)
Esteban Cambiasso (Argentina)
Carlos Tevez (Argentina)
Javier Saviola (Argentina)
John Aloisi (Australia)
Craig Moore (Australia)
Harry Kewell (Australia)
Kaka (Brazil)
Fred (Brazil)
Gilberto (Brazil)
Juninho (Brazil)
Ze Roberto (Brazil)
Ronald Gomez (Costa Rica)
Darijo Srna (Croatia)
Nico Kovac (Croatia)
Jan Koller (Czech Republic)
Ivan Kaviedes (Ecuador)
David Beckham (England)
Peter Crouch (England)
Joe Cole (England)
Franck Ribery (France)
Torsten Frings (Germany)
Philipp Lahm (Germany)
Oliver Neuville (Germany)
Asamoah Gyan (Ghana)
Sulley Muntari (Ghana)
Haminu Draman (Ghana)
Stephen Appiah (Ghana)
Sohrab Bakhtiarizadeh (Iran)
Yahya Golmohammadi (Iran)
Andrea Pirlo (Italy)
Alessandro Del Piero (Italy)
Fabio Grosso (Italy)
Vincenzo Iaquinta (Italy)
Alberto Gilardino (Italy)
Filippo Inzaghi (Italy)
Francesco Totti (Italy
Gianluca Zambrotta (Italy)
Didier Drogba (Ivory Coast)
Bakary Kone (Ivory Coast)
Bonaventure Kalou (Ivory Coast)
Shunsuke Nakamura (Japan)
Keiji Tamada (Japan)
Francisco Jose Fonseca (Mexico)
Rafael Marquez (Mexico
Zinha (Mexico)
Arjen Robben (Netherlands)
Robin van Persie (Netherlands)
Ruud van Nistelrooij (Netherlands)
Nelson Cuevas (Paraguay)
Pauleta (Portugal)
Deco (Portugal)
Cristiano Ronaldo (Portugal)
Nuno Gomes (Portugal)
Simao (Portugal)
Sami al-Jaber (Saudi Arabia)
Yaser al-Kahtani (Saudi Arabia)
Nikola Zigic (Serbia Montenegro)
Sasa Ilic (Serbia Montenegro)
Lee Chun Soo (South Korea)
Ahn Jung Hwan (South Korea)
Park Ji Sung (South Korea)
Xabi Alonso (Spain)
Raul (Spain)
Juanito (Spain)
Fredrik Ljungberg (Sweden)
Henrik Larsson (Sweden)
Marcus Allback (Sweden)
Philippe Senderos (Switzerland)
Tranquillo Barnetta (Switzerland)
Mohamed Kader (Togo)
Rahdi Jaidi (Tunisia)
Jawhar Mnari (Tunisia)
Zied Jaziri (Tunisia)
Andriy Rusol (Ukraine)
Maksym Kalinichenko (Ukraine)
Serhiy Rebrov (Ukraine)
Clint Dempsey (USA)

Own goal:
Carlos Gamarra (Paraguay)
Cristian Zaccardo (Italy)
Brent Sancho (Trinidad & Tobago)
Petit (Portugal)

--DPA

Ham radio operators to keep Mumbai civic body in tune

By Probir Pramanik,
Mumbai, July 10 (IANS) Eager to prevent a repeat of the communication breakdown that occurred during the deluge in July last year, the Mumbai civic body has found help from an unexpected quarter - veteran ham radio operators.

The Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) had to face much flak for its failure to provide succour during the monsoon onslaught on July 26 when large parts of the city was flooded.

City-based JNA Wireless Association, a group of veteran ham radio operators, have teamed up with the BMC to set up an emergency ham radio communication system, which switches on when landlines or mobile networks fail.

The JNA has in place a 20-member "scramble team" on standby, ready to move to locations where communication is needed for disaster management.

JNA, founded in 1988 and named after veteran ham radio buff Jamshed N. Anklesaria, who died in 1987, boasts of a dedicated, self-motivated and self-funded "scramble team".

The team consists of ham members trained in various aspects of emergency communications and equipped with state-of-the-art satellite ham equipment ready for immediate mobilisation.

The JNA has in the past responded to many natural disasters, including the 1993 Latur earthquake in Gujarat. But it was caught unawares during the deluge in July 2005.

"We were caught on the wrong foot during the torrential rains last year and the floods were unexpected. Waking up to the fact that such a lapse should not be repeated, we contacted the BMC and offered to set up emergency communication needs during crisis when normal means of communication fail," JNA founder trustee J.P. Venkatraman told IANS.

"Apart from a ham radio station working at the BMC headquarters, we have also set up stations in the Malabar Hills, Chembur, Kandivili, Kalina and Charkop areas that were worst hit by the rains last year," Venkatraman said.

"We have a scrambler team on standby, ready to move to locations where normal communication means fail. Scrambler teams are the only means for disaster management at such times," Venkatraman said.

And the BMC is not complaining.

"The ham radio system has come as a blessing. They will help us maintain vital communication links in the event of any failure during the ongoing monsoons. We are fortunate to have the JNA by our side," said Vilas Vaidya, chief officer, BMC disaster management cell.

"We have provided the ham radio operators with the entire infrastructure at our disposal."

The JNA, which has set up more than 200 ham radios in the city over the last two decades, was the first to reach Killari, the epicentre of the 1993 Latur earthquake.

"Our scrambler team reached Killari by 10 in the morning and was able to establish communications with the Mantralaya (the seat of the Maharashtra government in Mumbai)."

The devastating earthquake had struck Latur at 4.30 a.m. on Sep 30, 1993, claiming tens of thousands of lives.

"The scrambler team was the first to give feedbacks, assessing the extent of the calamity from the quake-hit areas of Latur. We handled thousands of life-saving messages during the calamity," Venkatraman recalled.

The ham enthusiasts have also tied up with the Colaba weather bureau for advance intimation of impending calamities and with Videsh Sanchar Nigam Ltd. for use of satellite communications.

India's N-test in 1998 led to series of "surrenders": Ex-Navy chief

New Delhi, July 10, IRNA,Terming India's 1998 Pokhran nuclear blasts as a "push-button" affair for the previous National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, then Navy chief Admiral Vishnu Bhagwat says the atomic tests led to a "series of surrenders in every sector of the national polity, economy and science and technology." Bhagwat, the first service chief to be sacked from his post in late 1998, insists the Pokhran-II tests resulted in the "surrender of India's sovereignty" and a "culture and mindset of dependency" instead of adding to national strength and self-confidence and accelerating all-round national capability through self-reliance, PTI reports said here quoting Bhagwat's new book "The Eye Opening: As I saw It".

Bhagwat lists a number of policies and developments like the declaration of a unilateral moratorium on nuclear tests and holding of summit-level talks with Pakistan in Lahore in February 1999, and claims these were detrimental to India's interest.

"Pokhran-II was a push-button affair for the BJP-led NDA government which took office six weeks earlier (to the May 1998 explosions)," he says, while noting that the tests represented efforts of the Atomic Energy Commission and the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC).

"The much-trumpeted Pokhran-II marks the U-turn to surrender India's sovereignty. It led to a series of surrenders in every sector of the national polity, economy and science and technology," Bhagwat says.

India, China trade to surpass $20 bn before 2008

New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) Bilateral trade between India and China is expected to soon reach $20 billion, ahead of the 2008 target, said a top Chinese diplomat here Monday.

"The target of achieving $20 billion trade volume in 2008 and $30 billion by 2010, set by the leaders of the two countries, will soon be achieved ahead of time," said Zheng Qingdian, minister-counsellor at the Chinese embassy.

He was addressing an interactive meeting organised by the Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) to facilitate a one-to-one meeting with a Beijing trade delegation.

Zheng highlighted the rapid growth in bilateral trade and investment between the two Asian giants.

"Our bilateral trade is growing at a high speed. In 1999, the bilateral trade volume was less than $2 billion. This rose to $18 billion in 2005. China has become India's third largest trading partner, while India has become China's largest trading partner in South Asia," he said.

Over 150 Indian companies led by Ranbaxy, Tata Consultancy Services and Infosys have established branches and completed almost 1,000 projects in China, according to a presentation by the Chinese delegation.

Director of the Beijing Chaoyang Investment Promotion Bureau Hong Jiyuan is heading the delegation, which is here on a two-day visit.

Lauding India's growth in IT, Hong invited Indian companies to consider investing in the Chaoyang district, an industrial hub in eastern Beijing.

Strategically located with a growing consumer market, Chaoyang district boasts of many big multinational corporations. Being promoted as one of the main Olympics 2008 venues, it is near the Beijing international airport.

Indian American physicians and hoteliers lobby for n-deal

By Arun Kumar, Washington, July 10 (IANS) Two largest and influential Indian American associations have joined hands to lobby for the India-US nuclear deal and work in ways to help develop a strategic relationship between the two countries.

The two -- American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) and the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA) -- representing more than 50,000 Indian American physicians and hoteliers, are having US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice join them at a power lunch on Monday.

As the US Congress prepares to vote on the enabling legislation for the nuclear deal, this will provide Rice an opportunity to describe the impact that this initiative will have on US-India relations and US foreign policy overall, the associations stated in a press release.

Other featured speakers include the India Caucus co-chair in the House of Representatives, Gary Ackerman, Assistant Secretary of State Richard A. Boucher, US Ambassador to India David Mulford and India's Ambassador to US Ronen Sen.

"As Asian Americans who moved to this country and worked hard to establish their businesses and who want to give back to their communities, the members of AAHOA and AAPI share many goals," said AAHOA president Fred Schwartz.

"We welcome this opportunity to come together and lobby for legislation that enables the United States and India to move forward on this historic agreement for the benefit and welfare of these two great democracies."

AAHOA chairman Mukesh Mowji said, "AAHOA values the chance to unite with other Asian American organizations to show its support for the US-India Civil Nuclear Cooperation Initiative.

"We want to send a strong message to the White House and our Congressional delegates that we will work with them to assist in developing a strategic partnership with India, and formulate policies and initiatives for the good of Indian Americans here and abroad."

AAPI president S. Balasubramaniam said his organisation looks forward to working with the US government to do its part as physicians across America in ensuring that India-US relations continue to grow.

Representing over 8,300 members, AAHOA is one of the leading forces in the hospitality industry with members owning more than 20,000 hotels and motels with over one million rooms and an estimated value of more than $40 billion.

With a constituency of over 41,000 doctors and 10,000 medical students and residents, AAPI is the largest ethnic medical and the largest Indian American professional association in the United States.

Indian Oil's Sri Lankan operation faces liquidity crunch

New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) India's state-run refiner Indian Oil Corp Monday said there was no threat from Sri Lanka to take over its retail outlets in the island nation but admitted there were difference over subsidies and hoped the issue will be resolved soon.

Several of the 162 outlets of Indian Oil in Sri Lanka have run out of petrol due to a financial crunch, caused by the differences between the government and the company over pricing of the commodity and the subsidy payment, officials said.

"There is an issue of an outstanding amount of $70 million due to subsidies on petroleum products," Indian Oil chairman and managing director Sarthak Behuria said. The subsidy issue has been pending since July 2004.

"The Sri Lankan government has given us revised pricing and subsidy proposals that are being legally examined. We hope the issue would be sorted out soon," Behuria told IANS.

The Indian Oil chief denied reports that the company's subsidiary in Sri Lanka - which is listed on the Colombo Stock Exchange - had suspended operations on its own because of the differences.

The company's subsidiary - Lanka Indian Oil Corporation - operates 162 out of the 1,000-odd-retail outlets in the island nation and has a 32 percent market share in retail fuels and 16 percent share in the lubricant business.

Behuria declined to comment on Sri Lankan Oil Minister A.H.M. Fowzie's reported threat to take over Indian Oil's retail outlets if it does not resume the sale of petrol within 30 days.

Some outlets had gone dry due to the lack of funds to source the supplies but the company was continuing to operate despite the financial crunch, he said.

"The Sri Lankan company is facing a severe crunch due to the lack of working capital. But as and when the funds are available, the LIOC is importing petrol and diesel for operation of the retail outlets."

Irregularities halt power project in Kashmir

Jammu, July 10 (IANS) A Rs.70 billion hydro-electric power project in Jammu and Kashmir has been put on hold after a probe found technical and financial irregularities in the allotment of the contract to a Norwegian consortium.

The probe, ordered following complaints of severe irregularities, was conducted by IT Minister Taj Mohi-ud-din on the directives of Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad, official sources said.

The project was to be executed by a consortium comprising SPAS of Norway, Ozaltin of Turkey and HCC of India.

The minister in his report pointed out that the consortium was allotted the contract for the construction of the 1,200-MW Sawlakote project on the Chenab river in a hush-hush manner without a proper bidding procedure. He hinted at financial irregularities in the allotment of the contract.

"Now the contract will be reviewed by the state government and whatever consensus emerges will be the guiding principle in the allotment of the contract for the project," a government official told IANS.

He said irregularities committed in the project would be undone.

Italy claim fourth World Cup

Berlin, July 10 (DPA) Italy won their fourth world title after overcoming France in a penalty shoot-out after the two sides finished a goal apiece after extra-time in the Olympic Stadium here Sunday.

Italy edged the shoot-out 5-3 to add to the titles won in 1934, 1938 and 1982 and banish the bitter memories of a defeat on penalties to Brazil in the 1994 final in Pasadena.

Captain Fabio Cannavaro on his 100th appearance for Italy lifted the trophy to fireworks and ticker tape before the Italians began a joyous lap of honour.

The final ended in disgrace for France captain Zinedine Zidane, who was sent off in the 20th minute of extra-time on his last game before retiring from professional football.

Zidane, apparently responding to something Marco Materazzi said, turned and head-butted the Inter Milan central defender in the chest.

Argentinian referee Horacio Elizondo did not see the off-the-ball incident but after consulting with his linesman, showed Zidane the red card.

Zidane, bidding to lift the World Cup for the second time after 1998, had earlier scored France's opening goal with a cheekily chipped penalty.

It was something out the ordinary from the 34-year-old midfielder, but the assault on Materazzi - scorer of Italy's equaliser - was a moment of madness, which will remain a blot on his career.

Zidane did not return from the dressing room to join his dejected team-mates for the medals ceremony.

In the penalty showdown, Andrea Pirlo, Materazzi, Daniele De Rossi, Alessandro Del Piero and Fabio Grosso all converted for the Azzurri.

Without Zidane or Thierry Henry, who had been substituted, France missed two specialists for the penalty showdown.

David Trezeguet, an extra-time substitute, missed the decisive penalty for his side when he blasted the ball against the bar, while Sylvain Wiltord, Eric Abidal and Willy Sagnol all converted their spot kicks.

The game got off to an incident-packed start when Materazzi brought down Florent Malouda, and Zidane coolly chipped the ball over the diving Gianluca Buffon in goal to give France a seventh minute lead. The ball bounced off the underside of the bar, but over the line before rebounding back onto the bar.

Materazzi made amends by leaping over Patrick Vieira to head Italy back level in the 19th minute. Luca Toni thundered a header onto the bar in the 36th minute as Italy got the upper hand.

Both sides were then able to cancel each other out for long spells with France looking the more dangerous, but Henry up front forged a lone fight.

Extra-time saw France in the ascend. Franck Ribery went close and Zidane saw a header brilliantly saved by Gianluca Buffon in goal.

Zidane could have been the hero but instead he was the villain in a World Cup, which will always be remembered for a sad end to a distinguished playing career.

Match Statistics

Italy: Gianluigi Buffon - Gianluca Zambrotta, Fabio Cannavaro, Marco Materazzi, Fabio Grosso - Mauro Camoranesi (86. Alessandro Del Pierro), Gennaro Gattuso, Andrea Pirlo, Simone Perrotta (60. Vicenzo Iaquinta) - Francesco Totti (60. Daniele De Rossi) - Luca Toni.

France: Fabien Barthez - Willy Sagnol, Lilian Thuram, William Gallas, Eric Abidal - Patrick Vieira (46. Alou Diarra), Claude Makelele - Franck Ribery (100. David Trezeguet), Zinedine Zidane, Florent Malouda - Thierry Henry.

Referee: Horacio Elizondo (Argentina)

Attendance: 69,000

Italy worthy world champions: Lippi

Berlin, July 10 (DPA) Marcello Lippi said Sunday that Italy were worthy world champions after his seeing his side beat France 5-3 in a penalty shootout in the Olympic stadium here.

Italy had never won a penalty shootout at a World Cup before Sunday, going out in three of the last four World Cups in this way, but the Azzurri converted all five against France after the match finished 1-1 at the end of 90 minutes and extra time.

"We deserved this victory by keeping our cool in the penalty shootout. We didn't miss one," said a proud Lippi. "It's something that the players wanted really strongly, that's why they scored all five."

Italy fell behind early on when Marco Materazzi brought down Florent Malouda and Argentine referee Horacio Elizondo pointed to the spot. Zinedine Zidane cooly converted, chipping the ball over the diving Gianluca Buffon Materazzi made amends by leaping over Patrick Vieira to head Italy back level in the 19th minute.

"I don't know if it was a penalty but I know that we reacted brilliantly," said Lippi. "In the second half there was a bit of a drop in our energy levels."

However, the match was overshadowed by Zidane's extra time head butt into the chest of Italian defender Materazzi which resulted in the three-time world player of the year seeing a straight red after Elizondo was informed of the incident by his officials.

"It was not Materazzi that got the attention of the referee, it was the fourth and fifth referee," said Lippi. "It was them. We didn't do anything, they brought it to the attention of the referee."

Lippi added that he was sorry for Zidane and that he had told the midfielder before the game that he thought he was making a mistake in quitting the game at 34.

"Zidane is great player, I don't think he should go," he said. "I told him that before the game. I told him he should reconsider. If he does go I think it's a great shame that he goes out on this note."

Klose wins World Cup top scorer prize

Berlin, July 10 (DPA) Germany's Miroslav Klose has followed in the footsteps of Ronaldo, Paolo Rossi and Gerd Mueller by finishing top goalscorer at World Cup finals.

Although the Werder Bremen striker's five goals are the lowest number in 44 years to win the golden shoe award, they bring his personally tally to 10 goals in World Cups, just five behind Ronaldo, four behind Meuller and one shy of Juergen Klinsmann, Germany head coach.

"Miroslav Klose had a great season for Werder Bremen and has brought his good form into the World Cup," said Muller of the Poland-born forward. "He is really improved as a player."

Like his goals four years ago in Korea/Japan, most of Klose's strikes came early on in the tournament.

The 28-year-old scored twice in the opening match against Costa Rica, then notched another double in the third group game versus Ecuador before grabbing the all-important equaliser with 10 minutes to spare in the quarter-final with Argentina.

"He's an excellent striker and very crafty," added Paolo Rossi of the German No. 11. "He always pops up at the right moment. He is much better in the air than I was but he does have my eye for goal."

Behind Klose in the goalscoring charts were France's Thierry Henry and Zinedine Zidane, Argentina's Hernan Crespo and Maxi Rodriguez, Spain's David Villa and Fernando Torres, Brazil's Ronaldo and Klose's compatriot Lukas Podolski, all with three goals.

Previous golden shoe winners:

2002: Ronaldo (Brazil), 8 goals
1998: Davor Suker (Croatia), 6 goals
1994: Hristo Stoichkov/Oleg Salenko (Bulgaria/Russia), 6 goals
1990: Salvatore Schillaci (Italy), 6 goals
1986: Gary Lineker (England), 6 goals
1982: Paolo Rossi (Italy), 6 goals
1978: Mario Kempes (Argentina), 6 goals
1974: Gregorz Lato (Poland), 7 goals
1970: Gerd Mueller (Germany), 10 goals
1966: Eusebio (Portugal), 9 goals

Launch failure disappoints space scientists

Bangalore, July 10 (IANS) A pall of gloom descended on Antriksha Bhavan, the headquarters of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) here, after a launch vehicle that was to put a communications satellite into orbit crashed moments after its launch Monday.

Though the top brass of the Indian space agency, including its chairman G. Madhavan Nair, were away at Sriharikota, about 380 km from here, for the launch of the 2.2-tonne spacecraft, hundreds of scientists and officials here were stunned into disbelief when the 414-tonne rocket deviated from the flight path and plunged into the sea as a ball of fire.

"We were waiting for the launch since afternoon as the countdown was already on from late Sunday. We were initially disappointed to learn the lift-off was deferred by an hour. When the rocket finally took off around 5.40 p.m. from the second launch pad at the Satish Dhawan Space Centre, we were thrilled to see it soaring into a cloudy sky," said an ISRO official.

"But within a minute, we were shocked to see the 49-metre vehicle veering off from its perpendicular direction and straying away towards the earth," the official said.

The state-owned ISRO makes use of a dedicated satellite for its own communication and broadcasting functions, with its transponders linked to its operational centres across the country. Its headquarters here has a facility to view live the entire launch activity through a closed-door circuit television screens.

"It is unfortunate the launch failed despite a perfect lift-off due to a snag which developed subsequently. As the chairman and other top officials mentioned, only a detailed analysis of the data and relevant information will throw light on what went wrong at the rocket's first separation stage," the official said.

Many ISRO scientists, who have been associated with the launch vehicle and satellite projects over the years, lamented that a string of 11 successful launches in the past decade had been dented by the failure of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle GSLV-FO2 launch.

Former ISRO chairman U.R. Rao, however, termed the launch mishap as a disappointment but not a setback to the country's indigenisation efforts in launching its own satellites.

"It is a disappointment but not a setback. They (ISRO scientists) will analyse the data to find out what caused the mishap. I am confident they will take corrective measures to overcome the problem," Rao told IANS on phone.

Lauding ISRO scientists for designing and developing indigenous launch vehicles to put heavy satellites in the geostationary orbit, Rao said the GSLV Mark II was a good rocket as it had performed well during its experimental stages.

"The GSLV is a good rocket. It performed well. We have already made PSLV (polar satellite launch vehicle) operational. The present objective is to make the GSLV also operational for launching two-to-four tonne satellites into geo-synchronous orbit.

The launch of INSAT-4C was taken up in the backdrop of the success ISRO had in the launch of its first experimental satellite (GSAT-1) using the GSLV in April 2001, GSAT-2 by GSLV-D2 in May 2003 and Edusat (educational satellite) by GSLV-F01 in September 2004.

Though INSAT-4A was launched Dec 22, 2005 from Kourou in French Guyana on board the Ariane Space vehicle, ISRO slotted the launch of the INSAT-4C from Sriharikota using the indigenously developed GSLV from the second launch pad.

ISRO has, however, scheduled the launch of INSAT-4B from Kourou in Feb-Mar 2007.

Link Mangla port and Haldia, India tells Bangladesh

Dhaka, July 10 (IANS) India has suggested that Bangladesh develop its Mangla port and link it with Haldia port in West Bengal to accelerate trade and reduce the trade gap between the two countries.

Indian High Commissioner Veena Sikri stressed the need for increased direct transport links with Bangladesh, which in turn has invited India to invest more in its fabric and yarn sector.

Speaking at the inauguration Sunday of a three-day 'Indian Cotton Yarn & Fabric Show -2006', Sikri stressed on the need for direct rail, road and water links to increase trade and overall interaction, an issue that has been discussed from time to time but is making slow progress.

Sikri's suggestion came even as Bangladesh invited Indian investment in its fabric and yarn sectors as a way of expanding its participation in the textile sector and helping bridge the widening balance of trade gap, The Daily Star newspaper reported.

She said India was working sincerely to reduce this gap.

Opening the show here, Bangladesh Commerce Minister M. Hafiz Uddin Ahmed said that the trade gap between the countries was highly tilted in India's favour at $1.88 billion and this would increase in the current year as well.

Overall bilateral economic ties, however, depended upon diligent implementation of the SAFTA and Bimstec free trade agreements, said Ahmed at the show organised by the Cotton Textiles Export Promotion Council (TEXPROCIL) of India in association with Indian High Commission in Dhaka.

He urged that India remove the existing tariff, non-tariff and para-tariff barriers.

The bilateral trade between the countries stood at $2.2 billion during the current year. Noting that Bangladesh remained India's third largest export destination for fabric and the second largest for yarn, Sikri said that increase in trade and the bridging of the deficit would depend on how fast Bangladesh improved its infrastructure.

Ahmed highlighted the positive sides of the trade and urged that India should supply fabric and yarn to Bangladesh "as a next door neighbour," the newspaper said.

Bangladesh imports a huge volume of accessories for its export-oriented ready made garment (RMG) industries, said the minister, expressing hope that this exposition would provide country's RMG manufacturers an opportunity to compare price and quality of required items and thus help in reaching this sourcing decision.

D.N. Srivastava, minister (economic and commercial) of the Indian High Commission, and Siddhartha Rajagopal, executive director, TEXPROCIL, also spoke on the occasion.

Lula takes lead in early poll

RIO DE JANEIRO, July 10 (NNN-XINHUA) -- Brazilian President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva took the lead in the latest survey months ahead of the Oct. 1 general elections.

According to the Datafolha survey published on Sunday, Lula's ruling
left-wing Workers Party would win 45 per cent of the vote if the elections
were held on the day of the survey, while his closest rival, Geraldo
Alckmin, who heads the Social Democracy Party, would win 29 per cent.

The survey, which was conducted at the end of last month, targeted
Brazil's 126 million registered voters. It questioned more than 2,800 people about their income, consumption, housing, assets, schooling and how they perceived their economic condition.

At least 6.0 million former poor people have now found themselves in
the rank of middle class under the leadership of Lula, the survey said.
Forty-nine per cent of voters felt financially better off than four
years ago and 37 per cent said they are consuming more, it said.

The rich have benefited even more: the top 10 percent earned 66 per
cent more under Lula, thanks to sky-high interest rates of 15.25 per cent, the survey showed.

The poor are strong supporters of Lula, a former shoeshine boy and
grade-school dropout from Brazil's impoverished Northeast. Lula became a factory worker and labour union leader before entering politics.

Manmohan Singh battles coalition blues

By Liz Mathew,
New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) The midway mark of India's ruling alliance is only four months away but it is clear that the vagaries of coalition politics are beginning to pull down Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

Manmohan Singh's aides assert he is in full control and there is no visible reason to doubt the claim. Nevertheless, analysts say that there are clear signs that all is not well with the multi-party coalition.

Two events last week exposed the vulnerability of a prime minister who, even his admirers admit, lacks mass appeal even though he makes it up with his image as one of the cleanest and cerebral political leaders.

On Thursday Manmohan Singh hurriedly put a cap on government plans to sell equity in two state-run companies after a key ally, the DMK, threatened to pull out of the government.

Around the same time, Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss' seemingly personal war against India's best known cardiologist P. Venugopal led to criticism that the prime minister was keeping quiet simply because Ramadoss' party PMK was part of his government.

Ramadoss' decision to dismiss the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) director has been stayed by a court order.

"Manmohan Singh's strengths were his image as a reformist and a technocrat," pointed out political observer G.V.L. Narasimha Rao.

"But now he appears to be extremely vulnerable. A lot of things that happened in the recent past have gone against him and a series of developments has enhanced his image as a weak prime minister.

"Everyone is trying to pull his own strings in the government. He seems to be a silent spectator when his ministers took their own decisions like in the case of the reservation issue and even the AIIMS issue," Rao told IANS. "He is not on his own."

Mahesh Rangarajan, an eminent political analyst, agreed. "The prime minister is being subjected to a lot of pressures and pulls by his allies and surprisingly the Congress party also does not appear to be supporting him in many of his steps," Rangarajan told IANS.

The Congress itself is a divided house on more issues than one.

On the emotive issue of reserving seats for backward class communities in institutions of higher education, many believed that Human Resource Development Minister Arjun Singh kept Manmohan Singh in the dark.

While the government was trying to check rising prices of essential commodities, the Congress criticised the government. Fearing loss of popular support, the party asked the government to take immediate corrective steps.

Analysts feel the Congress was trying damage control to protect its support base among the millions of poor.

"This could be because of (Congress president Sonia) Gandhi's concerns about the possible erosion of support among the masses. She could be worried about party and the government losing their image," Rangarajan noted.

But Rao gave another reason: "There is a systematic attempt to weaken the authority of the prime minister."

True or not, the Prime Minister's Office denied Friday that Manmohan Singh was planning to quit following the U-turn on disinvestment in the wake of the DMK's threat to pull out of the government.

The Congress swears that there is no attempt to weaken Manmohan Singh, who became prime minister after Gandhi refused to be in the wake of the May 2004 victory of the Congress-led coalition in the general election.

Congress general secretary Tom Vadakkan argued: "The Congress plays the role of the government's eyes and ears, which are sensitive to the changing political pulse of the people. It is a complementary role to strengthen the hands of the prime minister."

Vadakkan compared the Congress role to an aircraft control terminal, "which informs the pilot about the weather changes to get out of turbulence when the plane is flying".

Since May 2004, the United Progressive Alliance (UPA)'s biggest critic has been the Left, a 62-seat block that supports the government from outside.

The communists' main criticism is that the government is deviating from the common minimum programme (CMP), a mutually agreed agenda for governance. They disapprove of Manmohan Singh's economic and foreign policies that in their view violate the CMP.

Other parties in the UPA have also attacked the government on various issues. But the DMK threat -- which led to cancellation of moves to partly offload state shares of the Neyveli Lignite Corp and the National Aluminium Co - was the most serious.

The government earlier put off the sale of Bharat Heavy Electricals Ltd (BHEL) shares following communist opposition.

Rangarajan warned: "We can expect more pressurising tactics from the allies and from within the Congress in the future."

Materazzi denies calling Zidane ‘terrorist’

July 10,ROME: Italy defender Marco Materazzi on Monday denied a report that he had called Zinedine Zidane a "dirty terrorist" seconds before the French captain head-butted him in Sunday's World Cup final.

"It is absolutely not true, I did not call him a terrorist. I'm ignorant. I don't even know what the word means," the Italian news agency Ansa quoted Materazzi as saying after the Italian team returned to Rome.

"The whole world saw what happened on live TV," he added.

The Paris-based anti-racism group SOS Racism had earlier quoted well informed sources as saying Materazzi had apparently used the phrase.

"According to several very well informed sources from the world of football, it would seem that the Italian player Marco Materazzi called Zinedine Zidane a 'dirty terrorist'," SOS Racism said in a statement.

Zidane, the son of Algerian immigrants, was shown a red card after the incident and Italy went on to win on penalties after the match was tied 1-1 following extra time.

SOS Racism called for an inquiry and said world soccer's governing body FIFA had recently toughened sanctions against racism.

"It's for this reason that SOS Racism asks in a determined fashion for FIFA to shed light on this altercation and that sanctions laid out in the official rules be applied should this be the case," SOS Racism said.

Source:Newindpress.com

Musharraf more popular than Benazir, Nawaz, says Economist magazine

Islamabad, July 10 (IANS) In a clear boost to President Pervez Musharraf who wants to keep his uniform and seek a second term in the presidency, a British magazine has said he is more popular than Benazir Bhutto and Nawaz Sharif, his principal detractors challenging him from their exile.

The London-based Economist magazine in its latest issue say he has "generally proved much better at running the country than either Nawaz Sharif or Benazir Bhutto," the two former prime ministers, who want to stage a political come back in time for the elections due to take place some time next year.

In dealing with arch rival India too, the magazine gives full marks to Musharraf. "Remarkably, given a career spent fighting India, he had done more to make peace than any his predecessors," the report noted.

The magazine praised the economic reforms introduced by President Musharraf, which had helped the country achieve seven per cent growth despite the fact that when he took over, the economy was in a crisis.

But the survey asserts that these sensible reforms have almost all only been partially or corruptly implemented. It adds that Musharraf is clinging to his job by manipulation and with the backing of the army, and that by sabotaging Pakistan's fragile democracy to meet his own ends, he may have made the country even more dangerous".

The economy has become "tigerish", it says, but notes that foreign investors are still keeping away.

"General Musharraf inherited an economy in crisis. Shackled by sanctions and parched of capital, Pakistan had defaulted on foreign debts," said The Economist, adding: "Thanks partly to continued fiscal prudence and some sensible reforms, Pakistan has notched up average growth of seven percent over the past three years, about the same as India."

The Economist in a detailed survey said: "Six years on, General Musharraf is still in charge and the economy has been transformed.

In the financial year to mid-2005, it grew by 8.6 per cent, the highest figure for two decades, followed by a 6.6 per cent rise in the financial year just ended, daily The News said, carrying details from a survey conducted for the magazine by James Astill.

Pakistan has $13 billion in foreign reserves, up from $1.7 billion in 1999.

The Pakistani rupee is stable. Public debt as a share of GDP is 54 percent, down from 80 percent in 2000. "One-third of the population is still poor, but at least the figure has not increased recently."

It said agriculture, which constituted 22 percent of the country's economy, had done well "thanks to helpful weather that boosted farm output in 2005 by 7.5 per cent.

Textiles, which account for 60 percent of total exports, have grown by 20 per cent since global trade quotas were lifted at the start of the last year, rewarding several years of heavy investment in the sector." On President Musharraf's initiative to start dialogue with India, the magazine commented, peace in South Asia is more possible than in the past.

"He then surprised many by throwing himself into peacemaking with India."

Peace on the subcontinent is still hard to imagine, but it may be more possible than at any time since the Independence in 1947, it said.

Referring to the Siachen glacier, The Economist said: "One big test of good intentions for both sides is the Siachen glacier in Kashmir, the world's highest battlefield, from which they have been talking of withdrawing troops."

It said if both Pakistan and India "can reach agreement on Siachen, they can probably settle a couple of smaller border disputes as well."

Astill also applauds Musharraf for the pledges that he has made to crack down on extremism and to promote 'enlightened moderation'.

Whilst General Musharraf denounces extremism, he has proved reluctant to crack down hard on the killers. The survey indicates that the reason for this is two-fold. General Musharraf, Astill states, distinguishes between truly dangerous militia and those he thinks he can control. The other reason is that General Musharraf is afraid of the potential support that the extremist groups can muster.

But some liberal progress may emerge from General Musharraf's rule. He has liberated the media, meaning that Pakistanis now have more access to information about the world outside Pakistan. TV viewers can increasingly watch foreign channels, including those from India, the magazine notes.

NASA assures Discovery crew of safe return

Washington, July 10 (Xinhua) Space shuttle Discovery is cleared for return home after engineers determined that its heat shield was free of damage, said an official at NASA's mission control in Houston.

The ship's TPS (thermal protection system) is "100 percent clear for entry", mission control told Discovery Commander Steven Lindsey Sunday.

"That is great news, that's fantastic," Lindsey replied. "And to get all that done by the end of flight day six ... is just amazing."

Engineers examined a two-inch-long piece of fabric gap filler sticking out from thermal tiles on Discovery's belly, which could have required a spacewalk for repairs.

They concluded that astronauts would not need to conduct a spacewalk to pluck the filler out, as it posed no threat for the shuttle's return to Earth.

On Sunday, the astronauts continued to move fresh supplies to the International Space Station.

They conducted a spacewalk Saturday to test a robotic arm extension, which was seen as a success.

Discovery will have a last check-up at the end of the mission to ensure its safe return to Earth, which is scheduled July 17.

--Xinhua

Nations urged to compromise for WTO success

New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) World Bank President Paul Wolfowitz has urged nations to "compromise and commit to success" the next round of WTO talks in Russia on July 17 to ensure that benefits of globalisation reach the poor.

In a letter to all the G-8 (the US, Japan, Germany, France, Britain, Italy, Canada and Russia) +5 leaders (Brazil, China, India, Mexico, South Africa), Wolfowitz urged them to reach an agreement to break the stalemate in the Doha round trade talks.

"A pro-development result will yield gains for rich and poor alike," stated the letter released to the media Monday.

The World Bank has estimated that lifting of various trade barriers could eventually generate $300 billion a year in additional production for the world's economy, while developing countries could gain by as much as $86 billion, dwarfing annual bilateral assistance efforts.

To help realise the potential of full liberalisation, Wolfowitz urged "all participants in the July 17 meeting to come prepared to compromise and commit to success".

The WTO talks have stalled with developing countries demanding that the US and EU make steep cut in subsidies to their farmers, while the developed countries have sought greater market access for their industrial products and services.

"The upcoming gathering of the G-8 members and the planned outreach session with leaders from China, Brazil, India, South Africa, Mexico, the African Union and international organisations offer a unique opportunity we must take advantage of if we are to make urgently needed progress in the Doha trade talks," said Wolfowitz.

He warned that time was running out for the 149 member WTO to be fully operational and help "lift millions from poverty, boost developing country income, improve global market access and reduce taxpayer and consumer costs for all - or allow the whole effort to collapse, with harm to everyone".

The World Bank chief in particular urged the US to take a lead to break the impasse.

"Washington can unlock this by stepping forward with a better offer. If this happens, the EU will at the same time meet them both with a strengthened offer."

"While successfully concluding the Doha round will depend on detailed formulas and a painstaking technical process, there is the opportunity for the leaders gathered in St. Petersburg to provide the momentum essential to success," Wolfowitz has written.

Pointing out that 1.2 billion of the world's poorest people stand to benefit from a successful outcome of the talks, Wolfowitz underlined the need for "a collective pledge by the US to reduce agriculture subsidies, by the EU to improve market access and the + 5 members to limit tariffs on manufactures" to help seal the deal.

Pakistan helps rebuild highway to Afghanistan

Islamabad, July 10 (IANS) Pakistan has helped neighbour Afghanistan rebuild the 75-km Torkham-Jalalabad highway at a cost of Rs.2 billion ($33 million) and says it has completed 95 percent of the task two months before deadline.

Although there are many entry points, this highway, which was but a rundown road, is the key entry from Afghanistan to Pakistan via the Khyber Pass and witnesses daily movement of goods and travellers.

The News quoting a PTV report said funds for the project were provided by Islamabad as a goodwill gesture to Kabul.

The border is porous and much illegal movement, including that of arms and narcotics, takes place just a couple of kilometres away from the official channel.

The area has also witnessed armed skirmishes between the two armies in the past, each blaming the other for border violations and trying to push the Durand Line that forms the border to advantage.

While Pakistan insists that the Durand Line, delineated between the British and the Afghan monarchy in the 1890s, is the border, successive Afghan regimes have refused to accept this.

The area has been heavily mined and work had to be done in hazardous conditions by the Frontier Works Organisations (FWO).

Forty-six percent of the new road is already receiving traffic, PTV quoted National Highway Authority chairman Farrukh Javed as saying.

PM briefs president on G-8 summit, parliament session

New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Monday briefed President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on the forthcoming G-8 summit at St. Petersburg in Russia and parliament's monsoon session beginning in the last week of this month.

The 35-minute meeting at the Rashtrapati Bhavan here was part of regular interaction between the two leaders, said a press release from the presidential palace.

"The prime minister apprised the president on the forthcoming G-8 Summit at St. Petersburg in Russia, which Manmohan Singh will be attending.

"The prime minister also briefed Kalam on the monsoon session of parliament which begins later this month," the release said.

Manmohan Singh, who is leaving for St. Petersburg later this month, is expected to meet US President George W. Bush and Russian President Vladimir Putin during the summit. He is also expected to hold talks with other G-8 leaders.

The G-8 Summit on global energy security will be held July 15-17. The US, Russia, Britain, Japan, France, Germany, Italy and Canada are members of the body.

President: Zionist regime, root cause of Muslim nations' problems

Tehran, July 8, IRNA, President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said on Saturday that the Zionist regime is the root cause of problems of the Muslim nations.

In his inaugural address to the Ninth Conference of Foreign Ministers of Iraqi Neighbors Plus Egypt and Bahrain, President Ahmadinejad said that regional states and Muslim nations should mobilize their resources to deal with Israel.

President Ahmadinejad said that the other challenge faced by Muslim nations is threat and occupation citing the occupying regime.

"The Zionist regime is not of origin. It is a forgery and imposed entity on the region," he said.

"Our enemies have set up the Zionist regime in the heart of the Muslim World through numerous ploys as a means to create unity among themselves and division among Muslim nations," President Ahmadinejad said.

"They spared no effort to support the Zionist regime up to now.

They use huge among of money from pockets of their people to support Israel. They also sacrificed their political philosophy in which they believe 'liberalism' for the sake of the Zionist regime.

"The unlimited crimes of the Zionist regime in massacring defenseless young Palestinians, destroying their homes and farms are done with the support of Western governments. For them breaking the law and violating the rights of Palestinian democratic government are all right," he said.

"Unfortunately, certain powers regard the human crisis the Zionist regime is creating as an opportunity for earning an income from arms sales to regional governments. So that they impose backwardness to the regional nations. Instead of spending on progress and development, they spend their resources to purchase arms."

Reliance split has 'win-win ending': Mukesh Ambani

New York, July 10 (IANS) Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, says the bitter feud with his younger brother Anil that lead to the split of the India's largest private sector corporate house has had a "win-win ending".

"When you see restructuring or separations in a family (firm), value has almost always been destroyed. This is the first case where value has been enhanced. In that way it has been a win-win ending," Ambani told Newsweek in an interview.

The magazine, in its detailed report on "India's Mr. Big Idea" in the issue that hits stands Monday, said the 49-year old business tycoon, "who was already the world's 38th richest person before the split, according to Forbes, is now considerably richer".

The break-up, finalised in January after a long-drawn out quarrel in public, left the elder brother in control of the larger (and largely petrochemical) share: Reliance Industries - "a behemoth that has seen its fortunes soar since the de-merger".

In a rare candid comment on the fracas with his younger brother, Ambani said: "Fundamentally we had different approaches. My view is to give everyone the space to grow in his own way."

Called "the country's most influential businessman" by the international newsmagazine, Ambani is now aiming even higher.

"Since the break-up, Ambani, 49, has finalised plans to invest more than $11 billion over the next decade to build two new satellite cities outside creaking, overcrowded Mumbai and Delhi.

"Ambani's favourite scheme aims to revolutionise in one swoop two of India's largest but most backward sectors: farming and retail," said the report.

Commenting on the planned 'agrarian revolution', Mukesh Ambani said: "Reliance is involving itself in agriculture in a big way. This will help to create a second green revolution at a time when energy and agro are converging.

"Oil is now at $70 a barrel, [but it's] a finite asset. We need a fallback position. We are looking for more gas and oil but we are also trying to grow our own energy. We think this has the potential to change the world," he said.

"We will work with farmers to get them to increase their productivity and produce the right products of the right quality. This also requires a major investment in technology because there are minimum import standards [overseas].

"We are also creating something that is totally missing in India: an efficient distribution system, linked to supermarkets across the world. This will generate up to one million new jobs and make us the largest private-sector employer in India," said Ambani.

The report noted: "If his plan succeeds, he says, consumers will get fresher food at lower prices, rural incomes will soar, farmers will become active consumers, and Reliance will become 'a WalMart in India'. The agricultural export boom will bring India's farmers into the global economy, as IT has done for its college grads."

What drives him to be more and more ambitious? He quotes his late father, the legendary Dhirubhai Ambani: "To create something out of nothing."

India Inc has little doubt about his ability to deliver.

Nandan Nilekani, CEO of India's leading IT firm Infosys, said: "His genius, his strength is that he's enormously good at executing large projects. He is able to assemble large numbers of people, the project-management skills, the capital and then execute."

Sania Mirza slips to 40th rank

New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) India's tennis ace Sania Mirza, who lost in the first round of the Wimbledon singles competition, has slipped two places to 40th in the Women's Tennis Association (WTA) rankings released Monday.

Sania, 19, now has 501.50 points, which places her fourth highest ranked among Asians. The highest ranked Asian is Japanese Ai Sugiyama, who ranked 19th.

Frenchwomen Amelie Mauresmo, who won the women's title at the just concluded Wimbledon Championships, heads the overall WTA rankings, according to its official website.

Sania lost to Russian Elena Dementieva in the first round of Wimbledon, causing her to slip in the rankings.

In the doubles, Sania holds on to her 33rd rank.

Although Sania and Michaella Krajicek of the Netherlands lost to Dementieva and Flavia Pennetta of Italy in the second round of Wimbledon, the result did not affect the Hyderabadi girl's ranking.

Schwarzenegger extends lead in opinion polls

New York, July 10 (IANS) A latest opinion poll reveals that actor Arnold Schwarzenegger, who is also the Republican California governor, has extended his lead over his nearest rival in the upcoming state elections set to take place in November.

According to hollywood.com, actor-turned-politician Schwarzenegger is thought to have 44 percent of the eligible electorate behind him, with 37 percent backing Democratic candidate Phil Angelides.

In March, Schwarzenegger held a fragile 3 percent opinion poll lead over Angelides. His increased popularity is attributed to his decision to send National Guardsmen to the Mexican border in to keep illegal immigrants out of California.

Austrian-born Schwarzenegger, 58, took up office in 2003 after Democrat Gray Davis was recalled by voters.

photo source:BOB

Scientists probing Indian missile glitch

New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) India's top defence scientists were Monday probing the snag that caused the nuclear capable intermediate range ballistic missile (IRBM) Agni-III to crash into the sea well short of its intended 3,000 km range.

"Data from the launch pad and from the tracking stations is being minutely examined. While it would be too early to hazard a guess as to what went wrong, it would seem that a design defect prevented the second stage from separating," a defence ministry official said, speaking on condition of anonymity.

"Because of this, the missile couldn't maintain its intended trajectory and could stay aloft for only five minutes instead of the 15 minutes it was intended to," the official explained.

"Since this was the first time the missile was being tested there was every possibility of glitches developing. Once these are ironed out, another flight could be contemplated," the official added, not wanting to hazard a guess as to when the next flight could take place.

Agni-III, India's longest range missile yet which is capable of reaching targets in China, was test fired at 11.03 a.m. from the Wheeler Island facility off the Orissa coast Sunday. It rose to a height of 12 km before it came crashing into the Bay of Bengal, 1,000 km from the launch site.

Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee and scientists of the Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) that developed the three-stage missile were among those who witnessed the launch.

DRDO officials immediately went into a huddle to examine data from the launch pad and the tracking stations in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to probe the cause of the snag that prevented the missile from fulfilling its mission parameters.

According to Mukherjee, there was no cause for despondency.

"The first phase of the launch was successful. In the second phase, there was a technical snag, which is being analysed. This is not abnormal," he told reporters in Kolkata Sunday night.

According to noted defence analyst Commodore C. Uday Bhaskar, the launch could not be entirely termed a failure.

"It's an important punctuation in the evolution of India's credible nuclear deterrence. The fact that it took off is a major success. Re-entry is always a tricky situation and I would think it would take eight to 10 tests before it is fully evolves," Bhaskar told IANS.

Agni-III, which has a range between 3,500 and 5,000 km, features two solid-fuelled stages and has an overall diameter of 1.8 metres. It can be deployed from rail or road mobile launch vehicles and from silos. It is equipped with inertial guidance systems with improved optical or radar terminal phase correlation systems that gives it a high degree of accuracy.

Agni-I, with a range of 700-800 km, and Agni-II, with a 2,000-km range, have already been inducted in the Indian Army.

Scuffle in Karnataka assembly over graft charges against CM

Bangalore, July 10 (IANS) A scuffle broke out in the Karnataka legislative assembly Monday between the ruling and opposition members over corruption charges levelled against Chief Minister H.D. Kumaraswamy.

Trouble began when Congress member Ramesh Kumar and Housing Minister D.T. Jaykumar almost came to blows over some remarks made by the former against ruling Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) leaders, including the chief minister and Forest Minister C. Chennigappa, for allegedly collecting over Rs.1.5 billion from mining operators in Bellary district of north Karnataka.

The charges are levelled by a member of legislative council, K. Janardhan Reddy of the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) - a partner in the ruling coalition.

To defuse the situation, speaker Krishna adjourned the house for the day after disallowing an adjournment motion moved by opposition leader and former chief minister N. Dharam Singh for a discussion on the bribery charges.

Intervention by members of both the parties and some independents prevented the situation from turning worse. Kumar, who rushed to the well of the house to stage a sit-in demonstration against the speaker's ruling, was forcibly stopped from hitting Jaykumar and taken out of the house.

"As serious corruption charges are levelled against the chief minister by no less than a member of the coalition party, we have urged the speaker to allow a discussion after the question hour. The speaker, however, declined our move saying the issue was not listed in the business agenda of the house," Singh told reporters later.

A similar attempt by the opposition Congress for discussion on the issue in the upper house (legislative council) led to heated exchanges with the ruling members, forcing the acting chairman of the house to adjourn the proceedings.

Protesting against the chair's ruling, opposing members staged a walkout and threatened to boycott the assembly proceedings till the chief minister came clean over the bribery charges or resigned on moral grounds.

Reddy had recently accused Kumaraswamy and Chennigappa of collecting bribes from several influential mining operators in Bellary district, which is reputed to have one of the largest deposits of iron and manganese ore in the country.

The district also houses many small and medium enterprises manufacturing steel and iron products, besides the Jindal Vijaynagar steep plant of the Jindal group at Thorangallu near Hospet.

Meanwhile, in a damage control exercise, the state unit of the BJP held a meeting of its legislative members and decided to resolve the issue with the JD-S at the coordination committee of the two coalition partners.

"Reddy was misquoted by the media as he did not directly name either Kumaraswamy or Chennigappa, but only said some people close to them were collecting funds from the mining lobby on their behalf," state BJP unit president D.V. Sadananda Gouda told reporters later.

The bribery charges came in the wake of an abrupt transfer of Bellary district superintendent of police Pankaj Kumar Thakur by Home Minister M.P. Prakash.

The transfer was criticised by a section of the BJP, especially Reddy and his elder brother Karunakar Reddy, who represents the party from the Bellary Lok Sabha constituency.

Kumaraswamy, however, said the accusation was made to blackmail him and his party by some disgruntled elements in the BJP.

Sheila Dikshit leaves for Mongolia

New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit has left for Mongolian capital Ulaanbaatar to take part in the country's national festival Naadam.

Officials said Dikshit left for Ulaanbaatar late Sunday night and is expected to return back to India Thursday.

During her stay, she is expected to meet Mongolian President N. Enkhbayar and Prime Minister M. Enkhbold. On Tuesday, she will unveil a statue of Mahatma Gandhi at Ulaanbaatar's Mahatma Gandhi Street.

According to an agreement signed between India and Mongolia, it was decided to rename an important street in Ulaanbaatar after Mahatma Gandhi.

The Delhi government had earlier renamed a road between the domestic airport and national highway-8 as Ulaanbaatar Road in December last year.

This year, Naadam coincides with the 800th year celebrations of the establishment of the Mongolian stat

Shiv Sena legislators disrupt Maharashtra assembly

Mumbai, July 10 (IANS) Shiv Sena legislators forced the adjournment of the Maharashtra assembly proceedings here Monday, protesting against government inaction following the desecration of the statue of party supreme Bal Thackeray's late wife.

In a heated argument, the Shiv Sena accused the government of failing to maintain law and order in the state after the statue was vandalised by unidentified miscreants Sunday.

Countering these charges, the ruling Congress members alleged that the incident had been engineered by Shiv Sena activists themselves.

Shiv Sena members along with its ally, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), then disrupted the proceedings, forcing the speaker to adjourn the assembly.

Meanwhile, Mumbai police released sketches of the suspects responsible for the act of vandalism, but no arrests have been made so far.

"We have released sketches of three persons suspected to be behind the desecration of the statue, but we are yet to make arrests," Mumbai police chief A.N. Roy told reporters Monday.

Roy said that though normalcy has been restored in the city and its suburbs, the police are still on alert.

Violence broke out Sunday after unidentified people allegedly threw mud on the statue of Thackeray's wife, Meenatai, near Shivaji Park in Dadar in central Mumbai.

Shiv Sena workers set fire to buses, blocked traffic and forced shops to shutdown in many parts of Mumbai. Protestors also tried to stop local trains at several sub-urban stations.

The party had also called a shutdown strike in Navi Mumbai Sunday.

The defacement of the statue has, however, given the Shiv Sena and the BJP an issue to rouse its cadres and corner the government.

Senior BJP leaders justified the mob violence as a spontaneous reaction of the people. "Everybody respects Meenatai. The incident has hurt this respect and what happened was a spontaneous reaction of the public," said BJP leader Gopinath Munde Monday. "No organisation had ordered any action," he added.

Bal Thackeray's son, Uddhav Thackeray, said that the party would not call any shutdown strikes in Mumbai.

"There will be no bandhs in Mumbai and party workers will maintain peace," Uddhav was quoted in the party mouthpiece Saamna Monday.

Tainted ministers: court asks government to spell out stand

New Delhi, July 10 (IANS) The Supreme Court Monday expressed its displeasure to the government for its delay in filing a response to a petition on whether a person facing criminal charges should be made a minister.

The court asked the central government and the states to spell out their stands and posted the case for further hearing in August.

In March, a bench headed by Chief Justice Y.K. Sabharwal, hearing a petition filed by Manoj Narula had asked the government and the states to file their responses within four weeks.

Since important issues of public importance such as good governance, moral turpitude, purity of system and public perception were involved, the court referred the matter to a five-judge constitution Bench.

The bench comprising Sabharwal and judges C.K. Thakker and P.K. Balasubramnyan Monday found that the central government and most of the states had not filed their responses.

Senior advocate Rakesh Dwivedi, amicus curiae in the case, had earlier said the issue was important since the induction of a person as a minister with criminal background was not good for democracy.

He had cited instances when ministers had resigned on charges being framed in a criminal case but now even after framing of charges, people were made ministe

Tempers rise as world body ignores Everest plight

By Sudeshna Sarkar,
Kathmandu, July 10 (IANS) Environment activists across the world are fuming after a world body ignored pleas for urgent action to protect some of the globes finest sites, including the Mt Everest, from climate change.

As the World Heritage Committee, comprising 21 countries as diverse as the US, Cuba, India and Madagascar, began its 30th meeting in Vilnius, Lithuania, Sunday, 37 nations and four individuals asked for urgent action to save Mount Everest on the Nepal-Tibet border, the Andes mountains in Peru, the Waterton-Glacier International Peace Park in the US and Canada and the Great Barrier and Belize Barrier (coral) Reefs.

The plea was reinforced with Unesco's World Heritage Centre Sunday publishing a survey of 83 countries that warned "125 World Heritage Sites were threatened by climate change", including 19 glacier sites and seven coral reefs worldwide.

Pro Public Nepal, a Kathmandu-based INGO campaigning to put Mt Everest and the Sagarmatha National Park on its slope in the Unesco list of 'In Danger" heritage sites for urgent intervention, says increasing temperature in the Himalayan regions is making the glaciers melt and could lead to the bursting of glacial lakes.

Prakash Mani Sharma, who is representing the INGO at the weeklong meet in Vilnius, says the Himalayas have warmed about 1 degree Celsius since the 1970s, almost twice the global average, affecting the snowy peaks and hundreds of glaciers and glacial lakes in the region.

"The warming has led to the retreat of 67 percent of Himalayan glaciers, and an official study has identified several lakes as potentially at risk of outburst flood," Sharma says.

"Continued melt will increase summer river flows for a few decades, with expected increased frequency of floods, followed by a severe reduction in flow to major rivers such as the Ganges and Indus as the glaciers disappear."

Along with Greenpeace, Friends of the Earth International, the Climate Justice Programme and other campaigners, Pro Public is urging the meet to send a mission of observers to the five seriously endangered World Heritage sites to evaluate the nature and extent of the threat and propose measures to mitigate the threat.

They are also asking for the countries that have signed the World Heritage Convention to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions as part of their duty to protect the sites.

However, the campaigners say the World Heritage Committee is "anxious to accommodate the US and Canadian governments' well known climate change positions" and have accordingly, endorsed a world heritage and climate change strategy focusing on the impacts but not the causes of the problem.

Peter Roderick, co-director of the Climate Justice Programme, says: "We are extremely angry that the World Heritage Committee has not taken any meaningful action to protect some of the most important sites on Earth from climate change. They are good at drawing up wonderfully drafted documents, but the idea of actually doing anything seems to pose a problem."

Sir Edmund Hillary, one of the most respected voices in the world today and the first man to summit Mt Everest in 1956 with Tenzing Norgay Sherpa, backs the petition to put Mt Everest on the Unseco's endangered sites' list.

The mystery of the missing FIFA president

Berlin, July 10 (DPA) One person was conspicuous by his absence from the podium when Italy's players received their winners' medals and German President Horst Koehler handed their captain Fabio Cannavaro the World Cup.

The president of football's world controlling body FIFA Joseph Blatter was not among the host of dignitaries present at the award ceremony after the dramatic 5-3 penalty shootout win over France.

The president of the local organising committee Franz Beckenbauer was there as was the president of Europe's controlling body UEFA, Lennart Johansson, but there was no sign of Blatter.

Beckenbauer in fact presented the medals to the Italians, while the players grabbed the trophy after it was handed over by the German president.

But in all of this Blatter was missing - as he was when the runners-up received their medals from Beckenbauer.

A spokesman for the local organising committee said that as far as he knew, Blatter was going to be present when the cup was handed over.

"I have no idea why he was not there," he said. "This morning we were given the programme and he was mentioned. I do not know why this changed."

In the run-up to the tournament FIFA and the German organising committee had been involved in a controversy over the list of speakers at the opening, with FIFA being accused of wanting to prevent Beckenbauer from speaking.

Blatter has not always been popular among German football fans and last year was booed in the stadiums during the Confederations Cup.

--DPA

Times of India and contempt of Court

HAS THE TIMES OF INDIA COMMITTED CONTEMPT OF THE SUPREME COURT IN ITS REPORT ON ABU ASIM AZMI?

The Times of India, Mumbai has published a news report titled: 'Why is Abu Azmi under Sena fire?' by Yogesh Naik on July 10, 2006, when the city was just recovering from the three days' events involving mob demonstrations in Bhiwandi and later in the city by Shiv Sena protesting desecration of the statue of the late wife of Shiv Sena Chief Bal Thackeray, Minatai Thackeray near Shiv Sena Bhavan in Dadar.

In the report, while giving a short history of Abu Asim Azmi's career, TNN reporter Yogesh Naik writes:

'Azmi, who was accused of helping the serial blasts perpetrators flee the country, fought the case till the supreme court, where Chief Justice Ahmedi discharged him.'

The clear communal angle of the reporting cannot be mistaken. Times has allowed to be printed a clear slur on Supreme Court, as any decision of the supreme court, cannot be attributed to any single judge and made out as if the judgment was a result of communal bias or favour.

The Times of India appears to be in clear contempt of court and the Supreme Court should suo moto take up the case to ensure that India's prime newspaper should not be allowed to use its medium to attribute communal bias to Supreme Court judges in such blatant manner. TOI clearly insinuates in the report that Azmi was discharged by Chief Justice Ahmedi of the Supreme Court on communal grounds rather than on facts of the case.

TOI's blatant communal bias against Indian Muslims in general and against some Muslims in particular, for the supposed crime of just being Muslims and openly standing up for Muslim causes, has become its permanent agenda and thus is a ongoing threat to the communal peace in the country. Some accountability for the media should be in place either through fresh legislations or judicial interventions, so that this trend may not threaten communal peace, and the security and integrity of the nation.

GHULAM MUHAMMED, MUMBAI

UNFPA chief warns against poverty, illiteracy, HIV/AIDS

Tehran, July 10, IRNA,Executive Director of United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA) Thoraya Ahmed Obaid in her message on World Population Day, July 11, 2006, warned that millions of young people are threatened by poverty, illiteracy, risks of pregnancy and childbirth, and HIV/AIDS.

According to a press release issued by the UN Information Center (UNIC) here Monday, the full text of her message follows:
"This year on World Population Day, the focus is on young people.

From a 10-year-old girl to a young man of 24, their needs are different, their cultures diverse. Yet, all over the world, young people want to be heard and involved.

"They possess the ideas, determination and energy to accelerate effective action to reduce poverty and inequality. In every region, young people are taking action on HIV/AIDS and other issues that threaten their health, education and future opportunities.

"Young people want to stay safe and healthy. They want a chance at a better future. About HIV prevention, they tell us: "Adults say we are too young to know; we say we are too young to die." About family planning, young people tell us: "Men should share responsibility with women." About sexual and reproductive health, they say: "Young people need this information. It shapes our lives and affects our future." "Yet today, millions of young people are threatened by poverty, illiteracy, risks of pregnancy and childbirth, and HIV/AIDS. Today, more than 500 million people aged 15 to 24 live on less than $2 per day; 96 million young women in developing countries do not know how to read or write; and 14 million adolescent girls aged 15 to 19 become mothers every year. Every day, 6,000 young people are newly infected with HIV.

"These challenges lie at the heart of goals set by world leaders to reduce poverty and improve health and well-being. It is clear that the Millennium Development Goals will not be met unless young people are actively involved in policymaking and programming, their voices are heard, their needs are met and their human rights are respected.

"UNFPA champions young people's rights to education, health and employment. We recognize that investments in young people promote social and economic growth. Key to these efforts are keeping girls in school, building life skills, delaying marriage and pregnancy until adulthood, and preventing HIV infection. Young people have the power to drive development forward.

"On World Population Day, let us focus on young people and seek new ways to work side-by-side as partners in development. Although it is often said that young people are the future, it is also true that young people are the present and their leadership should be supported today. As a young peer educator said, 'We are creating the future and it is great'."

UPA wants to bullet-proof Ayodhya

New Delhi: The Centre on Monday sought the Supreme Court's permission to carry out certain construction to strengthen the security of the disputed site at Ayodhya, where the idol of Lord Ram is placed.

The matter was mentioned by the Centre's counsel before a Bench of Justice K G Balakrishnan and Justice D K Jain, which posted it for hearing in the first week of August.

The Centre said the decision had been taken after discussions with the Uttar Pradesh government and various intelligence agencies.

The court's permission for carrying out any constructions in the disputed complex was needed in view of its earlier order to maintain status quo there.

Government plans to install bullet-proof steel structures around the idol at the disputed site in Ayodhya to further enhance security there in the wake of last year's terrorist attack.

Since the Supreme Court is hearing a petition on the issue of acquisition of nearly 71 acres of land by the government and has directed that status quo be maintained there, the Centre moved an application before it on May 17 seeking permission to install the temporary steel structures.

The Centre also wants to install close circuit television and set up concrete bunkers at the disputed site.

As per its plan, the square steel structures would be 11 by 11 feet and would have a height of 7-and-a-half feet. The total expenditure on further enhancing security was reported to be Rs 7.22 crore.

In the application filed in the apex court following a meeting chaired by Home Secretary V K Duggal to further scale-up security at Ayodhya, the Government has said "some measures are being planned, including providing temporary bullet-proof steel structures on the four sides of Ram Lalla (idol). The roof will be made of wood."

This was estimated to cost about Rs 9 lakh. In addition to this, the air conditioning of the make-shift area

would cost Rs 2 lakh.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh defended the decision saying it was vital to safeguard the structure from terrorists' attack and prevent any threat to communal amity.

''If terrorists succeed in their mission to harm the disputed site in Ayodhya, it would cause enormous damage to the secular fabric of the country. It may also result into disharmony and communal tension,'' Singh told Delhi Legislative Assembly Deputy Speaker Shoaib Iqbal, who has opposed the government move.

Source: IBN Live

We will be largest private sector employer in India: Mukesh Ambani

New York, July 10 (IANS) Mukesh Ambani, chairman of Reliance Industries, says he will trigger a second green revolution in the country - with synergies between farming and energy - by involving his group in agriculture in a big way.

In an interview with Newsweek magazine, he says his company's involvement with the farm sector "has the potential to change the world" and adds that he views India's billion-plus population not as a problem but as billion-plus customers.

Here are some excerpts from the interview that was printed in the Newsweek edition that hit the stands Monday:

Q: You say India's competitive advantages are globalisation, democracy, the ability to adapt to technology, and demography. Starting with democracy, doesn't it slow growth?

A: Sure, but increased aspirations are also driving growth. Politicians used to tell me: "We sell dreams to people that we knew we'd never be able to fulfil." Today, the mindset of these politicians has changed. They genuinely believe we have an opportunity to substantially alleviate poverty by 2030.

Q: How does technology fit in?

A: We are using new technologies in meaningful ways. To build our new refinery in 60 percent of the time it took to build our first, we are training 20,000 people in a new generation of welding technology in six months. This is where demographics come in. We have 650 million people who are below their early 30s, while the U.S. and Europe face a shortage of skilled workers. A billion people used to mean lots of problems. Today I see a billion people as a billion potential consumers, an opportunity to generate value for them and to make a return for myself.

Q: How do you motivate poor farmers to join your new farm-to-retail network?

A: We will work with farmers to get them to increase their productivity and produce the right products of the right quality. This also requires a major investment in technology because there are minimum import standards [overseas]. We are also creating something that is totally missing in India: an efficient distribution system, linked to supermarkets across the world. This will generate up to one million new jobs and make us the largest private-sector employer in India.

Q: What drives you?

A: In my father's language: "To create something out of nothing." That possibility exists in India even in old-world sectors like agriculture.

Q: Is this an agrarian revolution?

A: Absolutely. Reliance is involving itself in agriculture in a big way. This will help to create a second green revolution at a time when energy and agro are converging. Oil is now at $70 a barrel, [but it's] a finite asset. We need a fallback position. We are looking for more gas and oil but we are also trying to grow our own energy. We think this has the potential to change the world.

Q: How disruptive and dispiriting was the feud with your brother?

A: Fundamentally we had different approaches. My view is to give everyone the space to grow in his own way. When you see restructuring or separations in a family [firm], value has almost always been destroyed. This is the first case where value has been enhanced. In that way it has been a win-win ending.

Yellow and red - cards at World Cup

Berlin, July 10 (DPA) List of yellow and red cards issued at the 2006 World Cup:

Cards issued during knockout stages:

Red cards:
Argentina (1): Leandro Cufre
England (1): Wayne Rooney
France (1): Zinedine Zidane
Italy (1): Marco Materazzi

Two yellow cards in one match (red card shown):
Netherlands (2): Giovanni van Bronckhorst, Khalid Boulahrouz
Portugal (2): Costinha, Deco
Ghana (1): Asamoah Gyan
Sweden (1): Teddy Lucic

Yellow Cards:
France (10): Franck Ribery, Patrick Vieira, Zinedine Zidane, Lilian Thuram, Louis Saha (2), Willy Sagnol (2), Alou Diarra, Florent Malouda

Portugal (8): Luis Figo, Maniche, Costinha, Nuno Valente, Petit (2), Ricardo, Paulo Ferreira, Ricardo Costa, Ricardo Carvalhio (2)

Argentina (6): Gabriel Heinze, Juan Pablo Sorin (2), Javier Mascherano, Julio Cruz, Maxi Rodriguez

Brazil (6): Adriano, Juan (2), Lucio, Ronaldo, Cafu

Germany (6): Arne Friedrich, David Odonkor, Lukas Podolski, Torsten Frings (2), Christoph Metzelder, Tim Borowski, Bastian Schweinsteiger

England (5): Jamie Carragher, John Terry (2), Paul Robinson, Owen Hargreaves

Italy (5): Fabio Grosso, Gennaro Gattuso, Gianluca Zambrotta (2), Mauro Camoranesi

Ghana (4): Eric Addo, John Pantsil, Stephen Appiah, Sulley Muntari

Mexico (4): Rafael Marquez, Jose Antonio Castro, Gerardo Torrado, Jose Fonseca

Australia (3): Tim Cahill, Vince Grella, Luke Wilkshire

Ecuador (3): Carlos Tenorio, Luis Valencia, Ulises De la Cruz

Netherlands: (3): Mark van Bommel, Rafael van der Vaart, Wesley Sneijder

Ukraine (3): Artem Milevskiy, Vyacheslav Sviderskiy, Maksym Kalinichenko

Sweden (2): Marcus Allback, Mattias Jonson

Spain (1): Carles Puyol

Switzerland (1): Tranquillo Barnetta

Red and yellow cards issued during the 48-group stage matches:

Red cards:
Czech Republic (1): Tomas Ujfalusi
Italy (1) Daniele De Rossi
Serbia & Montenegro (1): Mateja Kezman
Ukraine (1): Vladislav Vashchuk
USA (1): Pablo Mastroeni

Two yellow cards in one match (red card shown):

Croatia (2): Dario Simic, Josip Simunic
Angola (1): Andre
Australia (1): Brett Emerton
Czech Republic (1): Jan Polak
Ivory Coast (1): Cyril Domoraud
Mexico (1) Luis Perez
Poland (1): Radoslaw Sobolewski
Serbia-Montenegro (1): Albert Nadj
Togo (1): Jean-Paul Abalo
Trinidad and Tobago (1): Avery John
Tunisia (1): Zied Jaziri
USA (1): Eddie Pope

Yellow cards:

Ghana (12): Sulley Muntari (2), Asamoah Gyan (2), Otto
Addo, Michael Essien (2), Habib Mohamed, Derek Boateng, Illiasu
Shilla, John Mensah, Stephen Appiah

Tunisia (12): Adel Chedli, Karim Haggui, Riadh Bouazizi (2), Yassine
Chikhaoui, Anis Ayari, Hatem Trabelsi, Radhi Jaidi (2), Haykel
Guemamdia, Zied Jaziri, Jaouhar Mnari

Switzerland (11): Alexander Frei, Marco Streller, Ludovic Magnin,
Philipp Degen, Ricardo Cabanas, Johann Vogel, Christoph Spycher,
Hakan Yakin, Johan Djourou, Philippe Senderos, Raphael Wicky

Serbia-Montenegro (10): Dejan Stankovic, Albert Nadj, Goran Gavrancic
(2), Ivica Dragutinovic, Mladen Krstajic, Ognjen Koroman (2), Igor
Duljaj, Milan Dudic

Angola (9): Andre, Jamba, Loco (2), Joao Ricardo, Jose Ze Kalanga
(2), Luis Manuel Delgado, Mendonca

Netherlands (9): Giovanni van Bronckhorst, John Heitinga, Arjen
Robben, Joris Mathijsen, Mark van Bommel, Khalid Boulahrouz, Andre
Ooijer, Dirk Kuyt, Tim de Cler

Portugal (9): Cristiano Ronaldo, Nuno Valente, Pauleta, Deco,
Costinha, Luis Boa Morte, Maniche, Miguel, Nuno Gomes

South Korea (9): Kim Young Chul, Lee Chun Soo (2), Lee Ho, Kim Dong
Jin, Ahn Jung-Hwan, Choi Jin-Cheul, Kim Jin-Kyu, Park Chu-Young

Ukraine (9): Andriy Rusol (2), Vladimir Yezerskiy, Andriy
Nesmachniy, Maksym Kalinichenko, Vyacheslav Sviderskiy (2), Anatoliy
Timostchuk, Oleg Shelayev

Costa Rica (8): Danny Fonseca, Luis Marin (2), Mauricio Solis,
Michael Umana, Ronald Gomez, Gabriel Badilla, Leonardo Gonzalez

Iran (8): Javad Nekounam (2), Mehrzad Madanchi (2), Hossein Kaabi,
Yahya Golmohammadi, Andranik Teymourian, Ferydoon Zandi

Paraguay (8): Nelson Valdez, Carlos Paredes (2), Denis Caniza, Edgar
Barreto, Roberto Acuna, Jorge Nunez, Julio Dos Santos

Poland (8): Artur Boruc (2), Euzebiusz Smolarek, Jacek Krzynowek,
Jacek Bak, Arkadiusz Radomski, Michal Zewkalow, Marcin Baszczynski

Togo (8): Alaixys Romao (2), Emmanuel Adebayor, Massamasso Tchangai,
Moustapha Salifou (2), Cherif-Toure Mamam, Yao Aziawonou

Trinidad and Tobago (8): Aurtis Whitley (2), Cyd Gray, Densill
Theobald, Dwight Yorke, Kenwyne Jones, Shaka Hislop, Brent Sancho

Croatia (7): Igor Tudor (2), Niko Kovac, Robert Kovac (2), Darijo
Srna, Stipe Pletikosa

Ivory Coast (7): Emmanuel Eboue, Didier Drogba (2), Arthur Boka,
Didier Zokora, Aruna Dindane, Kader Keita

Japan (7): Akira Kaji, Naohiro Takahara, Teruyaki Moniwa, Tsuneyasu
Miyamoto (2), Yoshikatsu Kawaguchi, Alex

Argentina (6): Javier Saviola, Luis Gonzalez, Gabriel Heinze, Hernan
Crespo, Esteban Cambiasso, Javier Mascherano

Australia (6): Craig Moore, John Aloisi, Tim Cahill, Vince Grella,
Brett Emerton, Jason Culina

Ecuador (6): Cristian Mora, Edison Mendez, Ivan Hurtado, Segundo
Castillo, Ulises De la Cruz, Luis Valencia

France (6): Eric Abidal (2), Zinedine Zidane (2), Willy Sagnol,
Claude Makelele

Italy (6): Daniele De Rossi, Mauro Camoranesi, Vincenzo Iaquinta,
Francesco Totti, Gianluca Zambrotta, Gennaro Gattuso

Mexico (6): Carlos Salcido, Gerardo Torrado, Gonzalo Pineda,
Francisco Rodriguez, Rafael Marquez, Zinha

Sweden (6): Henrik Larsson, Marcus Allback, Teddy Lucic, Tobias
Linderoth, Fredrik Ljungberg, Niclas Alexandersson

Brazil (5): Emerson, Cafu, Robinho, Ronaldo, Gilberto

Czech Republic (5): David Rozehnal, Tomas Rosicky, Vratislav Lokvenc
(2), Zdenek Grygera

Saudi Arabia (5): Ahmed Dokhi, Nawaf al-Temyat, Omar Al-Ghamdi, Saud
Kariri, Sami al-Jaber

Spain (5): Carlos Puyol, Cesc Fabregas, Carlos Marchena, David
Albelda, Jose Antonio Reyes

England (4): Frank Lampard, Steven Gerrard, Peter Crouch, Owen
Hargreaves

Germany (4): Christoph Metzelder, David Odonkor, Michael Ballack, Tim
Borowski

USA (3): Claudio Reyna, Oguchi Onyewu, Eddie Lewis

Suspended by FIFA after quarter-final game between Argentina and Germany:

Germany (1): Torsten Frings (one match suspension)
Argentina (1): Maximiliano Rodriguez (two match suspension)

--DPA

Zidane voted best player at World Cup

Berlin, July 10 (DPA) French captain Zinedine Zidane was named the best player of the World Cup Monday, a day after he was sent off in disgrace in the final match for head-butting Italy's Marco Materazzi in the last game of his career.

Zidane, 34, won the Golden Ball award after topping the poll of media representatives conducted by FIFA, with 2012 points, ahead of Italian captain Fabio Cannavaro with 1977 points and Italian Andrea Pirlo with 715 points.

The other FIFA award winners were Portugal, who won the prize for the most entertaining team; Germany striker Miroslav Klose, whose five goals won him the Golden Shoe award for tournament top scorer; and Italy's Gianluigi Buffon who was named the best goalkeeper of the tournament.

--DPA

'Azad Kashmir' polls: Muslim Conference tipped to lead

Islamabad, July 11 (IANS) Sardar Atique of the Muslim Conference is tipped to lead in the first elections in Pakistan administered Kashmir - what Pakistan calls 'Azad Kashmir'- since the devastating earthquake of October last year, as per pre-poll media conjectures.

Nearly 2.5 million people go to polls Tuesday to elect 41 members of the eighth 'Azad Kashmir' Legislative Assembly.

Atique, 50, son of long-time president and prime minister, Sardar Abdul Qayyum, is widely regarded as enjoying the blessings of President Pervez Musharraf and the pro-Musharraf Pakistan Muslim League (Qaid) leadership.

The political support was open when the father introduced the son to the national leadership last month.

Azad Kashmir People's Party (AJK-PP) presided over by Sahibzada Ishaq Zafar, and People's Muslim League led by Barrister Sultan Mehmood are the key contending parties in the elections. They have, however, expressed doubts about the fairness of the polls during the campaign.

As has been the practice in the past elections, a number of intending candidates who stand for the independence of Jammu and Kashmir were kept out of the polls because they refused to sign the form owing allegiance to Pakistan.

Voters will choose from amongst 369 candidates fielded by 17 political parties of 'Azad Kashmir'. Twenty-nine constituencies fall in 'Azad Kashmir' while the remaining 12 in Pakistan, which are represented by refugees from the Kashmir Valley and Jammu region of Indian administered Kashmir.

'Azad Kashmir' has a total of 1,839,530 voters - 966,871 males and 872,659 females - and 29 seats.

As many as 1,112 polling stations have been set up in Pakistan for the 12 assembly seats and 4,858 polling stations with 7,214 booths for voting in 'Azad Kashmir'.

Commenting on the conclusion of the brief campaign, The News said that "strict across the board law enforcement was the hallmark of the campaign". "One wishes this policy is adopted in Pakistan as well and the chief election commissioner is made as neutral and empowered as the man supervising the elections in 'Azad Kashmir' is."

The massive wreck caused by last October's earthquake, which flattened major parts of 'Azad Kashmir' and left hundreds of thousands killed and maimed, "did not happily dissuade Pakistani authorities from holding elections on time", the newspaper observed, adding: "Such an approach deserved to be followed in Pakistan too."

At the national level, elections have been promised for next year and the opposition has been clamouring that the elections be held by a "neutral" election commission and should be free and fair.

'Spirit of Mumbai' to fore after blasts

Mumbai, July 11 (IANS) The famed spirit of Mumbai came to the fore Tuesday, shaking off in no time the shock and terror that followed seven high-intensity blasts along the suburban rail network of the city, killing at least 135 people.

Minutes after the blast the common man took over the scene of tragedy in this megalopolis of 18.5 million with hundreds of passengers lending a helping hand to the injured as well as removing the bodies.

As was evident from the nature of the blasts - all targeting middle-class railway commuters returning after a hard day's work, it was the average Mumbaikar who was the target of the perpetrators.

Hundreds of citizens who lived in the nearby areas of the blast sites came out of their homes to assist in the relief operations, much before police or ambulance workers reached the scene.

"I heard of the blasts and decided to rush to the spot in Jogeshwari, which is close to my residence in Andheri (West)," said Parth Sadhwani, an Internet cafe owner.

"I will talk to you later as I have to rush back now with medicines and some food and water," Sadhwani told IANS on phone.

As the train services came to a grinding halt following the blasts, millions of citizens had to either take to the BEST bus service, auto rickshaw or taxi.

The best example of the camaraderie came from car owners, particularly those travelling by the arterial S.V. Road and eastern and western express highways. Many of them took upon themselves the responsibility of driving strangers to their destinations.

"I tried calling up my family in vain to tell them that I will be late as I had had to drop four others who could not go home by trains today," said P. Ravindra Kumar, a pharmaceutical firm employee.

"The roads are all jammed thanks to the double-duty traffic today. But what else do you expect on such a horrible day. This is the least we can do," said Kumar, who drove three others towards their destinations in Malad, Borivali and Mira Road in western Mumbai.

137 killed in Mumbai's 7/11 terror attacks

Mumbai, July 11 (IANS) At least 137 people were killed and around 300 injured, many seriously, as seven powerful blasts ripped through packed train cars and on stations during rush hour here Tuesday evening in the worst terror attack in India in over a decade.

Top police officials admitted that the well-coordinated strikes, the worst in the country's financial capital since 1993 when 13 serial bomb attacks killed at least 270 people, were completely unexpected and led to fear that was eventually overcome by Mumbaikers' known resilience.

Starting at 6.25 p.m. at Khar station, one deafening explosion after another took place in quick succession at or near railway stations at Mahim, Jogeshwari, Borivili, Bhayander, Matunga and the Khar-Santa Cruz subway - all on the Western Railway network.

Most deaths occurred instantly in the first class train compartments as the powerful bombs that had been smuggled into them went off, throwing off bodies or body parts on to tracks and creating pandemonium.
Pic source: Dhermesh

Many died while jumping out of trains that had caught fire.

Train carriages turned into complete wrecks, the steel doors and windows torn apart, the roofs blown up and seats flung on to railway tracks, with bloodstains everywhere.

"There were gory scenes anywhere," said Mahadev, a middle-aged man who was traveling on one of the trains that suffered a blast. "We ran to the compartment where the bomb went off. The roof had blown up. There was smoke everywhere."

Another witness, a woman, said: "I saw people hanging from the train compartments. What I was really horrific. There were limbs on railway tracks."

In the absence of stretchers, dead bodies were dumped into bed covers and taken home.

Dazed survivors, blood on their faces, stared blankly at the explosion sites, some trying desperately to speak to their families on mobile telephones held by young men who came rushing from neighbourhood buildings. All this while it kept raining all over the city, making the situation much more grim and difficult.

The first rescue operations came from train passengers and people in the vicinity of railway stations who complained that there was no trace of policemen in the initial half hour.

Taxi drivers chipped in, asking their passengers to get off so that they could ferry the injured to the nearest hospitals.

Mumbai Police Commissioner put the death toll at 135 and said more than 300 people were injured. But the number of injured would be much more because many who suffered simple cuts and burns did not even go to hospitals.

Hospitals across the city battled to meet the rush of the dead and the injured, as well as worried family members looking for their missing ones.

Within minutes, all trains on the Western Railway network came to a halt. Policemen cordoned off the stations and found some more bombs that were meant to explode -- and quickly defused them.

But the Central Railway trains continued to ply, taking in many more thousands of stranded passengers. Thousands more simply trekked for several kilometers in the absence of buses and public transport.

Joint Commissioner of Police Arup Patnaik told journalists: "It looks there is a terrorist hand."

Police Commissioner Roy, running from one station to another, also appealed for calm.

"I urge the people of Mumbai to stay calm. We are trying to bring the situation under control. Our first priority is to rescue the injured. Nobody should believe in rumours.

"We are removing dead bodies. We are also ensuring that nothing like this happens anywhere else in the city. We are also helping people to move to their respective places."

Many of the deaths took place as people leapt out of the running stations following the blasts, in some cases causing stampede as screaming men and women, most of them returning home from work, ran in different directions.

Electric trains in Mumbai are its lifeline and ferry some five million people daily.

Of this, the Western Railway, operational between Churchgate Terminus in south Mumbai and Dahanu Road, 120 km away, accounts for 2.6 million passengers.

During peak hour, a train can pack in more than 4,700 passengers although the official carrying capacity is just 1,700.

Mumbai citizens are not new to disasters, whether natural or man-made. They had barely recovered from the torrential rains and politically inspired violence when terror struck again, almost exactly after three years,

Nearly 60 people had died in terror blasts in the city in August 2003.

30 Taliban insurgents killed in coalition operation

Kabul, July 11 (Xinhua) Afghan and the U.S.-led coalition forces in their latest operation against Taliban-linked militants eliminated 30 insurgents in the troubled southern Helmand province on Tuesday.

"Early morning on 11th July Afghan and coalition forces conducted an operation in Sangin district and at least 30 Taliban militants were killed," Julie Roberge, a spokesperson of the coalition told Xinhua.

The aim of the operation is to kill or capture Taliban commanders in the region, she added.

She also confirmed that a helicopter of the coalition forces developed technical problems on departure from the volatile region but did not give more details.

This operation coincided with the visit of the U.S. Secretary for Defense Donald Rumsfeld to the Afghan capital where he would reassure Washington's firm support to President Hamid Karzai's government.

Another 40 suspected Taliban operatives, according to a press release of the U.S. military were killed in the neighboring Uruzgan province on Monday.

More than 1,000 people, mostly Taliban-linked militants have been killed in Afghanistan since January this year.

60 Afghan civilians killed in US air strikes

Kabul, July 11 (Xinhua) At least 60 civilians were killed in air strikes conducted by the US-led coalition forces in southern Afghanistan, said an official Tuesday.

"The aircraft pounded three villages namely Deh Jauze, Sarosah and Kakrak, 12 km away from Trinkot, the provincial capital of Uruzgan, early Monday. The strikes lasted from 1.00 a.m. to 4.00 a.m.," said Abdul Khaliq, a provincial official.

Around 30 people were injured in the air strikes, he added.

Meanwhile, the US military rejected these claims as baseless.

"No, there was no civilian injured, and we have no report to support the claim," said Tamara Lawrence, spokesperson of the coalition.

The US military in a press release issued Monday said that the coalition attacks had left more than 40 extremists dead in villages 10 km away from Trinkot.

More than 1,000 people, mostly Taliban-linked militants, have been killed in the ongoing insurgency since the beginning of this year.

Annan disappointed with small arms meet

United Nations, July 11 (Xinhua) UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan expressed disappointment over the failure of the UN conference on curbing the illegal trade in small arms.

"The secretary-general is disappointed that the UN conference to review the implementation of the programme of action on the illicit trade in small arms and light weapons has ended without agreeing on an outcome document," Annan's spokesman Stephane Dujarric said in a statement Monday.

But the UN chief acknowledged that the conference did succeed in "recalling the issue of small arms and light weapons to the attention of the international community, which clearly remains committed to the programme of action as the main framework for measures to curtail the illegal trade in these weapons".

Delegates from all parts of the world reaffirmed that the most urgent task is to take firm steps to control illicit arms brokers and this issue will be studied in depth by a UN intergovernmental expert group, which will hold its first session in November, the statement said.

The two-week conference, meant to update an action plan adopted in 2001 and review efforts on the crackdown on the illegal trade of small arms, ended Friday without reaching a common ground as delegates remained divided on the best way to combat the illegal trade.

Some 2,000 representatives from governments, international and regional organisations and civil society attended the gathering at the UN Headquarters.

Bengal team for Srinagar to assist blast victims

Kolkata, July 11 (IANS) A three-member team led by West Bengal Tourism Minister Manab Mukherjee is going to Srinagar where at least five tourists from the state were killed and several injured in serial blasts Tuesday.

While a pall of gloom descended on Dum Dum Park area of north Kolkata from where all the tourists hailed, the state government swung into action by establishing contact with authorities in Srinagar and constituting a team led by the minister for bringing back the bodies and assisting the injured and stranded tourists.

The team was formed at the behest of Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya who also ensured that the central government arrange a special plane to bring back the victims. A control room (phone number: 33-25340239) was set up for disseminating information on the blast victims.

"We are leaving at the earliest. Tourism Secretary G.D. Gautama and an inspector general of police are accompanying me. I hope to reach Srinagar by Wednesday morning via New Delhi," Manab Mukherjee told reporters here Tuesday afternoon.

"We will try to ensure proper treatment of the injured and bring back the dead," he said.

Said Subhrajit Das Majumdar, an anxious son of a couple injured in Srinagar: "I do not know any whereabouts of my mother who went missing since the blasts. Though I spoke to my injured father over phone none of the list of those admitted to various hospitals showed my mother's name.

"Then I contacted Manab Mukherjee who assured me all help once I reach there. I want to reach Srinagar as soon as possible."

The deceased, including four women, from Kolkata were identified as Bandana Halder, Kaberi Ghosh Roy, Protima Bhattacharya, Sonu Bhattacharya and Chhaya Bhattacharya, all residents of Dum Dum Park.

On May 31, guerrillas in Jammu and Kashmir had attacked two buses carrying Bengali tourists at Dal Gate. One tourist was killed and 24 were wounded in the two explosions.

Bengal team for Srinagar; victims to be brought by plane

Kolkata, July 11 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday reportedly has arranged a special plane to bring back the victims of the serial blasts at Srinagar in Jammu and Kashmir. A three-member team led by the state tourism minister is also set to leave for Srinagar.

The prime minister, on his five-hour-long visit to the city, reportedly arranged the plane at the request of West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, who expressed concern over the blasts in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir that killed at least six Bengali tourists and injured an equal number of people.

While a pall of gloom descended on Dum Dum Park area of north Kolkata from where all the tourists hailed, the state government swung into action by establishing contact with authorities in Srinagar and constituting a team led by the minister for bringing back the bodies and assisting the injured and stranded tourists.

The team was formed at the behest of Bhattacharya. A control room (phone number: 33-25340239) was set up for disseminating information on the victims.

"We are leaving at the earliest. Tourism Secretary G.D. Gautama and an inspector general of police are accompanying me. I hope to reach Srinagar by Wednesday morning via New Delhi," Tourism Minister Manab Mukherjee told reporters here.

"We will try to ensure proper treatment of the injured and bring back the dead," he said.

The deceased, including five women, from Kolkata were identified as Bandana Halder, Kaberi Ghosh Roy, Protima Bhattacharya, Sonu Bhattacharya, Chhaya Bhattacharya and Purabi Das Majumdar, all residents of Dum Dum Park.

On May 31, guerrillas in Jammu and Kashmir had attacked two buses carrying Bengali tourists at Dal Gate. One tourist was killed and 24 were wounded in the two explosions.

Bihar district judge suspended

Patna, July 11 (IANS) A Bihar district judge was Tuesday suspended by the standing committee of the Patna High Court on charges of involvement in a massacre.

Vikas Kumar Sharma, a senior district judge posted as director of judicial Officer's Training Institute, Patna, was suspended, court officials said.

According to them, Sharma and his family were facing charges of being involved in a massacre in a village in East Champaran district last year that killed five people.

The committee headed by Chief Justice J.N. Bhatt decided to suspend him.

This was the third case of a district judge being suspended in the state.

Last year, the court committee had suspended Sudhanshu Kumar Lal, former Jehanabad district judge and secretary of the Bihar State Legal Services Authority, on various charges including of that of sexual harassment.

Earlier, Kamala Prasad, another district judge, was suspended on charges of passing an illegal bail order.

Blast inside bus kills four tourists in Srinagar

Srinagar, July 11 (IANS) Four tourists from Kolkata were killed and 12 injured Tuesday when a grenade exploded inside their bus near the famous Dal Lake in this Jammu and Kashmir capital.

Police here said militants lobbed a grenade into the tourist bus at Badyari Chowk near Dal Gate on the banks of the renowned lake.

Doctors at the SMHS hospital here said the condition of five of the injured was critical.

The dead included three women.

Bombings shocking and cowardly: Manmohan

New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday condemned the bomb blasts in Srinagar and Mumbai as "shocking and cowardly" and said India was committed to fighting terrorism in all its forms.

An emergency meeting of senior ministers and officials was convened by the prime minister immediately after his return from Kolkata to take stock of the security situations in the country following the serial blasts.

"The series of blasts in Jammu and Kashmir and Mumbai are shocking and cowardly attempts to spread a feeling of fear and terror among our citizens," Manmohan Singh said in a statement after the meeting read out by Home Minister Shivraj Patil outside the prime ministerial residence at 7 Race Course Road.

"My heart reaches out and grieves for all those affected by these blasts and who have lost their near and dear," he said, while reiterating the country's resolve to fighting terrorism.

Patil, National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan and Home Secretary V.K. Duggal were among those present at the hour-long meeting.

The prime minister also dispatched Patil and Railway Minister Lalu Prasad to Mumbai late Tuesday.

No official figures on the number of deaths were, however, released.

"We are waiting for exact information on the deaths. As per the information we have received so far, some say it can be 50 and some say it could even be more," Patil told reporters.

The bombings began in downtown Srinagar in the morning, killing eight people in five blasts. And in the evening rush hour, seven bombs rocked Mumbai's western suburbs, taking a toll of at least 23 lives and injuring dozens, police said.

The prime minister said India was committed to fighting terrorism.

"People of Jammum and Kashmir have been facing attacks of terror with courage and fortitude in the past. I am sure, they will continue to fight terrorism resolutely," he said.

"The citizens of Mumbai have faced a similar trauma more than a decade ago," the prime minister said, referring to the serial bombings in the city in 1993 when more than 270 people were killed in the wake of the razing of the Babri mosque in Ayodhya in December 1992.

"I am confident that the people of this great city have the will and courage to face the situation and will stand firm in the resolve to carry on their normal activities without succumbing to threats of terror," Manmohan Singh added.

Court suspends allotment of evacuees' land

Hyderabad, July 11 (IANS) The Andhra Pradesh High Court Tuesday suspended a government order for allotment of 200 acres of land on the city outskirts to people claiming to be legal heirs of those evacuees who crossed over to India during the partition in 1947.

The court suspended the order of Revenue Secretary D.C. Rosaiah for four weeks on an appeal filed by the state government to scrap the allotment of land at Poppalguda set aside for evacuees at the time of partition.

Land for people, who were uprooted from their homes in Pakistan during the period following partition, were set aside in various states and the issue was being dealt by the Indian government till June 23, 1980, after which it transferred the subject to the chief commissioner of land administration of the respective states.

The government moved the court after the allotment of land valued at Rs.7.17 billion by the revenue secretary triggered a controversy with the main opposition Telugu Desam Party alleging grave irregularities in the allotment.

Adjourning the case, the court also directed the government to allot lands only through auction.

Hailing the court order, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy said his government would protect every inch of public property and denied that the allotment was made at his behest.

The land allotment by the official on June 28 to R.P. Malani and others, said to be heirs of the evacuees, kicked up a row and the government itself moved the court before the order was challenged by its political rivals.

The government argued before that there were no clear directions from the federal government on allotment of evacuee property after the Displaced Persons (Compensation and Rehabilitation) Act, 1954, a Central Act, lapsed in September 2005.

The chief minister announced an inquiry against the officials and promised to take action against him, if found guilty.

He said since Rosaiah in his position as chief settlement commissioner (Evacuees) was a holding quasi-judicial post, the government could not scarp his order.

Hitting back at his predecessor N. Chandrababu Naidu, Reddy announced that the government would review the allotment of lands by the previous regime. He alleged that huge tracts of government lands were allotted without following the due procedure during TDP's nine-year rule (1995-2004).

"Lands which had a value of Rs.2 to Rs.3 crore (Rs.20-Rs.30 million) per acre was sold for Rs.50,000. We will ensure that the government get back all such lands," Reddy said.

Eight killed, 42 wounded in Kashmir serial blasts

Srinagar, July 11 (IANS) Eight persons, including six Amarnath-bound Bengali pilgrims, were killed and 40 wounded in serial bombings in the summer capital of Jammu and Kashmir Tuesday.

A senior police officer said two more critically injured Bengali pilgrims succumbed to their injuries in the hospital here late this afternoon, taking the death toll in the tourist bus attack at Dalgate to six.

Eleven persons, including six pilgrims who were wounded in the powerful explosion at Dalgate, are undergoing treatment at various hospitals here.

The officer also said two persons, including a Bihari labour, were killed and six others wounded in a powerful grenade explosion at the city centre Lal Chowk this afternoon.

The injured locals were taken to SMHS hospital for treatment.

Police has now confirmed two US nationals were among six persons injured in the blast at Abiguzar near the city centre. They said Hana Jan (4) and Sabia Jan (37), the two US citizens of Indian origin who were visiting their relatives in Srinagar, were undergoing treatment at the SMHS hospital.

There were chaotic scenes at the hospital as relatives of those injured in the blasts thronged the hospital. The hospital security staff had a difficult time controlling the wailing relatives.

Police also confirmed that 15 persons, including a tourist from Kolkata, were injured in the explosion near the Tourist Reception centre (TRC).

Examine 13 Godhra riot cases: Supreme Court

New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) In a significant order, the Supreme Court Tuesday directed a court here to examine the records in 13 cases relating to the 2002 Godhra riots and recommend whether they should be re-investigated.

A bench comprising judges K.G. Balakrishnan, Tarun Chatterjee and D.K. Jain asked Delhi's additional district and session judge to examine the cases on a petition filed by the National Human Rights Commission and some NGOs seeking fresh investigation by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) in these cases and to transfer them outside Gujarat for trial.

The 13 cases, in which hundreds of people lost their lives included the Sardarpura case, the Gulberg Society case, and the Naroda Patiya case.

The apex court requested Delhi's chief justice of Delhi to depute an additional district judge by July 17. It said the judge should scrutinize the records and other material in the Supreme Court registry and submit a report by August 20 indicating whether a fresh investigation was required.

The bench listed the case for further hearing August 29.

Solicitor General G.E. Wahanvati informed the court that the CBI was prepared to render all assistance in this exercise and to conduct a re-investigation if the court so desired.

Five killed as serial blasts rock Srinagar

Srinagar, July 11 (IANS) Separatist guerrillas exploded powerful grenades at five places in this Jammu and Kashmir capital within three hours Tuesday, killing five people including four tourists, injuring about 30 and causing widespread panic in the city.

Scores of tourists abruptly cancelled their bookings and looked for ways to get out following the coordinated attacks in a two-kilometre radius around the city centre Lal Chowk. And the modus operandi in at least three of the incidents was identical - grenades being lobbed at vehicles.

The first of the blasts occurred around 12.30 p.m. when separatist guerrillas tossed a powerful grenade inside a moving tourist mini bus at Dalgate, near the famous lake.

Three tourists from Kolkata were killed instantly while 13 others were wounded. A seriously injured tourist, also from Kolkata, succumbed to injuries en route to hospital.

"The grenade exploded inside the bus. Four tourists died in the explosion while 12 others are at the SMHS hospital here. The condition of four of the injured is serious," said S.M. Sahai, the inspector general of police, Kashmir range.

There was panic in Dalgate, crowded with tourists and pilgrims bound for the Amarnath cave shrine. Police and security forces immediately surrounded the Dalgate area and launched a massive search to nab those responsible for the explosion.

Shopkeepers downed their shutters and traffic went off the roads.

"I had just stepped inside a shop when the explosion occurred. I saw tourists inside the bus crying for help. Police came to the spot immediately and took the injured to hospital," said Ali Muhammad, a resident.

The second blast took place just 15 minutes later at Regal Chowk, 500 metres from the city centre Lal Chowk.

The target this time was a parked Haryana registered Maruti car with two men, a woman and child inside, all of whom were injured.

According to the police, militants chucked a grenade at the car, which has the registration number HR01J 5141.

"It was not a car bomb as reported earlier. A grenade was lobbed by militants which after hitting the Maruti car exploded under it," said Farooq Ahmed, deputy inspector general of police, central Kashmir range.

The third explosion took place in Lal Chowk near the Clock Tower, the area's most visible symbol. Five people were injured when separatist guerrillas threw a grenade into a passing Tata Sumo. One of them, a labourer from Bihar, died in the hospital.

Minutes later, militants carried out a powerful explosion in nearby Abi-Guzar locality in which six locals were injured.

The condition of one of the injured was serious, according to police sources.

The fifth explosion took place at the taxi stand near the Tourist Reception Centre, one-and-a-half km from Lal Chowk. Three people were injured when a man threw a grenade. However, taxi drovers caught the man who threw the grenade.

J.N. Bhardwaj, deputy inspector general of the paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), told reporters that he was not a local person. He has been handed over to the police.

The attacks led to panic cancellations of bookings of tourists to Kashmir and tension in the entire city as security forces spread out to launch sweeping hunts for those behind the serial blasts and beefed up security.

On May 31, guerrillas had attacked two buses carrying Bengali tourists at Dalgate. One tourist was killed and 24 others were wounded in the two explosions.

No group has yet claimed responsibility for Tuesday's explosion.

Hezbollah retaliates, attacks Israeli naval vessel

Beirut/Tel Aviv, July 15 (DPA) Hezbollah forces shelled an Israeli naval vessel in Lebanese waters following attacks on Hezbolla leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah's residence.

An Israeli military spoksman confirmed the attack and said there had been "slight damage" to the vessel.

Hours earlier Israeli planes had destroyed the building in southern Beirut that houses Nasrallah's home, according to al-Manar television.

The jets also bombed Hezbollah headquarters in Hreit Hrek, destroying the building. Two bombs also fell near the Iranian embassy in Beir Hassan at the outskirts of Beirut, but caused no damage.

The air strike on Hezbollah's headquarters was meant to send a clear message that Lebanon must get rid of Hezbollah, Israel's military Chief of Staff Dan Halutz said.

Halutz said the attack was aimed at Hezbollah's infrastructure and not its leader Sheikh Hassan Nasrallah. But he added that since Hezbollah took it upon itself to defend Lebanon, Lebanon must pay the price.

Israeli jets also attacked a bridge near the sultan Ibrahim area in Beirut, Lebanese police said. The sound of two exploding bombs echoed throughout the capital causing panic among residents.

The latest raids prompted families to flee and seek refuge in schools in Beirut. Women, children and elderly persons were filling up school buildings.

Earlier, Israeli planes had renewed strikes on bridges in eastern Lebanon, especially the road leading to Damascus, and killed at least four more civilians and injured some 60 more in attacks on Beirut's southern suburbs.

The latest deaths brought the number of Lebanese civilians killed since Wednesday to 60, police said.

In a defiant statement carried by Hezbollah's al-Manar television, Nasrallah called on the Lebanese people to "stay steadfast" amid Israeli attacks, saying: "We are going towards an open war with the Israelis."

Speaking just before the attack on the Israeli vessel, he said: "The Israeli gunboat...bombing our people will burn with its crew - just watch and see."

And addressing Israelis, he said: "If your government wants an open war, then you are going to have it." His guerrillas would "use new rockets they have never used it before", he said.

He continued: "What is happening today is not a result of capturing the two soldiers - it is a settling of old scores. We have two options: Either we bow to Israel or we stay steadfast and confront. I promise you victory again."

Addressing Arab leaders, Nasrallah said: "We are adventurers since 1982 and we only achieved victory for our country, and freedom." Shortly after his statement finished, fireworks filled the skies over Beirut's southern suburbs.

--DPA

Hindus in Britain resent 'Asian' tag: report

London, July 11 (IANS) Hindus in Britain prefer to be called 'British Hindus' or 'British Indians' rather than 'British Asians', according to government-sponsored research on the identity and public engagement of the community in Britain.

The report, called "Connecting British Hindus", was launched at the House of Commons Tuesday by Ruth Kelly, Secretary of State for Communities. According to census figures, Hindus constitute the third largest religious group in Britain after Christianity and Islam.

It is the first such report on Britain's Hindu community.

The research, commissioned by the Hindu Forum of Britain and carried out by the Runnymede Trust, revealed that some Hindus felt "excluded" in the race dialogue and urged the government, media and public service providers to ensure that Hindus were included in any work undertaken to tackle racism in communities.

In a statement, the forum said the research revealed that Hindus in Britain preferred to be called 'British Hindus' or 'British Indians' rather than 'British Asians' in order to prevent being clubbed with others with origins in the Indian sub-continent.

The report highlighted the excellent integration of Hindus into British society and urged the Government to work closely with British Hindus in building its capacity and improving public services catered to the special requirements of the community.

The report said: "Hindus in Britain have been seen as synonymous with the Indian community. While there is a great deal of overlap, it is clear that while Hinduism is geographically associated with India, there are also significant numbers of Hindus from the Caribbean, Fiji, Sri Lanka and East Africa.

"Further there are many Indians who are not Hindus, identifying with other faiths (in particular Sikhs, Jains, Zoroastrians and Muslims) or no faith."

A key finding of the report was that Hindu community organisations need to find sensitive ways of responding to fears and misinformation in order to reduce tensions, and to work with other faith communities, especially Muslim communities, to build dialogue and understanding

Kelly said: "This research raises important issues that exist between Hindu communities and the Government. It helps us and service providers tackle the challenges that impact on the everyday lives of Britain's Hindu communities.

"British Hindus have made a positive contribution to both the social, cultural and economic prosperity of our rich and diverse society. Many sections of those communities, including women, youth and older people, are often hard to reach.

"Last month I announced the Commission on Integration and Cohesion will consider how local areas deal with increasing diversity and respond to the tensions it can sometimes cause. We hope the Hindu community will make a vital contribution to the commission's work.

"All of us, including central Government and public services, have a role to play in helping Britain move towards an inclusive society, based on mutual respect, tolerance and understanding between people of all faiths."

Ramesh Kallidai, secretary general of the Hindu Forum of Britain, said: "The Hindu community has now entered its second-generation status and is well integrated into the larger British society.

The community is debating issues of identity and 'Britishness' with a view to playing a more active role in mainstream society. The community's diversity and the strength of its voluntary and community sectors continue to play a great role in its successful integration and progressive cohesion.

However, Hindu community groups and organisations face multiple disadvantage and discrimination. The report is one of the first sources of authentic and credible information that will seek to understand some of these issues."

Robert Berkeley, deputy director of the Runnymede Trust and principal researcher of the project, added: "By creating a better understanding of Hindus we also hope that some light will be shed on the ongoing debate about the role of faith communities in relation to the state.

"Often this debate is coloured by the considerable tensions that Muslim communities are facing in Britain, and the deliberations of the Church of England in developing a modern relationship with the state.

"By considering the needs of Hindus in Britain we hope to be able to offer a view of faith-based communities which gives a different perspective to the debate and encourages deeper thinking about appropriate responses to the needs of members of our community of communities and of citizens."

IISER - new initiatives in science education in India

Kolkata, July 11 (IANS) The Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER), whose foundation stone was laid by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Tuesday, marks the beginning of a new initiative in science education in India.

One of the objectives of IISER - another IISER is in Pune - is to make education and career in basic sciences more attractive by providing opportunities in integrated learning of sciences and break the barriers of traditional disciplines. IISER will thus promote a flexible and borderless curriculum in all disciplines of basic sciences and promote excellence in science education like the Indian Institutes of Technology (IITs).

IISER-Kolkata, like its Pune counterpart, will be a research university of the highest calibre in which teaching and education will be totally integrated with state-of-the-art research, nurturing both curiosity and creativity.

Though the foundation stone is being laid at the Saha Institute of Nuclear Physics at Salt Lake in Kolkata, the institute will be located in the suburb of Kalyani in Nadia district, about 40 km from here.

The West Bengal government has already given land for the institute whose foundation stone was originally scheduled to be laid on Oct 30, 2005.

IISER will be devoted to teaching of five-year integrated Masters and post-bachelors and post-Masters PhD programmes in integrative sciences in an intellectually vibrant atmosphere.

Consequently, all students of the integrated master's programme will be required to take courses in mathematics, physics, chemistry and biology for the first two years of the curriculum.

Apart from classroom instructions, IISER will promote the skills of students in areas such as scientific inquiry, problem solving, communication skills, computational sciences, electronics and instrumentation, workshops and glass blowing practices.

IISER proposes to create advance teaching and research laboratories where students will have an opportunity to pursue laboratory experiment as well as advanced research under the mentorship of world-class faculties.

The academic programme will be divided into semesters and students can choose courses for specialisation in one or more disciplines of basic sciences based on a flexible credit system.

India will not be in nuclear club: Rice

By Arun Kumar, Washington, July 11 (IANS) The Bush administration is hard at work to win legislative approval for the India-US nuclear deal before the US Congress goes into summer recess on Aug 4, but Washington and its three major western allies are against India's entry into the nuclear club as a weapon state.

"Let me be clear: We do not support India joining the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT) as a nuclear weapon state," US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice declared at a joint power lunch hosted Monday by two of the largest Indian American associations that have come together to lobby for the deal.

"Rather, the goal of our initiative is to include India, for the first time ever, in the global non-proliferation regime," she said in a bid to sell the deal to critics who suggest that it would enable New Delhi to rapidly expand its nuclear arsenal.

By requiring India to place two-thirds of its existing and planned civil nuclear reactors under the watchful eye of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), this initiative would be a net gain for the cause of non-proliferation worldwide.

This is not the position of the US government alone but also that of Britain, France and Russia besides IAEA chief Mohamed ElBaradei, the custodian of global non-proliferation, Rice declared.

Noting that the deal that has won overwhelming support from two key panels of the US Congress must now be voted by the full Senate and the House of Representatives to complete the approval process, she said, "So we are hard at work with both houses of Congress, especially with the India caucuses".

"And we are encouraging both the Senate and House to vote on the civil nuclear initiative this month, before the summer recess," Rice told members of the American Association of Physicians of Indian Origin (AAPI) and the Asian American Hotel Owners Association (AAHOA), representing over 50,000 physicians and hoteliers.

The US, she said, was mindful that the decision to enter into the civilian nuclear deal has also not been easy for Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and for India as some in India perhaps want to keep America at arm's length.

The prime minister has had his own domestic fights against protectionism, but to his great credit he has won support for the civil nuclear initiative in India, she noted, and Washington now looked forward to India fulfilling its remaining commitments under their July 18, 2005, accord.

Describing the nuclear deal as a key to unlocking the full promise of a partnership between India and the United States -- a partnership that has the power to transform the world -- Rice listed five major benefits flowing from it.

First, by addressing India's unique situation -- a country with nuclear weapons that had never signed the NPT, yet had never proliferated its nuclear technology -- creatively and responsibly, the civil-nuclear initiative will elevate India-US partnership to a new strategic level.

Second, the initiative will enhance energy security. Diversifying India's energy sector will help it to meet the ever-increasing needs of its people, while easing its reliance on hydrocarbons from unstable sources like Iran. This is good for both India and the United States.

Third, it will benefit the environment. With India's carbon emissions growing rapidly as it works to meet its development needs, mostly through fossil fuels, the deal will help India develop clean, environmentally free nuclear energy.

Fourth, it will create opportunities for American jobs. Civil nuclear cooperation with India will open a new market for American entrepreneurs and workers, which would create thousands of new jobs, directly and indirectly, within the United States. By helping India's economy grow, the US would thus be helping its own.

Fifth, it will add to the stability and security of the world. Since the US desires to strengthen the international nuclear non-proliferation regime, it believes that India's continued isolation from it is a wrong policy.

Rice said India and the United States can accomplish great things together in this new century. This new era could be defined not as "the American century", not as "the Indian century" but as freedom's century, she said painting it as the great outcome of their new partnership.

India will soon become the world's most populous nation, as well as one of the world's five largest economies. And of course, as a rising global power, India can be a pillar of stability in a rapidly changing Asia and a strategic partner for the United States as it meets the challenges of the 21st century, she said.

House India caucus co-chair Gary Ackerman and India's Ambassador to US Ronen Sen also spoke on the occasion.

One of the leading forces in the hospitality industry, AAHOA members own more than 20,000 hotels and motels with over one million rooms and an estimated value of more than $40 billion. AAPI with a membership of over 50,000 doctors and medical students is the largest ethnic medical and the largest Indian American professional association in the United States.
Photo source:Boardreaux

India-Bangladesh special passport scheme on way out

New Delhi, July 11 (IANS) Quoting security reasons, the Indian government has decided to scrap over a three-decades-old special passport scheme, under which residents of the northeastern states can travel to Bangladesh and has asked Dhaka to do the same.

"There is no need for a special passport specially for travelling to Bangladesh. A general passport which has more security features is more useful and safe," a senior official told IANS.

"Security is a serious issue with a spurt in fundamentalism and terrorism in Bangladesh. The special passports don't go through the same drill as general passports do," the official added.

However, it's a proposal at the moment and before scrapping it, India's home ministry needs to consult with security agencies and state governments, the official pointed out.

New Delhi has also asked Dhaka to review and scrap the special passports schem