Nepal is now world's youngest republic

Kathmandu: Nepal entered a new epoch minutes before Wednesday midnight with its newly elected constituent assembly voting overwhelmingly in favour of a motion to end the nation's 239-year-old monarchy and transform it into a federal, democratic and secular republic.

Of the 564 members present at the first historic meeting of the assembly, only four voted against the proposal to strip embattled King Gyanendra of his title and few remaining vestiges of power and ask him to vacate the royal palace within 15 days.

Along with the king, all other members of the royal family have now been stripped of their titles, privileges and responsibilities, becoming ordinary citizens of the country.

The assembly also ordered the government to turn the Narayanhity royal palace - the seat of Nepal kings for generations - into a national museum and use it for the benefit of the nation.
The king's place as head of state will be assumed by a constitutional president, who is to be elected by the constituent assembly.

The president will also be the official head of the army, as the king had been, and like him, would have the power to declare a state of emergency or revoke it on the advice of the council of ministers.

May 28 will be celebrated as Republic Day every year.

Immediately after the much-awaited proclamation, fireworks started and lamps began to be lit to celebrate the end of the country's 239-year-old dynasty of Shah kings, who were held responsible for the miseries of the people for centuries.

Defying the late hour and the ban on rallies, thousands of people poured out onto the streets, clapping, singing and dancing in joy.

While some waved the flags of the ruling parties, some waved banners that hailed the dawn of a new republic and new era.

The proclamation, scheduled to have been made at 11 a.m., came almost 12 hours late as the ruling parties were unable to reach a consensus on several major issues despite repeated rounds of negotiations.

The disagreements prevented the assembly from getting full shape as the parties could not nominate the additional 26 members.

However, constitutional expert Daman Nath Dhungana said the nominations could be made later and would not create a constitutional hurdle.

The long delay over the proclamation of a republic saw tension building up in the capital with three bombs going off in crowded public places.

A bomb went off in a park in the capital, injuring a woman, while two more exploded in the vicinity of the Birendra International Convention Centre where the constituent assembly held its first meeting.

Om Bikram Rana, chief of Nepal Police, said a man had been arrested in connection with the bombs and was under investigation.

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Twist to Aarushi Murder:Talwars’ Ex-servant Also Died

In yet another twist to the Arushi murder case, it has come to light that a man servant formerly working for the Talwar family was found dead by the roadside by the police who dismissed it as an accident case.

The body of Nim Raj Kaushal alias Raju, who was reportedly working at the Talwars’ Jalvayu Vihar residence early this year to fill in for Hemraj, who was away in Nepal on vacation, was recovered by the police along with his motorcycle on April 15 from a roadside drain in Pandav Nagar area of east Delhi.

A case was registered under FIR No. 125 in Pandav Nagar police station, with the police theorising that it was a case of road accident. "The motorcycle must have skidded off the road since there is a steep curve at the spot," SHO Ashwini Jaiswal said.

"The motorycle (registration number KL 11 U 8629) was impounded and no one came to claim the body of the deceased," he said.

According to some sources, Raju may, however, have stopped to buy cigarettes when a vehicle hit him, causing his death, since a cigarette packet was reportedly found clutched in his hand.

The SHO insisted it was not true. "No, the cigarette packet was recovered from his pocket and he died due to negligent driving and not in an accident," he said.

Source: Asian Age

'Nearly 12% of Students in South Delhi Schools Carry Weapons'

Fearing injury to themselves, nearly 12 per cent school children in south Delhi schools and colleges carry weapons with them to school, a study conducted here has claimed.

This finding is a result of the study conducted by the department of community medicine, Safdarjung Hospital, which conducted an in-depth analysis of the reasons for violent behaviours amongst school and college-going adolescents.

"A higher proportion of males (15.7 per cent) than females (3.9 per cent) were carrying a weapon since the past one year and involvement in violence was more amongst males than females," said Rahul Sharma, professor, department of community medicine at the hospital, who conducted the study.

According to the study, nearly 13.5 per cent had threatened or injured someone with a weapon in the past 12 months, a majority of them being males.

Almost one in two boys was found to be involved in a physical fight in past 12 months.

The choice of weapon included either a knife, a gun, a stick, a club, a hunter and a sword.

The study was conducted in three schools and two colleges in South Delhi and 550 adolescents aged between 14-19 years participated. Sharma was helped by Vijay Grover, Department of Community Medicine, MIMS, Ambala, in Haryana and Sanjay Chaturvedi, Department of Community Medicine, UCMS & GTB Hospital.

Katara Murder: Vikas, Vishal Yadav Held Guilty

NEW DELHI: A Delhi court on Wednesday convicted Vikas and his cousin Vishal Yadav in the sensational six-year-old Nitish Katara murder case.

Additional Sessions Judge Ravinder Kaur held Vikas, son of Uttar Pradesh politician D P Yadav, and his cousin Vishal guilty of murder, abduction and destruction of evidence in the case. The sentence is expected to be pronounced on May 30.

The court rejected a plea of Vikas that the pronouncement of verdict be stayed as the Delhi High Court is likely to hear his application seeking a stay on trial court proceedings on Wednesday.

The judge then posed a query to defence counsel G K Bharti as to whether the High Court had stayed the proceedings in this court.

Finding the reply in negative, the court straight away pronounced the verdict, saying, "I hold Vikas Yadav and Vishal Yadav guilty under Section 302, 364, 201 and 34 of the IPC."

Vikas and his cousin were then taken away to the lock-up.

Vikas had on Tuesday moved the High Court after the Additional Sessions Judge dismissed his fresh application seeking to re-examine key witness Ajay Katara and others in the light of a CD, allegedly pointing towards a nexus between the witness and Nitish's mother, Neelam Katara, who is the complainant in the case.

The High Court was to hear the matter on Wednesday. Reacting sharply to the turn of events, counsel for Vikas, G K Bharti said, "It seems that the trial court has given this verdict under some pressures from some quarter."

Neelam Katara, who had been fighting the legal battle for the last six years, said, "My faith in judiciary has been strengthened with the verdict."

She also extended her thanks to the media, saying, "You people have supported me for a just cause and I believe this will ensure that no other son of any mother has to meet such a fate."

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Gujjar protests spread to Delhi, minister's son held

Gurgaon/Jaipur, May 28: The Gujjar agitation for ST status on Wednesday spread to the national capital region (NCR) with protesters blocking traffic on certain key stretches as agitators forced shutdowns in several areas in Rajasthan.
A group of protesters set tyres afire in Gurgaon's M G Road area, where major malls are located, causing a major traffic jam, police said. They dispersed after police intervened.

Vehicular movement was affected in sections of Mehrauli-Gurgaon and GT-Karnal roads by protesters who put up blockades.

With the Gujjars threatening to bring the NCR to a halt tomorrow, large contingents of police are keeping a close watch across the capital, especially in Gujjar-strongholds of Mehrauli, Ghazipur, Patparganj, Badarpur, Khanpur, Ayanagar, Chilia village and Rampur.

In Rajasthan, the agitators forced shutdowns in Tonk, Sawaimadhopur, Rajsamand, Rawatbhata, Pali and Deoli areas.

Traffic was also affected on the Jaipur-Agra, Jaipur- Kota and Udaipur-Ahmedabad national highways, police sources in Jaipur said.

Rajasthan Government has clamped in 15 districts the stringent National Security Act, under which a person can be arrested without a warrant.

Meanwhile, the Rajasthan government today said the reservation should be done at the Central level and asked the community members to "use their wisdom".

"Now the entire proceedings of reservation should be done at the Centre level. The Gujjar community should take their initiatives to the Centre and use their wisdom," Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje said in a full-page advertisement carried by leading newspapers.

She also appealed to the Gujjars to stop violence, understand the reservation procedure and come forward to settle the issue through dialogue.

While the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) has referred the issue of reservation sought for Gujjars by Raje to the Law Ministry, the Congress dismissed her recommendation saying it was "immature" and legally untenable.

Meanwhile, Gujjar leader Kirori Singh Bainsla, who is camping in Karwadi village in Bharatpur district, accused the Centre and Rajasthan Government of adopting "time buying tactics" on the community's demand for ST status.

"The Prime Minister's Office by referring the issue to the Law Ministry is part of the time-buying tactics adopted by the Central and Rajasthan governments," Bainsla said.

He was responding to questions on the PMO's decision to refer to the Law Ministry the letter of Raje seeking a separate quota for Gujjars.

"Only granting ST status for Gujjars will end the agitation," he said.

Bainsla asked the Rajasthan Government to send a "clear and factual" report to the Centre on the community's demand.

Union Home Minister Shivraj Patil chaired a meeting with Special Secretary (Internal Security) M L Kumawat and Delhi Police chief Y S Dadwal yesterday and is understood to have later briefed the Prime Minister on the situation.

Raj minister's son held

Police on Wednesday arrested Devalal, son of the Rajasthan Panchayat Minister Kalulal Gujjar, for allegedly planning a meeting for Gujjar agitation and road blockade at Karaoi village in Bhilwara district.

Devalal, arrested under section 151 apprehending public nuisance and law and order would be produced before the Sub-Divisional Magistrate, SP Bhilwara, Mohan Singh said.

The minister has not been supporting the ongoing Gurjjar agitation in the state but he is the one who raised ST quota demand during the previous Congress government.

Source: Expressindia

US Freezes Assets of Top Lashkar Leaders

Washington: The US has clamped down on Pakistan-based Laskar-e-Toiba (LeT) that has targeted India, including the 2001 attack on Parliament building, by freezing the assets of its top four leaders and barring its nationals from dealing with the militant outfit.

The four are Muhammad Saeed, the group's overall leader, Zaki-ur-Rehman Lakhvi, its chief of operations; Haji Muhammad Ashraf, the chief of finance--- all hailing from Pakistan-- and India-born Mahmoud Mohammad Ahmed Bahaziq, a main LeT financier, the US Treasury Department said.

It said Lashkar had links to terror mastermind Osama bin Laden and the al Qaeda network.

"LeT is a dangerous al Qaida affiliate... Its transnational nature makes it crucial for governments worldwide to do all they can to stifle LET's fundraising and operation," Stuart Levey, Under Secretary for Terrorism and Financial Intelligence (TFI), said in statement.

The US said LeT has conducted numerous attacks against Indian military and civilian targets since 1993, including the the December 2001 targeting of Parliament building and the July 2006 attack on multiple Mumbai commuter trains.

LET is also suspected of involvement in attacks in New Delhi in October 2005, and in Bangalore in December 2005.

LET arose in the early 1990s as the armed wing of the Sunni missionary movement Markaz-ud Dawa-wal-Irshad. Despite being banned by the Government of Pakistan in January 2002, LET continues to operate in Kashmir and engage in or support terrorist activities worldwide, the US statement said.

The US named LET a Foreign Terrorist Organisation (FTO) on December 26, 2001.

"Any assets these designees have under U.S. Jurisdiction will be frozen and U.S. Persons are prohibited from engaging in any transactions with the designees.

Source: PTINEWS

Woman Raped in Moving Truck in Delhi

NEW DELHI: A 24-year-old woman alleged that she was raped in a moving truck in Kapashera area in southwest Delhi late on Monday night.

The police have arrested driver and cleaner of the truck and have registered a case.

According to police, the woman raised an alarm near a police picket in Kapashera after which cops stopped the truck and found two man and the victim inside the truck. The victim alleged she had been raped by the two after which a medical examination was conducted which confirmed rape, said the police.

The police have arrested the driver Vijay (24) and cleaner Ramesh (27) on the basis of the woman’s complaint. The victim belongs to a nearby village, added the police.

She told the police that she was picked by the two late on Monday night while she was walking towards her house.

Source: TOI

No Oil Cess on Income Tax: Chidambaram

NEW DELHI: The Finance Ministry on Wednesday said reports about certain new tax proposals to offset oil marketing companies' under recoveries due to rising global crude prices are totally “baseless” and “speculative” in nature.

“Attention of the Ministry of Finance has been drawn to the reports appearing in a section of media following a routine meeting between the Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas and the Finance Minister. The reports are largely speculative and in particular, reports about certain new tax proposals are totally baseless,” an official statement said.

Various reports in a section of the media after the meeting on Tuesday had said that Government is mulling a cess on income tax to fund oil subsidy. The government may also reduce customs and excise duties, besides increasing prices of petrol and diesel and issuing oil bonds, the reports had said.

“Ministry of Finance points out that no body from the Ministry had briefed the media,” the statement said.

Source: Newindpress

McCain Backs Indo-US Nuclear Deal

Washington: Republican presidential candidate John McCain says he supports the India-US civil nuclear deal to strengthen ties with the world's largest democracy and further involve India in the fight against nuclear proliferation.

He would also actively engage both India and Pakistan to improve the security of their nuclear stockpiles and weapons materials, said McCain, 71, who would be the oldest first term US president If elected in the November presidential poll.

'We need to enlist all willing partners in the global battle against nuclear proliferation,' he said Tuesday in a major foreign policy speech outlining his vision on nuclear security at the University of Denver in Denver, Colorado.

I support the US-India Civil Nuclear Accord as a means of strengthening our relationship with the world's largest democracy, and further involving India in the fight against proliferation,' McCain said.

'We should engage actively with both India and Pakistan to improve the security of nuclear stockpiles and weapons materials, and construct a secure global nuclear order that eliminates the likelihood of proliferation and the possibility of nuclear conflict,' he added.

The Republican candidate said he was convinced that civilian nuclear energy can be a critical part of the fight against global warming as nuclear power provides a way for the US and other responsible nations to achieve energy independence and reduce dependence on foreign oil and gas.

'But in order to take advantage of civilian nuclear energy, we must do a better job of ensuring it remains civilian,' he said, suggesting some nations use the pretence of civilian nuclear programmes as cover for nuclear weapons programmes.

'We need to build an international consensus that exposes this deception, and holds nations accountable for it,' McCain said. 'We cannot continue allowing nations to enrich and reprocess uranium, ostensibly for civilian purposes, and stand by impotently as they develop weapons programmes.'

To prevent countries from using civilian nuclear programmes as a cover for the development of nuclear weapons, the presidential hopeful said he would limit the further spread of enrichment and reprocessing.

He favoured international guarantees of nuclear fuel supply to countries that renounce enrichment and reprocessing and also expressed support for establishing international nuclear enrichment centres and an international repository for spent nuclear fuel.

But in other remarks suggesting an edging away from President George W. Bush, the Arizona senator said he would pursue nuclear arms reduction talks with Russia and China as part of a foreign policy vision that brings back 'broad-minded internationalism and determined diplomacy'.

It is a vision not of the United States acting alone, but building and participating in a community of nations all drawn together in this vital common purpose. It is a vision of a responsible America, dedicated to an enduring peace based on freedom,' McCain said.

But even as his remarks were seen as an attempt to distance himself from Bush who has often been accused of going to war against Iraq without broad international support and participation, McCain expressed support for the president's current Iraq strategy and criticised those seeking withdrawal of US troops.

Facing down a handful of anti-Iraq war protesters who interrupted his speech several times with chants of 'End this war' and 'What about Iraq?' he said: 'By the way, I will never surrender in Iraq. Our American troops will come home with victory and honour.'

Going beyond the Bush administration's non-proliferation objectives, McCain proposed more nuclear arms reductions saying he would consider Russia's proposal to expand an intermediate range nuclear weapons treaty.

He also expressed a willingness to talk to China about arms reductions, and backed an overseas nuclear waste repository to avoid building a controversial storage facility in Nevada.

'These are all different from the Bush administration,' said McCain foreign policy adviser Randy Scheunemann. Democratic frontrunner Barack Obama has been trying to paint McCain as a candidate who would in effect give Bush a third term by continuing his unpopular policies.


Source: Sulekha News

Clark's career-best spell leads Australia to win over Windies

Fast bowler Stuart Clark grabbed a career-best five for 32 to lead Australia to a 95-run victory over West Indies on the final day Monday of the opening cricket test at Sabina Park.

West Indies, overnight 46 for one in pursuit of 287, was bowled out for 191 midway through the second session.

The 32-year-old Clark and fellow pacer Brett Lee (two for 81) ripped through the top order to set the tone on the final day.

``The wicket was good for bowling. It was a little bit up and down. It's nice conditions here,'' said Clark, who was named man of the match. ``I think it was my day today.''

Legspinner Stuart MacGill added a brilliant run out and sealed the win with two wickets in successive deliveries.

Australia scored 431 and 267 and West Indies 312 and 191.

Denesh Ramdin topscored in the second innings with 36 while Darren Sammy (35) and Daren Powell (27) provided some lower order resistance.

Clark, who dismissed Brenton Parchment on Sunday afternoon, struck again in the day's third over, claiming the key wicket of captain Ramnaresh Sarwan for 12.

Sarwan hit an exquisite cover drive to the boundary but perished in the same over when he got a leading edge to an on-drive at 55-2. Andrew Symonds leapt high at extra cover to reel in the catch on the second attempt.

Opener Devon Smith fell five runs later to Clark, playing no stroke to an in-cutter to be plumb leg before. The left-hander hit three fours in 27 off 77 balls.

Veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul and Runako Morton, who shared a century stand in the first innings, could not repeat their defiance.

Lee, in the middle of a hostile spell, was rewarded with the wicket of Morton, who missed a drive and was leg before for 9 at 74-4.

The West Indies wobble continued when Dwayne Bravo fell for a duck, chipping a catch into the leg-side trap set by captain Ricky Ponting to give Clark his fourth victim.

Lee provided the key scalp of Chanderpaul for 11 three balls later as Australia closed in on victory at 82-6.

The gritty left-hander, who hit a heroic 118 in the first innings, tried to attack off the back foot and provided a low return catch.

Source: Hindu

Rajasthan HC Issues Contempt Notice to Gujjar Chief Bainsla

Jaipur: The Rajasthan High Court Tuesday issued a contempt notice to Gujjar leader K.S. Bainsla for allegedly violating its order restraining him from resorting to violence and directed him to appear before the court on May 30.

Justice Prem Shankar Asopa's directive came after a contempt petition against 13 Gujjars, including Bainsla, came up for hearing in the court Tuesday. If Bainsla does not appear on May 30, the court will issue a bailable warrant for his arrest.

The high court has asked the collector of Bharatpur to serve a contempt notice to Colonel Bainsla, who heads the Gujjar Aarakshan Sangharsh Samiti (Gujjar pro-reservation front) fighting for Scheduled Tribe status to the community.

At least 37 people have died in the agitation that began last week Friday with the community blocking roads and rail tracks in several places.

The court also sought an explanation from Rajasthan's chief secretary, home secretary and director general of police on the actions taken so far to prevent the breakdown of law and order.

As the Gujjar movement showed little signs of ebbing, Chief Minister Vasundhara Raje was Monday summoned by Governor S.K. Singh. In a meeting that lasted over 45 minutes, the chief minister apprised him of the steps being taken to maintain peace. The governor asked the chief minister to resolve the issue by holding talks with Gujjar leaders.

'The governor said the crisis had started affecting the common person and should be resolved as quickly as possible,' sources in the governor's residence said.

Source: Sulekha News

11-yr girl raped by uncle, son in East Delhi

In yet another incident, a minor girl was allegedly raped by her paternal uncle and his son in the New Ashok Nagar area of east Delhi. The police has arrested the duo. The police has also arrested a doctor who administered pain killers to the victim.

Police officials investigating the case said the 11-year-old victim was raped by her uncle, identified as Shahdev Shah (50), and his son Sanju, alias Sanjeev (24), at her New Ashok Nagar residence. The police said the girl was raped twice in a week, first on May 21 and then on May 24. Dr Pramod Kumar allegedly helped the duo to administer pain killer injections to the victim, the police said.

The accused were living in the same house with the victim’s family. Ganesh Shah, the victim’s father, is a rickshawpuller. The accused duo is also in the same profession. The victim’s mother had gone to her native place in Bihar. The victim was first allegedly raped by her uncle Shahdev and then by Sanjeev in the absence of her father on Wednesday and then again on Saturday, the police said.

The incident came to light on Sunday after parents asked her why she was crying and she narrated her ordeal, the police said.

The father of the victim registered a case in the Ashok Nagar police station. The girl was taken to a local hospital where doctors confirmed the rape. Acting on a complaint, the police arrested the father and his son from the area.

According to the Delhi police, there were about 400 cases of rape and molestation reported in the city this year so far.

In majority of the rape cases, the police said, the accused were known to the victims and had been interacting with them.

Source: Asian

BJP Stakes Claim to Form Govt in Karnataka

BANGALORE: BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa, who led BJP to a landmark victory in Karnataka assembly poll, met Governor Rameshwar Thakur on Monday night and staked claim to form government armed with the support of five independents who helped him cross the magic figure of 113 for a simple majority in 224-strong assembly.

Yeddyurappa, 66, met the Governor Rameshwar Thakur on Monday evening and handed over a letter staking claim to form the government along with letters of support from five independents backing his government.

The independents who helped BJP cobble the majority House are Shivaraj Thangadi, the BJP rebel who won from Kanakagiri, JD(S) rebel emerging victorious from Hosadurga, Goolihatti Shekhar, and three Congress rebels Narendra Swamy (Malavalli), Venkataramanappa (Pavagada) and D Sudhakar (Hiriyur).

BJP General Secretaries, Arun Jaitley, HN Anantkumar and state unit president DV Sadananda Gowda were part of the party delegation that met the Governor

Aarushi Case: Noida Cops Under Fire

NEW DELHI: The Uttar Pradesh police has come under fire for its "insensitive" handling of the Aarushi murder case. While union minister Renuka Chowdhury has asked her officials to investigate whether the cops violated laws meant for the protection of minors by their public disclosure of an alleged liaison between the child and family servant Hemraj, the National Commission for Protection of Child Rights (NCPCR) has also objected to the stigmatisation of the minor.

Speaking to TOI , Chowdhury, who holds the charge of woman and child development, said, "I have asked ministry officials to look into the legal violations by the police in the Arushi murder case."

On Friday, the UP police insinuated that the 14-year-old girl fell victim to an "honour killing" after her father Rajesh Talwar — now the prime accused — found Aarushi and Hemraj in an "objectionable position". Both Brij Lal, ADG, Special Task Force, and Gurdarshan Singh, IGP (Meerut zone), had suggested that this was the immediate provocation for the murders.

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Petrol May Cost Rs 17 More

NEW DELHI: The government is believed to be considering decontrolling petrol prices, a move that may see rates being hiked by Rs 16-17 a litre, but diesel will continue to be sold at a subsidised price.

The relentless rise in international oil prices that last week touched an all time high fo 135 dollars a barrel has forced the government to mull options to save state-run firms, which expect a revenue loss of Rs 200,000 crore this fiscal on sale of petrol, diesel, domestic LPG and kerosene.

"One of the options being considered is deregulating petrol prices," an official said. "The country's preferred auto fuel diesel will, however, continue to be subsidised even though a marginal Rs 2-3 a litre hike in prices may be announced."

Petrol is currently being sold at a loss of Rs 16.34 a litre and diesel at Rs 23.49 per litre.

Deregulating petrol price would mean that its prices would move in tandem with international prices.

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Now Karnataka in Kitty, BJP Should Not be Complacent

By K Ramanathan Iyer

A lot has been said about the BJP's entry into the southern lands and Congress and the 'betrayal specialist' aka politically-untouchable JDS' root in the recently concluded Karnataka Polls.

The opinion polls of almost all Television Channels including the most reliable of recent times, CNN-IBN, predicted hung assembly and the Gowdas would again play a kingmakers role effectively. But all went wrong and BJP almost got the magical figure to claim to form a government in Karnataka. What went wrong for Congress and JDS? As every one knows the resons behind the debacle of the latter, the performance of the Congress has shocked the high command and the postmortem is already on.

As Arun Jaitley, the BJP's lucky mascot as chief poll manager, rightly said that Congress' lackluster poll campaign, not having any strong issue to convince people, lack of poll strategy, in-fighting and above all the resentment all over the country due to price rise and increasing crime rate, have proved costly for the party.

What ever may be the reason, the state has now got a stable government to rule full term, provided there should be no bickering within the party. Seeing the strong organizational structure, the chance of inner party bickering seems remote as of now.

For JDS, it has lost the (face) mandate from the people of Karnataka due to its power sharing drama enacted by former 'sleeping' prime minister and JDS patriarch HD Deve Gowda and his sons. What is interesting is that, after the defeat, since BJP wants a few MLAs support to form the government, Kumaraswamy has claimed in one of the TV channels that the BJP was trying to split the party. Why should one split JDS? It's already split into many pieces with almost all top leaders of the party deserted Kumaraswamy before the elections itself.

As Yeswant Sinha rightly predicted after the BJP's painful experience with JDS that, "We will give a fitting reply to JDS in the coming assembly elections." It was actually a slap on the faces of the both the Gowdas. Will they learn any lesson out of this? Being one of the senior most politicians of the country, it is the responsibility of the former PM to behave as a matured politician and guide the youngsters for better governance. But he has miserably failed in that. One would wonder how he managed to sit on the country's most powerful chair?

Now the State has got a party which has promised to give a good governance, Karnataka should be back on the track of development. The BJP and its ministers should not look for personal gains and work for the interest and development of the Silion Valley of India. They should set an example in Karnataka, so that their southern sojourn will be a successful venture and people from nearby states like Tamil Nadu, Kerala, Pondicherry and Andra Pradesh should be able to adopt the party wholeheartedly in the near future.

In case of Tamil Nadu, though the party will find it hard to win people's mandate, as Dravidian culture will stop them invading through the state stamping them as communal and brahminical party, in the case of Kerala, where the party has already its presence in many areas, will find it easy to win the people's mandate sooner than latter.

In Andra, of course the party has to work hard to overtake both Congress and Telugu Desam parties. But with TDP is in utter disarray and Congress is struggling to convince people on price rice and terrorism-related incidents, the saffron party will find it easy to hoist their flag in AP soon.

While greeting the BJP for their stupendous success in Karnataka and other states, I want to convey to the party high command, that these victories should not get into their mind and make them complacent. They should work harder now to retain the trust and faith that the people of Karnataka, Punjab, HP, Rajasthan, etc have on them and work for the benefit of the people and India. Good luck.

Why can't we predict natural disasters?

By K Ramanathan Iyer

Thousands of precious lives have been lost in the recent massive earthquake in China. As the quake struck during the day time, several school buildings were destroyed burying hundreds of kids beneath it.

An entire generation has lost in the killer quake in several villages. If this is the case in China, which is technologically advanced than India and at par with most developed countries like US, Uk etc, what would have happened to India if the epicenter was here?

With so much of advancement sin technologically, the precision of earthquake prediction is still eluding the scientists. Natural disasters never come informed. Though we have been partly successful in predicting Volcano eruptions, cyclonic storms and weather conditions, predating natural disasters like Tsunami and killer earthquakes beyond certain points in Ritcher Scales, has not been possible by the experts leading to widespread destruction and deaths.

Yesterday, I was watching the movie Terminator III where the machines once made by humans to safeguard themselves become hostile to human and intimately responsible for the end of the universe. Are we heading to that condition slowly but steadily?

We make nuclear bombs to terrorize our neighbors but have failed to find a solution to cancer, which is killing millions across the globe for the past several years. We make medicines to increase the sexual urge, but failed to find a viable solution to the diseases like HIV/AIDS, etc. We find solution to develop brighter brains aka smarter kids, but failed to direct the minds to develop something beneficial to human beings like finding solution to food crisis being haunted by several poor countries. Why should we use the technology more for destruction than for the construction part of it? If we had developed a viable mechanism to predict the earthquake well in advance, we could have saved hundreds of thousands lives from natural disasters.

Also the disaster management system should be effective in a country. The recent destruction caused by the heavy storms in Myanmar is a classic example of lack of coordination between technology and authorities concerned. Though India has claimed that it has fore-warned the nation of the killer gale, the country witnessed total destruction with thousands losing lives and properties. Here the government was responsible for not heading to the warning, so people suffered.

I think we should form a world body for disaster protection under the aegis of UN which should work towards protecting our earth from natural as well as man-made disasters.

Attacks on Indian cabbies: mission to raise issue with Australia

Sydney: Concerned at recent attacks on Indian cabbies, mostly students, the Indian envoy in Australia is keeping a 'close watch' on the situation and has taken up the matter with authorities here who have assured they will resolve the issue.

"The attacks on Indian cab drivers are causing a great deal of concern, not only among students and their families, but the larger Indian community in Australia. We are keeping a very close watch on the situation both in Melbourne and Adelaide," Indian High Commissioner in Canberra Sujatha Singh told IANS Monday.

During a visit to Melbourne last week, Indian Minister for Commerce and Industry Kamal Nath raised the issue at federal level with Australian Minister for Trade Simon Crean and at the state level with Victorian Premier John Brumby.

'Our consul general in Sydney, Sujan Chinoy, will go to Adelaide to ascertain the situation this week, but if needed, I'll be very happy to go to Adelaide to take up this issue with the state government," Singh said.

Reports in a section of Indian media wrongly quoted a "spokesman from the Indian high commission" as saying that "the Indian high commissioner will travel to Adelaide to hold talks" with the taxi drivers demanding improved security.

Jalvinder Singh, a 23-year-old taxi driver, was stabbed and left to bleed in Melbourne April 29. He is recovering though he had little chance of survival.

Anita Nayar, consul general of India in Melbourne, told IANS: 'We are in touch with all concerned - such as the police, the transport minister, the representatives of the taxi drivers, as also Jalvinder Singh himself and his family and friends - to follow up on Jalvinder's welfare and to follow up on the demands of the taxi drivers.

'We shall continue to take up the issue with the Victorian authorities in the hope that a satisfactory resolution of the problems being faced by the taxi drivers would be achieved as early as possible,' Nayar added.


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BJP claims support of independents to form government

Bangalore, May 26 (IANS) An upbeat Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Monday claimed the support of at least three independents to reach the halfway mark in the 225-member legislative assembly for a working majority and to form its first government in Karnataka - and southern India.

"We are in touch with a couple of independents. For instance, Shivaraj, elected from Kanakagiri as an independent, has pledged support to us. He was with the BJP but contested as a rebel candidate. Similarly, we have approached two more independents -- D. Sudhakar from Hiriyur and D. Shekar from Hosadurga for their support. The response is positive," a party leader told IANS.

Although the BJP emerged victorious in the assembly election with 110 members winning, it is short of three members to reach the magic figure of 113 for a simple majority. The party hopes to rope in as many of the six independents elected to the house.

"The newly elected legislators have elected (B.S.) Yeddyurappa as leader of the BJP legislature party. We are going to Raj Bhavan later in the day to formally stake claim to form the next government. We hope Governor Rameshwar Thakur will invite our leader to form the government by May 28," the leader said.

In the absence of a clear majority in the assembly, the party plans to let Yeddyurappa take oath first and expand the cabinet after winning the trust vote on the floor of the house.

It is also thinking of swearing a couple of senior leaders along with Yeddyurappa and take up the ministry expansion later.

Meanwhile, two other independents - Varthur Prakash from Kolar and P.M. Narendra Swamy from Malavalli -- have sought the chief minister's post for Congress leader and former deputy chief minister Siddaramaiah for their support. Both the independents contested the election after they were denied Congress ticket.

In the election held in three phases this month, the Congress won 80 seats and the Janata Dal-Secular (JD-S) 28. The six remaining seats went to independents.

The Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP), the Samajwadi Party and the Janata Dal-United did not win a single seat.

In a related development, JD-S chief and former prime minister H.D. Deve Gowda is reported to have offered unconditional support to the Congress for forming a coalition government.

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Raj hits out at migrant students in Pune

After attacking migrants from UP and Bihar, Maharashtra Navnirman Sena leader Raj Thackeray has now trained his guns at a growing number of north Indian students coming to Pune for higher education.

''Pune, with its large number of reputed universities and institutions imparting higher education is attracting students from these states who are being given admissions on massive donations leaving in the lurch the deserving Marathi aspirants,'' he said at a party rally held late on Sunday night, defying police ban.

''We will be watching these institutions as the new academic year is approaching. We know that these affluent students from UP and Bihar also indulge in eve teasing and arrogant behaviour. If they persist with this they will be taught a lesson,'' the MNS leader added.

Thackeray said he would not like to equate those coming from UP and Bihar with the people from other north Indian states. Even states like Punjab and Delhi harbour anti-UP-Bihari sentiments, he claimed.

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NASA Spacecraft Lands Near Mars' North Pole

A NASA spacecraft plunged into the atmosphere of Mars and landed in the Red Planet's northern polar region to begin 90 days of digging in the permafrost to look for evidence of the building blocks of life.

Cheers swept through mission control at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory late on Sunday night when the touchdown signal from the Phoenix Mars Lander was detected after a nailbiting descent. Engineers and scientists hugged and high-fived one another.

''In my dreams it couldn't have gone as perfectly as it went,'' project manager Barry Goldstein said. ''It went right down the middle.''

Among Phoenix's first tasks were to check its power supply and the health of its science instruments, and unfurl its solar panels after the dust settled. Mission managers said there would be a two-hour blackout period as Phoenix conducted the checks while out of view from Earth.

Phoenix plunged into the Martian atmosphere at more than 19,311 kph after a 10-month, 711 million-kilometre voyage through space.

It performed a choreographed dance that included unfurling its parachute, shedding its heat shield and backshell, and firing thrusters to slow to a 8 kph touchdown.

''Touchdown detected!! We're on the surface of Mars and there is celebration in Mission Control!!'' JPL engineer Brent Shockley blogged from inside mission control.

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Obama Faces Tough Task to Convince White Voters

Democratic presidential frontrunner Barack Obama may be close to locking up his party nomination but he faces the tough task of convincing the white voters, including some in his own party, to vote for him in the November elections, a just released poll shows.

Obama, the Newsweek poll shows, trails presumptive Republican nominee John McCain by 12 percentage points 40 per cent to 52 per cent - among registered white voters. His challenger Hillary Clinton too trails McCain but by a much smaller margin 44 per cent to 48 per cent.

But among voters overall, however, Obama fares better, tying McCain 46 per cent to 46 per cent in a hypothetical match-up. This is down slightly from the last Newsweek Poll, conducted in late April, in which Obama led McCain 47 per cent to 44 per cent.

In that contest, he is boosted by a strong showing among non-whites, leading McCain 68 per cent to 25 per cent. Clinton leads McCain 65 per cent to 25 per cent among non-whites.

But even this result shows some of the electoral challenges facing Obama in a year when Democrats generally appear to hold an electoral advantage, boasting a 15 point advantage in generic party identification over Republicans, 53 per cent to 38 per cent.

Clinton fares slightly better against McCain: 48 per cent to 44 per cent. She enjoys this slight edge even though Obama leads Clinton 50 per cent to 42 per cent as the choice of registered Democrats for the party's nomination.

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Obama Faces Tough Task to Convince White Voters

Democratic presidential frontrunner Barack Obama may be close to locking up his party nomination but he faces the tough task of convincing the white voters, including some in his own party, to vote for him in the November elections, a just released poll shows.

Obama, the Newsweek poll shows, trails presumptive Republican nominee John McCain by 12 percentage points 40 per cent to 52 per cent - among registered white voters. His challenger Hillary Clinton too trails McCain but by a much smaller margin 44 per cent to 48 per cent.

But among voters overall, however, Obama fares better, tying McCain 46 per cent to 46 per cent in a hypothetical match-up. This is down slightly from the last Newsweek Poll, conducted in late April, in which Obama led McCain 47 per cent to 44 per cent.

In that contest, he is boosted by a strong showing among non-whites, leading McCain 68 per cent to 25 per cent. Clinton leads McCain 65 per cent to 25 per cent among non-whites.

But even this result shows some of the electoral challenges facing Obama in a year when Democrats generally appear to hold an electoral advantage, boasting a 15 point advantage in generic party identification over Republicans, 53 per cent to 38 per cent.

Clinton fares slightly better against McCain: 48 per cent to 44 per cent. She enjoys this slight edge even though Obama leads Clinton 50 per cent to 42 per cent as the choice of registered Democrats for the party's nomination.

Source: NDTV

Register FIR against TV channels, orders Court

New Delhi: A Delhi court has ordered registration of FIRs against three private TV channels for allegedly telecasting the interview of a rape victim's parents, terming their acts as "crime".

"The report prima-facie shows that India TV, Sahara Samay and IBN have committed the offence punishable under section 228 of the IPC. Accordingly, the SHO has been directed to register the FIR and investigate the matter as per law against these three channels," Metropolitan Magistrate M Devender Kumar Jangala said.

Section 228 of the Indian Penal Code states that whoever telecasts or prints a name, which reveals the identity of the rape victim, shall be punished with imprisonment of two years or fine or both.

As per the report filed by the SHO of the Swaroop Nagar police station, on May 9, 2008, some media personnel from Sahara Samay, India TV and IBN had allegedly entered into the police station and took the interview of the victim and her parents despite objection by the juvenile officer.

Even though the interview of the victim was telecast with blurred face, the interview of the parents was telecast by the above said channels without any blurring effect, it said.

The court had earlier on April 24 directed the media personnel not to disclose the identity of the victim. However, despite its directions, the interview of the victim and her parents was allegedly telecast by these television channels.

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Bring India, Britain visa fees at par

Non-resident Indians in Britain pay half for their visas to visit India as compared to Indians for their visas to visit Britain.

So when British NRIs stand in long queues, wait for hours or face rude officers, they can console themselves that they are paying 30 pounds ($59.27) while their Indian cousins are paying 65 pounds for a six-month tourist visa.

An Indian NRI in Britain pays 90 pounds for a five-year, multiple-entry visa to visit India while an Indian pays 205 pounds for any of the one-year, two-year, five-year or ten-year visas to visit Britain.

India is now the third largest foreign investor in Britain in terms of projects, second only to the US and Japan. So Indian businessmen have to obtain long-term visas and pay more than British businessmen, who pay 30 pounds for a six-month visa, 50 pounds for a one-year visa and 90 pounds for a two-year visa.

British leaders on goodwill missions to India underline the special and cordial relationship between the two countries. This should be reflected in the visa fees as well, for around 400,000 Indians visit Britain and almost an equal number of Britons visit India every year. What's more, Indian tourists are the highest spenders in Britain.

British NRIs frequently moan about the long queues to get their visas at India House in central London. They line up much earlier than the 9.30 a.m. opening time - sometimes they come as early as 6 a.m. before getting a numbered chit to get in if they are ready with a duly filled form and all other requirements - passport, photos and fees. They wait inside to be called at the counter.

About 20 counters accept their applications as the chit numbers are flashed on a digital screen when a counter is free.

Once the application is accepted, a receipt is given and the applicant waits before the visa is stamped on the passport. The waiting room, always crowded, has a tea/coffee vending machine and an adjoining toilet.

The waiting period can be just 45 minutes or up to 4 p.m. Of course, the applicant can go out for a break to enjoy the charms of central London and return before closing time to check for the visa or return the next day.

Normally, a tourist visa is issued on the same day or the next. Long term visas, medical visas, student visas and employment visas may take longer.

An estimated 800 or more visas are issued during every working day. Indian consulates in Birmingham, Manchester and Glasgow also issue visas. Postal visa applications take a minimum of 15 working days, and even longer, during the peak season for processing.

In summer, the low season for British travellers to India, this procedure is comfortable, but during the high season in dreary, freezing and rainy winters, it can become an ordeal especially when you queue up at 6 a.m. and have to leave your home a couple of hours early to arrive there.

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Cong Concedes Defeat in Karnataka

NEW DELHI: The Congress on Sunday virtually conceded defeat in Karnataka assembly polls, saying getting an absolute majority was not absolutely possible because of the three-way split in votes.

Union Minister and AICC General Secretary in-charge of Karnataka Prithviraj Chavan said the party may not be able to reach the half-way mark.

The reason, he said, was that with the JD(S) doing well in a limited way, secular votes were divided and that affected the Congress.

Asked whether it was possible for the party to align with the JD(S), he said these decisions would be taken at the level of the Congress Working Committee and the party high command.

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K'taka jolt puts Cong on a slippery electoral road

After the saffron surge in Gujarat and Himachal Pradesh, now the BJP's successful foray in Karnataka has rung the alarm bells for the Congress ahead of a series of elections before the next Lok Sabha polls.

The Grand Old Party is on a slippery electoral road in the last one year and the defeat in Bangalore is a jolt ahead of the Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Delhi in the next few months.

Congress leaders are now admitting that a variety of factors did them in Karnataka which includes the issue of price rise, terrorism as also the failure to get their act together.
A senior leader, who did not want to be quoted, said that the state Congress failed to project a united face and the party as a whole was not ready for an election in May. They expected that the elections would be held in October because of delimitation.

Another leader's assertion only recently that if there is an undercurrent of sympathy, BJP will win around 110 seats in the 224-member House proved almost prophetic.

Congress also repeated its mistakes of Gujarat where its tactics of relying on the rebels of BJP had proved counterproductive. In Karnataka, the reliance on JD-S rebels as also repeating most of the Congress MLAs did not find favour with the voters.

The failure to project a chief ministerial candidate also went against the Congress. There was a sizable section in the party at the Central level, which wanted such projection of a CM candidate, but the idea was given up due to too many claimants.

In the Congress, there were too many senior leaders desirous of the top job and S M Krishna's return to active politics after quitting his gubernatorial post in Maharashtra probably made the race bitter internally.

All senior state leaders tried to grab as many seats as possible for their supporters and basically concentrated on those seats only, party insiders said.

In Gujarat too, the party had not projected a CM candidate and Narendra Modi had exploited it to project that he was pitted against Congress President Sonia Gandhi.

The Karnataka outcome may present the BJP an issue on its platter ahead of the assembly elections in the states ruled by the saffron party like in Rajasthan, in an attempt to neutralise anti-incumbency.

The shock from Bangalore has come at a time when the UPA coalition at the Centre entered the election year amidst growing concerns over rising prices and a bleak future for the Indo-US nuclear deal.

Source:Express India

BJP Wins Karnataka Polls, Now Eyes Lok Sabha

The BJP on Sunday appeared edging close to forming its first government in the south but may fall short of getting a majority on its own by a few seats as counting of votes progressed in the Karnataka assembly elections.

With seven results going in its favour, the saffron party was placed ahead in 102 other seats out of the 218 constituencies for which trends were available after more than three hours of counting.

Congress has won two seats and was ahead in 68 seats as leads swung sharply after every round of counting in fiercely contested fights in almost all constituencies.

JD(S) led in 35 while independents and others were ahead in seven during counting of votes for 224 constituencies. BJP leader Arun Jaitley conceded that the party may be "a little away" from the majority while his party colleague Ravi Shankar Prasad demanded that BJP should be called to form the government and there was no other question. In the outgoing assembly, the BJP got 79 seats, INC 65 and JD(S) 58.

BJP's Narasimha Naik bagged the Shorapur seat beating his nearest Congress rival Raja Venktappa Naik by 4,000 votes, while former minister B Sriramulu defeated Ramprasad of Congress in Bellary Rural (Reserved) by over 25,000 votes. In Sullia (SC), BJP's S Angara humbled Dr Raghu of Congress by over 5,300 votes.

BJP chief ministerial candidate BS Yeddyurappa is leading in Shikaripura by 14355 votes. The Congress and JD(S) did not field any candidate in the constituency in a bid to defeat Yeddyurappa.

Former Chief Minister HD Kumaraswamy of JDS has established an unassailable lead of 34,158 votes against his rival political novice Mamata Nichhani of Congress.

Former Chief Minister of Congress N Dharam Singh and KPCC President M Mallikarjun Kharge were among the others who maintained comfortable leads over their respective rivals.

BJP MP Ambareesh (Srirangapatna), former deputy Chief Minister MP Prakash of Congress (Harappanahalli), RV Deshpande, who is looking for a seventh win from Haliyal are the prominent candidates who are trailing.

Source: Hindustan Times

Vinod Khanna Buys Mumbai Flat at Record Price

Little Gibbs Road at Malabar Hill is a charming, upmarket residential enclave where the creme de la creme live, virtually cut off from the hustle and bustle of a congested metropolis. On Tuesday, one of its most prominent landmark buildings, Il Palazzo, created a national record after an apartment here was sold at an astonishing rate of Rs 1.20 lakh a square foot—-each floor tile more expensive than a Nano car.

The successful bidder was none other than veteran Bollywood star and BJP MP Vinod Khanna and his wife Kavita, who paid Rs 30 crore for the 2,500 sq ft (carpet area) flat located on the 13th floor of the B wing. The Khannas already own an apartment in the C wing of the 21-storeyed Il Palazzo.

The last big sale happened about six months ago when a flat measuring 3,475 sq ft (super built up) in the NCPA Apartments at Nariman Point was bought by a London-based NRI at the rate of Rs 97,842 a sq ft.

The Il Palazzo flat, 13B, is a sea-facing flat with a large living room, spacious bedrooms and a separate servant's quarter. It was put up on the block by its owner, Citibank, about two weeks ago. The auction took place at the bank's 7th floor office in the IL&FS building in the Bandra-Kurla Complex at 10.30 am and continued till noon. There were 12 bidders in all. The auction was conducted by Mrunal Duggar of C B Richard Ellis, a global property consultancy firm.

Among the other bidders, TOI has learnt, was ex-Citibank honcho Jerry Rao and a certain Ms Malhotra, daughter of a former headmistress of a prominent south Mumbai school.

More news on TOI

India's IT Growth to Slow Down, Blame the West

London: Growth in India's information technology sector will slow due to a Western slowdown but should still reach 22 to 24 per cent this financial year against 28 per cent last year, the president of India's National Association of Software and Service Companies (NASSCOM), Som Mittal said.

Mittal told Reuters domestic growth of 28 to 30 per cent in the industry would help support the sector, which now employs some 2 million people across India.

"When we look at this downturn we think it is probably shallow at this point," he said in a telephone interview. "Based on what we have seen from companies so far we still think we will have growth of 22 to 24 per cent, down from 28 per cent."

A downturn in Western Europe and the United States have an overall mixed impact on India, he said, which has seen technology sector employment improving on the back of outsourcing from foreign firms keen to cut costs and access new markets.

Source: CNN-IBN

Bhupati, Paes Head for Showdown Ahead of Olympics

New Delhi: With just over two months to go for the Beijing Olympics, India's tennis stars, Mahesh Bhupathi and Leander Paes are heading for yet another showdown.

CNN-IBN has learnt that Bhupathi has told the All India Tennis Association that he has run out of patience and does not want to play alongside Leander.

CNN-IBN has a copy of the explosive e-mail sent by Mahesh Bhupathi to the Indian Olympic Association, in which Bhupathi says:

"While people who don't really understand tennis are willing to force us to play together to win a medal, you will agree that we are not magicians and a medal will not happen just because we step on court. I would prefer to play with Rohan Bopanna in Beijing, we do have a good relationship and we are planning to play a couple of events over the next few months."


Leander and Mahesh raised hopes of pairing up again for an assault on the Olympic gold. Infact, earlier this year Mahesh had even said that him pairing up with Leander was India's best chance for a medal at Beijing.

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Class XII CBSE Results: Girls on Top Again

CHANDIGARH: Girls have outshined boys by a huge margin as CBSE on Wednesday declared the results of Class XII examination conducted in March/April for the states of Punjab, Haryana, Himachal Pradesh, J&K and Chandigarh.

The subject-wise pass percentage for boys is 77 per cent as against 85.98 per cent for girls. As girls fared much better than boys, they also helped to push overall pass percentage to 80.80 per cent.

"Over 90,000 students had appeared in the examination from these four states and Chandigarh. In school wise performance, Kendriya Vidyalaya got a pass percentage of 91.65 per cent while Government schools got a pass percentage of 80.94 per cent, Jawahar Navodaya Vidyalaya and Independent (private) Schools have the pass percentage of 91.14 per cent and 80.57 per cent," CBSE's Joint Secretary, Regional Office, Panchkula, D R Yadava said.

OPEC Crude Oil Price Cracks $120 Barrier

Vienna, May 21: The price for crude oil produced by the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) has reached a new all time high, OPEC said Wednesday.

One barrel (159 litres) of OPEC-produced crude stood at $121.02 Tuesday, up $1.78 from the previous day, jumping above $120 for the first time.

Record prices were reached despite the absence of real bullish fundamentals, analysts said.

OPEC member Iraq said that owing to recent seismic surveys it would upgrade its reserves estimates to 350 billion barrels, more than what Saudi Arabia produces.

According to Vienna-based analysts JBC more news to ease supply concerns was Kuwait's announcement of a major upgrade of its export facility, increasing capacity to 3.4 million barrels per day.


OPEC calculates an average basket price based on 13 important brands produced by cartel members. The organisation is responsible for about 40 percent of the global crude output.

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India Turned Pak Into a Nuclear Power: Sharif

The credit for Pakistan becoming a nuclear weapons’ power goes to India, Nawaz Sharif, Prime Minister at the time of the May 1998 test, told Hindustan Times in an exclusive interview on Monday.

“The credit for our detonations goes to India. India actually made Pakistan a nuclear power. Both the blame and the credit goes to India…” Sharif said ahead of the 10th anniversary of the tests. “I was surprised that all of a sudden this (test) has happened: what was the need? But it also gave us an opportunity (laughs) to test our own nuclear devices. Actually, we didn’t want to do that. But then India gave us the honour.”

Sharif was clear that his survival as PM would have been difficult had he not opted for the tit-for-tat tests. He felt the May-July 1999 Kargil war could have happened even without Pakistan’s new nuclear umbrella. “I don’t think the ones who undertook this misadventure (Kargil) had this thing in mind. Perhaps, they didn’t have the mind to calculate that,” he said in an obvious reference to his military chief Pervez Musharraf.

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Brunei Sultan Pilots Own Plane to Delhi

New Delhi, May 21: Here is a ruler who believes in not only piloting the fortunes of his country but also his own plane - even during long haul flights. The Sultan of Brunei, Hassanal Bolkiah, one of the richest men in the world, flew his own Boeing 747 from his country's capital Bandar Seri Begawan to New Delhi.


And he does it even when he flies across the seas to the US, the flamboyant royal told a surprised Minister of State for External Affairs E. Ahamed who went to receive him at the Air Force Station, Palam, Tuesday evening.


Ahamed, the minister in waiting for the sultan who is on four-day visit to India, reached on time. But waited, and waited for the visitor who seemed to be taking an inordinately long time to appear. When he did, he explained to the bewildered minister that he was coming out from the cockpit because he had been piloting the aircraft.

Bolkiah, 61 who also holds the portfolios of finance and defence in his island nation of 381,371 people, told the minister that he had flown the aircraft for five-and-a-half hours to reach the Indian capital. He had earned his pilot license from London in 1967.

The sultan, one of the world's longest serving monarchs who assumed the throne in 1967, is known for his lavish lifestyle. He reportedly owns around 5,000 cars and his auto empire includes 50 Rolls-Royce cars, eight McLaren's F1, six Dauer 962 LMs, the only right-handed Mercedes CLK-GTR in the world, a Lamborghini Diablo Jota, two Jaguar XJR-15, numerous Ferraris, Mercedes, Jaguars, Porsches and Bentleys.

Source: IANS

Jaipur Blasts: Suspects Sketches to be Redrawn

JAIPUR: In a new twist to the probe into the Jaipur serial blasts, the police have said that all seven sketches of suspects issued so far were being withdrawn and would be redrawn, according to Times Now television.

The seven sketches issued earlier were drawn after getting details from eyewitnesses and from shopkeepers, who sold bicycles to terrorists that were used during the blasts.

However, now the police claims that the sketches are not accurate so fresh sketches will be made. A.K Jain, top officer of Rajsthan Police said, "There were ten cycles that were used so we are presuming that there are atleast 10 criminals involved in this."

"Some sketches, which were made on the basis of the information provided, are to be re-sketched and redrawn. We have got few more experts, who are drawing the sketch so that we can be more accurate. Normally sketches are based on memory so chances of error are high, therefore, we are trying to draw more sketches and make sure that errors are minimum," he added.

Source: CNN-IBN

SBI Freezes Farm Equipment Loans

NEW DELHI: At a time when the government is going all out to project a "pro-farmer" image, promising a Rs 60,000 crore waiver on farm loans and talking big on boosting agricultural credit, the country's largest state-owned bank, State Bank of India, has decided to stop giving loans for the purchase of tractors and other farm equipment.

In a circular to its branches, the bank has said that because of mounting non-performing assets in the farm equipment loan segment, it has decided to put on hold all future advances for farm equipment like tractors, power tillers and combined harvesters.

SBI chief general manager Shyamal Acharya, who is in charge of the bank's agri-business, confirmed that the bank has temporarily discontinued giving loans to farmers for purchase of equipment and said the decision was forced by the high incidence of nonperforming assets (NPAs) in the segment.

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Moga: Raped Dalit Woman Strips for Justice

MOGA: So traumatized was a Dalit woman by the police's refusal to lodge a case of rape against her tormentors, that she had to strip naked in protest in the middle of the national highway here on Monday.

And as passers-by stared at her in stunned silence, she vented her anger on the cops. The woman said if this is what a woman must do for justice, it is shameful for the authorities.

The Joginder Singh Chowk on Ferozepur-Ludhiana highway, where this woman protested, is just a few yards from the police station, but it still took cops 20 minutes to reach the spot and arrest her - even as traffic policemen remained mute spectators.

This time, she kept abusing the police, besides bringing the traffic to a halt. Ironically, despite taking so much time, when a team of Moga police reached the spot, there was no woman constable to handle her.

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IPL Clears Deck, SRK Can Cheer from Dugout

MUMBAI : A day after Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan was barred entry to his team's dressing room, the Indian Premier League authorities on Monday issued fresh guidelines which has cleared the deck for the presence of a franchise owner in the team dug-out for the Twenty20 matches.

IPL Chairman and Commissioner Lalit Modi announced that the organisers would issue an all-area accreditation badge to one member of each of the eight team franchisees, following the ejection of Shah Rukh from the dug-out by the Anti Corruption and Security Unit (ACSU) officials of the International Cricket Council.

While defending the decision of the ACSU officials to ask the film star to vacate the dug-out during the IPL tie against Chennai Super Kings at the Eden Gardens, Modi said suitable measures would be taken to avoid repetition of this kind of incidents.

"There have been reports in the media about denial of a team owner access to the dug out and dressing room. The IPL is conducted as per the rules and regulations of the ICC whose ACSU officials were just doing the job entrusted," Modi said.

"They go strictly by the colour code. A red badge issued by the ACSU, on approval of the team manager, will help the person holding it access to all areas," he said.

"This is what we intend to do by giving each of the team owners one such badge each. They do have the right to sit with the players in the dug outs and dressing rooms," Modi said.

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Ship with 10 Indians missing off Somalia

Mumbai: A Jordanian cargo ship with 10 Indians on board was seized by pirates near the Somalian capital Mogadishu Saturday morning, days after it left Mumbai, the Directorate General of Shipping (DGS) informed.


The DGS has advised the Indian Coast Guard to alert their counterparts in the East African countries, including Somalia, to trace the hijacked ship.

'Pirates on three small boats boarded the M.V. Victoria off the Somalian coast while it was heading towards Hobiyo (500 km North of Mogadishu),' a statement issued by DGS said.

The vessel was carrying 4,200 metric tonnes of bagged sugar under the world food programme (WFP) from Mumbai port for distribution in war-torn Somalia. The ship had a crew of 21, of whom 10 were Indians while the rest were from Pakistan, Bangladesh, Tanzania and Kenya.

In February 2008, the International Maritime Organisation along with the UN had drafted a resolution that it would allow countries to chase and arrest pirates off Somalia's coast.

This is the 10th ship hijack this year off the 3,500-km, mostly unsecured, Somalian coastline, in which at least 25 Indians had been held hostage.Last year, M.V. Reef Azania went missing with two Indians among 14 crewmembers, followed by M.V. Infinitymarine with 16 Indians on board.

Source: Sulekha News

Another Indian Cabbie Brutally Beaten in Australia

An Indian cabbie was brutally beaten by two men in Adelaide who allegedly also stole his taxi in a second such incident in the past three weeks.

Balraj Singh was severely injured on face and his nose was broken in an attack by the two men who had boarded his cab at the weekend, Australian media reported.

Last month, a 23-year-old Indian student taxi driver Jalvinder Singh was brutally stabbed and left bleeding on the roadside in Melbourne.

A number of taxi drivers on Monday protested the attack on Balraj, causing chaos in Adelaide city even as they sought justice for the victim.

Drivers parked about 50 taxis in front of the court building and protested for about 45 minutes, chanting, ''we want justice'' over the bashing of Singh, media reports said.

From his hospital bed, Singh said he was punched in the right eye and had his seatbelt wrapped around his neck by a man in the back seat.

''You're not safe at night time. You don't know the people you pick up, who they are,'' he told ABC TV.

He was being treated for facial injuries, including a broken nose.

Driver Mohsin Mirsa, 26, said cabbies regretted disrupting customers but feared for their safety every day.

''We are prepared to protest until the Government says security screens have to be put in taxis,'' he said adding ''we have no protection. If they can do it in Melbourne why not here.''

Meanwhile, ABC reported on Monday that one of the two men charged with bashing Singh and stealing his cab at the weekend made an application for bail.

Driver Balraj Singh was taken to hospital after the attack in the southern suburbs of Adelaide.

Two 24-year-olds, Nathan Morrison and Owen Calyun, appeared in the Adelaide Magistrates Court this afternoon.

Calyun made no application for bail but Morrison will seek to be released on home detention.

Lawyers for both men asked for their names to be suppressed but the request was denied by Magistrate Joanne Tracey.

Source: NDTV

Hooch Toll Mounts to 66; Five Arrested in Karnataka

BANGALORE/KRISHNAGIRI: The deadly mixture of locally-brewed liquor and suspected chemicals claimed 66 lives with 39 people succumbing on Monday while five persons were arrested in connection with the hooch.

Nine more people lost their lives in Krishnagiri district of Tamil nadu taking the toll to 17, District
Superintendent of Police C Thenmozhi told reporters.

Twenty five people died on Monday in Devarajeevanahally, a crowded slum in Bangalore where a majority of labourers reside, pushing the toll to 30 while it rose to 19 at Tekal and Narasapura villages in Kolar district with the death of five more persons.

Forty persons have been admitted to hospitals in Bangalore.

Five persons were arrested in Kolar district in connection with the incident.

However, the main suspect in the Bangalore incident has been identified as Soundar but is yet to be arrested. Soundar is absconding with his family soon after the tragedy struck on Sunday, police said.

Karnataka Governor Rameshwar Thakur ordered for speedy investigations into the tragedy and payment of Rs 50,000 each as ex-gratia to the families of those who died.

The victims in Krishnagiri district had bought the liquor from Bangalore.

In another development, the Bangalore City Police on Monday set up three special teams headed by top officials to track down those behind the manufacture and sale of the killer brew.

The hooch tragedy provided the major political parties in the poll-bound state an opportunity to make an issue out with Congress and JD(S) blaming each other.

Congress took a swipe at the previous JDS-BJP government charging that its decison of banning arrack had led to the tragedy while BJP accused Congress of being responsible for it.

JD(S) alleged Governor Rameshwar Thakur's administration in the state, which is under President's rule, failed to check illicit liquor manufacture and sale and demanded a probe by the CBI.

Source: DNA

Top Ranks in Indian Army Witness Rebellion

The Indian Army has trouble brewing within its ranks. In an unprecedented mark of discontent, fifteen senior officials have refused to sign up for a mandatory and elite training program to become Generals.

The fifteen senior officials are Colonels. They have refused to take the Higher Command Course. They are angry and say at the recent recommendations of the Pay Commission.

This course is reserved for the outstanding commanding officers. It has only 130 seats, but there are usually over a thousand aspirants.

Fifteen other officers have refused to sign the mandatory service bond of six years. According to the sources, officers have said the Army is no longer a career option after the Pay Commission report.

Source:NDTV

Facing Rice Shortage, Saudi Seeks India's Help

Dubai: (PTI) Reeling under shortage of rice, Saudi Arabia, one of the world's top rice buyers, has approached India to discuss issues relating to its supply, including possible lifting of restrictions on exports to the Kingdom.
The Council of Saudi Chambers of Commerce and Industry is in touch with Indian officials on the issue of rice imports, Rajeev Shahare, deputy chief of the Indian embassy in Riyadh, said.

The whole issue of Indian rice exports to Saudi Arabia was discussed during the visit of Montek Singh Ahluwalia, deputy chairman of Planning Commission, to the Kingdom early this month, said Shahare, adding that there was no export ban on high-quality Indian basmati rice.

India, the world's second-biggest rice exporter and a main supplier to the Gulf region, banned all non-basmati rice shipments in March.
Shahare said India had been exporting 500,000 to 600,000 tons of rice, mainly basmati, to Saudi Arabia annually.

Last year Saudi Arabia imported a total of 960,000 tons of rice, making it the world's sixth biggest rice importer.

Source: PTI

Obama Joins American Indian Tribe, Eyes Policy Change

CROW AGENCY, Mont. (Reuters) - Democrat Barack Obama became an honorary member of an American Indian tribe on Monday and promised a proactive policy to help tribal people if he wins the White House in November.

The Illinois senator who is leading rival Hillary Clinton in their race for the party's presidential nomination, joined the Crow Nation, a tribe of some 12,100 members in Montana, taking on a native name and honorary parents in a traditional ceremony.

Obama, who would be the first black U.S. president, was "adopted" by Hartford and Mary Black Eagle and given a name which means "one who helps all people of this land."

"I was just adopted into the tribe, so I'm still working on my pronunciation," Obama told a crowd after stumbling over some of the native names.

"I like my new name, Barack Black Eagle," he said. "That is a good name."

Many in the audience wore traditional feather headdresses and some banged drums ahead of Obama's visit, the first by a presidential candidate to the Crow Nation.

Source: Reuters

Over 22 dead in anti-foreigner violence in South Africa

Johannesburg: The wave of deadly anti-immigrant violence in South Africa continued unabated Monday with police reporting several more deaths and dozens of homes torched, bringing the toll in eight days of rioting to 22.

Hundreds of people have been injured in the attacks that began May 11 in a township northeast of Johannesburg before engulfing several other low-income areas over the weekend, including parts of the city centre.

Some 217 people have been arrested in connection with the attacks, which have forced around 10,000, mostly illegal migrants, from Zimbabwe, Mozambique and other neighbouring countries from their homes.

South Africa's Archbishop Desmond Tutu, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, Monday urged people to stop the violence.

'This is not how we behave. These are our sisters and brothers. Please, please stop,' the activist bishop said, comparing the attacks, in which several people have been burnt to death, to apartheid-era factional violence.

Tutu echoed African National Congress (ANC) leader Jacob Zuma in recalling how South African refugees had been given a home in neighbouring countries when they had to flee theirs during apartheid.

South Africans were now 'disgracing' the memory of those heroes, he warned.

With police appearing to be outmatched at times over the past week by gun-toting, roving groups of youths who accuse foreigners of taking their jobs, homes and even women, human rights groups have joined opposition calls for the military to be deployed.

South Africa's Human Rights Commission called the situation 'a state of emergency' and the government's response 'inadequate' while the Nelson Mandela Foundation said it was 'appalled' at the violence.

President Thabo Mbeki, who has condemned the attacks, Sunday announced the establishment of a panel to inquire into the violence.

The panel is expected to review the government's non-interventionist policy on immigration, among other possible causes of the flare-up, such as high unemployment and poverty rates in townships.

South Africa, Africa's biggest economy, is a magnet for poor African migrants.

Up to 3 million Zimbabweans are estimated to have fled their country's economic and political chaos to South Africa in recent years, putting a significant strain on resources in poor communities.

Source: Sulekha News

Kashmir issue 'ripe' for resolution: Bush

New Delhi: US President George W Bush has said that the Kashmir issue is ripe for solution.

The remarks were made when he met Pakistan's Prime Minister Gillani in the Egyptian resort of Sharm el-Sheikh.

Both leaders are attending the World Economic Forum for the Middle East. Bush said he saw major and significant developments in India Pakistan relations and was happy to note both sides were making progress in talks on Kashmir and for comprehensive peace in the region.

The remarks come ahead of Pranab Mukherjee's talks in Islamabad on Wednesday on a range of issues including terrorism and recent firing from across the Line of Control.

During the hour-long talks Bush said he saw "major and significant developments" in Pakistan-India relations, but he did not elaborate.

He said he was happy to note that the two sides had made a lot of progress in their talks on Kashmir and for comprehensive peace in the region.

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Ramadoss fans Rajni to smoke out Amitabh, SRK

NEW DELHI: Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss was on Sunday all praise for Tamil superstar Rajnikanth for not smoking on screen in his last two films and hoped Bollywood biggies would follow the South Indian actor.

Ramadoss, facing an all-round attack from the film fraternity after he made an appeal to movie stars to avoid smoking and drinking on screen, said "When Rajnikanth can do movies without smoking, why can't anybody else follow?"

Rajnikanth's latest movies -- Sivaji -- The Boss and Chandramukhi -- did not have any smoking scene, Ramadoss noted and said these were the biggest blockbusters in recent times.

The Tamil superstar quit smoking on screen after Ramadoss made an appeal to him to give up cigarette smoking mannerism on screen.

"There were no smoking scenes in Rajnikanth's last two movies and they were biggest grossers in the history of Indian films," Ramadoss said in an interview.

Ramadoss came under the radar of Bollywood stars Amitabh Bachchan and Shah Rukh Khan after he appealed to them to stop smoking in movies.

Both the stars hit back at the minister saying they don't want his advice.

Rajnikanth and the minister's father and PMK founder S Ramadoss had crossed swords during the release of the actor's Baba in 2002.

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India Goes Down to Argentina in Azlan Shah Hockey Final

NEW DELHI, May 17: Argentina lifted the Sultan Azlan Shah Cup beating India 2-1 with the golden goal at Kuala Lampur on Sunday.

Argentina, who were the clear favourite for the championship, had beaten India comprehensively in their league encounter with 5-1 goal margin.

India failed to continue their winning streak in the all important final, after registering six wins in-a-row in the tournament.

On Saturday, India pulled off a narrow 2-1 win in their last round robin league match against hosts Malaysia to book a berth in the final of the Azlan Shah hockey tournament.

With that win, India gathered 12 points from their six matches and set up a title clash against Argentina, who have finished with 14 points, on Sunday.

News Source: TOI