Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Documentary: Last-minute doubts on bin Laden raid

NEW YORK, Wednesday Aug. 31, 2011(Tehelkanews)

— A new documentary reveals that a last-minute double-check of intelligence before the raid that killed Osama bin Laden last spring cast fresh doubt on whether the al Qaeda leader was really in the Pakistani compound where he was found.



The U.S. cable television network History, in its \"Targeting Bin Laden\" special that airs next Tuesday, said U.S. President Barack Obama convened a special \"red team\" of terrorism experts to take a fresh look at the evidence. That team had greater doubt that bin Laden was in the Abbottobad, Pakistan home primarily because they didn\'t believe he would take the risk of having as many visitors as he did.



Despite the new assessment, Obama ordered the mission to proceed. Four days later on May 2, a team of U.S. Navy SEALs successfully located and killed the terrorist leader behind the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks.



Obama was interviewed two weeks ago for the special, which provides a tick-tock account of what went into the planning and execution of the raid. Other people interviewed for the special include national security adviser Tom Donilon, White House counterterrorism adviser John Brennan and former CIA officials.



The special \"red team\" had not been involved in the intelligence operation that searched for bin Laden or planned the raid. It was reviewing the evidence for the first time, History says in the special. Their assessment initially deflated policy makers, and only half of those planning the raid advised Obama to proceed after hearing their report.



\"At the end of the day only the president can weigh those risks,\" Donilon told interviewers. \"Only the president can ask, \'What\'s in the nation\'s interest? What are the risks worth running here? What will we accomplish if this works? How will I deal with it if it doesn\'t work?\' It was a quintessential presidential decision.\"


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China jails two more Tibetan monks over fire death

China,31 August 2011(Tehelkanews)

Chinese authorities say the man, Rigzin Phuntsog of the Kirti monastery, immolated himself on 16 March.



Tsering Tenzin and Tenchum will be jailed for 13 and 10 years respectively for \"intentional homicide\", Xinhua news agency said.



On Monday, the court jailed another monk for 11 years over the death.



Drongdru, Phuntsog\'s uncle, is accused of hiding him after he set himself on fire and depriving him of medical attention for 11 hours. The exact circumstances surrounding the monk\'s death remain unclear.



The latest verdicts come as the US questioned whether China had followed its own legal standards in the case.



\"We urge Chinese leaders to address policies in Tibetan areas that have created tension and to protect Tibetans\' unique linguistic, cultural and religious identity,\" a state department statement said.



Crackdown



The incident happened in March in Sichuan province\'s Aba county, where there is a large ethnic Tibetan community.



There is disagreement about how the monk died.



At the time, Tibetan rights groups reported that witnesses saw police put out the flames, then begin beating the monk, at which point monks and local people took him to the monastery before taking him to hospital some hours later.



After Phuntsog\'s death protests were then reported in the area around the monastery, followed by a heavy security presence.



Rights groups accused the government of shutting the monks in the monastery and forcing them to take part in compulsory \"patriotic education\".



In March 2008, Tibet witnessed a wave of violent anti-China protests - its worst unrest in 20 years.



China responded to the unrest with a military crackdown, including in areas like Aba which are outside Tibet but have a large ethnic Tibetan population.



Continue reading the main story

The Tibet Divide

China says Tibet was always part of its territory

Tibet had long periods of autonomy before 20th Century

1950: China launches military assault

1959: Uprising against Chinese rule defeated; Dalai Lama flees to India

Dalai Lama now advocates a \"middle way\" with Beijing, seeking autonomy but not independence

Q&A: China and the Tibetans

Many Tibetans have complained about the growing domination of China\'s majority Han population in Tibet and accuse the government of trying to dilute their culture.



But China says it has invested heavily in Tibet and has generated significant improvements in people\'s living standards.



There have been a number of incidents of monks setting themselves on fire to protest against Beijing\'s rule.



Earlier this month, a 29-year-old Tibetan monk burned himself to death in another town Sichuan.



Activists said the monk, whom they named as Tsewang Norbu, had shouted slogans including \"We Tibetan people want freedom\" and \"Long live the Dalai Lama\" before setting himself alight.


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Sri Lanka to free 1200 LTTE members as emergency ends

Sri Lanka,(31/08/11)(Tehelkanews)

Maldives Vice President Dr. Mohammed Waheed Hassan who is on a three day visit to Sri Lanka, called on President Mahinda Rajapaksa at Temple Trees yesterday and held cordial discussions regarding regional matters.

Dr. Waheed, who arrived in the island after two years expressed his pleasure to the President over the rapid development achieved by the Sri Lankan government during this short period. He said that Colombo city has developed tremendously and he applauded the cleanliness and the beauty of the city.

During the meeting, the Maldivian vice President appreciated the support extended by Sri Lanka to the Maldivian Republic in numerous ways.Both leaders recalled the close and friendly relations between Sri Lanka and the Maldives, and exchanged views on further strengthening the bilateral relationship.President Rajapaksa also pointed out the importance of mutual cooperation among the regional countries to create a more peaceful environment.Maldivian High Commissioner in Sri Lanka Hussain Shihab was also present on the occasion.


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Pakistan\'s Zardari seeks to allay Chinese concerns on terrorism

URUMQI, China (Reuters)(31/08/11)(Tehelkanews)

- Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari has promised to work closely with China in the fight against terrorism, state media said, nearly a month after Chinese officials blamed an attack in the troubled far-western region on militants trained in Pakistan.Zardari made the comments during a meeting on Tuesday with Zhang Chunxian, the Communist Party chief of the restive region of Xinjiang, at the start of a trade expo in the capital, Urumqi.His visit comes after officials in Kashgar, a city in south Xinjiang, said a stabbing attack in late July was orchestrated by members of the separatist \"East Turkestan Islamic Movement\" who trained in Pakistan before returning to China.

Xinjiang, a region torn by ethnic violence, borders Pakistan, and some members of the ethnic Uighur community opposed to Beijing\'s rule have sought refuge there.

Zardari said that Islamabad opposes any terrorist activities, Xinhua said in a report on Wednesday.Pakistan and China are long-time allies, and in recent months Islamabad has leaned closer to China as its ties with the United States have deteriorated.Yet China has its own concerns over Pakistan\'s stability as it struggles to fight Islamist militant groups operating from its soil.

In 2009, Zardari endorsed China\'s policies in Xinjiang, after Muslim Uighurs rioted against Han Chinese residents in Urumqi, killing at least 197 people, mostly Han.Ahead of the expo, China has tightened security in Urumqi, deploying SWAT teams and increasing checks on flights bound for the region, state media said.(Additional reporting by Sui-Lee Wee; Editing by Ken Wills and Sanjeev Miglani)


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Review: Bodyguard

Wednesday, August 31, 2011(Tehelkanews)

This is the third time for Siddique. Yes, believe it or not, this is the third time that the writer-director has chosen to film this yucky yarn in the span of a year and a half – first in Malayalam, then in Tamil and now in Hindi, effecting minor changes in each follow-up without achieving any perceptible improvement.He and the producer of this film probably had no option. Who in the right mind would want to direct this damp squib of a screenplay thrice even if he has Salman Dabangg Khan's tried-and-tested biceps and pectorals to hang its hollow premise on?

The thread that Bodyguard hangs from is hopelessly slender and perpetually on the brink of snapping. If it doesn't end up in a complete heap, credit in some measure is certainly due to the Bollywood superstar who seems to have mastered the craft of peddling vacuity with the swagger of a seasoned, cocksure sabre-rattler, and to the director of photography Sejal Shah, who imparts a neat, sparkling look and feel to the film.



Of course, whether you find Bodyguard entertaining or not will hinge entirely on whether you have any patience for a storyline that is as brainless as a pea. The story soars on the wings of wild whimsy without for once letting logic get in the way.



Our hero, Lovely Singh (Salman Khan), owes a debt to a wealthy feudal lord, Sartaj Rana (Raj Babbar), that he cannot repay. The latter lives in a sprawling mansion in a place called Jaisinghpur. The invincible bodyguard is willing to lay down his life for his benefactor.



\"When it comes to loyalty, Lovely doesn\'t spare even royalty,\" quips the muscleman\'s boss. How lovely!



So when the master\'s only daughter, Divya, (Kareena Kapoor), is packed off to a management school in faraway Pune, Lovely Singh is deployed to keep vigil on her and keep her out of harm\'s way. Sartaj Rana has many enemies but with Lovely\'s brawn on his side, his daughter is as safe as a Swiss bank.



But this bodyguard is too intrusive for comfort and the girl in his charge resorts to the most ridiculous pranks to get the man off her back. Do you need to be told that there is a love story lurking somewhere in this edifying mix and that the path of the lovers is strewn with thorns? Unfortunately, it is the viewer who steps on them. Ouch!



The director is merciless: he loses no opportunity to exploit Salman's shirtless action-hero image. Bodyguard has three protracted fight sequences. The hero is a one-man army. He vanquishes all opposition and when he emerges from the uber-violent scuffles, there is nary a scratch on his body and not a hair is out of place.



But Siddique is unable to decide whether he wants the star to project his Wanted and Dabangg ready-for-battle persona all the way through or adopt a softer, more romantic manner in the second half. Either way, the male protagonist and the film end up looking rather moronic.



The script makes feeble attempts to raise some laughs by throwing in a corpulent comedian (debutant Rajat Rawail). His character is called Tsunami Singh but he doesn\'t quite sweep the audience off its feet. Bodyguard is the kind of film that thinks physical deformity is funny: the fat man is the butt of jokes, so is a midget-student in the heroine\'s class.



In the ultimate analysis, Bodyguard is an out-and-out Salman Khan film meant to be taken in the festive spirit of the season. Love it or lump, chances are that its backers will be laughing all the way to that bank while you, if you aren't willing to give its excesses a long rope, will be tearing your hair out in exasperation.



So, if you value the mop on your scalp and the grey cells in your head and want to guard yourself against this potentially mind-numbing body blow, give it a miss. Better be safe than sorry!




News From: http://www.7StarNews.com

L&T Fin, Shriram and M&M lead banking licence race

Aug 31, 2011(Tehelkanews)

The widely-anticipated draft guidelines on new banking licences for the private sector were finally released by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) early this week. Overall, the guidelines got a warm response, although doubts remain on the interpretation of a few terms.

Key highlights of the draft include a minimum capital requirement of Rs 500 crore, a 49 percent cap on foreign shareholding and the barring of corporate groups with 10 percent or more of their income or assets from/in the broking and real estate businesses from applying for a bank licence. In addition, only private sector groups are eligible to apply for a bank licence, which leaves companies like Power Finance Corporation and Rural Electrification Corporation out of the loop.

All new banks now need to explain how these can help in \"financial inclusion\".

While most of the guidelines are straightforward, there is quite a bit of confusion on the term "diversified ownership". Most experts think that depending on the correct interpretation, different sets of companies could be excluded or included.

According to an IDFC report: "Though corporates are eligible to apply for banking licences under these norms, there is ambiguity on how RBI would define diversified ownership. As a result, clarity is yet to emerge on the eligibility of Reliance Capital — a promoter holding of 54 percent — Baja Finserv (58 percent) and Mahindra & Mahindra (25 percent)."The guidelines also state that a new bank has to be set up through a non-operative holding company, which will not only hold the bank but also all other financial services companies. If the promoter already has a non-banking finance company (NBFC), that NBFC can either be converted into a bank or pass on all banking-related activities to the new bank.

In a report, Standard Chartered noted that this condition is harsh for Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) and Shriram groups, as they had earlier said they would prefer to retain their NBFCs. But the rider might not have too much of an impact on large corporate groups such as Tata or Reliance, because they don't have a meaningful financial services business. The criteria might also not impact the plans of Reliance Capital or Aditya Birla Nuovo because these organisations are engaged in activities that banks do not undertake.

For NBFCs themselves, there might be some problems because if they convert to banks, their returns on assets (RoA) and equities (RoE) will slide, as the returns of banks are much lower than those of NBFCs. For instance, M&M Finance earns 4.5 percent on its assets and about 24 percent on equity. The best private bank, in contrast, earns just 1.6 percent on its assets and less than 20 percent on equity.

At the time of applying for a licence, all new banks must also explain how they can help in "financial inclusion"; every new bank must also open 25 percent of their branches in unbanked rural areas. This criterion is new and did not exist the last time the central bank issued bank licences.



What is the implication? For one thing, the cost of setting up a bank will go up as the time taken for a rural branch to turn profitable is much longer than for urban ones. Moreover, the bank has to maintain a capital adequacy ratio of 12 percent for the first three years, which is also considered a bit high, given that the investment to set up a bank is quite large. The central bank also wants new banks to become public — list on stock exchanges — within two years; given the initial investments and adequacy ratios, most new banks might not be in a position to show much in terms of earnings to prospective investors during that time, according to some analysts.So, who are the most likely recipients of a banking licence?

The most common candidates among brokerages are Shriram Transport, L&T Finance, Bajaj FinServ, M&M Financial Services and IDFC. Standard Chartered, meanwhile, believes the guidelines favour Reliance Industries, Reliance Capital, the Tata Group and the Aditya Birla Group, while being less positive for existing NBFCs such as M&M Financial Services and Shriram Transport, since these companies will have to merge their asset-financing businesses with the bank.

The "must not have 10 percent or more income/assets from broking/real estate activities" condition also means that companies like Indiabulls are out of contention. However, Religare remains in the race as an official from the group told CNBC that the promoter group had a stake in Fortis as well and therefore, had less than than 10 percent of their overall income/assets in broking. However, this clause has scope for multiple interpretations, so we'll just have to wait and watch.



Religare Enterprises has already set up an advisory committee to chart its strategy and said that it is open to partnerships with global lenders. The Vijay Mahajan-promoted Basix Group, which own microfinance firm Bhartiya Samruddhi Finance, has also indicated that is interested in applying for a bank licence. SKS Microfinance has also said it is open to floating a new bank.The RBI has indicated that all applications will be posted on its website and that all the applicants will be considered by a core group, although the final decision will lie with the regulator.



The central bank has emphasised that merely meeting all the guidelines will not be enough to win a licence and qualitative factors such as corporate governance and promoter reputation, will also be taken into account before making a final decision. That could hamper the chances of players like the ADAG Group and Srei Infrastructure, according to some analysts.



One thing's for sure, several companies are interested in setting up a bank. The ones that finally make the cut will inevitably change the banking landscape forever.


News From: http://www.7StarNews.com

Production resumes at Maruti\'s Manesar plant

New Delhi, August 31, 2011(Tehelkanews)

Maruti Suzuki India (MSI) on Wednesday said it has begun to roll out cars from its Manesar plant as it looks to normalise operations, even as tension between the management and workers continued for the third day.\"MSI began assembly operations at Manesar this morning. The factory was able to roll out its first Swift since production was halted on Monday,\" a company spokesperson said.In the last two days, the company had done the ground work for resumption of work in the press, weld and paint shops by bringing in additional workers. These sections of the plant are highly automated, he added.

\"The company brought in 120 ITI-trained workers this morning to the Manesar plant on a contract basis to strengthen the manpower for assembly operations,\" the spokesperson said.In addition, 50 engineers from the Gurgaon plant and 290 supervisors are working at the Manesar plant. The engineers are strengthening quality systems and preparing for a ramp-up, he said.Production at the Manesar plant had been at a complete halt since Monday after the company decided to force workers to sign a \'good conduct bond\' before entering the factory premises following alleged \"sabotage\", resulting in quality issues that arose last week.

So far, 40-odd permanent workers have signed the bond, the spokesperson said.

On Tuesday, MSI suspended 16 more permanent workers, taking the total to 26, while the services of another 12 trainees were discontinued, in addition to six earlier, at the plant.With vehicle production being completely affected for the second day, MSI has suffered an estimated production loss of about 2,400 units, valued at around Rs 120 crore till Tuesday.The workers, however, had said the management was taking these steps in \"revenge\" for their 13-day strike in June demanding the recognition of a new union -- the Maruti Suzuki Employees Union (MSEU) -- at the plant located in Haryana.


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New Pension System: Ensure minimum returns, Parliament panel tells Govt

New Delhi,Aug.30(Tehelkanews)

A Parliamentary Panel has asked the Government to devise a mechanism to ensure a minimum assured/guaranteed return to subscribers of New Pension System (NPS).In the absence of such a guarantee/assurance, the NPS cannot justifiably claim to provide 'old age income security\', the Standing Committee on Finance said in its report on the PFRDA Bill, 2011. The report was tabled in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday .This minimum assured return should be provided to ensure that the NPS subscribers are not at any disadvantage vis-à-vis other pensioners. The minimum rate of return on the contributions to the pension fund should not be less than the interest rate on employee provident fund scheme, the House Panel headed by Mr Yashwant Sinha said. Any shortfall on this count (providing minimum assured return) should be made good from the Budget, the report said.

"As any effective pension scheme needs to be underpinned by stability of returns and reasonable post retirement incomes, it is imperative that Government should provide for minimum guaranteed return and not the mere camouflage of market based guarantee, which should not be less than the minimum return available currently under the defined pension scheme," the report said.Any move to provide for a minimum assured return would also be complementary to the proposed Clause 25 in the PFRDA Bill, 2011 wherein ability to provide guaranteed returns has been made an eligibility criteria for fund managers, the report pointed out.FDI cap at 26% The Standing Committee has also recommended that the foreign direct investment (FDI) in the pension sector be capped at 26 per cent. The Government favours this.


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Auto Component Biz Growth To Slow Down During 2011-12

(08/31/2011)(Tehelkanews)

Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India stated that Indian auto component business is anticipating a slump in growth to 12-15% during the existing financial year (2011-12) from over 34% during the last fiscal year.In spite of this deceleration, the business is expected to witness an investmentof around $3 billion during the fiscal to augment capacitances acrossIndia.Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA) President Srivats Ramsaid, \"The first quarter of 2011-12 witnessed some slowdown in vehicle consumption in India and this seems to suggest the growth in the auto component industry in the current fiscal will be in the range of 12-15%.\"

The component business saw an augmentation of 34.2% during 2010-11, taking its overall revenue to $ 39.9 billion.But, he said that ACMA is very confident on the market recital in the long-term as it is anticipating a compound yearly growth speed of 14% for the coming 3-5 years.When asked about the investment the components player may put in in this fiscal, Ram responded, \"We are expecting about USD 3 billion investment during this fiscal to enhance capacity.\"The auto component business had invested $2-2.25 billion on various greenfield and brownfield capacity addition projects during the last financial year.

On Duty Entitlement Passbook Scheme (DEPB), that incentivises exports through tax rebates, Ram said: \"It is a very useful scheme for us. As there is no alternative and given the global market condition, we want the validity of the DEPB scheme to be extended beyond September this year\".


News From: http://www.7StarNews.com

Auto Component Biz Growth To Slow Down During 2011-12

(08/31/2011)(Tehelkanews)

Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India stated that Indian auto component business is anticipating a slump in growth to 12-15% during the existing financial year (2011-12) from over 34% during the last fiscal year.In spite of this deceleration, the business is expected to witness an investmentof around $3 billion during the fiscal to augment capacitances acrossIndia.Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA) President Srivats Ramsaid, \"The first quarter of 2011-12 witnessed some slowdown in vehicle consumption in India and this seems to suggest the growth in the auto component industry in the current fiscal will be in the range of 12-15%.\"

The component business saw an augmentation of 34.2% during 2010-11, taking its overall revenue to $ 39.9 billion.But, he said that ACMA is very confident on the market recital in the long-term as it is anticipating a compound yearly growth speed of 14% for the coming 3-5 years.When asked about the investment the components player may put in in this fiscal, Ram responded, \"We are expecting about USD 3 billion investment during this fiscal to enhance capacity.\"The auto component business had invested $2-2.25 billion on various greenfield and brownfield capacity addition projects during the last financial year.

On Duty Entitlement Passbook Scheme (DEPB), that incentivises exports through tax rebates, Ram said: \"It is a very useful scheme for us. As there is no alternative and given the global market condition, we want the validity of the DEPB scheme to be extended beyond September this year\".


News From: http://www.7StarNews.com

Auto Component Biz Growth To Slow Down During 2011-12

(08/31/2011)(Tehelkanews)

Automotive Component Manufacturers Association of India stated that Indian auto component business is anticipating a slump in growth to 12-15% during the existing financial year (2011-12) from over 34% during the last fiscal year.In spite of this deceleration, the business is expected to witness an investmentof around $3 billion during the fiscal to augment capacitances acrossIndia.Automotive Component Manufacturers Association (ACMA) President Srivats Ramsaid, \"The first quarter of 2011-12 witnessed some slowdown in vehicle consumption in India and this seems to suggest the growth in the auto component industry in the current fiscal will be in the range of 12-15%.\"

The component business saw an augmentation of 34.2% during 2010-11, taking its overall revenue to $ 39.9 billion.But, he said that ACMA is very confident on the market recital in the long-term as it is anticipating a compound yearly growth speed of 14% for the coming 3-5 years.When asked about the investment the components player may put in in this fiscal, Ram responded, \"We are expecting about USD 3 billion investment during this fiscal to enhance capacity.\"The auto component business had invested $2-2.25 billion on various greenfield and brownfield capacity addition projects during the last financial year.

On Duty Entitlement Passbook Scheme (DEPB), that incentivises exports through tax rebates, Ram said: \"It is a very useful scheme for us. As there is no alternative and given the global market condition, we want the validity of the DEPB scheme to be extended beyond September this year\".


News From: http://www.7StarNews.com

AI\'s Jeddah-Mumbai plane lands under emergency conditions

MUMBAI(31/08/11)(Tehelkanews)

An Air India plane from Jeddah with 286 passengers and crew on board today landed under emergency conditions at the airport here following suspected hydraulic failure, the second such incident in as many days involving the state carrier.All the passengers on the Jeddah-Mumbai flight were safe, an airline spokesperson\"The AI-390 flight, carrying 286 people, including over 260 passengers, had to make a precautionary landing at the Mumbai airport due to a suspected hydraulic failure at around 1345 hrs. All the passengers deplaned safely,\" the spokesperson said.

Though the airline described the incident as a \"precautionary\" landing, a Mumbai airport spokesman said emergency services were activated at the airport at 1258 hrs and the Airbus 330 aircraft landed safely at 1348 hrs. The alert was withdrawn at 1413 hrs.The incident comes a day after an Air India plane with 123 passengers and crew landed under emergency conditions at the Thiruvananthapuram airport after a minor defect was detected in its hydraulic system.On Monday, a Gulf Air plane with 137 passengers had skidded off the runway and got stuck in the mud at Kochi airport in bad weather, injuring seven passengers. The runway at the international airport was closed for 10 hours and aviation regulator DGCA has ordered an inquiry into the incident
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Reliance Industries, BP complete $7.2-billion deal

NEW DELHI,(31/08/11)(Tehelkanews)

Reliance Industries and BP have completed the $7.2-billion deal in which the British company will pick up 30% in 21 blocks, including D-6, where technical expertise of the oil major is expected to reverse the decline in output from India\'s biggest gas field.BP, the first global oil major to make a significant investment in India, will form a 50:50 joint venture with Reliance Industries for sourcing and marketing of gas in India which will also accelerate the development of infrastructure in the sector.

Technical experts from both companies are expected to quickly work out ways to address the problems at the D-6 block in the Bay of Bengal. Reliance\'s gas output has dipped below 50 million metric standard cubic metres a day instead of rising to 80 mmscmd as the deep-sea reservoir turned out to be structurally different from what was imagined during surveys.\"The alliance with BP will boost our efforts to realise the true potential of India\'s hydrocarbon reserves,\" Reliance Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani said in a statement. He said the deal would also help boost energy security of the country, which depends heavily on imports to fuel its expanding economy.

For BP, the $7.2-billion investment is part of its global strategy to expand in growing markets with the help of local partners. \"This is the beginning of what we expect to be a long and successful working partnership with Reliance, building on the strengths of each company,\" said Bob Dudley , BP group CEO.\"This major investment is directly aligned with our strategy of creating long-term value by forming alliances with strong national partners, gaining material positions in significant hydrocarbon basins and increasing our exposure to growing energy markets.\" In addition to the $7.2 billion initial investment, BP may pay another $1.8 billion to Reliance depending on commercial discoveries in the exploration blocks in which it is buying stake.
News From: http://www.7StarNews.com

Reliance Industries, BP complete $7.2-billion deal

NEW DELHI,(31/08/11)(Tehelkanews)

Reliance Industries and BP have completed the $7.2-billion deal in which the British company will pick up 30% in 21 blocks, including D-6, where technical expertise of the oil major is expected to reverse the decline in output from India\'s biggest gas field.BP, the first global oil major to make a significant investment in India, will form a 50:50 joint venture with Reliance Industries for sourcing and marketing of gas in India which will also accelerate the development of infrastructure in the sector.

Technical experts from both companies are expected to quickly work out ways to address the problems at the D-6 block in the Bay of Bengal. Reliance\'s gas output has dipped below 50 million metric standard cubic metres a day instead of rising to 80 mmscmd as the deep-sea reservoir turned out to be structurally different from what was imagined during surveys.\"The alliance with BP will boost our efforts to realise the true potential of India\'s hydrocarbon reserves,\" Reliance Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani said in a statement. He said the deal would also help boost energy security of the country, which depends heavily on imports to fuel its expanding economy.

For BP, the $7.2-billion investment is part of its global strategy to expand in growing markets with the help of local partners. \"This is the beginning of what we expect to be a long and successful working partnership with Reliance, building on the strengths of each company,\" said Bob Dudley , BP group CEO.\"This major investment is directly aligned with our strategy of creating long-term value by forming alliances with strong national partners, gaining material positions in significant hydrocarbon basins and increasing our exposure to growing energy markets.\" In addition to the $7.2 billion initial investment, BP may pay another $1.8 billion to Reliance depending on commercial discoveries in the exploration blocks in which it is buying stake.
News From: http://www.7StarNews.com

Reliance Industries, BP complete $7.2-billion deal

NEW DELHI,(31/08/11)(Tehelkanews)

Reliance Industries and BP have completed the $7.2-billion deal in which the British company will pick up 30% in 21 blocks, including D-6, where technical expertise of the oil major is expected to reverse the decline in output from India\'s biggest gas field.BP, the first global oil major to make a significant investment in India, will form a 50:50 joint venture with Reliance Industries for sourcing and marketing of gas in India which will also accelerate the development of infrastructure in the sector.

Technical experts from both companies are expected to quickly work out ways to address the problems at the D-6 block in the Bay of Bengal. Reliance\'s gas output has dipped below 50 million metric standard cubic metres a day instead of rising to 80 mmscmd as the deep-sea reservoir turned out to be structurally different from what was imagined during surveys.\"The alliance with BP will boost our efforts to realise the true potential of India\'s hydrocarbon reserves,\" Reliance Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani said in a statement. He said the deal would also help boost energy security of the country, which depends heavily on imports to fuel its expanding economy.

For BP, the $7.2-billion investment is part of its global strategy to expand in growing markets with the help of local partners. \"This is the beginning of what we expect to be a long and successful working partnership with Reliance, building on the strengths of each company,\" said Bob Dudley , BP group CEO.\"This major investment is directly aligned with our strategy of creating long-term value by forming alliances with strong national partners, gaining material positions in significant hydrocarbon basins and increasing our exposure to growing energy markets.\" In addition to the $7.2 billion initial investment, BP may pay another $1.8 billion to Reliance depending on commercial discoveries in the exploration blocks in which it is buying stake.
News From: http://www.7StarNews.com

Reliance Industries, BP complete $7.2-billion deal

NEW DELHI,(31/08/11)(Tehelkanews)

Reliance Industries and BP have completed the $7.2-billion deal in which the British company will pick up 30% in 21 blocks, including D-6, where technical expertise of the oil major is expected to reverse the decline in output from India\'s biggest gas field.BP, the first global oil major to make a significant investment in India, will form a 50:50 joint venture with Reliance Industries for sourcing and marketing of gas in India which will also accelerate the development of infrastructure in the sector.

Technical experts from both companies are expected to quickly work out ways to address the problems at the D-6 block in the Bay of Bengal. Reliance\'s gas output has dipped below 50 million metric standard cubic metres a day instead of rising to 80 mmscmd as the deep-sea reservoir turned out to be structurally different from what was imagined during surveys.\"The alliance with BP will boost our efforts to realise the true potential of India\'s hydrocarbon reserves,\" Reliance Chairman and Managing Director Mukesh Ambani said in a statement. He said the deal would also help boost energy security of the country, which depends heavily on imports to fuel its expanding economy.

For BP, the $7.2-billion investment is part of its global strategy to expand in growing markets with the help of local partners. \"This is the beginning of what we expect to be a long and successful working partnership with Reliance, building on the strengths of each company,\" said Bob Dudley , BP group CEO.\"This major investment is directly aligned with our strategy of creating long-term value by forming alliances with strong national partners, gaining material positions in significant hydrocarbon basins and increasing our exposure to growing energy markets.\" In addition to the $7.2 billion initial investment, BP may pay another $1.8 billion to Reliance depending on commercial discoveries in the exploration blocks in which it is buying stake.
News From: http://www.7StarNews.com

Libyans mark feast without Gaddafi, but war not over

TRIPOLI/BENGHAZI,Wed Aug 31, 2011(Tehelkanews)

(Reuters) - Libyans delighted at Muammar Gaddafi\'s downfall celebrated the end of Ramadan feast on Wednesday, even though the ousted leader remains on the run and forces loyal to him are defying an ultimatum set by Libya\'s interim council.In the capital\'s newly renamed Martyrs\' Square, hundreds of people gathered for morning prayers to celebrate the Eid al-Fitr holiday that marks the end of the Muslim fasting month.\"It is the most beautiful prayers. We are filled with joy, Gaddafi made us hate our lives ... We come here to express our joy at the end of 42 years of repression and deprivation,\" said Hatem Gureish, 31, a merchant from Tripoli.

\"This is the most beautiful Eid and most beautiful day in42years,hesaid.Council leaders, trying to heal scars left by Gaddafi\'s 42-year rule, may want United Nations help in setting up a new police force, but see no role for international peacekeepers or observers, a U.N. official said.\"They are very seriously interested in assistance with policing to get thepublisecuritsituationundercontrol and gradually develop a democratically accountable public security force,\" Ian Martin, special U.N. envoy for post-conflict planning in Libya, said at the United Nations in New York.

\"We don\'t now expect military observers to be requested,\" he said. \"It\'s very clear that the Libyans want to avoid any kind of military deployment of the U.N. or others.\"Libyans who revolted against Gaddafi in February needed NATO air power to help them win, but, given their country\'s unhappy colonial history, they remain wary of foreign meddling.


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Uganda officials fear more mudslides, death toll rises

Aug 30, 2011(Tehelkanews)

MBALE, Uganda (Reuters) - The death toll from devastating landslides in eastern Uganda rose to 30 on Tuesday as bodies were retrieved from piles of sludge and rock, and officials warned that unseasonably heavy rains could cause more mudslides and floods.The landslides occurred early on Monday, engulfing the villages of Mabono and Meru near the border with Kenya, flattening hundreds of houses and killing entire families.\"There were stones falling from mountains and ... and they sounded like gunshots,\" said survivor Menjezi Silver. \"We started to rescue some people who were buried inside the house.\"

elevision footage showed shocked survivors standing among twisted trees, buried fields of crops and mangled houses whose corrugated iron roofs were barely visible above ground, watching rescuers dig out bodies using shovels. Mud-covered bodies lay in open spaces between heavy rocks that had tumbled down hillsides.\"We have now confirmed 30 people dead and have retrieved 27 bodies already. The other bodies were probably washed down the hillsides by the intense floods,\" Musa Ecweru, junior minister for disaster preparedness, told Reuters.

\"Today, the government will buy coffins for all the dead and hand them over to their relatives for burial and in cases where an entire family was killed, clans will receive the bodies and take care of burial.\"Ecweru said teams of rescue workers had been deployed to locate survivors and move those at higher risk to lower ground until they could be permanently resettled in safer areas.\"The rains are intensifying and we expect more landslides in most of the districts in mountainous areas and we also expect floods in most of the low-lying areas,\" he said.An unseasonable weather pattern has unleashed punishing rains over much of the east African country in the last three months, punctuated by hailstorms and deadly lightning strikes.


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Deadly Tropical Storm Makes Landfall in China

August 31, 2011(Tehelkanews)

Tropical Storm Nanmadol made landfall in southeastern China early Wednesday, striking Fujian province with maximum winds of 72 kilometers an hourAuthorities say there have been no immediate reports of casualties in China despite the death and destruction caused by Nanmadol in Taiwan and the Philippines.Forecasters expect the storm to linger over the region for the next few days and produce heavy amounts of rain.Authorities canceled some flights and shut down a shipping lane between Taiwan and the mainland in advance of the storm\'s arrival.

Officials in the Philippines say 22 people were killed by floods and mudslides triggered by the storm, which struck with hurricane-force winds last week.Nanmadol leveled hundreds of homes when passed over some of Taiwan\'s most heavily populated areas Monday, causing widespread economic losses.Onmotorcyclist was killed by flying glass from a window that shattered as he was driving by.Some information for this report was provided by AFP


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World Bank to Contribute Millions to Help Kenya Withstand Drought

August 30, 2011(Tehelkanews)

In response to the ongoing crisis in the Horn of Africa, the World Bank is planning to provide Kenya with tens of millions of dollars to improve the country\'s defenses against future droughts.The drought and famine currently rippling through east Africa has shown no signs of slowing. With governments, businesses and people around the world ramping up relief efforts, the World Bank has also decided to intervene.A team of technical experts on emergency disaster recovery recently wrapped up a mission to assess the needs of the people and governments of East Africa. The team reviewed the humanitarian situation, the efforts to alleviate the situation, and the various drought prevention mechanisms already in place.

After concluding the mission, the World Bank has announced it will contribute $39 million to help fill gaps it found in the various drought and famine response efforts. Johannes Zutt is the World Bank Country Director for Kenya and Somalia.

\"We have decided to do a few things: one is to provide some emergency financing to Somalia for the U.N. system to help support the livelihoods of Somalis in south-central Somalia,\" said Zutt. \"We are also going to provide about $30 million to support the purchase of medical supplies and water supplies for the two refugee camps in Dolo Ado, Ethiopia and Dadaab, Kenya.\"

In addition to providing assistance to address region\'s immediate needs, the World Bank is looking at ways to improve the long-term livelihoods of people living in drought-prone areas, specifically in Kenya.As part of their mission, the World Bank team visited Kenya\'s hardest-hit areas such as Turkana and parts of North Eastern Province. The team met with local residents as well as national and local government officials to determine what infrastructure existed to guard against drought.

The team concluded that shoring up existing water pipelines and reservoirs, improving environmental management systems, and improving rural infrastructure would provide effective shields against future natural disasters.According to Zutt, the World Bank is also looking at ways to diversify and reform pastoralist community activities, to make them less vulnerable to drought.\"If you go up to places like Dadaab, to Mandera, you\'ll see that sheep and goats have eaten shoots of vegetation all the way down to the ground and that is resulting in expanding desertification,\" added Zutt. \"What needs to happen is that animal populations need to be better controlled.\"

The World Bank hopes to contribute $87 million to these longer-term projects under its Crisis Response Window program. The $87 million is part of $250 million the World Bank hopes to deliver to the region for drought relief.The Crisis Response Window program is subject to approval by the World Bank Board of Executive Directors, which is expected to reach a decision in September.
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Horror stories from inside Gaddafi\'s torture chambers

Wednesday, Aug 31, 2011(Tehelkanews)

\"Come with me,\" said the man, \"and I will show you where Gaddafi buried people alive.\"We\'d been looking around the newly-liberated Abu Salim prison, which for all its fearsome reputation struck me as fairly all right. The large communal cells had carpets, fans, kitchens, showers and even power points. The prison, scene of a notorious massacre in 1996, was later turned into a showplace for visiting foreigners.

But that was not where Gaddafi\'s police state did its real business. They took the political prisoners somewhere else, somewhere much harder to find.In the pic: Burnt bodies are seen at the Khamis 32 military encampment in southern Tripoli August 28, 2011. The charred remains of around 53 people have been found in a warehouse in the Libyan capital Tripoli, apparently opponents of Muammar Gaddafi who were executed as his rule collapsed, Britain`s Sky News reported on Saturday






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CROP PRODUCE COMPETITION AT PAU KISAN MELA

LUDHIANA, AUGUST 30:-----



A crop produce competition is being organized at PAU Kisan Mela slated for September 22-23. Giving details, Dr Jasbir Singh Chawla, Senior Maize Breeder of PAU and Convener of Produce Competition Committee, informed that besides the competition of recommended and approved varieties of vegetables including okra (bhindi), bitter gourd (karela), chillies, Ram tori, radish, cowpea, arvi, tinda, capsicum (shimla mirch), ghiya kaddu, halwa kaddu, brinjal or any other, the competition of field crops such as maize (cobs) or any other crop, will also be held. Dr Chawla further told that among fruits, the competition of recommended and approved varieties including guava, lime and lemon, malta, grape fruit, papaya or any other fruit will take place whereas among floriculture, samples of rose (loose), marigold, rose (cut), tuberose (rajni gandha), gerbera (cut) or any other flower will be received.



Dr Chawla informed that the samples of the produce will be received at the stall provided for Produce Competition near Kairon Kisan Ghar on September 22 till 12.00 noon. Telling that undersize sample of any produce will be rejected; he said that prizes and certificates will be given to competition winners.


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Irene\'s death toll rises; U.S. towns battle floods

MONTPELIER, August 30,2011(Tehelkanews)

Transportation was getting back to normal in most eastern states on Tuesday in the wake of Hurricane Irene, though some towns still grappled with flooding and many homes remained without electricity.At least 46 people were reported killed by the storm, which blew through the Caribbean and up the U.S. eastern seaboard before hitting Canada.In New York City, where people had braced for a disaster-movie scene of water swirling around skyscrapers, the subways and buses were up and running again in time for the Monday morning commute.

By Tuesday, a majority of riders on the hard-hit Long Island Rail Road and Metro-North Railroad were able to get onto trains to the centre of the city, although some Long Island communities still were without service because of flooded tracks.To the north, landlocked Vermont contended with what its governor called the worst flooding in a century.In many cases, the moment of maximum danger arrived well after the storm had passed, as rainwater made its way into rivers and streams and turned them into torrents. Irene dumped up to 11 inches (28 centimetres) of rain on Vermont and more than 13 inches (33 centimetres) in parts of New York.

Some Amtrak service in the Northeast was limited or suspended, and airlines said it would be days before the thousands of passengers stranded by Irene find their way home.The death toll for 11 eastern U.S. states rose to at least 40 as bodies were pulled from floodwaters and people were struck by falling trees or electrocuted by downed power lines.A driver was missing after a road collapsed and swallowed two cars about 62 miles (100 kilometres) northeast of Montreal.Irene also killed at least five people in the Dominican Republic and Haiti and one woman in Puerto Rico.

For many people, the aftermath could prove more painful than the storm itself. In North Carolina, where Irene blew ashore along the Outer Banks on Saturday before heading to the north, some 1,000 people were still in emergency shelters, awaiting word on their homes.At the same time, nearly 5 million homes and businesses in a dozen states were still without electricity, and utilities warned it might be a week or more before some people got their power back.Early estimates put Irene's damage at $7 billion to $10 billion, much smaller than the impact of monster storms such as Hurricane Katrina, which did more than $100 billion in damage. Irene's effects are small compared to the overall U.S. economy, which produces about $14 trillion of goods and services every year.


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Heavy security in Xinjiang ahead of trade fair

URUMQI, August 30, 2011 (Tehelkanews)

Fears of violence have prompted a widespread deployment of security forces across much of China\'s far western Xinjiang ahead of a major trade fair, which opens here on Thursday and is aimed at boosting the region\'s fast-growing trade links with Central Asia.Officials in this sprawling, grey regional capital described the security arrangements ahead of this week\'s China-Eurasia Expo as unprecedented, with large parts of this industrial city placed under 24-hour surveillance and street patrols.

At the heart of this city, on Renmin Lu — the People\'s Street — paramilitary and military troops, armed with rifles, patrolled in convoys of green People\'s Liberation Army (PLA) trucks. In smaller neighbourhoods, hundreds of 12-men patrols, involving, according to local media, some 7,000 ordinary citizens, dressed in green military uniforms but armed only with baseball bats, kept watch.

The security deployment comes in the wake of violence and unrest that left at least 30 people killed in attacks earlier this month, in the region\'s southern cities of Kashgar and Hotan. Security was also tightened this week in Kashgar, which lies close to China\'s border with Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK). Two dozen PLA soldiers, armed with riot shields and rifles, kept watch over the Id Kah mosque at the centre of the city, while four PLA trucks occupied the centre of a deserted People\'s Square, usually a popular public space.The China-Eurasia Expo, the biggest hosted by the regional government, is being held to boost Urumqi\'s — and Xinjiang\'s — profile as a commercial hub, particularly to spur fast-rising trade between the region and energy-rich Central Asian neighbours.



"When there is a big event like this, there are always concerns that something will happen," Pan Zhiping, a terrorism expert at the Xinjiang Academy of Social Sciences, told The Hindu in an interview.



"It is very difficult to stop such incidents. I don\'t think a big event is going to happen, but small conflicts can happen."



Ethnic violence



Xinjiang has seen intermittent unrest between Han Chinese and the native Uighurs, a Muslim Turkic ethnic group. In July 2009, at least 197 people were killed in ethnic violence in Urumqi. Since then, many residents said, mistrust has lingered between both groups. Now, few Han Chinese can be seen in Uighur neighbourhoods.



The government hopes the trade fair will draw investment and boost the city\'s development. "The fair is going to bring a lot of investment and business," said an official at the Tebian Electric Apparatus Stock Company (TBEA), one of the region\'s biggest energy companies, which is hosting a 1,000 square metre pavilion. "We have had trade fairs in the past, but this expo takes [trade promotion] to another level as it is also, for the first time, being supported by the central government."



The city has also spent millions on redeveloping its poorer districts, tearing down older predominantly Uighur neighbourhoods and building modern apartments. The plans have divided opinion, with some welcoming modern living standards, but others complaining of inadequate government compensation forcing them out to the suburbs.



Both government officials and scholars have called to channel rising investment to better address inequalities between Hans and Uighurs. At a conference here on August 20, Wang Yong, chairman of the State-owned Assets Supervision and Administration Commission (SASAC), called on China\'s State-owned Enterprises (SOEs), which account for 70 per cent of Xinjiang\'s industrial output, to boost local employment, instead of only hiring Han Chinese, and not "expand blindly [and] abuse resources."



Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari will be the chief guest at the fair\'s opening. He would use the fair "to share his vision about enhanced connectivity between Pakistan and China to shorten trade and travel distances between the Gulf and Western regions of China," the Associated Press of Pakistan reported.



Businesses here are, however, particularly targeting the markets of Central Asia. "We are more interested in Central Asia," said one businessmen in Kashgar, who is one of the biggest exporters of fruits and produce. He declined to be identified. "Pakistan is too unstable to do business," he said.



While organisers say the trade fair covers "Central and South Asia," India was not formally invited to participate, officials said.


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Migrants group evacuates 850 more from Tripoli

GENEVA, August 30, 201(Tehelkanews)

The International Organization for Migration says it has evacuated 850 more stranded foreign workers from the Libyan capital Tripoli aboard a chartered ferry.

The Geneva-based organization said Monday the foreigners include women and children and are headed to the eastern port city of Benghazi, from where they will be taken to Egypt and then to their home countries.

IOM said the migrants are from Egypt, the Philippines, Lebanon, Morocco, Mauritania, Algeria, Jordan, Iraq and Ukraine.An earlier IOM evacuation brought 263 stranded migrants out of Tripoli to escape the violence and widespread shortages of fuel, food, water and medical supplies.The organization said hundreds more migrants, especially from sub-Saharan Africa, fear they cannot safely reach embassies or the port area.


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Eid is when the regime goes, say Syrian protesters

BEIRUT, August 30, 2011(Tehelkanews)

Syrian security forces killed seven people on Tuesday as they opened fire to disperse thousands of protesters rallying against the regime, activists said.

The activists said security forces fired at protesters in the southern province of Daraa, in the central city of Homs and in Damascus and its suburbs following morning prayers on the start of Eid ul—Fitr.



"Eid is when the regime goes," read a banner held up by protesters in the city of Daraa, where the uprising against President Bashar Assad's autocratic regime erupted five months ago.



Amateur videos posted by activists online showed fired-up protesters calling for the downfall of the regime and execution of the President. Some called for international protection of Syrian civilians. "We are being killed every day," read another banner.



The Local Coordination Committees activist network said six protesters were killed in Daraa province and one in Homs. An activist in Daraa confirmed the six deaths in Daraa, saying four were killed in the village of al-Harra and two others in Inkhil.



The deaths in al-Harra included a 13-year-old boy, they said. "They can shoot and kill as much as they want, we will not stop calling for regime change," the activist said. He spoke on condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals.



The London-based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights also reported heavy gunfire in the Qaboun district of the capital Damascus resulting in five injuries.



State-run news agency SANA said Mr. Assad performed Eid prayers in the Hafez Assad Mosque in the capital, named after Mr. Assad's father who ruled Syria with an iron fist for three decades until his death in 2000.



On Tuesday, many in Syria visited graves of loved ones who have been killed in the five-month uprising against President Bashar Assad.



In the northern province of Idlib, a few hundred protesters marched with flower wreaths decorated with the Syrian flag and pictures of dead relatives and shouting- "Bashar, we don't want you."



Human rights groups say Mr. Assad's forces have killed more than 2,000 civilians since the uprising erupted in March, touched off by the wave of revolutions sweeping the Arab world.


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Car bomb kills 5 in southwest Pakistan

QUETTA, August 31, 2011(Tehelkanews)

Asuicide car bomber attacked worshippers in southwestern Pakistan on Wednesday as they were heading home after morning prayers at the start of an Islamic holiday. The blast killed at least five people, officials said.The attack occurred in Quetta, the capital of Baluchistan province, which is home to both Taliban militants and nationalists who have waged a decades—long insurgency against the Pakistani government. No group immediately claimed responsibility for the bombing.

There were conflicting reports about the death toll from the blast.

Quetta police chief Ahsan Mahboob said five people were killed in the suicide attack. But Babul Baluch, a member of the Edhi Foundation, which runs ambulance services throughout Pakistan, said 10 people were killed.The blast also wounded at least 17 people and damaged nearby vehicles and buildings, said Mr. Mahboob.The attack was a somber beginning to Eid al—Fitr, the Islamic holiday that comes at the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. In Pakistan, the three—day holiday started Wednesday while in many other parts of the Muslim world it began on Tuesday.

Baluchistan has experienced frequent bombings in recent years, many at the hands of nationalists who demand a greater share of the province's natural resources. Baluchistan is also believed to be home to many senior Taliban commanders, including leader Mullah Omar.


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Senior advocates slam delay in disposal of mercy petitions

CHENNAI, August 31, 2011(Tehelkanews)

Senior advocates representing the three death row convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case assailed the undue delay in the disposal of their mercy petitions and contended that this rendered the death penalty imposed on them illegal and unconstitutional.Ram Jethmalani, senior counsel, arguing for Murugan, submitted that every country in Europe was free from death penalty. However, India had not abolished capital punishment. He traced the facts starting from the assassination of the former Prime Minister on May 21, 1991 till the completion of the judicial process on May 11, 1999 (the day on which the Supreme Court delivered its verdict).

The first clemency petition was dismissed by the Governor in 10 days. His second petition was also rejected. Later, a mercy plea was sent to the President in 2000. This was followed by reminders. After 11 years and four months, the petition was rejected.Citing various judgments, he said the delay in disposing of mercy petitions was a ground for commutation of sentence. Unless the delay was properly explained and justified, it rendered the death penalty illegal and unconstitutional. R. Vaigai, senior counsel, appearing for Santhan, submitted that delay in disposal of the mercy petition by 11 years made the execution of death sentence unconstitutional.

Colin Gonsalves, counsel for Perarivalan, said as per Article 21, no person should be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law. Taking 11 years for disposing of the mercy petition was not a procedure established by law.Anbumani, sister of Perarivalan, said she had faith in the judiciary. She was hopeful that her brother would ultimately be released from prison. The prisoner\'s father, Kuyilthasan, said various parties and people of different strata of society had come together for saving the three lives. Film director Manivannan was among those present in the court complex.


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Tuesday, August 30, 2011

High Court dismisses Kalmadi plea to attend Parliament

New Delhi, August 30, 2011(Tehelkanews)

The Delhi High Court on Tuesday dismissed Suresh Kalmadi\'s plea to attend the monsoon session of Parliament, saying there was no merit in it. Mr. Kalmadi is a Congress MP from Pune and the prime accused in the Commonwealth Games scam case.

He had filed a revision petition against the order of a Single Bench dismissing his petition seeking permission to attend the session. The Bench had observed that allowing him to participate in the House proceedings would provide him a respite from imprisonment.

Dismissing the revision petition, a Division Bench of Justices Dipak Misra and Sanjiv Khanna said the Court did not have the power to permit him to attend Parliament. The Court on Monday said it would not go into the attendance record of the MP in Parliament or into his Constitutional right to attend Parliament sittings, as submitted by him in support of his plea.It had further said that it was unable to understand how he could be permitted to attend the Parliament sitting when the court did not think it fit to release him on bail.

Mr. Kalmadi along with other accused is facing prosecution in connection with the case.He is lodged in the Tihar Central Jail here after rejection of his bail application, first by a special court for CBI cases and later by the Delhi High Court.Counsel for Mr. Kalmadi had argued that that attending the Parliament session was the Constitutional right of his client as well as his privilege.

He had also cited the sincerity of Mr. Kalmadi in attending Parliament sessions over the years by referring to his attendance record in the Lower House.The investigating agency arrested him on May 25 and chargesheeted him and 10 others in the case.


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Parliamentary panel for compulsory registration in employment exchanges

New Delhi, August 30, 2011(Tehelkanews)

A Parliamentary panel has suggested compulsory registration of job seekers in employment exchanges for receiving vacancy alerts and also unemployment allowance in States where it is being paid.



The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Labour has also suggested that branches and centres of employment exchanges be opened in every district post office where pass-outs can register themselves easily.



"The committee strongly feels that making registration compulsory will be beneficial for the job seekers as it would not only enable them to get alerts about job opportunities once the exchanges are computerised, but also make them eligible for unemployment allowance in States where it is being paid," the committee said in its report tabled in Lok Sabha on Tuesday.



Mandatory registration will also benefit the employment exchanges as their data about the unemployment situation in the country will be automatically updated and in turn boost the government's employment market information programme, it added.



"Alternatively possible, online registration may be explored wherein the students appearing in the final examination may be given an option by their respective educational institutions to register themselves," it said.



While the employment exchanges are currently undergoing computerisation, the committee, headed by Hemanand Biswal, suggested that the government should assess the technical limitations of the exchanges computerised first before inter-linking them.



Out of 969 employment exchanges in the country, 467 have been computerised so far.



According to the committee report, the Labour and Employment Ministry had contended that making registration mandatory is "likely to create lot of repercussions as it is against the spirit of article 10 of ILO convention 88 which India has ratified".



Rejecting such views, the committee said "article 10 should be seen in positive light i.e all interested parties take all possible measures to encourage full use of employment service facilities".



While suggesting compulsory registration, it also recommended the government to take "proactive action" to revamp the functioning of the employment exchanges taking serious note of their "deteriorating condition".


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Old guard blocks sports reform bill

Attempts to bring about transparency, accountability and efficiency in the functioning of Indian sports federations and the way sports is run in the country received a serious setback as senior ministers — many of whom wear second hats as heads of various sporting bodies — ganged up to block approval of the proposed National Sports Development Bill 2011 at the Union Cabinet meeting on Tuesday.

The meeting, presided over by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, witnessed heated exchanges and sharp divisions as several ministers, many of them representing the interest of cricket and some other sports federations, raised strong objections to granting approval to the Bill.

At the outset, Dr. Singh lauded the Bill in its present form and termed it "good legislation," well placed sources told The Hindu. He was backed by Home Minister P. Chidambaram, who supported the move by the Sports Ministry to usher in changes in the way sports federations function, often behind an opaque screen.

The move to bury the Bill came, surprisingly, from within the Congress and was backed by its allies in the UPA government. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee is learnt to have told the Cabinet that Parliament would never approve this Bill in its present form or scenario.

The Bill faced the fiercest opposition from Maharashtra strongman and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar and his Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) colleague Praful Patel. In the present Cabinet, three Ministers — C.P. Joshi, Vilasrao Deshmukh and Farooq Abdullah — head cricket associations in their respective States, while Mr. Pawar is the president of the International Cricket Council. Mr. Patel heads the All-India Football Federation.

Mr. Pawar was so furious with the presentation of the Bill in the Cabinet, sources said, that he threatened to take the matter to UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi and ensure that it was not cleared. Referring to the issue of the age bar of 70 years for office holders in sports federation, Mr. Pawar is understood to have stated that if this was the criterion "then nobody in this (Cabinet) room should be above 70 years age either."

He was backed by Mr. Patel, who termed the Bill intrusive and something that would interfere with the running of the sports federations.Minister for New and Renewable Energy Farooq Abdullah also took strong exception to the introduction of the Bill and especially to the age bar provision. "I am very young and can do all sorts of things that even youngsters cannot do. This Bill is not feasible,\'\' he is learnt to have remarked.Witnessing the acrimony over the Bill, the Prime Minister asked the Cabinet whether the Bill should be referred to a Group of Ministers. At this point, the sources said, Mr. Chidambaram suggested that the Sports Ministry be asked to rework the Bill. The Prime Minister then asked Sports and Youth Affairs Minister Ajay Maken to redraft the Bill.


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RRTC & KVK of Vet Varsity will work towards economic upliftment of farmers

Booh (Tarn Taran) 30-AUG, 2011



Guru Angad Dev Veterinary & Animal Sciences University (GADVASU), Ludhiana organized an Animal Welfare Camp at village Booh (Tarntaran) on 30.8.2011 to treat the animals and also to guide the livestock farmers regarding scientific rearing of animals. Dr. V.K. Taneja, Vice-Chancellor, GADVASU inaugurated the camp. On this occasion, Dr. Taneja said, "Veterinary University is going to establish a Regional Research & Training Centre, Booh, as well as Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) for the district. The center will be a milestone for the improvement of Nili Ravi a buffalo breed by maintaining superior germ plasm. One hundred and twenty five families will be selected from five villages. These families will be first selected and their bench mark survey will be done and on the basis of the survey, the future programme will be formulated. It will also work to improve health as well as nutritional status of cattle, buffaloes, sheep, goat etc. Farmers will be awared about silage and Hay making of green fodder, balanced concentrate mixture formulation, cultivation of river fish and better reproductive practices. The production level of animals in adopted village will be increased by 50-100% within next five years. The University will remain in touch with the farmers for latest technological intervention. This mutual association will improve livelihood and economical status of the farmer by enhancing their livestock and agricultural produce. The University will get the feed back for future strategic research and extension. Dr. Kulbir Singh Sandhu, Director of Extension Education said that this centre will prove to be an asset for the area. It should be the mouthorgan of GADVASU in Majha region. This centre will work towards the economic upliftment of the farmers of the area through diversification. The diversification is the need of the hour and dairy farming is proved to be the best alternate to diversify from agriculture. In addition to organize vocational trainings, frontline demonstrations, on farm testing and developing region-specific sustainable land use system, the centre will also demonstrate the University's technologies at farmers level. The youth of the area will be trained through learning by doing process. Dr. Sandhu told that the University will always be ready to help the needy livestock farmers and a direct rapport will be made with the farmers. During the camp experts delivered lecture on different aspects of cattle rearing like feeding, breeding, housing & management of animal etc. About 200 cases of buffaloes, cows, bullocks and dogs were presented. Majority of cases were of mastitis, anoestrus, repeat breeding, meteritis, pregnancy diagnosis, tick infestation etc. In this occasion, an exhibition depicted different technologies of University like urea treatment of wheat straw, uromin lick preparation etc. was also presented. Dairy Development Department also put the stall to explain the facilities in dairy sector. Dr. Kashmir Sigh Deputy Director said that the department is providing general training, artificial insemination training and subsidies on milking machine, bulk milk chiller and contribution in insurance premium. He also explained the different schemes of NABARD. The experts of PAU displayed the new and fine varieties of seeds. Importance and usage of green leaf chart was explained. Literature of agri university was also showcased. Water and soil samples were collected for testing. The village Panchayat welcomed the chief guest and premised the needed support for the GADVASU and scientists. About 500 farmers of the area participated in the event. Villagers demanded that such camps should be held regularly for welfare of animals as it will also boost for adopting dairying as viable alternative to customized agriculture. The University's officials ensured the villagers to provide expert facility in the area regularly.


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Goods trains collide in Orissa, casualties feared

BHUBANESWAR,(31/08/11)(Tehelkanews)

Two goods trains collided head-on in Orissa\'s Keonjhar district early Wednesday. An official said there could be some casualties.The engines of the trains collided near Tigiriapalli village in the mineral-rich district, East Coast Railway chief public relation officer RN Mohapatra said.A local television channel said one person has died and a few people injured in the accident. Mohapatra said no deaths have been confirmed so far but there could be some casualties.It was a single line track and mostly used for the transportation of minerals, he said.
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Team Anna meets Singhvi, seeks clarity on timeline

NEW DELHI, August 31, 2011 (Tehelkanews)

Team Anna members on Tuesday stoutly defended their colleague Kiran Bedi against whom a privilege notice has been given in Parliament for allegedly using objectionable language against MPs during activist Anna Hazare\'s agitation here on the Jan Lokpal Bill issue.Declaring that they were "solidly behind her," two core members of Team Anna, Prashant Bhushan and Arvind Kejriwal, said Ms. Bedi did not say anything that could be termed as breach of privilege. "She will respond to the notice as and when it is received. We are solidly behind her," Mr. Kejriwal told journalists.

Claiming that privilege notices could be issued against him and Mr. Kejriwal as well, Mr. Bhushan said that if that was done then "people might perceive that MPs are thinking that our fight is against them because we talk about their corruption. People will think this is the lawmakers\' way of getting back at us."Mr. Bhushan and Mr. Kejriwal, who met Abhishek Singhvi, Chairman of the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Personnel and Law and Justice that is scrutinising the Lokpal Bill, said they would make a presentation on the Jan Lokpal Bill by next month. They had met Mr. Singhvi to seek clarity on the timeline and the procedure to be followed on the Bill.

They "ideally" wanted the Bill to be finalised in a month and, if necessary, considered and passed by a special session of Parliament, but were informed that all efforts would be made to ready a comprehensive and strong Bill by the end of October. The Bill is expected to be presented to Parliament in the winter session.

"We sought the meeting to find out about the timeline and the procedure that will be followed. We were told that we would be called by September-end to make a presentation on the Jan Lokpal Bill. Till then the panel would have heard all other groups and considered all Bills, we were informed," Mr. Kejriwal told The Hindu after the meeting.

The committee has already put out advertisements seeking comments and suggestions on the Lokpal Bill that has been introduced in Parliament and referred to it.In addition, the panel will also now consider the "Sense of the House\'\' agreement "in principle" on the three demands put forth by activist Anna Hazare to call of his indefinite fast on the Ramlila grounds. These were — providing for the setting up of Lokayuktas in the Lokpal Bill, citizens\' charters in government departments for time-bound delivery of services and inclusion of lower bureaucracy in the Bill.On being asked about the Delhi police claim in their closure report that the audio CD regarding lawyer Shanti Bhushan\'s purported conversation with Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh was "genuine," Mr. Prashant Bhushan said it was unfortunate that there were repeated smear campaigns to try and discredit core members.

"To try and show differences between Anna Hazare and members of the team... all these tactics appear to have been adopted by sections oftherulingestablishment and the government," he said.Prime Minister Manmohan Singh onTuesday sent a bouquet and a 'get well soon\' message to Mr. Hazare, who is recuperating in a private hospital in Gurgaon after he broke his 12-day fast.Mr. Hazare is expected to be discharged on Thursday. He will head a meeting of his core group at his village, Ralegaon Siddhi, in Maharashtra on September 10 and 11 to chalk out plans.


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House panel looking at Lokpal Bill set for rejig today

NEW DELHI,(31/08/11)(Tehelkanews)

The parliamentary panel looking into the Lokpal Bill is set to be reconstituted on Wednesday, amid estimates that it was a timely opportunity to add to the committee\'s weight by redrawing its composition in view of the important agenda ahead.Congress MP and spokesman Abhishek Singhvi is likely to continue as chairman of the 31-member standing committee on law and justice. Sources said civil society has lobbied hard against MPs who are \"prejudged on Lokpal issue or on Jan Lokpal authors headed by Anna Hazare.

There is speculation about the continuation of RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Amar Singh on the standing committee. Hazare camp\'s voluble spokesman Arvind Kejriwal had mocked them for being referees on the Lokpal. While Singh has since parted ways with Samajwadi Party which has now asked Congress for his removal from the panel, Lalu is belligerently opposed to civil society\'s offensive and made no bones about it in the special debate in Lok Sabha on Saturday.

Sources in the RJD camp said Lalu may not back out in the face of Hazare camp\'s attack, especially after having repeatedly asked them to come to the standing committee with their Jan Lokpal draft instead of forcing Parliament to enact a bill of their choice.Civil society has put questions on Congress spokesman Manish Tewari\'s membership. The Ludhiana MP, known as a legal brain who is also on the JPC on spectrum, had attacked Hazare for corruption but has since regretted his statement, even issuing an appeal to the Gandhian to break his fast.

Sources said besides the obvious names under fire, parties may use the reconstitution opening to rethink their membership in the panel which has become important after Hazare\'s agitation. They may want to nominate members who would contribute to the tricky issue while articulating the party\'s stand in the face of hard lobbying by civil society.Experts said the consultation may see more participation than before because of the publicity to Lokpal issue after Hazare\'s agitation.Six of the seven Congress members are not said to know much about law and the party could rethink their names. Given the stakes involved after BJP sided with Hazare\'s demands politically despite realizing they could test constitutional limits, the opposition party also could review its nominations.
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House panel looking at Lokpal Bill set for rejig today

NEW DELHI,(31/08/11)(Tehelkanews)

The parliamentary panel looking into the Lokpal Bill is set to be reconstituted on Wednesday, amid estimates that it was a timely opportunity to add to the committee\'s weight by redrawing its composition in view of the important agenda ahead.Congress MP and spokesman Abhishek Singhvi is likely to continue as chairman of the 31-member standing committee on law and justice. Sources said civil society has lobbied hard against MPs who are \"prejudged on Lokpal issue or on Jan Lokpal authors headed by Anna Hazare.

There is speculation about the continuation of RJD chief Lalu Prasad and Amar Singh on the standing committee. Hazare camp\'s voluble spokesman Arvind Kejriwal had mocked them for being referees on the Lokpal. While Singh has since parted ways with Samajwadi Party which has now asked Congress for his removal from the panel, Lalu is belligerently opposed to civil society\'s offensive and made no bones about it in the special debate in Lok Sabha on Saturday.Sources in the RJD camp said Lalu may not back out in the face of Hazare camp\'s attack, especially after having repeatedly asked them to come to the standing committee with their Jan Lokpal draft instead of forcing Parliament to enact a bill of their choice.

Civil society has put questions on Congress spokesman Manish Tewari\'s membership. The Ludhiana MP, known as a legal brain who is also on the JPC on spectrum, had attacked Hazare for corruption but has since regretted his statement, even issuing an appeal to the Gandhian to break his fast.

Sources said besides the obvious names under fire, parties may use the reconstitution opening to rethink their membership in the panel which has become important after Hazare\'s agitation. They may want to nominate members who would contribute to the tricky issue while articulating the party\'s stand in the face of hard lobbying by civil society.Experts said the consultation may see more participation than before because of the publicity to Lokpal issue after Hazare\'s agitation.

Six of the seven Congress members are not said to know much about law and the party could rethink their names. Given the stakes involved after BJP sided with Hazare\'s demands politically despite realizing they could test constitutional limits, the opposition party also could review its nominations.
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Priyanka, Ranbir\'s friendship turns sour

(30/08/11)(Tehelkanews)

Constant speculations and rumours of link-ups often lead to soured friendships in B-Town and seems like this is exactly what has happened between actors Ranbir Kapoor and Priyanka Chopra. The duo, who worked together in a film before, are now apparently not even on talking terms anymore.Buzz is that it all started when rumours of them being more than just friends spread on the sets of Anjaani Anjaani. During that time, Ranbir was apparently single and so was PC. While there were speculations about Priyanka\'s on and off relationship with actor Shahid Kapoor, she never confirmed nor denied the reports. Around the same time, it was reported that PC and Ranbir got along very well on the sets of the film in the US and apparently shared great chemistry beyond the sets too. Though the rumour died a slow death, their equation now seems to have buckled under the pressure of rumours linking up the two and that is apparently evident on the sets of Anurag Basu\'s Barfee for which the two are shooting at present.

A source from the sets of the film says, \"Though they are currently working together, things haven\'t been the same between them. They are both professionals and will never let their personal equations get in the way of their films but there is a definite change in their behaviour. Ranbir has had enough and is fed up of the various reports of his link-ups and prefers to keep to himself most of the times.\"It was also earlier reported that Ranbir was apparently miffed with PC for having joked about his Casanova image. However, Priyanka has put all that happened behind and is trying hard to get into his good books. A source says that the actor, who has seen the rushes of Ranbir\'s latest film, is all praises for the actor.




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\'The Dirty Picture\' looks sensational, naughty and fun

Aug 30 2011,(Tehelkanews)

The first trailer of \'The Dirty Picture\' was revealed today and what it does is that it breaks the myth of the film being a serious biopic. If the 90-second long first trailer is any indication, there isn\'t anything overtly serious about this \'dirty\' offering. Instead, the film appears to be a lot of fun with naughty and tantalising elements that should result in paisa-vasool entertainment for all audiences.The three things stay with you once the promo ends (and after you have replayed it four-five times to see it again to believe it) are Vidya Balan, Music and Emraan Hashmi\'s voiceover. The three men in Vidya\'s (who plays Silk Smitha) life are sensationally introduced - Naseeruddin Shah (who lusts for her), Tusshar (who loves her) and above all, Emraan Hashmi (who hates her).

\'The Dirty Picture\' trailer turns out to be a racy outing that keeps you glued to every shot. The track used is the foot-tapping \'Ooh Laa Laa\' composed by Vishal and Shekhar. The trailer has all the shots that put a smile on your face - Naseer and Vidya rolling down the hills, Vidya in the typical south-style Amrapali, Naseer and Vidya making out on the back seat of a car, Vidya shocking Tusshar with her inviting one liners, and Emraan challenging Vidya\'s might.

Also, the words \'Hha Aah\' that play in background remain in your mind, clearly taking you back to the classic Jeetendra-Jaya Prada days. In fact all this while when many wondered whether Milan would successfully recreate the 80s era a la Tohfa, Himmatwala, Maqsad et al, it is remarkable to see how well he actually does. Having said that, thankfully, the visuals never turn garish or jarring on one\'s eyes while also refraining from taking the parody or spoof route.




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Salman leaves for US, friends wish him well

August 30, 2011(Tehelkanews)

Before Salman Khan left Mumbai for US on Monday to treat his medical condition, he tweeted his goodbyes: \'Challo c u guys. On my was to fix the short circut in my nerve , take care n hope u like body guard,\' he tweeted with the picture (left).Salman will have to give the release of Bodyguard tomorrow a miss, due to this tripMeanwhile, Preity Zinta tweeted her wishes: \'Safe travels Salman & take care. All the best with th Nerve situation. Lotza love always.\'

Dia Mirza wished him a speedy recovery. \'safe travels and a speedy recovery. All will be fine :) lots of love and good wishes,\' she wrote.




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More investment in WB if there’s no hostility against us: Tata

Kolkata, August 30, 2011(Tehelkanews)

Tata Sons Chairman Ratan Tata on Tuesday said that further investments in West Bengal would be made when there is a "feeling to satisfy that there is no hostility against us"."When there is a feeling to satisfy that there is no hostility against us, we will invest in the State," Mr. Tata said at the annual general meeting of Tata Global Beverages (formerly Tata Tea) in Kolkata."We have several investments in West Bengal. Tata Steel has certain investments in the State along with TCS and India Hotels. New investments will come when opportunities arise," he said.

Replying to shareholders who raised the issue of Singur at the meet, Mr. Tata said the Nano plant was set up without any ulterior motive "but to come to a place ignored by the industry for long and fondness for the people for West Bengal".After coming to power in May, the new government under Mamata Banerjee passed the Singur Land Development and Rehabilitation Act to repossess the land from the Tata Motors which was subsequently challenged in the Calcutta High Court.

Asked whether there was a possibility for an out-of-court settlement on Singur, Mr. Tata said, "It is in the court today. I cannot make comment and allocation of land should not be made before the court takes any decision."

"A legal government gave us the land. We could have created 8,000 jobs had the plant become operational. We are not the owners of the land. We are the lessee," Mr. Tata said.When a shareholder asked whether the Tatas were willing to talk to the farmers directly, he said, "Since we do not own the land, they should talk to the government and not us.""The land does not belong to us, but leased by the government which is different from what it is today."

Mr. Tata said that setting up a cancer hospital in the State showed the affection of the group towards West Bengal."The hospital will save lives of people of West Bengal and the region and will also bring Kolkata in the limelight of cancer research," he said.


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Madras High Court stays execution of Rajiv assassins for eight weeks

Chennai, August 30, 2011 (PTI)



The Madras High Court on Tuesday stayed for eight weeks the execution of three Rajiv Gandhi assassination case convicts.



The three — Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan — lodged in Vellore Jail, were scheduled to be hanged on September 9.



Granting the interim stay, a bench comprising justices C. Nagappan and M. Sathayanarayanan observed there had been a delay of over 11 years in the disposal of the mercy petitions filed by the convicts to the President seeking clemency.



The matter involved a question of law, the judges said and admitted the writ petitions and issued notices to the Centre, the state and Tamil Nadu police.



Their case was taken up by senior lawyer Ram Jethmalani and others.



A crowd that had gathered outside the court welcomed the court order. MDMK leader Vaiko, who strongly pleaded for the commutation of capital punishment, was also present in the court.



Senior counsel Ram Jethmalani, R Vaigai and Colin Gonsalves, appearing on behalf of the three convicts, contended that the "inordinate and inexplainable delay" in disposing of their mercy petitions violated Article 21 of the Constitution (Protection of life and personal liberty).



Mr. Jethmalani later told reporters that the delay of 11 years in deciding their mercy plea was "mental torture" for the convicts. "You make him suffer thousand times. Is this justice?" he asked.



He said the government should consider the "people's voice" against execution.



The mercy petitions of the three convicts were rejected by President Pratibha Patil early this month, 11 years after the submission of the petitions and 20 years after the assassination.



Santhan, Murugan and Perarivalan had sought to set aside the order of the President on the ground of 'undue delay' in disposing of their mercy petitions.



They claimed "an unwarranted, illegal and unconstitutional delay is caused by the President and the Union of India in the disposal of the mercy petition".



"No explanation has been offered either for the delay in forwarding of the mercy petitions by the state government to the President or the delay in disposal by both the authorities," they contended.


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RIL-BP announce completion of 30 per cent stake sale deal

New Delhi, August 30, 2011(Tehelkanews)

Mukesh Ambani owned Reliance Industries Limited (RIL) on Tuesday announced conclusion of its 30 per cent stake sale in 21 oil and gas blocks, including the KG-D6 block, to British energy giant BP Plc for around $7 billion.In a statement issued here, RIL said the completion of the deal has paved the way for commencement of its strategic alliance in India with BP. "This commences the planned alliance which will operate across the gas value chain in India, from exploration and production to distribution and marketing. The completion of the

New Delhi, August 30, 2011(Tehelkanews)

deal delivers one of the largest ever foreign direct investments into India," the statement said.The RIL will get $7.2 billion for the stake sale in 21 blocks and could get further $1.2 billion as performance payments based on exploration success resulting into development of commercial deliveries.Commenting on the completion of the deal, RIL chairman, Mr. Mukesh Ambani said: "The alliance with BP will boost our efforts to realise the true potential of India\'s hydrocarbon reserves. The globally renowned expertise of BP and the in-depth domestic experience of RIL make for a formidable alliance which will deliver unparalleled value for the country in its pursuit of energy security."

The statement said the two companies would also form a 50-50 joint venture for sourcing and marketing of gas in India which will also accelerate the creation of infrastructure for receiving, transporting and marketing natural gas.BP Group CEO Bob Dudley said: "This major investment is directly aligned with our strategy of creating long-term value by forming alliances with strong national partners, gaining material positions in significant hydrocarbon basins and increasing our exposure to growing energy markets."

RIL had on February 21 agreed to sell 30 per cent stake in 23 out of its 29 oil and gas blocks to BP. Earlier this month, the company said that it has received the government approval for sale of stake in 21 blocks. However, the approval has been held back for two blocks -- one a deep sea area off the Orissa coast and the other an onland block in Assam -- over technical issues.


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Gulf Air plane towed back to taxi-bay

Kochi, August 30, 2011 (PTI)



The Gulf Air plane from Bahrain, which had skidded off the runway into a muddy area while landing at the international airport here, was towed back to the taxi-bay early on Tuesday.



After a night-long operation, the aircraft was lifted at 6 a.m. with the help of huge cranes. A 100-member expert team from Mumbai was at the spot to assist the operation.



Airport sources said the runway has been cleared and normal services would soon resume at the airport.



The runway had initially been closed for 10 hours in the aftermath of the mishap and was later partially opened for smaller aircraft.



The plane, with 137 passengers and six crew members, veered off the runway at 3.55 a.m. on Monday, breaking its nose-wheel. One person was hospitalised with fractures and six with minor injuries discharged after first aid.



Before total clearance of the 3,400m runway, two flights of Gulf Air and Etihad were diverted to Chennai and an Air Arabia flight to Coimbatore, the sources said.



A Jet Airways flight from Doha was diverted to Thiruvananthapuram, they said.



Cochin International Airport Limited Managing Director V J Kurien had said that strong winds and heavy rains which lashed Kochi on Monday have been the cause of the mishap.


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GDP growth slows to 7.7% in April-June quarter

New Delhi, August 30, 2011(Tehelkanews)

Confirming fears of a slowdown, India's economy grew by just 7.7 per cent in the first quarter of the 2011-12 financial year, compared to 8.8 per cent growth in the same three-month period last fiscal, mainly due to the poor performance of the manufacturing sector.



The government has projected overall economic growth in the current fiscal at around 8.5 per cent, while the Reserve Bank has projected the growth to moderate to 8 per cent from 8.5 per cent in FY'11.



In the latest data released by the government on Tuesday, GDP growth for the April-June quarter of the 2010-11 fiscal has also been revised downward to 8.8 per cent from the earlier provisional estimate of 9.3 per cent.



During the quarter ending June 30, 2011, growth in the manufacturing sector dipped to 7.2 per cent from 10.6 per cent in the corresponding period of 2010-11.



In addition, the mining and quarrying sector grew by just 1.8 per cent during the quarter under review, as against 7.4 per cent growth in the first quarter of the previous fiscal.



However, farm output showed an improvement, expanding by 3.9 per cent during the quarter under review, compared to 2.4 per cent in the corresponding three-month period last fiscal.



Furthermore, the trade, hotels, transport and communications segments grew by 12.8 per cent in the quarter under review, up from 12.1 per cent in the year-ago period.



The services sector, including insurance and real estate, grew by 9.1 per cent in the June quarter this year, compared to 9.8 per cent expansion in the corresponding period last year.



The Planning Commission has estimated GDP growth at 8-8.3 per cent in the 2011-12 financial year. The Indian economy expanded by 8.5 per cent in the 2010-11 fiscal.


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Sibal launches two mobile applications

NEW DELHI, August 30, 2011(Tehelkanews)

Communications and Information Technology Minister Kapil Sibal on Monday said the proposed National Optical Fibre Network should be used for societal good and not misused by private telecom operators for pushing their own products. Speaking at the curtain raiser ceremony of India Telecom 2011, Mr. Sibal said the Department of Telecommunications would seek the Cabinet\'s approval to the Telecom Commission\'s recommendation to hive-off surplus land with Tata Communications (formerly VSNL).

Pointing towards the inherent dangers that technology can spawn and undermine individual privacy and security of the nation, Mr. Sibal called for devising systems that minimise such pitfalls and creating quality content in the language understood by the consumer. On the VSNL land issue, Mr. Sibal said: "A Cabinet note on VSNL land hive-off has been prepared and the matter will be sent to the Cabinet soon." The Telecom Commission has already recommended that the government pick up a majority stake in the special purpose vehicle created to execute the sale of 773 acres of surplus land lying with VSNL (now Tata Communications).

On the occasion, Mr. Sibal also launched two new mobile applications. "Digital Mandi", developed by BSNL in collaboration with IIT Kanpur, will give latest information to farmers of mandi rates of different crops to help them decide the rate and time of selling their produce. The other application developed at IIT Bombay is an intelligent mobile social networking platform (MSNP) similar to Facebook or Orkut based completely on mobile phones. It enables the service providers to develop personalised applications and send messages to users in the network based on their preferences such as demographic profile or interests.

Minister of State for Communications and IT Sachin Pilot underlined the great potential of the telecom revolution to bring in a sea change in the quality of life by enabling delivery of quality healthcare and education while also enduring financial inclusion. He said new technologies would usher in an era which would bridge the traditional social divides by demolishing geographical, cultural and linguistic barriers. The three-day India Telecom 2011, the sixth international exhibition and conference, will be held in Delhi from December 7.


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