Monday, November 29, 1999

IOC meeting Govt``s last chance to avert a disaster: Randhir

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Amlan Chakraborty New Delhi, Jun 16 (PTI) Ahead of Friday''s crucial meeting in Lausanne, IOA Secretary General Randhir Singh today advised the Sports Ministry not to pursue its "brinkmanship" over the contentious tenure limitation guidelines, warning it may lead to a disaster which is easily avoidable. The confrontation over the guidelines has reached the International Olympic Council (IOC), which would hear the case on Friday in its headquarters in Lausanne, Switzerland. Joint Secretary Injeti Srinivas will represent the Sports Ministry in the meeting which Randhir will attend in his capacity as an IOC member. Husain Al-Musallam, Director General and Technical Director of the Olympic Council Asia (OCA) will also be present on the occasion. "The Ministry has to climb down, there is no way out. Going ahead with the brinkmanship would lead to a disaster, which is so easily avoidable," Randhir told PTI. The Ministry guidelines seek to fix tenures of the sports administrators across the country and it pointed out to IOC''s stress on good governance. Randhir said IOA, which is in touch with IOC, has no issues with good governance and in fact, it was planning to amend its constitution. "We have seen the suggestions and taken note. They don''t need to tell us about good governance. Good governance has nothing to do with fixing the tenure of the National Sports Federation (NSF) bosses. It is all about having good, fair and transparent administration. "We are in touch with IOC and our constitution is being amended to ensure transparency in finance and team selection, holding proper elections on schedule, having proper athletics and ethics commissions. there is no need for term limitation," said the shooter-turned-administrator who leaves for Switzerland tomorrow. Randhir said IOA always want to work in harmony with the government. "We have been insisting that IOA and government need to work together but they are hell bent on one thing. If the matter is not resolved in Friday''s meeting and reaches the IOC Executive Board meeting later this month, any punishment is possible," Randhir warned. "They have been categorically told to keep the guidelines in abeyance. If anything untoward happens on Friday, that would jeopardise everything, the Commonwealth Games at home and out participation in events like Asian Games and Youth Olympics," he added.

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India, South Korea to discuss nuclear deal Friday

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New Delhi, June 16 (IANS) India and South Korea will explore prospects of a bilateral civilian nuclear deal and give a push to their business ties when their foreign ministers hold talks in Seoul Friday.External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna will hold delegation-level talks with his South Korean counterpart Yu Myung-hwan on a wide range of issues, including expansion of economic, defence and cultural ties between the two countries.The two ministers will co-chair the sixth meeting of the India-South Korea Joint Commission.Krishna begins his three-day visit to South Korea Thursday. He will also call on President Lee Myung-bak.Civil nuclear cooperation will figure prominently in the discussions. 'It will be discussed,' Gautam Bambawale, joint secretary in charge of East Asia, told reporters here Wednesday.Official sources said the two sides have been in touch with South Korea over a bilateral civil nuclear cooperation pact and India is expecting progress in this area.South Korea, a member of the Nuclear Suppliers Group, supported the waiver for India in the NSG in September 2008.'Some agreements are likely to be concluded after the talks,' external affairs ministry spokesperson Vishnu Prakash told reporters. Krishna's visit to Seoul, he added, 'will give a strong impetus to bilateral ties and infuse a new momentum in the strategic partnership between the two countries'.

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Amrohi``s children fail to settle dispute over family property

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Mumbai, Jun 16 (PTI) Children of legendary film-maker Kamaal Amrohi have informed the Bombay High Court that they would continue with the legal battle over the family property worth Rs 600 crore as they failed to arrive at a settlement. The High Court, in April, had suggested the children of late Amrohi to come together and settle their dispute amicably. Family''s lawyer Darshan Mehta informed the court yesterday that the settlement was not possible and that they would like to continue with the litigation. In view of this development, Justice R Y Ganoo, deferred the matter till July 12 and ordered the parties to maintain status quo till then. Kamaal Amrohi''s sons -- Shandar and Tajdar -- and daughter Rukhsar are locked in a legal battle over control of shares in Mahal Pictures which owns the famous Kamalistan studio in suburban Andheri. Shandar has alleged that Rukhsar and her son Waseem had stolen his shares from his house and sold them to M/s Sanchita Realty owned by Pune-based builder Avinash Bhosale. Shandar has also expressed his desire to bequeath his shares to his adopted daughter and actress Preity Zinta. He said he wanted her to take over as director of Kamalistan. Rukhsar has denied the charges and claimed the latter had received money for his shares and that he himself had agreed to transfer them. She alleged that he was being influenced by his brother Tajdar and Zinta.

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Body of Indian youth arrives from Saudi Arabia after four months

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Sonamura (Tripura), June 16 (ANI): The body of Nimai Paul, an Indian youth, who died under mysterious circumstances in Saudi Arabia four months back, arrived at his native place in Sonamura town here on Tuesday.An Air India flight brought the coffin to Kolkata, which was sent from his work place in Riyadh, after completing all formalities.The Saudi Arabian authorities claimed that 26-year-old Paul died in a road accident.aul's family members; however, suspect a foul play."We were informed that he died in an accident. He told that he will send money, but did not get the chance as on the very next day the incident happened. Now after seeing the body we doubt if at all there was any accident," said Nitai Paul, younger brother of the deceased."There are only some spots on one side of the body and on the other side there is no spot. So, we are in doubt whether he died in an accident or was murdered," he added.Paul, who had flown to Saudi Arabia in August 2009 in search of work and better prospects worked as a domestic help with an influential family in Riyadh.He had called back home in February 2010 home to inform that he was sending Rs 35,000, but the very next day he died in a road accident."He said that he will send money but on the very next day we received the information of his death. I feel that he was murdered for money. The money was the cause of his death," said Arati Paul, the mother of the deceased.After an anguished wait of four months, the family members are now asking for a probe into the entire episode suspecting it to be a murder. (ANI)

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Two militants arrested

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New Delhi, Jun 16 (PTI) A ''self-styled commander'' of People''s United Liberation Front and his associate were arrested here, police said today. The arrested were identified as Mohammed Abbas (31) and his associate, Razzauddin (26). Acting on a tip-off, the special cell of Delhi police arrested the duo from near Nizamuddin flyover last night, they said. Abbas, who is a commander of PULF, was staying in a rented accommodation in Indira Vikas Colony of Mukherjee Nagar along with Razzauddin, a senior police officer said. "Abbas has so far been found to be involved in as many as 12 cases of murder. He is also suspected to have executed the operations of PULF in Manipur. He is being interrogated for further details," he said. "Among 12 cases of murder, he was involved in the killing of one India Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel and two Sarpanches in separate incident in Manipur," he added. Abbas had allegedly been staying here since he fled from Manipur after getting bail in a murder case in 2008. "Abbas had made his base in Delhi. He used to visit Manipur only to execute the nefarious operations of PULF and come back here," the officer said. About Razzauddin, the officer said, "it is still not clear whether he is also a member of the Manipur''s militant outfit. We are investigating." The duo used to steal vehicle in the Capital and sell them in Manipur after preparing their forged documents. PTI PKU.

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Gujjars hold sit-in over quota issue at district headquarters``

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Jaipur, June 16 (PTI) Demanding five per cent reservation to the community in government jobs, a faction of Rajasthan Gujjar Arakshan Samiti today held a ''dharna'' at all 33 district headquarters and submitted a charter of demands to the collectors. In Jaipur, leading a day long dharna outside the collectorate, Ramvir Singh Bidhuri, patron RGAS, told reporters that the agreement arrived between the Ashok Gehlot government and retired colonel Kirorisingh Bainsla on one per cent quota to four communities including Gujjars was "fictitious and misleading". "Bainsla not only took personal gains but also ditched the community by doing such agreements without taking the community leaders into confidence", Bidhuri charged. In its charter of demands, RGAS said all cases registered against Gujjar leaders in the past should be withdrawn, those in jail should be released and provide adequate cash compensation to the victims and kin (of the Gujjar agitation in past three years) as promised by the Congress government, Bidhuri said. Meanwhile, police said the dharna in all districts was held in a peaceful manner.

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Kishenganga project set for arbitration by Intl Court

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New Delhi, Jun 16 (PTI) India and Pakistan are set to fight a legal battle over Kishenganga power project being constructed in Jammu and Kashmir in an international court of arbitration. Pakistan named its experts for arbitration recently, following which India decided to nominate a judge of the Geneva-based International Court of Justice Peter Tomka and a Swiss international law expert Lucius Caflisch to represent it in the Kishenganga project dispute. Pakistan is objecting to construction of 330-MW hydro power plant on Kishenganga, a tributary of the Jhelum in Jammu and Kashmir, and has sought arbitration by the international court under the 1960 Indus Water Treaty. Tomka, was formerly a legal advisor to the Slovak Foreign Ministry while Caflisch is a professor at the Graduate Institute of International Studies in Geneva. Pakistan has already named Bruno Simma, also of the International Court of Justice, and Jan Paulsson, Norwegian head of an international law firm, as its arbitrators in the Court of Arbitration that will be set up to resolve its differences with India under the Indus Water Treaty of 1960. With India appointing its experts, three neutral umpires will now be appointed to the court to resolve the matter between the two countries. One of the neutral umpires will be appointed as the Chairman before the actual proceedings get underway. The court of arbitration route is taken when the issue does not pertain to a technicality and concerns the legal disputes over the interpretation of the Treaty itself. Pakistan is learnt to have sought legal interpretation on two major parameters concerning the diversion of Kishenganga water for the power project in Jammu and Kashmir. First, it has sought the legal interpretation of India''s obligations under the provisions of the Treaty that mandates India to let the water of the Western-flowing Indus Basin Rivers (Chenab, Jhelum and Indus) go to Pakistan and whether or not the Kishenganga project meets those obligations. New Delhi maintains that it is within its rights, under the Treaty, to divert Kishenganga waters to the Bonar Madmati Nullah, another tributary of the Jhelum, which falls into the Wullar Lake before joining the Jhelum again. Pakistan has objected to this, saying India''s plan to divert water causes obstruction to the flow of Kishenganga. As per the provisions of the Treaty, once one of the sides names its arbitrators, the other side has to name its panel within 30 days. India has to send its response on Kishenganga arbitration to Pakistan by tomorrow.

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Climate change `dangerous for alpine regions`

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Washington, June 16 (ANI): A new study has suggested that climate change can cause increasing and unpredictable hazard risks in mountainous regions.Researchers from University of Exeter and Austria said that the Alpine glacier loss in 2003 and floods caused by heavy rains in 2005, both due to climate changes, could pose serious dangers to life in the alpine regions.The two events demonstrate what impact events like these, predicted to become more frequent under a changing climate, could have on alpine regions and what implications these changes might have for local communities.Temperatures in the European Alps have increased twice as much as the global average temperature since the late nineteenth century and are predicted to rise by an average of 0.3-0.5 degrees Celsius per decade in the next century.The biggest hazards tend to be concentrated in high altitude areas where there is mountaineering and skiing infrastructure. Another worry is the lack of public or local awareness of the issues. In addition, the impact of climate change could magnify in any snow or ice covered regions because melting snow drives further melting.Jasper Knight from the University of Exeter commented "While human activity and land management are important factors, we expect that global warming will cause ongoing and accelerating ice loss in the European Alps over the next decades and centuries. This will have a significant impact on hazard type, location and frequency and a potentially negative effect on the region's economic engine - tourism." (ANI)

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ANALYSIS - High stocks could avert zinc mine supply crunch

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India-focused mining group Vedanta Resources' recent buy of Anglo American's zinc assets shows its faith in high prices for the metal in the long term.Others agree, basing their view on an expected acute shortage of mine supply in three to four years as a few big mines run dry. Some zinc smelters, most notably in China, would have to scramble for material to satisfy hungry consumers.Companies like Vedanta, with enough mines to feed their smelters, would be well placed to benefit from any price surge.But even if mine output is constrained, the build-up in zinc metal stocks in the interim may suffice to meet demand and carry the market through the critical period relatively unscathed.London Metal Exchange (LME) stocks of zinc -- used as an anti-corrosive in autos and construction -- reached 620,475 tonnes in May, their highest in almost five years. The worry is they will continue to swell as refined production rises sharply."If you look out three to four years mine production is less than metal demand, but we are wary that enormous stocks of the metal are being built up," said Graham Deller of industry consultants CRU Group."There could be so much stock that it gives an extra two to three years to develop mines so the mine crunch doesn't come. There's enough lead time for a few more mines," he added.A number of analysts predict the global zinc market will be in a surplus of around one million tonnes this year, with another year of big stock rises next year.But there are still concerns a mine supply shortage could restrain metal output further ahead.Some large mines are becoming depleted and the global economic recession has led to project delays and cancellations and curbed exploration.For a graphic on global zinc mine and refined production, clickhttp://graphics.thomsonreuters.com/10/CMD_ZNCPT0610.gifVedanta will be one of those able to satisfy its own smelter expansion plans in India. Its purchase for $1.34 billion last month of Anglo's zinc assets, including mines in Ireland and South Africa, make it more than self-sufficient in raw materials.Refined zinc major Nyrstar has also been on the mine acquisition trail for some time. Earlier this month, the company said it was confident of announcing another mining purchase at the end of July.But some companies could struggle.CHINA STILL SEARCHINGIf mine shortages occur, raw material hungry firms such as the Chinese bidder believed to have lost out to Vedanta over Anglo, likely will be scratching around for other mine assets.In 2000, China had excess zinc smelting capacity of 8 percent. By 2009 that had grown to 36 percent, according to estimates by Stockholm-based consultants Raw Materials Group (RMG)."We expect there'll be a much stronger tendency for China to buy assets overseas to feed their huge surplus of zinc smelter-refinery capacity," Martin Jansson, a mineral economist at RMG, said.On Wednesday, China's Minmetals said it is working with its Australian arm, MMG, to identify merger and acquisition targets this year.Jansson expected Chinese firms to look mainly at mines or miners in Latin America and Central America."Peru is a strong zinc producing nation and it's a good transport route into China. It's easier to get a stake in companies in these countries than in say Canada or Australia," he said, speculating that Volcan and Milpo -- controlled by Brazil's Votorantim -- could be among those Chinese companies had in their sights.Vedanta's motive for increasing its zinc exposure is at least in part down to the strong demand growth the company has witnessed in India.Last year, India became the world's third-biggest consumer of zinc, with offtake there bucking the trend in most other countries, rising by more than 6.0 percent to 515,000 tonnes, latest International Lead and Zinc Study Group estimates show.Even if it is sated in zinc for now, other metal assets will be on Vedanta's radar. Some believe it could become one of the world's top five mining firms."In every business they are in, including power, they have plans to expand. I believe it is possible because their track record is good and they deliver on what they say," said Pawan Burde, vice president - research, PINC Research in Mumbai.But breaking into the top five may be a step too far."It would take a lot of years at least, even with aggressive acquisitions it would still need to do some organic growth," RMG's Jansson said.(Additional reporting by Ruchira Singh in New Delhi; Editing by Sue Thomas)(For more business news on Reuters India click http://in.reuters.com)

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INTERVIEW - StanChart`s PE arm sees 3-4 deals in India by yr-end

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Standard Chartered Private Equity plans to invest in three to four Indian companies by the end of this year and sees opportunities in acquisition financing in Asia's third-largest economy, a top official said on Wednesday.The private equity arm of Standard Chartered expects deal sizes and flow to increase on a recent rule that requires listed firms to have a public float of at least 25 percent, said Nainesh Jaisingh, managing director of the India unit."I would be surprised if we did anything less than three to four more deals. We have got a lot in the pipeline," Jaisingh told Reuters in an interview. "We are really positive about the country's economic outlook and the prospects for Indian businesses."Standard Chartered Private Equity manages about $2 billion in assets in Asia.It started operations in India in 2004 and has put roughly $500 million in 12 firms such as engineering firm Punj Lloyd and banking software maker iflex solutions, which was bought by Oracle and has been renamed Oracle Financial Services.(Reporting by Sumeet Chatterjee; Editing by Unnikrishnan Nair)(For more business news on Reuters India click http://in.reuters.com)
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Gems and jewellery exports up by 31.24 pc in May

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New Delhi, June 16 (PTI) Gems and jewellery exports rose by 31.24 per cent to USD 2.46 billion in May on the back of jump in shipments of cut and polished diamonds. Exports from the world''s largest supplier of gems and jewellery were valued at USD 1.87 billion in May 2009. Cut and polished diamonds exports grew to USD 1.79 billion in May, up 73.44 per cent from the previous period, according to the data by the Gems and Jewellery Export Promotion Council (GJEPC), the apex body of the sector. Gems and jewellery, the number one contributor to the country''s total export basket (at about 16 per cent), saw a reversal in its fortunes after demand revived in the Western markets from November 2009. Exports were hampered severely due to the economic meltdown, which had started in September 2008. With the recovery in global markets, the demand for gems and jewellery has seen a rise not only in traditional markets, but also new ones like Russia, China and Latin America. The UAE is the main destination for Indian gems and jewellery, accounting for 31 per cent of the total exports, followed by Hong Kong and the US. The gems and jewellery exports sector employs about 13 lakh people. In April the export shipments had almost doubled to USD 2.56 billion from the previous year. The shipments during the first two months of the current fiscal totalled USD 5.6 billion, up 57 per cent year on year. PTI NKD.

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Saria continue to slide on sluggish demand

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New Delhi, June 16 (PTI) Saria prices fell by Rs 300 per tonne in the wholesale steel market today on sluggish demand against adequate stocks position. Marketmen said subdued demand against adequate stocks position helped saria prices to trade lower. In the saria section, Kamdhenu 8-mm,10-mm and 12-mm remained weak and lost another Rs 300 each to Rs 31,800, Rs 31,800 and Rs 31,600 per tonne. Saria 16-25-mm also weakened by the same margin at Rs 31,800 per tonne. Following are today''s quotations in Rs per tonne: CTD saria (Kamdhenu) 8-mm, 31,800, 10-mm, 31,800, 12-mm 31,600, 16-25 mm 31,800. Rathi tor steel : 8-mm 33,300, 10-mm 33,300, 12-mm 33,800, 16-20 mm 33,800 and 25-32 mm 33,800. Saria Jai Bharat (iso 9002) 8-mm 33,700, 10 mm 33,600, 12-mm 33,700, 16-25 mm 33,600. Amba saria (iso-9002) 8-mm 33,200, 10-mm 32,700, 12-mm 32,400, 16-25-mm 32,500. Amba shakti: (TMT) 8-mm 32,300, 10 mm 32,200, 12 mm 32,300, 16 to 25 mm 32,600. M S Angle: (50x5) (50x6) 32,000, (40x5) (40x6) 32,500. Angle capital (ISI) (40X5) (40x6) 36,000, (35X5) (65X6) 33,000. Garder (joist) (150x75) 32,500 (175x85) 31,500 (200x100) 32,800 (125x70) 32,700. T-IRON (40X5) (40X6)(50X6) 32,700. PTI KPS RS.

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Base metals rebound on positive global cues

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New Delhi, June 16 (PTI) Base metals prices led by copper rebounded upto Rs 5 per kg in the local non-ferrous metals market today on emergence of buying sparked by a firming trend overseas. Trading sentiment boosted after copper advanced at the London Metal Exchange, after US economic reports signalled the economic recovery is on track. Meanwhile, copper for three-month gained 1.4 per cent to a two-week high of USD 6,770, nickel by 0.8 per cent to USD 20,380 and lead by 0.9 per cent to USD 1,775 a metric tonne on the London Metal Exchange. Traders said besides, firming trend in base metals at the London Metal Exchange, fresh buying by traders mainly led to a rise in base metal prices. In the national capital, copper wire scrap, copper wire bar and copper mixed scrap enquired higher by Rs 3 each to Rs 360, Rs 379 and Rs 339, while nickel (4x4) traded higher by the same margin at Rs 879-993 per kg. Lead ingot, lead imported and zinc ingot also traded higher by a rupee each at Rs 118, Rs 121 and Rs 121 per kg. Following were today''s quotations in Rs per kg: Tin ingot 795, zinc ingot 121.00, nickel plate (4x4) 879-993, gun metal scrap 226 bell metal scrap 228, copper wire scrap 360, copper wire bar 379, copper mixed scrap 339.00, utensil scrap 224, Chadripital 175. Lead ingot 118, lead imported 121, aluminium ingots 102, sheet cutting 103, aluminium wire scrap 100 and aluminium utensils scrap 100.

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Govt allows 10,000 tn sugar export to EU

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New Delhi, June 16 (PTI) With production outlook improving and prices stabilising, the government has allowed export of 10,000 tonnes of refined sugar to the European Union (EU) despite restrictions. The relaxation has been given by the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) and the exports will be undertaken by trading firm Indian Sugar Exim Corporation during 2009-10 season ending September. In February, the government was forced to withdraw its decision to permit exports to EU due to strong objection from the opposition parties as sugar was selling at about Rs 50/kg. Though sugar prices have dropped significantly to Rs 32 a kg, the exports to EU would be matched by equivalent quantity of imports from anywhere in the world to ensure that domestic supply is not disturbed. India enjoys duty-free exports to EU up to a fixed quantity under a ''preferential quota'' arrangement. Even though the country had faced shortages, the government wanted to ensure that the EU preference is not taken away if no sugar was despatched. Although officially there in no ban on export of sugar, the Food Ministry is not granting release order for exports since January 2009. The sugar production is estimated at nearly 19 million tonnes in 2009-10 season against the earlier forecast of 16 million tonnes. The country has imported over six million tonnes of raw and refined sugar since February last year to meet domestic demand, which stands at 23 million tonnes annually.

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Rupa & Co to enter South-Asian, African markets

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Kolkata, June 16 (PTI) Rupa & Co Ltd, the country''s largest hosiery producer, is planning to launch the brand across countries in South-Asia and Africa. The company would be launched in Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, where it would offer licences to local partners for production and marketing, Rupa & Co chairman P R Agarwala said here today. "We will also launch our brand in South Africa and Nigeria, followed by other countries in the region," Agarwala said. "We have applied to get listed on the BSE and we hope to get the approval in a month. We may hit with a FPO in the future," Agarwala said. The Kolkata-headquartered hosiery and knitwear major is currently listed on the Calcutta Stock Exchange and Jaipur Stock Exchange, but there is no liquidity in the scrip. After implementing the expansion plans for its plants in West Bengal and Tripura, the company''s capacity will increase from the current six lakh to seven lakh pieces per month. Rupa & Co registered a net profit of Rs 25.23 crore in 2009-10, up by 77 per cent over the previous year. The paid-up equity capital of the company is Rs 7.95 crore.

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France to raise retirement age to cut deficit

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Paris, June 16 (DPA) The French government has drawn up a pension reform plan that will raise the age of retirement from 60 to 62 by the year 2018.In the plan made public Wednesday by Budget Minister Eric Woerth, the retirement age will rise by four months every year beginning July 1, 2011. At the same time, workers will have to retire at age 67 to benefit from full pension payments, instead of the current 65.The proposal also extends the contribution periods to workers' pension funds and increases by 1 percent the tax on the incomes of France's highest earners.If passed by parliament, the plan will save the government more than 19 billion euros ($23.4 billion) in 2018, Woerth said.President Nicolas Sarkozy has said that the overhaul of France's pension system is the most important reform of his remaining term in office.But it is expected to face stiff opposition from left-wing politicians and trade unions, who have said they will not accept a rise in the retirement age.Unions have already scheduled nationwide strikes and demonstrations for later this month to protest a change in the retirement age.Like most other European countries struggling to emerge from the economic crisis, France is looking to reduce government expenditures to lower its budget deficit, which is forecast to reach 8 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) this year.Tuesday, the European Commission asked French authorities to provide details about how it intends to bring down its deficit to 3 percent of GDP by the year 2013, as Paris has promised to do.

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Penelope Cruz will be mum within a year, predicts psychic

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London, June 16 (ANI): As per Hollywood's most famous psychic Kenny Kingston, actress Penelope Cruz will be a mother within a year.Kingston, who was spiritual adviser to Marilyn Monroe, held a seance and was told by his spirit guide that Cruz and boyfriend Javier Bardem are about to become parents."It will be a child Penelope was a mother to in a previous life," The Daily Express quoted Kingston as saying."Spirit told me it will be to her advantage to adopt but if she wants to have a physical pregnancy, she must go by water to conceive," Kingston added.Cruz and Bardem have been dogged by baby news since the end of last year. But the actress has constantly denied the reports about her pregnancy. (ANI)

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`Twilight` movies sexy without sex: Robert Pattinson

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London, June 16 (ANI): Hollywood heartthrob Robert Pattinson has said that the Twilight movies are sexier without any sexual acts.Pattinson, who plays vampire Edward Cullen in the Twilight series, feels that PG 13 movies are better off and more romantic as they just build up sexual tension."Fans like that moment before sex, the kind of tipping point before it goes over. I mean everybody likes that. That's the best part, for a relationship," 24-year-old Pattinson said in an interview with ABC's Nightline.Pattinson and actress Kristen Stewart are an on-screen couple in the Twilight Saga. Stewart plays Bella Swan in the series, reports The Mirror."If there was a hard and fast decision by both Bella and Edward saying, 'Yeah we're going to remain virgins our entire lives, it's never going to happen, I don't think it would be as popular a series," Pattinson said. ANI)

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Megan Fox gives Mickey Rourke a tattoo tribute

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London, June 16 (ANI): Megan Fox recently went under the needle to get a tattoo in Mickey Rourke's honour.The actress, who previously talked about her "love" and admiration for Rourke, admits the body art she recently had inked on her body was to remember the time she spent with the actor while they were filming "Passion Play"."I actually got a tattoo that is sort of in honour of him. It's on my ribs. I don't know if it's been photographed yet, but it'll come out eventually, I'm sure. I just love him very much and think he's very special," The Daily Star quoted the "Transformers" star, as telling MTV.com.Fox's tattoo, which is on the right side of her chest, reads, 'Those who danced were thought to be insane by those who could not hear the music.' (ANI)

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Charlie Sheen`s cars are magnets for thieves!

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London, June 16 (ANI): Charlie Sheen's car has been stolen again for the second time this year.According to TMZ.com, cops were informed that a Mercedes had been dumped off Mulholland Drive.Investigations revealed the car belonged to Sheen, who was unaware of the theft, reports The Daily Star.Sheen has now been forced to file a stolen vehicle report again with the actor filing the last such complain in Feb when his SUV had been taken away from outside his home.The vehicle was later found crashed at the bottom of a steep cliff near the Mulholland Drive.Cops are now reportedly reviewing video surveillance footage from the actor's home to solve the mystery. (ANI)

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Last-minute goal makes new boy Winston Reid a national hero

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Wellington, June 16 (DPA) A 21-year-old Maori who was picked for New Zealand's team at the World Cup while playing on the other side of the world was the toast of the nation Wednesday, after scoring an injury-time goal to earn a draw against Slovakia.Coach Ricki Herbert included Auckland-born Winston Reid, who had lived in Denmark since moving from the country of his birth at the age of 11, in the squad sight unseen, relying on the reputation he had acquired in Europe.Reid, who played for Denmark in under-18, under-20 and under-21 national sides, decided to come home after a FIFA rule change allowing young players to choose where to make their full international debuts.He returned to New Zealand and met his team-mates for the first time just over a month ago, making his debut four days after arriving in a friendly against Australia.He became a national hero in his first full international, his goal earning New Zealand their first-ever point in a World Cup final. New Zealand lost all three first round matches in their only other appearance at the finals in 1982.'Winston Reid has written himself into New Zealand sporting history,' Coen Lammers wrote on the Stuff news website.'A great day for New Zealand sport and a moment to live on in history,' Chris Rattue wrote in the New Zealand Herald. 'I have seen many great New Zealand sporting moments over the years but nothing to match this.'With New Zealand rank outsiders of the finals, captain Ryan Nelsen said the 1-1 draw with Slovakia, who are 44 places ahead in the FIFA rankings, showed the All Whites were not at the World Cup 'to make up the numbers'.'It's exciting,' he said. 'We wanted to go into the next game with plenty to play for.'That game, against reigning champions Italy on Sunday, will be even more of a challenge.

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Afridi asks seniors to show more responsibility

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Karachi, June 15 (PTI) After losing the Asia Cup opener to Sri Lanka despite his blistering century, Pakistan skipper Shahid Afridi wants senior players to show more maturity and finish off the games for the side. Afridi made a quick-fire 109, his first ODI century in four years, in Pakistan''s 16 runs defeat in pursuit of 243, yesterday. "We should have won the match, we were in a position to win it. I think the solution lies in the senior players taking more responsibility and doing their part. "The seniors like Salman Butt and Shoaib Malik must try to stay at the wicket for longer periods," he said on a TV Channel show. Afridi was happy with his own effort but was disappointed that it could not help Pakistan win the match. "The century would have been more valuable and I would have felt better if we had won the match," he said. Afridi also revealed that umpires turned down his request for a runner when he encountered a bout of cramps. "My dismissal was the turning point of the match. When I got cramps I asked for a runner from the umpires but they turned down the request saying they couldn''t allow it at a critical situation in the match," Afridi said. Afridi also praised paceman Shoaib Akhtar for making a successful comeback to international cricket after nearly 14 months by taking three wickets in humid and warm conditions. "I am really satisfied with Shoaib''s performance as he put in lot of effort in his bowling and also in his fielding. He was committed." PTI Corr AT.

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Nigeria target all-out victory against Greece

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Bloemfontein (South Africa), June 16 (DPA) Nigeria and Greece clash Thursday with each side knowing that failure to secure a first win at the World Cup would compromise their chances of making the knock-out phase.Nigeria's goalkeeper, Vincent Enyeama, sent a message to try to reassure the fans back home after his team's 0-1 loss to Argentina in their Group B opener.The encounter with the Greeks in Free State Stadium here would be a 'tough one,' the Hapoel Tel Aviv goalkeeper told Nigerian daily This Day.But 'there is no way we will lose, (and) getting a point will not be good enough,' Enyeama said.To achieve this Nigeria's Swedish coach Lars Lagerback has hinted he may shuffle his squad to find the right combination against Greece.'I can't rule out the possibility of a few changes,' Lagerback said.He was speaking at a press briefing at the Super Eagles base camp in Richard's Bay before the team's departure for Bloemfontein.A sure starter is Enyeama, whose exploits between the posts, including several stunning saves against Lionel Messi, helped to keep the scoreline down against Argentina.Wolfsburg striker Obafemi Martins and Osaze Odemwingie, who stars for Locomotiv Moscow, are likely to start the game.Obinna Nsofor, who played alongside Everton striker Yakubu Aiyegbeni in a two-man strike force, failed to shine against Argentina and should lose his place to Martins, who showed more purpose when he replaced the Malaga striker early in the second half.After their loss to the Argentinians the Super Eagles still earned some praise for their display, mainly for those occasions when they tore open their South American opponent's midfield and defence.The Greeks must be seen as a much easier prey than the two-time World Cup champions.They have yet to score a single goal or earn a single point in the World Cup finals.The Greeks made their only other appearance in the tournament in the 1994 edition played in the United States, losing all three of their games, including a 0-2 defeat against Nigeria.The Euro 2004 champions coached by Otto Rehhagel were comprehensively beaten 0-2 by South Korea in their first match in South Africa.The loss triggered outrage in Greece with one newspaper suggesting the team should be brought home to spare the nation further blushes.Defender Vassili Torosidis gave a somewhat sombre assessment of Greece's chances against Nigeria.'To be honest, there can be no transformation in five days, not for any team,' he said.'What we need to be is very stubborn and to show this on the pitch. Even if we don't win, we won't be disappointed as long as we play well.'Going into the Bloemfontein game both teams have one yellow-carded player: Vasilios Torosidis for Greece and midfielder Lukman Haruma for Nigeria.

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Speedy justice in World Cup courts: a model for the future?

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Johannesburg, June 16 (DPA) Doping is banned at the World Cup but the South African justice system acts as if it's on steroids.Faced with a barrage of questioning over security in the run-up to the tournament, as persistent as the drone of vuvuzelas, the host nation has pulled out all the stops to shake its image of a criminal haven.Apart from deploying 41,000 police around stadiums, fan parks, hotels and tourist sites, and stocking up on helicopters, water cannon and other equipment, the government has also set up 56 dedicated World Cup courts across the country.Staffed by dedicated prosecutors working with dedicated teams of detectives, magistrates and 93 interpreters, these district and regional courts have been sitting late into the night to try cases linked to the tournament -- with impressive results.Justice in South Africa has never been this quick: Two armed men rob three foreign journalists at gunpoint Wednesday, police arrest them Thursday and by Friday night they've been tried, convicted and begun serving 15-year sentences.The robbery at a hotel in Magaliesburg, west of Johannesburg, was one of the most serious crimes so far involving foreign fans or media, many of whom have marvelled at how safe they feel at Africa's first World Cup.'Despite the negative image of South Africa I've had no sense of insecurity,' said Musa Mhlanga, a United States scientist of South African origin, who had attended three games in five days.Contributing to that sense of security is the uncommon zeal with which crimes involving fans are being investigated and prosecuted.In Cape Town, a woman who snatched the bag of a Japanese tourist was arrested, tried and convicted a day later.On Tuesday, police arrested three men within a few hours of four Chinese journalists being robbed at their lodge in the north-eastern host city of Nelspruit.Within four days of kick-off, 20 cases had been brought before the special courts for offences, including robbery, theft and fraud, National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) spokesman Tlali Tlali told the German Press Agency DPA Tuesday.A small number of foreign visitors have also been nabbed, including a Frenchman working for a broadcasting services company, who was arrested for drink driving.Of the 20 cases, at least four have been completed, earning the police and courts praise in a country where some of the world's highest rates of crime go hand in glove with some of the lowest conviction rates.'There is no bigger deterrent (to crime) than a successful prosecutorial system,' according to Johan Berger, senior researcher on crime and justice at the Pretoria-based Institute for Security Studies (ISS).Berger hopes that the 'special courts' template can be kept after the World Cup to tackle the trio of crimes that have stubbornly resisted a tougher approach on crime in recent years: house robberies, business robberies and car-jacking.South Africa is famous for its 50 murders a day but the country also endures 18,000 house robberies each year and nearly 15,000 car-jackings.A survey carried out by the ISS among 30 convicted house robbers showed most had been involved in over 100 robberies before being arrested, Berger said.The success of the World Cup courts sends a message to criminals that 'the chances of getting away with crime is getting smaller,' he said.Meanwhile, apart from the increased likelihood of getting caught, criminals that target World Cup fans also face stiff sentences.The 15-year sentences handed to the two African men convicted of robbing two Portuguese and a Spanish journalists in their room in Magaliesburg was the maximum sentence for the offence and unusual in a case where no shots were fired.The men have not yet indicated whether they will appeal the sentence, Tlali said.

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Kosovans` mass grave found in Macedonia

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Pristina/Skopje, June 16 (DPA) Macedonian and Kosovo officials are planning a joint investigation of a possible mass grave in Macedonia that might contain the bodies of Kosovan civilians killed in the 1999 war between Serb forces and Kosovan Albanians, officials said Wednesday.'Kosovo and Macedonia are trying to find a way to organise and act over the suspected mass grave near the river Lepenec in Skopje,' Skender Durmishi, Kosovo's ambassador in Macedonia, told DPA.'We are trying to put together a working group that will deal with the issue,' he added.Sources in the Macedonian government said that up to 40 bodies may have been buried by the riverbank. The victims had died in Kosovo but their bodies were brought by Kosovan Albanian refugees and buried in Macedonia, near the border with Kosovo.It is not certain when the excavation would start, but August has been mentioned as a possible date.The European Union's law-enforcement mission in Kosovo (Eulex) said its forensic experts would like to investigate the case.In 1999 Serb forces brutally cracked down on a Kosovan Albanian insurgency fighting for independence, resulting in NATO's bombing of what was then Yugoslavia. Kosovo declared independence in 2008.

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Two US soldiers among 16 killed in Afghanistan

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Kunduz (Afghanistan), June 16 (DPA) Two US soldiers and 14 Taliban fighters were killed Wednesday in a joint operation by Afghan and foreign troops in the northern province of Kunduz, officials said.Coalition warplanes pounded militant positions as Afghan and US forces swept through Bagh Sharkat, an area in the provincial capital, also named Kunduz, Governor Mohammad Omar said.'As a result of this clearing operation, 14 Taliban insurgents were killed and a vast area was cleared of enemy forces,' Omar said.Two Taliban commanders, Qari Latif and Talib Shah, were among those killed, he said.As the combined forces were entering the area, a US military vehicle was hit by a roadside bomb, killing two US soldiers and injuring three, said a security official who did not want to be named.The NATO-led International Security Assistance Force, which includes the United States, said in Kabul that two of its soldiers were killed in an explosion in northern Afghanistan but did not reveal the nationalities of the deceased soldiers.The military operation comes amid increased attacks in recent months by Taliban insurgents in Kunduz and neighbouring Baghlan province, which are both located in the relatively peaceful north.A US soldier was killed and three were injured in a roadside bombing Saturday in Kunduz while two German soldiers were injured in a similar attack the following day.US and German troops are stationed in Kunduz as part of the more than 120,000 foreign soldiers in the country. The total number of foreign troops is set to peak at 150,000 by summer.German troops were not involved in Wednesday's operation, according to a German military official.

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Davidar says will fight "trumped up" allegations

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Toronto, June16 (ANI): Former Penguin Canada CEO David Davidar who has been accused of sexual harassment by a former colleague has said that he will not be cowed down by the "trumped up" allegations against him.He said, "I really can't respond at the moment. Everything will be dealt with in my statement of defence."Meanwhile the Globe and Mail has reported that Samanta Francis, another alleged victim of Davidar's sexual advances, has come out in support of Lisa Rundle, the accuser in the case."Ms. Francis has had the opportunity to review [Ms. Rundle's] Statement of Claim, in particular the references to incidents which occurred during her employment with Penguin Group (Canada). She confirms her strong support of Ms. Rundle," wrote Samantha's lawyer.Rundle has sued Davidar for sexual harassment when she worked with Penguin for three years. She is also suing Penguin for allegedly terminating her employment after she filed her complaints.Evidently, her Statement of Claims alleges that Davidar told Rundle that Francis had filed a sexual harassment complaint with Penguin in 2008.Further it states that Davidar had claimed that Francis had withdrawn the charges after a conversation between them. Both the harassment cases claim Davidar sent gifts to victims. Moreover, it also asserts that the company's HR department told both that Davidar felt they had misinterpreted his friendliness.A company statement said Davidar was asked to leave. Penguin representatives could not be reached for comment. (ANI)

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News of mineral wealth deepens Afghan suspicion of US aims

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Washington, June 16 (ANI): Many Afghans are reportedly suspicious about American designs after the Pentagon reported that Afghanistan has untapped mineral deposits worth a trillion dollars.A majority view claims that the US intends to occupy the country and seize its resourceccording to a Christian Science Monitor (CSM) report, Afghans fear that the United States cannot wrap up the Taliban, and therefore, an imperialist land grab seems plausible.Having the Pentagon announce a quiet survey of Afghanistan's is just the "evidence" that will confirm deep suspicions that the US is really there looking for war booty.And, that won't help American troops trying to win the trust of a population famous for tiring of invaders. (ANI)

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Racism at work `still very common`

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London, June 16 (ANI): Racism is still a very common practice at work in some parts of the world, says a recent study.Ethnic minorities living and working in Britain consider professions including banking, politics, law and journalism as closed off to them.The report named Aspiration and Frustration conducted the study on the attitudes of 1,500 people from every main ethnic group living in the UK, including white Britons, reports The Scotsman."Some professions, especially those that offer the best pay, are still not perceived by a large minority of the country's Black, Asian and Minority Ethnic population as genuine career options," Sandra Kerr, national director of Race for Opportunity said.Race for Opportunity carried out the survey for the Business in the Community group. (ANI)

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Gilani blames Zia, Musharraf regimes for rampant corruption in Pakistan

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Islamabad, Jun.16 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has held the previous military regimes of General Ziaul Haq and General Pervez Musharraf for the rampant corruption in the country.Speaking at the National Defence University (NDU) here, though Gilani neither named Haq or Musharraf, he said that the "democratic governments have been fired under the pretext of corruption since 1958, however, no dictator was made accountable for his misdoings."Following his speech on the topic "My Vision of Pakistan", Gilani was bombarded with questions which mainly dealt with wide spread corruption in the country.Responding to a question he said that the government would soon introduce a bill in Parliament for across the board accountability."It is for the first time in the country's history that offices of both the leader of the opposition and the chairmanship of Public Accounts Committee have been given to the opposition. Thus we have entrusted the process of accountability to the opposition," The News quoted Gilani, as saying.Answering a question regarding claims that Islamabad was acting under the US' influence as far as launching an offensive against militants was concerned, Gilani said as a sovereign country it was for Pakistan to decide when and where it wants to initiate a military operation against militants."We don't take dictatorship from the US, or for that matter from any foreign country. The time for accepting demands "to do more" has disappeared. Rather, now that Pakistan has achieved great successes in the fight against terrorism, it is for the world powers to do more in extending aid to Pakistan," he said. (ANI)

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Former Haryana IG``s anticipatory bail plea dismissed

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Yamunagar (Haryana), June 16 (PTI) A local court today dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of former Haryana Inspector General of Police M S Ahlawat, who is facing charges of molesting a woman lawyer eight years back. District and Sessions Judge R C Godhara dismissed the anticipatory bail plea of the former IPS officer here this afternoon. Though Ahlawat was not present in the court when the bail plea was rejected, his lawyers I K Gujral and Umresh Gandhi besides the complainant lawyer were present. The lawyer had last week lodged a complaint with the police, charging Ahlawat with sexually harassing her when he was the Yamunanagar SP in 2002. She claimed to have come into Ahlawat''s contact when she had approached the Yamunanagar police in May 2002 to lodge a case of dowry harassment against her husband. The victim alleged that the officer had insisted on meeting her in his camp office and allegedly tried to establish illicit relations with her. The anticipatory bail application was moved by Ahlawat''s lawyer on June 10 before the court, in which the former IGP has pleaded that Section 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC does not apply to his case. Another plea by Ahlawat in seeking the anticipatory bail was that the victim had not moved any court all these years against him. Ahlawat has been booked under sections 354 (criminal force on woman with intent to outrage modesty), 323 (assault with intent to voluntarily cause hurt) and 506 (criminal intimidation) of the IPC..

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RAF deployed at Muradnagar upper Ganga canal

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Ghaziabad, June 16 (PTI) Rapid Action Force has been deployed at Muradnagar upper Ganga canal, which was targeted by a group of Jats a couple of days back seeking reservation in higher education and government jobs, officials said today. RAF also staged a flag march in the Jat community dominated villages last evening and today morning. District Magistrate Hredesh Kumar said nobody will be allowed to take the law in hands and water supply from the regulator will not be allowed to be disrupted again. President of Jat Sangarsh Samiti, Yashpal Malik, who led agitation on June 13 that forced disruption of water supply in parts of Delhi, said the Jat community maha panchayat will again assemble to decide the next course of action. A group of Jats, demanding reservation in higher education and government jobs, had blocked water supply to the city from Upper Ganga canal in neighbouring Uttar Pradesh. Members of the community, led by local BKU and Lok Dal leaders, held a panchayat (meeting) in support of their demand for quota at Muradnagar in Ghaziabad district and blocked water supply to two water treatment plants in Delhi, which meets about 40 per cent of the city''s total water requirements.

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White tiger breeding programme in Rewa soon

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New Delhi, June 16 (PTI) After a gap of over four decades, famed white tigers are once again set to roar in Madhya Pradesh''s Rewa forests. At a recent meeting of the Central Zoo Authority (CZA), Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh has given a go-ahead to the state government''s proposal to start a zoo, rescue centre and captive breeding of highly-endangered white tigers at Maand reserve near Govindgarh Fort. White tigers are historically associated with the Central state. Way back in 1951, the Maharaja of Rewa had found the first white tiger cub, later named Mohan, and kept it in Govidngarh fort till his death in 1970. Mohan''s offsprings were born there and now its lineage can be traced in various zoos in the country but incidentally Madhya Pradesh has no white tiger. "White tigers were first found in Rewa forest and because of that reason, locals are emotionally attached with these feline beauties," Chief Wildlife Warden H S Pabla told PTI. "Moreover, since they are star attraction for any zoo, we are planning to have a zoo, rescue centre and white tiger breeding centre in an area spread over 100 hectares," he said. "After the green signal from the Centre, we will now approach the Supreme Court for permission for establishing the zoo and breeding centre," he added. Ramesh has suggested that the project could be in collaboration with the National Tiger Conservation Authority (NTCA) which is presently overseeing conservation and management of tigers in the wild. NTCA member secretary Rajesh Gopal said that contrary to popular belief, white tigers are not albinos. "They are the expression of the recessive mutant gene. The breeding programme would ensure that they are back in their natural habitats," he said. "If two white tigers breed, 100 per cent of their cubs will be homozygous white tigers. After captive-breeding, they can be released in the wild as has been done successfully with normal yellow-black striped tigers in Sariska and Panna reserves," Gopal added. Delhi Zoo and Nandankanan Zoological Park in Orissa have been successful in captive breeding of these rare species. White tiger breeding programme will be the part of the CZA scheme under which it has identified 58 different critically endangered wild animal species for increasing their number, such as Asiatic lion, Bengal tiger, Snow leopard, Clouded leopard, Asiatic cheetah and Golden cat. "Taking corrective measures to address the cause of earlier decline or extinction of the wild population of the targeted species is one of the important components of the programme," CZA director B S Bonal said.

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IAF to give permanent commission to women officers

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New Delhi, June 16 (IANS) The Indian Air Force (IAF) has decided to reinstate 22 retired women officers and not to challenge a court order asking the armed forces to grant permanent commission to them, an official said Tuesday.'We have started the process of according permanent commission to women officers in accordance with the Delhi High Court orders,' IAF spokesperson Tarun Kumar Singha told IANS.

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High uranium level detected in hair samples test in Punjab

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Faridkot (Punjab), June 16 (ANI): The tests conducted on the hair samples of 150 neurologically disabled children in Punjab's Faridkot District have revealed high levels of Uranium and other harmful chemicals."Approximately 150 children's hair samples of Baba Farid Center For Special Children were taken for heavy metal test. Heavy metals are known for creating neurological disorder. Children suffering from neurological disorder come here and to treat them heavy metals tests were conducted," said Pritpal Singh, Chairman, Baba Farid Center for Special Children."Heavy metals have been detected in the test results. Aluminum level is very high as well as Uranium level is also very high and other heavy metals have also been detected," he added.The Baba Farid Center for Special Children gives treatment for autism, cerebral palsy and mental impairment.The German laboratory conducted the tests."In 2009, when we got the report about Uranium it was very surprising report for us. We expected that Mercury and Arsenic level will be high. But in the report, it was mentioned that Uranium level is very high as well as Lead and Aluminum," said Dr Amar Singh Azad, President, Kheti Virasat Mission Punjab."It the came up as a cocktail. These four metals found altogether might be due to the effect of pesticide and fertilizers," he added. (ANI)

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Close shave for AI passengers for second consecutive day

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Indore, Jun 16 (PTI) Passengers onboard an Air India plane had a close shave for the second consecutive day as it suffered a bird-hit while landing at the city airport today. Two tyres of the same aircraft, with 106 people on board, were found deflated on landing at the Delhi''s Indira Gandhi International Airport yesterday, causing an alarm. Air India''s Mumbai-Indore-Bhopal-Delhi flight (IC-133) with 140 passengers and six crew members onboard was landing at the Devi Ahilyabai Airport when a bird hit the aircraft, Airport Director Vivek Upadhyaya said. The pilot, however, managed to land the aircraft safely, he said. The flight has now taken off for Bhopal after engineers found it airworthy, Air India Station Manager V V Gadgil said. "Engineers inspected the plane and when everything was found normal, it was given permission to continue its onward journey," Gadgil said.

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PM should ensure proper rehabilitation for Bhopal victims: Jha

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Bhopal, Jun 16 (PTI) Madhya Pradesh BJP president Prabhat Jha has asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to ensure proper medical facilities and rehabilitation to the victims of Bhopal Gas tragedy. "It is a matter of shame for the country''s political system that even after more than 25 years of the disaster we are not in a position to provide proper medical facilities and rehabilitation to gas victims," Jha said in a three-page letter to Singh. Jha said he was writing the letter to the PM to draw his "urgent attention" over the issue and seek necessary action in this regard. The BJP leader quoted media reports to allege that the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi gave consent to then Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Arjun Singh to allow Union Carbide chief Warren Anderson to leave India. Not only did Singh violate the rule of law and constitution of India but he also gave full individual and governmental support to Anderson, he claimed. In 1989, the then Central Government had settled all civil and criminal liabilities on behalf of the Bhopal gas victims without their consent, Jha wrote. "This raises a question on the objectivity of the whole settlement process on behalf of the Bhopal gas victims by the Central Government," he said. (More) PTI AS VKV.

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Scientists identify new antiviral defense

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Washington, June 16 (ANI): Canadian researchers have discovered a new way the body combats respiratory viral infections.Scientists from the University of Montreal and the University of Montreal Hospital Research Center explain how the NOX2 molecule, an enzyme that generates a burst of highly reactive oxygen derivatives (or free radicals), activates defense genes and molecules when viruses invade lung cells."The expression 'free radicals' is often associated with nasty molecules we've been told to guard against by eating fruits and vegetables that are high in so-called antioxidants - molecules that can neutralize these free radicals. It turns out that our own cells generate free radicals when invaded by viruses; these serve a critical role when our cells mount an immune response to viral invasions," says senior author and biochemistry professor Nathalie Grandvaux of the University of Montreal and a scientist at the University of Montreal Hospital Research Center.The University of Montreal study builds on previous research that shows human cells contain key sensor molecules RIG-I and Mda-5 that bind to a molecule called MAVS when they sense a virus. This process releases a series of chemical reactions, which turns on antiviral genes. Until now, however, it was unclear how the process occurs.Grandvaux and her colleagues showed that airway cells contain an enzyme called NOX2 that snatches oxygen from the surrounding air and converts it into highly reactive free radicals that react with other molecules to drive production and maintain the stability of MAVS molecule to essential levels."In the presence of a virus, NOX2 also controls inflammation in our airways, which when excessive causes virus-associated respiratory problems, including bronchiolitis or on a long-term basis, asthma," says Grandvaux."NOX2 is a prime target for drugs being developed to combat such inflammatory diseases. Indeed, a related enzyme called NOX1 is also being targeted against inflammatory diseases of the digestive tract."The study is detailed in the journal PLoS Pathogens. (ANI)

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Monsoon chaos returns to Mumbai, disrupts normal life

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Mumbai, June 16 (IANS) Monsoon chaos returned to haunt Mumbaikars once again as heavy rainfall inundated several areas and affected road, rail and air traffic Wednesday. Nine people were also killed in rain-related incidents, officials said.Heavy to very heavy rains in the first two days of the monsoon led to water-logging and flooding in several parts of the city and its adjoining areas, striking hollow the claims of Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation (BMC) that it was fully prepared for the monsoon.As rain water inundated the tracks, local trains, the lifeline of Mumbai, plied 10 to 30 minutes behind schedule, officials said.'Local train services on the western line were halted for 45 minutes after a tree fell on the tracks between Dadar and Matunga stations. They have, however, been restored,' a spokesperson said.Local trains on the central line continue to run late by 30 minutes.'Train arrivals are being switched from one platform to another and there is a fear of stampede,' said A. Bhavsar, a commuter.Air traffic was also hit, with most flights delayed by 45 minutes to one hour.'Heavy rains, strong winds of between 15-20 knots and fluctuating visibility have impacted operations,' an airport official said.Three flights -- Spice Jet's SG 131 (Delhi-Mumbai), Indian Airlines IC 971 (Chennai- Mumbai) and Go Air's G8 229 (Delhi-Mumbai) -- were diverted to Ahmedabad in Gujarat by the Air Traffic Control (ATC).'Cross runway (No.1432) is not being used by the ATC due to strong winds. The main runway (0927) is operational,' another official said.With the subway in Bhayander township of Thane district being shut down due to severe water-logging, residents of the area complained of gross negligence by authorities of Mira-Bhayander Municipal Corporation.A resident of Ramdev Nagar in Mira Road (E), Christopher Vaz, said there was nearly two feet water on the road. 'Water has started entering our homes. Desperate calls for help to the civic body are meeting deaf ears,' he said.Early Wednesday, eight people were crushed to death while sleeping when a wall collapsed in Dyaneshwar Nagar area in Thane.A man identified as Ratilal Gada was crushed to death in the eastern suburb of Mulund when a portion of an under-construction building caved in on him.Another building crashed in Andheri Wednesday, but no casualties or injuries have been reported so far.According to an official of the India Meteorological Department, Colaba in south Mumbai received 78 mm of rainfall and Santacruz about 95 mm, flooding scores of streets.Traffic was diverted at Parel and Dadar in south-central Mumbai and Khar, Santacruz, Andheri, Jogeshwari, Malad, Kandivli and Borivli in the western suburbs of the city.

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Pepper, turmeric rise on fresh buying

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New Delhi, June 16 (PTI) Black pepper and turmeric prices rose by Rs 100 per quintal in the national capital today on increased buying by stockists as well as exporters. Tight stocks position due to fall in supplies from the producing belts also influenced the prices. Black pepper prices rose Rs 100 to conclude at Rs 16,800- 16,900 per quintal. Turmeric prices also traded higher at Rs 16,500-19,100 against previous closing of Rs 16,400-19,000 per quintal. Traders said increased buying by stockists and rising exports demand, influenced the pepper and turmeric prices at the wholesale kirana market here. Following are today''s quotations (per quintal): Ajwain 12,500-15,500, black pepper common 16,800-16,900, betelnut (kg) 85-105, cardamom brown -Jhundiwali (kg) 780-800 and cardamom brown -Kanchicut (kg) 890-990. Cardamom small (kg): Chitridar 1200-1,370, cardamom (colour robin) 1,560-1,580, cardamom bold 1,585-1,600, cardamom extra (bold) 1,700-1,720 and cloves (kg) 310-390. MORE PTI DP RS.

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Bhopal not on agenda during US trip: Montek

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New Delhi, June 16 (IANS) Bhopal was 'not on the agenda' of the Indian delegation travelling to the US next week for trade talks, Planning Commision Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia clarified Wednesday.'Absolutely not,' Ahluwalia told reporters when asked if Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, who is leading the delegation, would meet Dow Chemical chief Andrew Liveris at the India-US CEO forum in Washington June 22.'...the government delegation will have a meeting with the US government on a wide range of issues,' said the Planning Commision official who is also part of the high level delegation that will be in the US June 22-25.Dow Chemical acquired Union Carbide in 2001, seven years after toxic gases leaked from the Union Carbide plant in Bhopal on the night of Dec 2-3, killing an estimated 20,000 people since.There have been demands in India for making the US-based company pay compensation for the world's worst industrial disaster.

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