Professional Documents
Culture Documents
imperatives.
Vol. 2 Issue 09
RNI Reg. No.: PUNMUL/2012/45041 Postal Reg. No. PB/JL-047/2013-15
10.00 24 Pages
National 4
International 6
Campus 10
Celebrity 14
Leisure 16
Business 20
Sports 22
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OPINION
Budget 2013-14: Unrealistic and Amorphous
P Chidambaram presented a dream budget in 1997 under the United Front dispensation and now under UPA II he has presented what can at best be termed a dreaming budget. In a post crisis global economic scenario India is faced with slowing growth, depressed investor sentiment and massive inefficiencies in public service delivery. The budget 2013-14 instead of addressing these has sought to focus on maintaining the status quo in social sector spending while other heads of spending are explained away by optimistic estimation. The lethargic bent of the budget becomes evident in the manner in which the government expects a slowing growth to miraculously yield buoyant revenue figures, reduced allocations including capital expenditure are expected to boost investment and finally a rise in non tax revenue is predicted coupled with a decline in subsidy bill. A reading of even most elementary economics is sufficient enough to indicate a relation between declining revenues and slowing growth in absence of a hike in taxation rates or imposition of new taxes. Given the experience and expertise of the team that generates the document it is impossible to attribute such dichotomous policy proposition to oversight. It was no bodys case to suggest that Budget 2013-14 was going to be an easy exercise given competing political interests and complex economic landscape. In times of confusion and doldrums this budget was expected to clear the air and state the policy thrusts in a forthright manner. The budget has failed to convey clear cut growth impulses and it has certainly kept realism aside to create a document that worries more about pleasing all than convincing one.
EDITORIAL DESK
Manu Sharma
S.K. Sinha
Push that desire with action It is exam time once again . Oh ! what a stressful part of our lives . Preparations and fear often cause anxiety and damage to the body and as a result the performance on the day of the exam gets affected . But if we look at the whole system, all that we learn the whole year is ultimately aimed at the final examinations . So why the worry . It would be wise to do our bit , work hard and leave the rest to the almighty. The world knows that faith works and for a student it is very important to have that amount of faith. It helps him or her to work hard and not bother about the results .The real trouble starts the moment we start worrying about
Bit by bit delay tactics and political strawmen were deployed to cover up the tragic story of Bangladeshs birth. Today Jamat-E-Islami and BNP count many of the accused under International Crimes Tribunal of Bangladesh as their front line political leaders. The Tribunal was formed after due diligence and vetting by prominent jurists of Bangladesh and enjoyed credibility amongst masses, however sections of young Bangladeshis fear extraneous influence upon the tribunal. The recent protests in Bangladesh have reopened the wounds of 1971 and subverted the attempts to brush away the
deeds of Pakistani army and its lackeys. Shahbag protests in Bangladesh offer a heartening ray of hope against the suppression of justice by motivated groups in Bangladesh. The young generation of Bangladesh now being referred to as Projonmo Chottor has successfully highlighted the lenient treatment of Abdul Quader Mollah and others charged of abetting war crimes during the 1971 war of independence. Operation Searchlight, the code name for genocide perpetrated by West Pakistani forces brought darkness to the Sonar Bangla, its abettors should be brought to justice by all means.
the gains .Whenever we start towards a destination , we should enjoy the journey .It is important to be focused on the journey and not just on the destination alone . Let us enjoy what we do and results will follow by themselves.We must remember that action alone brings us nearer to the destination and not just the desire. So let us back our desires by actions and dispel all fear of failure. Best wishes to all you students Jai Hind
By Madhusree Chatterjee The flowers light up patches of the dense green forests in elegant huddles of yellow, ochre, mauve, powder blue and lemony green on slopes 5,000 feet above sea level. Described as the natural glory of the Himalayan state of Sikkim, the Cymbidium orchid is increasingly being projected as the states flori-sustenance - the heartbeat of its booming flower trade The Cymbidium is the most common species of orchids that survive extremes of nature to live longer as cut flowers (with nipped stalks) in the vase in Sikkim and other northeastern states, home to nearly 600 varieties of wild orchids. The global spotlight turned on the Cymbidium orchid - the theme of the Sikkim International Flower Show 2013 during Feb 23-27 in state capital Sikkim - with colourful showcases by orchid growers and international workshops on the species. Our flower power is the Cymbidium orchid. Most of the Cymbidium varieties that you see in the world today are the hybridized varieties of the flowers taken from this region by the
COVER STORY
New Delhi Finance Minister P. Chidambaram presented a please-all budget with a 30 percent hike in plan expenditure, lower deficit and a one-time tax on the rich, while focusing on three main constituencies that can vote his government back to power in the next general elections -- women, youth and poor. Youll have to shell out more for your smokes, the fuel-guzzling sports utility vehicles will cost more and the smart-phone will attract higher excise, but what will please the masses -- read voters given the impending elections -- is that outlays for virtually every welfare scheme, covering urban areas to the hinterland, have been vastly hiked. What also makes all this seem like a dream is that the finance minister also promises to refrain from profligacy with a fiscal deficit target set at 4.8 percent of Indias gross domestic product, against 5.2 percent in the current fiscal, without an across-the-board hike in direct and indirect tax rates or slabs. All flagship programmes have been fully and adequately funded, the finance minister said in his 105-minute speech, setting aside Rs.16.65 lakh crore (Rs.16.65 trillion or $300 billion) for the next fiscal towards plan and non-plan expenditure. The proposals were welcomed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. Given the formidable challenges facing our economy, the finance minister has done a commendable job, the prime minister said of his cabinet colleague, once hailed for what has come to be known as a dream budget he presented in 1997. The finance minister has taken important steps to reverse pessimistic mood with regard to investment climate, with regard to the growth potential and the possibilities of our economy, the prime minister said, even as the opposi-
tion said it was a wasted opportunity. The small tax payer, earning between Rs.200,000 to Rs.500,000 per annum, gets a Rs.2,000 rebate, while the affluent will be imposed a super rich tax that amounts to a surcharge of 10 percent on an annual income of over Rs.10 crore. For average taxpayers, there are other take-aways: Additional rebate on home loans for first-time buyers, two-year extension of the Rajiv Gandhi Equity Scheme for first-time investors with higher limit of Rs.1.2 million, and launch of inflation-indexed bonds. In the case of home loan deduction scheme, the benefit could be as much as Rs.30,000 for tax payers in the upper bracket. This apart, those returning from abroad can bring goods worth Rs.50,000 duty-free in the case of men and Rs.100,000 in the case of women. In a constrained economy, there is little room to raise tax rates or large amounts of additional tax revenues. Equally, there is little room to give away tax revenues or the tax base. It is time for prudence, restraint and patience, the finance minister said. Chidambaram, who now has eight budgets to his credit, equalling the track record of his predecessor Pranab Mukherjee, now the president, also made some specific remarks in his 105-minute speech, aimed at various constituencies, both within and outside India. For women, he promised an exclusive public sector bank to cater to them, with an initial corpus of Rs.1,000 crore ($180 million), as also a Nirbhaya Fund, named after the recent Delhi gang-rape victim, for those abused in one form or the other. A reward of Rs.10,000 under the skill development programme for the youth whom he called impatient and ambitious, representing the aspirations of the people, and a promise of a pan-In-
dia roll-out of the direct cash transfer scheme by next year for the poor. To investors, domestic and overseas, Chidambaram promised to remove any distrust on any undue regulatory or tax burden, along with an environment of quick decisions, since he held investments as the key to reviving the growth of an economy. Investment is an act of faith, he said, adding: Doing business in India must be seen as easy, friendly and mutuallybeneficial. He also said overseas borrowings and equity investments were the only options to finance the high current account deficit. That is why I have been at pains to state over and over again that India at the present juncture does not have the choice between welcoming and spurning foreign investment. If I may be frank, foreign investment is an imperative, he said. At the same time, the finance minister promised action on infrastructure development and said steps will be taken to invest the promised $1 trillion during the current Five Year Plan on roads, ports, highways, waterways, energy and industrial corridors. These proposals were praised by industry. The budget will revive manufacturing sector which had come under stress. The biggest take-away is the investment allowance, said the Associated Chamber of Commerce and Industry (Assocham). Overall, the direct and indirect tax proposals are expected to yield Rs.18,000 crore But the markets were none-too-pleased and the sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) fell 1.5 percent with hikes in suscharge on corporate tax and dividend distribution tax seen as major dampeners. The finance minister also made several promises: A pilot programme to pro-
mote micro-nutrients, a National Livestock Mission, inflation-indexed bonds, a new corporate tax avoidance tax from 2016, a direct tax code and a new bill for a pan-India goods and services tax this session. The finance minister felt India, now faced with some serious chaqllenges, was already the worlds 10th largest economy, and had the potential to scale higher to the eighth or the seventh position by 2017. Any economist could tell that, he said. By 2025, we could become a $5 trillion economy, and among the top five in the world. What we will become depends on us and on the choices that we make.
Opposition Speaks
Budget will lead to further price rise: CPI-M
Kolkata Flaying the Congress-led UPA government over several issues including the budget, the CPI-M Friday said only the Left parties had alternative policies that were being propogated through the partys Sangharsh Sandesh Jathas (revolutionary message marches). The budget has once again proved that this government thinks only about the rich. Subsidy worth Rs.26,000 has been withdrawn from petroleum, which eventually will lead to further price rise, party general secretary Prakash Karat said here. The budget has no provision for employment, when there is so much unemployment in the country. People
of Tripura have shown the way, only the Left parties have the suitable policies, Karat said. The Left Front Thursday retained power in Tripura for the fifth consecutive time, sweeping 50 of 60 seats in the assembly. Karat was speaking at the launch of the parties Eastern Jatha (march), flagged off by former West Bengal chief minister and politburo member Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee. The Karat-led jatha will travel to various districts of the state before reaching Delhi via Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The purpose of the jathas is to highlight the problems faced by the people on account of price rise, unemployment, the problems faced by the farmers and the massive corruption. We are the only one to form alternative policies to the present ones being laid out by either the Congress or the BJP, Karat said. There are four main jathas, starting from Kanyakumari, Kolkata, Mumbai and Amritsar, and travelling through the length and breadth of the country, before converging at Delhi March 19, where a massive rally is scheduled. Apart from the Eastern jatha, which began Friday from here, the Kanyakumari jatha led by S. Ramachandran began its journey Feb 24; the Amritsar jatha led by Brinda Karat will begin March 4, while the Mumbai jatha led by Sitaram Yechuri will commence March 8. The focus areas that the marchers have decided to highlight are: Right to land and house-sites; curb of pricerise and the right to food; right to education and health; right to employment; social justice and the rights of women; and an end to corruption.
NATIONAL NEWS
New Delhi A joint parliamentary committee (JPC) will probe the purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters, it was decided while Defence Minister A.K. Antony promised to punish the guilty for the alleged kickbacks. The opposition parties, however, walked out of the Rajya Sabha alleging inaction for over a year. The motion to set up the joint parliamentary committee (JPC) took the opposition by surprise, but was adopted by the Rajya Sabha despite oposition walk-out, including by the BJP. Earlier, Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath moved the motion at the end of a short-duration discussion on the $750 million/Rs.3,600-crore deal for the helicopters with AgustaWestland by the defence ministry. The move to set up the JPC was opposed by several opposition parties, including the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Telugu Desam Party, Janata DalUnited and Trinamool Congress. The Samajwadi Party and Bahujan Samaj Party backed the decision on the JPC. Leader of Opposition Arun Jaitley said the JPC will be an exercise in futility and its setting up was a diversionary tactic by the government. He said what was needed was a proper case and custodial interrogation of people to get to the truth and the JPC had none of these powers. Defending the governments decision, Kamal Nath said the JPC will monitor the investigations of the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and accused the BJP-led National Democratic Alliance of running away from JPC. He said the JPC will have 30 members, including 10 from the Rajya Sabha and 20 from the Lok Sabha. He said the JPC will give its report within three months of its first sitting. He announced names of seven of 10 house members and said names of three others will be decided later. The opposition parties, including the BJP, staged a walk-out before the voice vote on the motion for setting up the JPC. The Rajya Sabha earlier saw a fierce debate with the BJP members accusing the government of inaction despite information about alleged kickbacks
Kolkata Claiming that West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had a positive view on the National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC), union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde Monday said the central government was trying to break the deadlock over the proposed anti-terror hub. She (Banerjee) is willing. But other chief ministers are opposing it. We have to hold talks with them also, Shinde told reporters after holding a meeting with Banerjee at Bakkhali in South 24 Parganas district. We had earlier held talks about the NCTC. Banerjee had said that we would have to discuss together some clauses, he said. Shinde, who began a two-day tour of the state Sunday, held talks with Banerjee. The proposal to set up NCTC was put on hold after some states protested against its implementation, saying it would encroach on their rights. Banerjee, along with her Tamil Nadu and
Gujarat counterparts, J. Jayalalithaa and Narendra Modi, respectively, had opposed certain provisions of it.Shinde said the central government and all the states had to deal with terrorism together and the former was in the process of finding out a way to break the deadlock. We have to deal with terrorism together. We should not allow it in our territory. The chief ministers also have the same view. But all the chief ministers are saying that the centre should not encroach on the rights of the states. We are in the process of finding a way out, he said. Shinde also discussed coastal security with Banerjee during the meeting.Describing the chief minister as his sister, the minister said his discussion with Banerjee for allotting land for Border Security Force (BSF) outposts in Bengal was excellent.I earlier had urged the West Bengal government for land for BSF. We also discussed about it today. The discussion was excellent. I want to give thanks to the government, he added.
Bhubaneswar India successfully tested indigenously-built multi-barrel rocket launcher Pinaka from a defence base in Odisha, an official said. The multi-barrel rocket launching system (MBRLS) was tested from the Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE) in Chandipur-on-sea in Balasore district, around 230 km from state capital Bhubaneswar.
being in the public domain for almost a year. In his reply, Antony said the government will get to the root of scams involving public money and punish the guilty. Antony said he felt ashamed as a minister on any controversy surrounding the defence ministry. He said the ministry had acted on every complaint it received and there was no cover-up. He said the CBI team that went to Italy met the prosecutors and the judge in the case and were told of the secrecy clause. Antony said the Italian authorities will complete their inquiry in the coming months. The minister said AgustaWestland had denied any wrongdoings in its reply to the ministrys show cause notice but the defence ministry did not believe their reply. He said the government will take strongest action after getting a report from the CBI. I want to know the truth. I must pursue the case, Antony said, adding that however powerful the guilty may be, he would be found out. Rebutting Antony, Jaitley said the only remaining issue concerning the kickbacks was of knowing identity of bribe taker. The government of India places order.
The bribe-taker cannot be sitting elsewhere, Jaitley said and added that the bribes had travelled back to India. He said India could not ask for extradition of foreign middlemen without a first information report and cannot send letter regoratory. You waited for 365 days before registering preliminary enquiry (PE), Jaitley said and added that a preliminary enquiry was only an informal method to obtain information as it did not allow for raid and custodial interrogation. He sought registration of FIR by CBI. Jaitley asked the government if it was ready for a JPC headed by an opposition member. The PE was registered by the CBI Monday against 11 people, including former Air Chief Marshal S.P. Tyagi and four companies. The firms named by the CBI in the PE included Italy-based Finmeccanica, its subsidiray AgustaWestland, IDS Infotech Ltd. (India) and Aeromatrix India. Asked about partys opposition to the JPC, BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad told reporters that an FIR had not been registered in the chopper deal case. He said the party had demanded a JPC probe into the 2G spectrum issue after an FIR had been registered and court was monitoring the investigation. A JPC without FIR, without court monitoring is humbug, he said.
Young India has clear advantage over ageing China, US: Tharoor
two decades, the average age in US will be 40, it will be 46 in Japan, 47 in Europe and almost 50 in China, but we will still be at 29, Tharoor said at the national conference on secondary education titled Is Secondary Education on Track? at the Indian Habitat Centre here.He emphasized that the country should translate the demographic advantage to yield productive results. Our youth are obviously our key national resource It needs to be cherished, nurtured and developed with vision, determination and engagement. And to achieve all this we need to get our education right. At the time when our neighbours China, Japan are facing demographic squeeze we have 516 million individuals under 25 years of age, 225 million between the ages of 10-19, and today the average age is 28 years to Chinas 38; so we will have a more youthful, dynamic workforce, when the rest of the world is ageing, the minister added. The former UN diplomat however cautioned that if the youth are not equipped with skills that 21st century offers, the results would be horrendous to con-
New Delhi In another seven years, India will overtake China with the youngest workforce in the 20-24 age bracket, positioning its demography as its strongest competitive advantage over developed nations, Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor said .Speaking at a CII-sponsored event, Tharoor said the youth is Indias key national resource and their importance should be recognised. By 2020, India will have a 116 million strong workforce in the bracket of 20-24 years, while for China it will be just about 94 million at the same time. This could be the strongest competitive advantage India will have in the years to come. What is also striking is that within
template. We all know mobs, Maoists and insurrections are full of frustrated unemployed young men who feel they have no stake in society.Tharoor said that higher education holds the key to the countrys bright future for creating a knowledge-based society. Expressing worry at the high drop out rates at secondary education level, Tharoor noted that as the classes became senior, the drop out rates became greater.The minister said the government expenditure for education increased in last nine years of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) from three per cent of GDP in 2002 to 4.8 percent currently. Our education system caters to about 600 million people, it is one of the highly capitalized sectors in India with an annual government spending of $30 billion, and an annual private spending of $43.2 billion. He sought more Private-Public Partnership (PPP) in education.Vijay Thadani, chairman CII national committee on school education, said that drop out rates at the secondary level can be tackled by introducing more vocational courses, partnerships and greater engagement with NGOs.
New Delhi Iranian Parliament Speaker Ali Larijani arrived here to urge India to play a greater role in ending Tehrans impasse with the West on its nuclear programme.His trip came as fresh negotiations began in Kazakhstan on Irans controversial nuclear programme. Larijani, who is expected to be the next Iranian president, will meet President Pranab Mukherjee, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid. He will brief them on Irans stand on the crucial talks with the Security Council members that will decide the future course of action against Tehran. Iran feels that India should play an active role in bridging the gap between the West and Tehran on the nuclear issue. The US and the West have imposed fresh sanctions on Iran that has made it virtually impossible for it to export crude oil to India. India has already reduced dependence of crude oil on Iran and Saudi Arabia has expressed willingness to meet the Indian requirement. Larijani will hold detailed talks with
National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon. Besides the nuclear issue, they will also discuss the situation in Afghanistan. The Iranian speaker is also expected to meet his Indian counterpart Meira Kumar. There have been several high-level visits by Iranian officials to India after Manmohan Singh visited Iran last year. Manmohan Singh went to Iran to attend the non-aligned meet and also held talks with President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Iranian National Security Advisor Saeed Jalili visited India in December.
NATIONAL NEWS
rights activists and members of the Bengali community not come forward to help the parents of Indrashish. During his visit to the city, President Pranab Mukherjee had also assured help for the return of the child. India and the US have two different cultures and two different legal systems. Despite no mistake of the parents, it was a misunderstanding arising out of two cultures that had resulted in the child being taken away, said Congress party leader Om Prakash Mishra, who had earlier sought intervention of the external affairs ministry in the matter
people and the government of Afghanistan, and by our friends around the world, including the United States. We do not view our engagement with Afghanistan as a zero sum game. The embassy said both India and the US have a shared perspective and a deep convergence of interests for ensuring peace and stability in AfghanistanWe will continue to work to help the Afghan people build a peaceful, prosperous, democratic and inclusive future for themselves in an environment free from terror and intimidation. Hagel is widely expected to be confirmed by the US Senate, more than a month after he was first nominated by President Barack Obama.
INTERNATIONAL
every Tamil man and woman arrested for suspected LTTE involvement at serious risk, he said. Most rape victims spoke outside of Sri Lanka, and corroborated their accounts with medical and legal reports. Because HRW was not able to openly conduct research in Sri Lanka or interview people still in custody, these cases probably represent only a tiny fraction of custodial rape in political cases, it said.Many cases followed a pattern of an individual being abducted from home by unidentified men, taken to a detention centre, and abusively interrogated about alleged links to the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE). A 23-year-old man who returned from abroad said he was abducted, held without charge, and raped on three consecutive days until he signed a confession.A 32-year-old woman said she was detained by two plainclothes men who stripped and photographed her naked. They told me to confess about everything. I refused to confess as I thought they would kill me. I was beaten up and tortured. On the second day, a man came to my room and raped me. I was raped by different men on at least three days. I cant remember how many times, she was quoted as saying.Rape and other sexual violence of detained men and women by the security forces during and ever since the armed conflict suggest that sexual abuse has been a key element of the broader use of torture and ill-treatment
London Sri Lankan security forces have used rape and other forms of sexual violence to torture suspected members or supporters of the Tamil Tigers, Human Rights Watch ((HRW) said . While widespread rape in custody occurred during the armed conflict that ended in 2009, HRW found that politically motivated sexual violence by the military and police continues to the present.A 140-page report, We Will Teach You a Lesson: Sexual Violence against Tamils by Sri Lankan Security Forces, provides detailed accounts of 75 cases of alleged rape and sexual abuse during 2006-12 in both official and secret detention centres in Sri Lanka. In the cases documented by HRW, men and women reported being raped on multiple days, often by several people, with the army, police and pro-government paramilitary groups frequently participating. The Sri Lankan security forces have committed untold numbers of rapes of Tamil men and women in custody, said Brad Adams, Asia director at HRW.These are not just wartime atrocities but continue to the present, putting
against suspected LTTE members and supporters, HRW said. The torture is intended to obtain confessions of involvement in LTTE activities, information on others including spouses and relatives and to instil terror in the Tamil population to discourage involvement with the LTTE.The victims also described being beaten, hung by their arms, partially asphyxiated, and burned with cigarettes. None of those who spoke to HRW had access to legal counsel, family members, or doctors while they were detained. Most said they signed a confession in the hope that the abuse would stop, though the torture, including rape, often continued. The individuals interviewed were not formally released but rather allowed to escape after a relative paid the authorities a bribe.Women and men who alleged rape said they had generally kept silent about their abuse, fearing social stigmatization and reprisals from perpetrators if they reported the crime. The reluctance to report sexual abuse also stems from institutional barriers imposed by the Sri Lankan government to block effective reporting and investigation of rape cases.No member of the security forces has been prosecuted, let alone convicted, for rape in custody in the final years of the conflict or since the wars end.Interviewees told HRW that military and police personnel seldom made any effort to disguise being members of state security forces. These included the military, military intelligence and the police, including specialized units such as the Criminal Investigation Department and Terrorism Investigation Department.
Seoul Park Geun-hye was sworn in as South Koreas first female president Monday, pledging economic revival and educational system overhaul and urging North Korea to rid itself of its nuclear programme. The new administration will usher in a new era of hope premised on a revitalizing economy, the happiness of our people, and the blossoming of our culture, Park said in an inauguration speech delivered to some 70,000 people gathered in front of the countrys parliament for the ceremony. The 61-year-old vowed to root out unfair practices that stifled the growth of small and medium-sized businesses, reform the educational system to allow more room for creativity and bring about flourishing culture, reported Xinhua. Park, whose inauguration came on the heels of a widely condemned nuclear test by North Korea, also sent a warning message to the unpredictable northern neighbour. North Koreas recent nuclear test is a challenge to the survival and future of the Korean people, and there should be no mistake that the biggest victim will be none other than North Korea itself, Park said. I urge North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambitions without delay and embark on the path to peace and shared development. At the same time, she reaffirmed her
pledge to seek a so-called trust-building process between the two Koreas to lay the groundwork for an era of harmonious unification. Trust can be built through dialogue and by honouring promises that have already been made. It is my hope that North Korea will abide by international norms and make the right choice so that the trust-building process on the Korean Peninsula can move forward, Park said. Her first call after beginning her fiveyear term midnight Sunday was to Gen. Jung Seung-jo, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a move designed to highlight her commitment to border security. The 61-year-old daughter of late military strongman Park Chung-hee won the Dec 19 presidential election, becoming the first-ever president to earn a majority of the popular vote since democratic elections were introduced here in 1987. Park, a political veteran with the moniker queen of elections, acted as the de facto first lady to her father after her mother was assassinated by a North Korean agent and is credited with reviving the ruling party mired in corruption scandals. She remains widely popular among older people nostalgic for rapid economic growth under the senior Parks 18-year authoritarian rule, while critics point to ruthless suppression of dissidents during his reign.
Washington US officials have expressed concern that the impending spending cuts may increase wait times in issuing US visas particularly in countries like India, China, and Brazil. The sequestration would cut all State Department budget by a fair percentage point, spokesperson Patrick Ventrell told reporters Wednesday in response to question about the impact of sequestration - $85 billion in cuts this year and $1.2 trillion through fiscal 2021 . Part of a 2011 deal to increase Americas debt limit, the cuts, half in defence and half in non-defence programmes, were deliberately designed to be painful to make the Congress act on the nations mounting deficit. But one of the things we are very concerned about is weve had a huge influx of hiring of new consulate officers we sent out to hotspots like India, China, Brazil, where you have lots of middle class folks who are trying to come to the US for the first time and visit and spend their money, Ventrell said. Its good for the American economy. And so we are concerned that if sequestration happens, we could have major
setbacks in really the herculean effort weve made to reduce wait times, he said. The spokesperson said the wait times in India Brazil and China have gone from hundreds of days down to a couple of days for people to come visit the US. And every one of those folks is coming to spend their money here in our economy, and so we do have some significant concerns, he said. While its impossible to say exactly how it would impact in each individual country, Ventrell said, theres no doubt in my mind and those who look at this closely that one of the areas that therell be an impact on, obviously, is our ability provide consular services. And so were concerned about that and it took a lot of effort to get us to reduce those wait times, and a lot of new hiring, a lot of new staff, he added. With positions hardened on both sides, expectations were low that a White House meeting on Friday between President Barack Obama and congressional leaders, including opposition Republican, would produce any deal to avoid the cuts.
Abu Dhabi The United Arab Emirates (UAE) and Argentina have held discussions over expanding investment and trade between them. The meet was held between Argentias Minister for Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Norberto Yauhar and UAEs Minister for Foreign Trade Sheikha Lubna bint Khalid Al Qasimi. During the meet Yauhar, who is leading an Argentinean delegation to GULFOOD 2013 in Dubai, said that his country is working on establishing branches for Argentinean companies across a multitude of sectors in the UAEs free zones. Argentinean minister also revealed that there were strategic plans in place to increase his countrys exports to the UAE, which enjoys a unique geographic location that would enable their entry into the markets of other neighbouring countries.
INTERNATIONAL
Pope Benedict XVI resigned , but why ?
cation, which aims to achieve universal primary education for boys and girls by the year 2015. Much progress has been made to reach the 2015 education goals but many countries are still not on track, the Director-General of the UN Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO), Irina Bokova, said at the opening session of the Summit. In this respect, the digital divide continues to be a development divide. The ongoing mobile and internet revolutions provide all countries, especially developing and least developed ones, with unprecedented opportunities. In contrast, only 3 per cent of schools have Internet access in Kenya, and the ratio of computers is one for every 150 schoolchildren in most African countries. The report calls on policymakers to boost efforts that ensure equitable access to information and communication technologies (ICTs) for all their citizens, especially women and girls and marginalized groups. It also encourages governments to provide incentives to support the adoption of ICTs and include digital skills as part of their public education programmes. In addition, the report calls for supporting the creation of online educational applications and services in local content and local languages, which is many times missing from established hardware. Set up by the ITU and UNESCO in 2010, the Broadband Commission for Digital Development aims to boost the importance of broadband on the international policy agenda and believes that expanding broadband access in every country is key to accelerating progress towards the achieving all MDGs.
7
orientation. It added that some Vatican officials had been subjected to external influence from laymen with whom they had links of a worldly nature. La Republica said this was a clear reference to blackmail. Reports also identified a series of meeting places [for the clergymen] in and around Rome. They included a villa outside the Italian capital, a sauna in a Rome suburb, a beauty parlour in the centre, and a former university residence that was in use by a provincial Italian archbishop. This isnt the Vaticans first run-in with homosexual members.In 2007 a senior official was suspended from the congregation, or department, for the priesthood, after he was filmed in a sting organised by an Italian television programme while apparently making sexual overtures to a younger man in 2010 a chorister was dismissed for allegedly procuring male prostitutes for a papal gentleman-in-waiting. A few months later a weekly news magazine used hidden cameras to record priests visiting gay clubs and bars and having sex. The Vatican secretariat of state issued a statement about the report: It is deplorable that as we draw closer to the time of the beginning of the conclave that there be a widespread distribution of often unverified, unverifiable or completely false news stories that cause serious damage to persons and institutions.
The Sixth Commandment, Thou shall not commit adultery, is used by the Vatican to refer to homosexuality rather than infidelity.
Pope Benedict spoke of evil, suffering and corruption in the world as he prepares to step down. When Pope Benedict XVI announced earlier this month that he would resign on February 28th, there was a lot of shock and confusion around the world. Pope said will simply be a pilgrim starting his last journey on earth.The 85-year-old pontiff was earlier flown by helicopter from the Vatican to his retreat at Castel Gandolfo, near Rome. The college of cardinals, headed by Cardinal Tarcisio Bertone, is now in charge of the worlds 1.2 billion Roman Catholics until a new pope is elected, BBC reported. Benedict vowed unconditional obedience and reverence to his successor.He stepped down after nearly eight years in office - the first pontiff to do so in 600 years. Benedict, in his days in retirement, will now wear a simple white cassock rather than his papal clothes, and swap his famous red shoes - the colour symbolic of the blood of the early Christian martyrs - for brown. The Vatican has reacted strongly to reports in the Italian media linking Pope Benedict XVIs resignation to allegations discovery of a network of gay cardinals.Pope Benedict spoke on Saturday at the end of a week-long spiritual retreat coinciding with Lent, the period of 40 days leading up to Easter. For the past week, Italian cardinal Gianfranco Ravasi has led the Vatican on meditations.The pontiffs speech follows a report that the network of gay prelates in the Vatican, have reportedly been targeted by blackmailers.The Italian daily newspaper La Republica said the pope decided to resign on 17 December the day he received a dossier compiled by three cardinals delegated to look into the so-called Vatileaks affair.Last May Pope Benedicts butler, Paolo Gabriele, was arrested and charged with stealing leaked papal correspondence that depicted the Vatican as a seething hotbed of intrigue and infighting.The newspaper said the cardinals described a number of factions, including one whose members were united by sexual
International aid now critical to help malians rebuild their lives, UN official says
After a period of brutal violence and economic collapse in Mali, access was now stable enough so that aid, if adequately funded, could help hundreds of thousands rebuild their lives, a top United Nations humanitarian official said today after a visit to the West African country. The people of Mali have suffered appallingly. Now is the time for us to help, John Ging, Director of Operations for the Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), told correspondents in New York. The latest humanitarian appeal for Mali seeks $373 million, including $153 million for the most urgent interventions in the next six months. However, only $17 million has been received so far, Mr. Ging said. Northern Mali was occupied by radical Islamists after fighting broke out in January 2012 between Government forces and Tuareg rebels. The conflict prompted the Malian Government to request assistance from France to stop the military advance of extremist groups. Mr. Ging said that since the conflict began in January 2012, more than 430,000 people have been displaced more than 260,000 internally and more than 170,000 having fled as refugees to neighbouring countries. In addition to disrupting the lives of those who fled, this has left health clinics short of doctors, schools without teachers and electricity plants without engineers, he said. During his four-day visit, during which he visited the historic city of Timbuktu and the central town of Mopti in the north, Mr. Ging said community representatives emphasized to him that they
did not want to become dependent on international aid but were seeking basic support. These are dignified people who are not asking for much, said Mr. Ging, specifying that, in the North, people wanted security, schooling for their children, health services, reopened markets and to be able to sow their crops on time. Conveying his impression that much of the population was traumatized by events of the past year, as well as reports of rape and brutalities against children, he said that education seemed to be a huge priority for most people. This is the issue that energized and caused the most animation in everybody we met, he said, pointing out that 700,000 children were affected by the crisis and that 200,000 had not had any schooling in the past year. Describing his visits to two hospitals, he confirmed shortages of supplies and services. He also said that restoration of livelihoods was a priority as Mali suffered from the long-term food and nutritional crisis that was afflicting much of the Sahel region of Africa, with 585,000 people in need of immediate food assistance and a million more at risk. Also today, the UN Childrens Fund (UNICEF) appealed for $45 million in urgent funding to address the basic needs of women and children affected by the crisis, for the next three months, underlining the vulnerability of those two parts of the population. Without funding, UNICEF will be unable to continue its support to lifesaving interventions for internally displaced persons (IDPs) and host families and communities, as well as refugees, it said.
UN human rights council opens with call to strengthen international justice system
As the main United Nations human rights body began its work today, senior UN officials stressed the importance of strengthening international processes that will monitor and prevent rights violations around the world as well as hold perpetrators accountable for their crimes. Addressing the opening of the 22nd session of the Human Rights Council in Geneva, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay said that despite significant progress over the past two decades on issues such as the elimination of violence against women and tackling impunity for international crimes, there continue to be systematic human rights violations around the world. The promise of respecting all human rights for all people is still a dream for too many, Ms. Pillay said. Hundreds of thousands of people have died in genocides in Rwanda and Bosnia and Herzegovina; the Palestinian territories are still occupied; massive violations have occurred in Iraq and Sri Lanka; and war crimes continue to be committed in numerous internal conflicts, including those continuing in Afghanistan, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, Mali, Sudan and Syria. In particular, Ms. Pillay said this had not happened in the case of Syria, where there have been constant allegations of human right violations committed by the Government forces and the opposition since the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad began in March 2011. Two important situations Darfur in 2008 and Libya in 2011 have been referred, but the Security Council has so far failed with regard to Syria, despite the repeated reports of widespread or systematic crimes and violations by my office, the International Commission of Inquiry on Syria, civil society organizations and Special Procedures, she said. In September, Ms. Pillay urged the Security Council to refer the case of Syria to the ICC. Since then, the High Commissioner has repeated this call, warning that possibly up to 70,000 people have been killed, hundreds of thousands have been displaced, and over 4 million people have been affected by the violence and are in dire need of humanitarian assistance. Again, despite the truly inspiring advances in combating impunity and ensuring accountability both at the international and national levels, including through transitional justice processes, there are still far too many people with command responsibility who escape justice for serious crimes and gross human rights violations, Ms. Pillay said. The President of the General Assembly, Vuk Jeremic, told the Council that, like Ms. Pillay, he was gravely concerned with the situation in Syria, and emphasized the need to act immediately to achieve a political solution. For close to two years, the international community has failed to put a stop to the carnage, he said. The immediate cessation of hostilities should be our foremost priority. Mr. Jeremic appealed to all sides to cease the violence, and warned that without a political solution the consequences would be devastating for the country and the international community as a whole. There is a manifest danger that the violence will simply be allowed to run its course a scenario that would continue to disproportionately affect the civilian population. In her address to the Council, Ms. Pillay also noted that while the increased involvement of civil society in defending human rights is a welcome development, there have been an alarming number of reports of governments persecuting human rights defenders because of the nature of their work. I continue to hear of brave human rights defenders, journalists or bloggers who have been threatened, harassed, arrested or killed because of their work on behalf of the human rights of others, Ms. Pillay said. Such intimidation has sometimes even occurred during the proceedings of this Council. We must never tolerate such pressure, or reprisals against those who rightly seek to engage the international human rights system. Ms. Pillay also urged Member States to continue to support the work of her office (OHCHR) by providing the necessary resources it requires to fulfil its mandate to promote and protect the human rights of everyone everywhere.
POLITICS
QUOTE FIRE
Gopinath Munde, BJP Deputy leader This is not rail budget but Rae Bareli budget. This budget has not been prepared keeping in mind the whole country and this is the reason one could see an attempt to disrupt the budget presentation due to unrest among the MPs,
Yashwant Sinha , BJP The rail minister acknowledged that railway finances were not properly handled during the previous years which led to the present situation. The PM was listening. This PM had earlier said that the Budget is good, this year also he is saying the same thing irrespective of who the rail minister is,
Mayawati, Bahujan Samaj Party Government says it will review the fares twice a year. A review only means an increase in fares. The government will never decrease fares. This will affect the poor and the middle class. It will also affect prices of commodities as they are transported on rail,
Sitaram Yechury, CPI(M) leader The Railway Budget appears to be populist, but it is not one. In real terms, there is hike in all accessory charges and passengers fares will go up. In practical terms, there is a hike which is camouflaged,
Nitish Kumar, Bihar Chief Minister Backward states like Bihar have been ignored. It has the highest number of passengers but there is no new train. We have some good projects in our state but funds have not been allocated to us.
Sharad Yadav, Senior JD(U) leader There is no relief to farmers, middle class and workers. This budget has failed to address all the ills afflicting the country. No tax has been imposed on malls and hotels which consume diesel. Had this been done, farmers would have got subsidy.
Gurudas Dasgupta, CPI leader This is a lollypop election budget with minor additional investment and full of tokenism. Uproar is more but reality is different.
CAMP UPA
CAMP NDA
New Delhi The Bharatiya Janata Partys national executive committee will meet and the national council on the next two days to discuss the preparations for assembly polls later this year and galvanise workers for the Lok Sabha polls scheduled in 2014. Party sources said Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi is expected to be in the limelight at the meeting with voices having already risen for declaring him as prime ministerial candidate for the the general elec-
Agartala Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar, set to assume office for a fourth time after leading the Left to a huge electoral win, is the son of a tailor who still washes his own clothes.An unassuming man, the 64-year-old got down to work no soon than he was declared the winner from Dhanpur constituency. He met CPI-M leaders and activists at Sonamura, 60 km from here. The Communist Party of IndiaMarxist bagged 49 of the 60 seats
snuff and a cigarette a day, Sarkar told . After the death of his mother in 2009, Sarkar inherited a small house worth Rs.200,000 in Agartala. He donated it to his younger sister. Sarkars father Amulya was a tailor and mother Anjali was an employee of the state health department. Sarkar joined politics in 1967 and was elected secretary of the CPIMs Tripura unit in 1993.
POLITICS
power in Tripura for the fifth consecutive time, sweeping 50 of the 60 seats and leaving the Congress badly bruised with just 10 seats. Hundreds of Left activists, mainly from the Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M), celebrated here and across the state as election results left the Congress in gloom. The CPI-M bagged 49 seats while the Communist Party of India (CPI) won one seat. It was the best result for the Left since 1978, when it won a record 56 seats. It increased its 2008 tally by one seat. This is a verdict in favour of development, peace and stability besides good governance, a beaming Chief Minister Manik Sarkar told IANS. People voted and supported the Left Front for taking up development work and for curbing militancy, Sarkar told IANS. Sarkar, 64, who retained his Dhanpur seat in west Tripura, is the only political leader to be chief minister for a record fourth term in Tripura, a Marxist bastion. It was Sarkars sixth electoral win. While the Congress managed to retain its 2008 tally of 10 seats, its ally the Indigenous Nationalist Party of Tripura The Trinamool Congress, which fielded 22 candidates in 2008, did not contest this time to prevent a split in non-Left votes. But even that did not help the Congress. The Left Front wrested four seats from the Congress-INPT-NCT (Nationalist Conference of Tripura) coalition. The Congress snatched three seats from the Left. Left Front candidates have increased their winning margin in most seats, an Election Commission official said. The CPI-Ms 49 seats is three more than what it got in 2008. The CPI won one seat and lost another. The Revolutionary Socialist Party (RSP) and Forward Bloc lost the two and one seats they contested. Finance Minister Badal Chowdhury posted the highest winning margin of 12,450 votes. Teacher-turned-politician Anil Sarkar, 75, who is also a poet and writer, was re-elected on CPI-M ticket from Pratapgarh in western Tripura for a record ninth time. Congress leader Ratan Lal Nath won from Mohanpur for the fifth time while state Congress president Sudip Roy Barman retained his Agartala seat for
Union Budget Directionless and Left Front retains power in Tripura Agartala (INPT) drew blank. It had won one seat Inflationary: Kalia The Left Front Thursday retained five years ago.
Tripura made history when a record 93.57 percent of the 2.3 million voters exercised their franchise Feb 14. There were 249 candidates. the fourth time. Former Tripura assembly speaker Jitendra Sarkar, who this time contested on Congress ticket, wrested Barjala seat from the CPI-M. He won by 254 votes. CPI-Ms Ratan Das wrested Ramnagar after a gap of 25 years. He defeated former state Congress chief Surajit Datta by just 15 votes. Notable Congress losers included former chief minister Samir Ranjan Barma, party leader Subal Bhowmik and INPT president and former militant leader Bijoy Kumar Hrangkhawl. The Left has ruled Tripura since 1978 barring one term (1988-93).
Jalandhar Commenting on Union General Budget 2013-14 tabled in the Parliament by Union Finance Minister P. Chidambaram, Senior BJP Leader Mr Manoranjan Kalia termed it as directionless, inflationary and employment stifling. In a statement issued to media, Kalia conveyed deep dissatisfaction on behalf of general public. Pointing out the precipitous decline in the value of currency due to inflation and exchange rate fluctuations he condemned lack of some new relief to taxpayers in the form of changes in income tax slabs. Kalia stated that Union
Budget was devoid of any new initiatives or innovations to boost the growth rate of economy. He also dwelled upon the track record of NDA government in restoring India to a high growth trajectory between 2001 and 2003. Comparing those times to the current economic climate he averred that a decisive leadership is reflected in its policy moves and not statements. The Union Budget is not only an opportunity missed but also an exercise to keep everyone in good humour as a short term measure while turning a Nelsons eye to impending stagnation of economic dynamism.
Kamal Nath Congress largest party in defends Kurien Meghalaya house in parliament Shillong
The Congress emerged as the single largest party in Meghalaya by securing 29 seats in the 60-member assembly, with Chief Minister Mukul Sangma set for a second term. The people have responded to us for good governance and development, a jubilant Sangma, 47, told IANS by phone from Tura, the district headquarters of West Garo Hills. Sangma retained his Ampati constituency for the fifth successive term, defeating his nearest National Peoples Party (NPP) rival by more than 9,000 votes. His wife Dikkachi D. Shira and his brother Zenith M. Sangma were victorious from Mahendraganj and Rangsakona constituency. The Congress won four more seats than in 2008. I am glad that the people of Meghalaya reposed faith in the Congress, Sangma said. There were celebrations across Meghalaya in the Congress camp with victory processions being taken out and jubilant supporters and candidates bursting crackers and distributing sweets. Of the 122 Independents, 13, including two former Congress legislators - Saleng A. Sangma and Samuel Sangma - who were denied Congress tickets also won. The electoral battle proved fatal for former Lok Sabha speaker P.A. Sangmas NPP as only two of its 32 candidates won. James Sangma, the eldest son of the former Lok Sabha speaker, and Nihim D. Shira were the only NPP candidates who managed to retain their seats in the assembly. If it is the peoples mandate, we have to accepted it, Leader of Opposition Conrad K. Sangma, who lost his Selsella seat to Congress rival Clement Marak by a margin of 2,000 votes, told IANS. The United Democratic Party, a key ally in the outgoing Congressled coalition government, climbed
The Nagaland Peoples Front (NPF) Thursday swept back to power in the northeastern hill state for its third consecutive term, winning 37 seats in the 60-member assembly. Kohima The NPF, the main constituent of the Democratic Alliance of Nagaland (DAN), saw its tally go up by 11 from the 26 won in the 2008 polls, while coalition partners Bharatiya Janata Party and Janata Dal-United won a seat each, election officials here said. Congress. the main opposition party, won only eight seats, falling almost two-thirds from its tally of 23 in the outgoing assembly. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) increased its tally by securing four seats, up from the two it won in 2008. Besides, there are eight Independents who also made it to the assembly this time. A total of 188 candidates were in the fray. Chief Minister Neiphiu Rio won the Northern Angami II seat by defeating his nearest Congress rival Kevise Sogotsu by 12,671 votes, which is also the highest margin this time
in Nagaland. People have voted us to power once again as they are convinced that the DAN government has brought peace and development to the state. I thank people of Nagaland for reposing their faith in our government, NPF general secretary Kru Zakie told IANS. Rio was, however, not available for comments. Senior Congress leader and former chief minister S.C. Jamir attributed his partys debacle to money power of the NPF. It is very sad but the NPF has spoilt the Nagas totally. There is no point having a public meeting in Nagaland these days. Anybody can be bought by money. NPF pumped in huge money to win the elections. The NPF can afford to spend money as they have accumulated a huge sum during the last ten years, said Jamir. While the NPF had a pre-poll alliance with the BJP and JD-U, the Congress had hoped to woo likeminded parties and Independents to make it to power this time. In 2008, the NPF secured 26 seats and the Congress 23. The BJP and NCP won two seats each. Seven Independents also won in 2008.
New Delhi The government came out in defence of Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman P.J. Kurien in the 1996 Suryanelli rape case with Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath asserting that inquiries had cleared him of charges.The minister said the allegations against Kurien might be politically motivated.A section of media and some political members have sought to drag Rajya Sabha Deputy Chairman Kurien into a rape case. It has emphatically been stated that he has never been an accused in the Suryanelli rape case, Kamal Nath said, making a statement in the Rajya Sabha -- the upper house of parliament. As soon as the minister stood up to defend Kurien, Communist Party of India-Marxist member Sitaram Yechury said it would be unfair for the government to defend the deputy chairman since it would affect independence of legislature. The objection was overruled by Rajya Sabha Chairman M. Hamid Ansari, after which Kamal Nath gave details of the series of events and said it was proved that Kurien could not have been physically present at the place of the incident. Either it was a genuine mistake on the part of the victim or she was being used by a political rival, Kamal Nath said. The sex scandal took place in Suryanelli in Idukki district in January 1996, when a 16-year-old girl was threatened, abducted and abused by a bus conductor and later confined and sexually assaulted by 42 men for 45 days.
down to eight seats from the 11 it won in 2008. The result is shocking and unbelievable. We were expecting 16 seats, but we got only eight, former chief minister and UDP chief Donkupar Roy told IANS. Roy, who retained his Shella seat for the sixth time, blamed the the use of money power by rivals for his partys poor performance. The Hill State Peoples Democratic Party (HSPDP), the oldest regional party in Meghalaya, increased its tally from two to four. Hoping Stone Lyngdoh, the HSPDP supremo, retained his Nongstoin seat for the eighth time, defeating Adviser Pariong. Prominent Congress candidates who won included Deputy Chief Minister Rowell Lyngdoh, Home Minister H.D.R. Lyngdoh, Forests and Environment Minister Prestone Tynsong, Urban Affairs Minister Mazel Ampareen Lyngdoh, Ronnie V. Lyngdoh and P.N. Syiem. Veteran Congress leaders and former chief minister S.C. Marak and D.D. Lapang also won from Resubelpara and Nongpoh constituencies. The Nationalist Congress Party (NCP) also won two seats. Deputy Speaker Sanbor Shullai of the NCP retained his South Shillong seat. Speaker Charles Pyngrope was defeated by UDP candidate Jemino Mawthoh by 1,019 votes in the Nongthymmai constituency. Congress minister Shitlang Pale, UDP leaders Bindo M. Lanong and J.A. Lyngdoh were among the prominent losers.
Former Lok Sabha speaker Purno A. Sangma suffered a major blow when his National Peoples Party (NPP) won only two of the 32 seats it contested in Meghalaya.
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CAMPUS
Whether it is a student, women, an employee or senior citizen, everyone had a lot of expectation from this years budget. For some the budgets should raise the income tax exemption while for women this budget should be made kitchen friendly.
SPEAK OUT
Vaibhav Bhardwaj Mechanical engineer student says, Budget should be made in such a way that it should be favorable for every class.
Ajay Thakur Student of Master in Social Works says, I am not satisfied with the budget as nothing has been given to the education sector. But yes, the good part of this budget is that now branded items are cheaper.
Kamal Pandit business executive said, As the major part of Indian population are middle class people so I wish that financial budget for year 2013-14 will be made considering them as the center point and it may bring happiness on the face of every Indian citizen.
Shruti Training student of Pet Clinic Shimla says, Proposal to set up the first women bank is a good decision while there are several banks in public and private sector.
Government P.G College, Panchkula girls team won the Ball-Badminton Championship recently held at Ladpur, Jhajjar. A total of twenty teams participated in the three day tournament from 22nd to 25th Feb. Karnal team won the championship by defeating the Kendriya Vidyalaya Pundri team in the finals. The winning team consisting of 7 playersCaptain Sheetal Negi , Mamta Bisla, Seema,Jyoti, Anju,Mamta Bibya and Seema was honored with a trophy and the cash prize of Rs. 21, 000/-. Mamta Bisla from the winning team won the Best Player award cash prize of Rs 500. Ball badminton which is a sport native
to India, was played as early as 1856 by the royal family in Tanjore(capital of Thanjavur district in Tamil Nadu). It enjoys the greatest popularity in India. The game is a fast-paced game. It demands skill, quick reflexes, good judgment, agility, and the ability to control the ball with ones wrist. The BBF was among the first three sports federationsalong with the Indian Athletic Federation and the Indian Hockey Federationto form the Indian Olympic Association in 1961. Ball badminton eventually spread to Andhra Pradesh, and the first national championship was conducted at Hyderabad in 1956.
New Delhi Calling education an area of priority, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram Thursday announced an increase of 17 percent in the budget allocated to this sector, to Rs.65,867 crore (over Rs.650 billion). My idea is to provide opportunities for youth to acquire education, skills, decent jobs and live with their families in a safe environment, the finance minister said. The flagship midday meal scheme at government schools got an allocation of Rs.13,215 crore (over Rs.130 billion). He added that thousands of scholarships would be given to girl students, and those belonging to Scheduled Castes and Scheduled Tribes.
Manisha BSC student RKMV says, Transportation cost should be reduced and also education should be made cheap.
Ashok Local shopkeeper said, I am satisfied with this budget as the cut in factory gate duty on trucks has decreased from 14% to 13%.
Renu Sharma House wife said budget should be according to the needs of poor people. The subsidiary should not be cut off while education should be cheap.
Needhi Prashar House wife says, Rs 1000 crore for the Nirbhaya fund is a good decision taken by the government.
Harry Dutt Son of Ganesh Dutt BJP spokesman, working at Holcim said, The limit of income tax exemption must be raised to 3 lakhs while some sort of policy must be framed to control the inflation.
Padam Dev Sharma Retired government employee, I am not satisfied with this budget as no relief in the tax slab has been given. While no concession on the daily needs has been provided. It seems that in this budget the common man has been totally ignored
world. In Delhi and NCR, the fest was held at Delhi Technological University and G.L. Bajaj Institute of Technology, Greater Noida. This fest gives us hands-on experience to develop applications for Windows, said 20-year-old Vijay Prakash, a first-year student of B. Tech (IT) in DTU. He is designing an application for news feeds titled NewsApp. Another student, Arpit Aggarwal of IIT Jodhpur says he wants to make an application on Poker, a popular game. His application, if approved, will enable people sitting at different places to play the game online. The selected applications will be filtered by a rigorous process after which they will be uploaded on the Windows 8 Store Applications for public usage and downloads. Pallavi Dwivedi, 20, is a student whose application was approved by the Microsoft panel two years ago. Currently in her final year of B.E., this Mumbai University student designed
an application that calculates the current network speed of service providers. Many service providers fool customers bragging about their network speed. However, what people get in return is far from what they promise. Though many websites offer this service of calculating the network speed, Windows Phone was devoid of the same. Hence I decided to make an application for Windows Phone, an exultant Dwivedi told IANS. Her application has 30,000 plus downloads so far. She is also a part of Microsofts Student Partner Programme since three years. To boost the efforts of the students, Microsoft has developed AppLabs where students can walk-in with their designed apps and get them vetted for quality and design checks. The AppLabs has centres in Mumbai and Bangalore. For students residing in other places, Microsoft provides remote support as well, wherein students can submit their applications online.
REGION
lenged the government action in the Himachal Pradesh High Court, which has directed the government to maintain status quo on the land. A division bench of Justice Deepak Gupta and Justice Kuldip Singh, while listing the matter for next hearing April 24, Wednesday restrained the state from demolishing the construction, which has already been raised, or changing the nature or possession of the land until the case is disposed of. The matter is now in the court. The government is on strong footing, Virbhadra Singh added. The land in dispute originally belonged to the erstwhile royal family of Patiala, to which Congress leader and former Punjab chief minister Amarinder Singh belongs. The government said it was donated by Amarinder Singhs family in 1956 for setting up the Indira Holiday Home for Children. The land, valued around Rs.3540 crore, was allotted to the yoga guru for a one-time lease payment of Rs.17 lakh for 99 years at a token annual fee of Re.1. Its located mid-way between Kandaghat town and the hill resort of Chail, 50 km from here.
Srinagar The Jammu and Kashmir assembly was adjourned Friday after uproarious scenes over the opposition Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) demand to discuss parliament attack convict Afzal Gurus hanging. Members of the ruling National Conference (NC), as also the lone Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) member, too joined the demand. The PDP started shouting slogans demanding the adjournment motion. PDP legislators were led by the party president Mehbooba Mufti, who said: We want an adjournment motion on this important issue. NC leader Nasir Aslam Wani, along with veteran CPI-M leader Mohammad Yousuf Tarigami, too joined the demand. Despite Speaker Mubarak Guls attempt to bring order, the opposition continued to disrupt the proceedings. The speaker then adjourned the house for one hour. The PDP tabled its demand Thursday,
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No Sonia role in revoking Ramdevs land lease: Uproar in J&K assembly over Gurus hanging Virbadhra Patanjali Yogpeeth has chalthe first day of the budget session. The PDP said: It is the failure and inability of the state government to protect rights of the citizen of Jammu and Kashmir - Mohammad Afzal Guru, who was hanged by depriving him of his proper legal rights. Why was Afzal Guru, who was at serial number 28 in the queue of those facing death sentence, picked up and sent to the gallows without giving an opportunity to approach the Supreme Court, the party asked. After rejection of the mercy petition of Afzal Guru, he should have been given the opportunity to approach the Supreme Court for final petition but he was not given this opportunity. Afzal Guru was deprived of his legal right and hanged secretly in unholy manner, the PDP said. Party legislators were also demanding that mortal remains of Afzal Guru be given to his family members for proper burial and last rites.
Shimla Denying any role of Congress president Sonia Gandhi in revoking the land lease of yoga guru Baba Ramdev in Himachal Pradesh, Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh Thursday said it was the states decision taken after due deliberation. The land lease of Baba Ramdevs Patanjali Yogpeeth was revoked as there were violations of statutory provisions, he told reporters here. He clarified that the state took the decision on its own and Gandhi has nothing to do with the land cancellation. The yoga guru Wednesday slammed Gandhi for forcing the state government to take over the land allotted to him for setting Patanjali Yogpeeth near
Sadhupul in Solan district. At a public rally in Solan town, Baba Ramdev described the chief minister as a decent man, who had invited him in the past and attended his yoga camp. In response, Virbhadra Singh said: I had attended his camp when he was a yoga guru. I wanted to promote yoga as it is an ancient method of curing diseases. He is now a political leader. I have nothing to do with him. The government Friday took possession of 96.5 bighas of land allotted to Patanjali Yogpeeth by the previous Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in 2010. Ramdevs organisation has constructed an ayurveda hospitalcum-yoga shivir hall on the land.
es under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission (JNNURM) and to provide to the hilly states, the chief minister said: This would help us in providing better transportation facilities to the people, especially in Shimla. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader and former chief minister Prem Kumar Dhumal, however, described the budget as directionless. Its just a jugglery of figures. It was unfortunate that despite three renowned economists, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, Finance Minister P. Chidambaram and Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh, the GDP has come down from 8.9 to 7.6 percent, Dhumal said. BJPs national vice-president Shanta Kumar, who belongs to the hill state, also described the budget as disappointing.
Chandigarh Legislators of the opposition Indian National Lok Dal (INLD) were suspended from the Haryana assembly by the speaker Wednesday for disrupting the house. Chaos prevailed inside the house following an adjournment motion brought in the assembly on the issue of conviction and sentencing of Leader of Opposition and INLD president Om Prakash Chautala by a Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) court in the Junior Basic Teachers (JBT) recruitment scam recently. INLD legislators entered the well of the house and shouted slogans against the adjournment motion. They said that Chautala had appealed against the conviction and that the matter was now sub-judice. A lone Shiromani Akali Dal legislator was also suspended by the speaker along with the 27 INLD members. Speaker Kuldeep Sharma had to adjourn the house twice for 15 minutes each after the INLD legislators created a ruckus. The motion was moved by Congress
Moga Gurgaon, Feb 28 (IANS) A fire broke out Thursday at a factory in the Manesar industrial township of Haryana near here. No one was injured in the incident, an official said. The fire broke out in Nippon Audiotronix Ltd. in Sector 8 of Manesar around 2 p.m. The company manufactures audio systems, and car security systems for Maruti Suzuki. Five fire tenders were pressed into service to control the blaze, senior fireman Narender Singh Yadav said. The packing materials that was kept under the stairs of basement caught fire but the blaze was brought under control within half an hour. The cause behind the fire was yet to be ascertained. The company has its own fire fighter system but it failed as the company has not appointed firemen, Yadav added.
Moga The ruling Shiromani Akali Dal Thursday won the Moga assembly seat by-election in Punjab. Akali Dal candidate Joginder Pal Jain defeated his Congress rival Vijay Kumar Sathi by 18,845 votes. Jain polled 69,265 votes against 50,420 polled by Sathi. Jain led in all rounds of counting Thursday. Over 71 percent electorate of the Moga constituency cast their franchise in Feb 23
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SARAL Applications
SARAL data products will be useful for operational as well as research user communities in many fields like Marine meteorology and sea state forecasting Operational oceanography Seasonal forecasting Climate monitoring Ocean, earth system and climate research Continental ice studies Protection of biodiversity Managment and protection of marine ecosystem Environmental monitoring Improvement of maritime security
ISROs Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle, PSLV-C20, successfully launched the joint Indo-French Satellite, SARAL, today (February 25, 2013) in its twenty third flight from Satish Dhawan Space Centre (SDSC) SHAR, Sriharikota. Six other satellites, namely, UNIBRITE (NLS 8.1) and BRITE (NLS 8.2) from Austria, SAPPHIRE and NEOSSAT from Canada, AAUSAT-3 (NLS 8.3) from Denmark; and STRaND-1 from the United Kingdom, have also been launched into their planned orbits along with SARAL. Honourable President of India, Shri Pranab Mukherjee along with the Governor of Andhra Pradesh, Shri E. S. L. Narasimhan, Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh, Shri N Kiran Kumar Reddy, Minister of State (Prime Ministers Office), Shri V Narayanasamy and other dignitaries from the Government of Andhra Pradesh witnessed the launch from the state-of-the-art Mission Control Centre of SDSC. Honourable President, in his post launch remarks, congratulated the scientists and engineers of ISRO for the successful launch. At the completion of the countdown, PSLV-C20 lifted off from the First Launch Pad at SDSC SHAR, at 1801 hrs (IST) with the ignition of the first stage of the launch vehicle. The important flight events, namely, stage ignitions, heat-shield separation, stage separations and satellite injections took place exactly as planned. After a flight of 17 minutes 55 seconds, the main payload, SARAL, weighing 407 kg was injected to an orbit very close to the intended orbit. Following
this, the six auxiliary satellites were also successfully injected. This has been the twenty second successive successful launch of ISROs workhorse launch vehicle PSLV. Since its first successful launch in 1994, PSLV has launched 27 Indian satellites and 35 satellites for customers from abroad, including the satellites launched today. It has also launched Indias geosynchronous satellites, Kalpana-1 and GSAT-12, thereby proving its versatility. PSLV also launched Indias first spacecraft mission to moon, Chandrayaan-1, in 2008. It is scheduled to launch Indias first interplanetary mission, the Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) spacecraft, by the end of this year. Satellite with Argos and Altika (SARAL) is an oceanographic satellite jointly developed by ISRO and the French Space Agency CNES. The satellite is built by ISRO, whereas CNES contributed the ARGOS and ALTIKA payloads. Data from SARAL will be useful for researchers besides having many practical applications like marine meteorology and sea state forecasting, climate monitoring, continental ice studies, environmental monitoring, protection of biodiversity and improvement in maritime security. ISRO Telemetry, Tracking and Command Network (ISTRAC) in Bangalore took over the SARALs monitoring and control operations immediately after its injection. Following the automatic deployment of SARALs solar panels, shortly after reaching orbit, all the subsequent operations are proceeding normally.
407 kg 781 km polar Sun synchronous 4 PI sun sensors, magnetometer, star sensors and miniaturised gyro based Inertial Reference Unit 98.538o
Orbit Inclination Local 18:00 hours Time of crossing Equator Power Solar Array generating 906 W and 46.8 Ampere-hour Lithium-ion battery Onboard 32 Gb data storage Attitude and Orbit Control 3-axis stabilisation with reaction wheels, Hydrazine Control System based thrusters 5 years Feb 25, 2013 SDSC SHAR Centre, Sriharikota, India PSLV - C20
Saral
SPECIAL
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Sirf Hangama Khada Karna Mera Maksad Nahi, Yeh Surat Badalni Chaiye
Two new ports to be set up in West Bengal and Andhra Pradesh to add 100 million tonnes handling capacity Gas handling terminal at Dabhol in Maharashtra to be fully operational during 2013-14
Human resource development ministry to get 65,867 crore 13,250 crore allocated for midday meals scheme
Service tax on all air conditioned restaurants regardless of whether or not they serve alcohol
Collective responsibility to ensure dignity and safety of women; recent incidents have cast a dark shadow; stand in solidarity with our girl children and women; will keep them safe and secure 1,000 crore allocated for establishing Nirbhaya Fund 97,000 crore for womens development Import duty on high-end vehicles raised from 75 percent to 100 percent No change in service tax of 12 percent No service tax on vocational courses run by institutes affiliated to state governments No service tax on agricultural testing procedures 9,000 crore allocated for compensating state for differential in central sales tax and GST Concessions for encouraging MRO (maintenance repair overhaul) sector No change in customs duty on non-agricultural products Modified law to prevent tax avoidance to come into effect April 1, 2016 100 percent tax deduction for
contributions to National Childrens Fund Education cess to continue at 3 percent 11 lakh people have benefited from direct cash transfers. TDS of one percent where property transactions exceeds 50 lakh Tax on mutual fund redemptions reduced from .25 percent to .001 percent Tax Administrative Reforms Commission to be set up Cities to be encouraged to promote waste to energy projects Low interest funds to be provided for promoting clean energy State governments urged to sign restructuring plans with electricity discoms Tax-free infrastructure bonds of 50,000 crore to be issued Handloom sector allocated 96 crore to benefit 150,000 weavers Infrastructure debt funds to be encouraged Regulator to be appointed for road projects; 3,000 km of road projects to be awarded in first six months of 2013-14 Incentive allowance of 15 percent over and above permitted depreciation to those investing over 100
crore in infrastructure projects Rajiv Gandhi Equity Scheme to be liberalised Seven new cities identified along Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor Preliminary work begun on Bangalore-Mumbai Industrial corridor Foodgrain production during 2013-13 estimated at 250 million tones 500 crore allocated for promoting crop diversification 200 crore allocated for promoting nutrient-rich crops 50 crore allocated for farmer-producer organisations 17,700 crore allocated for Integrated Child Development Scheme Allocation of rural development ministry allocation raised by 46 percent to 80,294 crore; 33,000 crore for rural jobs scheme Budget expenditure for 2013-14 at 16 lakh 65,297 crore; plan expenditure at 5 lakh 55,224 crore 41,000 crore for Scheduled Caste plan 110 crore for department of disabilities 37,330 crore for health ministry
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CELEB
New Delhi Designer Nida Mahmood, known for her flair for creative and dramatic creations, will showcase an amalgamation of textiles from various regions of the country at the autumn-winter edition of the Wills Lifestyle India Fashion Week (WIFW), starting March 13. The collection is a melange of textiles from various regions of India. Beautiful weaves from Narayanpet in Andhra Pradesh, rich tussars from Bhagalpur, exotic silks and some modern fabrics form the backbone of the collection, Mahmood told IANS. The designer has also used modern interpretation of various old-age techniques. Techniques used are Kantha from Bengal, Daboo printing from Rajasthan and some modern interpretations of these techniques garnished with the quirks of India. Prints take an interesting turn marrying the softness of Indian imagery in a steampunk fashion, she added. Her line is called The Adventures of Capt. Must! Qalandar. Sharing the idea behind the unique name, Mahmood said the collection revolves around the traveler who travels through time and space on his time machine called VDO GAGA. Capt. Must! Qalandar is a very inter-
Elvis Presleys Scherzinger honoured by personal notes Harvard University up for grabs
Los Angeles A collection of personal notes and poetry written by rock n roll legend Elvis Presley is set to go under the hammer. The handwritten messages include a poem in which the Elvis describes smashing a robin perched on his windowsill, reports contactmusic.com. It reads, He sang his sweet song so sweetly and paused for a moments lull/ I gently raised the window and crushed his f**king skull. Presleys copy of Kahlil Gibrans book The Prophet will also go under the hammer at the Omega Auctions sale in Stockport, England, March 9.
Los Angeles Pop singer Nicole Scherzinger has been honoured with artist of the year prize by Harvard University. The former Pussycat Dolls singer was selected for the honour in recognition of her music career and philanthropic efforts for women and those with special needs, reports dailystar.co.uk. Her contributions to the performing arts, as well as her support for breast cancer research and initiatives for
adults and children with special needs, are commendable and set an excellent example for our students, said S. Allen Counter, director of the Harvard Foundation. Scherzinger took to her Twitter.com page to share snaps from the event, including a photo of herself with a student band member and another with U.S. Treasurer Rosa Gumataotao Rios. She tweeted, What an inspiration for women!
esting character, also the muse for the season. He is a motorised flying ant, who is the re-incarnation of an old vintage bike. The collection revolves around the adventures he has traveling around on VDO GAGA (a special installation of which will be unveiled at WIFW), she said. The silhouettes will comprise biker jackets, slouchy pants in various silhouttes, easy shirts and bohemian tops, loose kurtas and dresses. The designer has used different varieties of silk, georgette and handloom textiles in shades of blue, green, orange, yellow, grey and red.
Mumbai Singer Sonu Nigam, who was at a show at a college in Uttar Pradeshs Moradabad city Saturday night, is upset after the organiser, the college owner humiliated him post concert by not letting him leave to catch his flight from Delhi despite repeated requests. I was not supposed to go for the show as my mom was in a critical condition and despite that I went and performed for three hours as I had given a commitment but I was completely zapped with the behavior of Manish Jain who is the college owner, the singer told reporters here Monday. After the concert I had to leave for Delhi to catch the 4 a.m. flight and he (Jain) was just not letting us go as he was getting his friends and family to click the pictures with me. I patiently clicked the pictures and
tremely upset. He said people from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar need to change their mind set and this is one of the reasons why artistes avoid concerts in these states. Police there were helpless and I could see sorry in the eyes of policemen. I am from UP myself and I dont have anything against anybody but mindset of people over there needs to be changed. Why do you think there are no shows happening in Bihar, he said Despite this entire incident, Nigam says he is no mood to lodge a case. I did not overreact that time but had things gone worse there, then I would have gone ahead. The idea is that I want people to know how artistes are treated at times. My intention is that artistes should be respected because we are here to entertain you, said the 39-year-old.
CELEB
he is keeping his fingers crossed. A good dancer himself, the 30-year-old proved his skills in songs like Bachna ae haseeno and Main tera dhadkan teri and it would be a treat for his fans to watch him matching steps with Madhuri. Yes, even I have heard about it but nothing is confirmed yet. But I am really looking forward if I can work with Madhuriji, he said here Monday while launching the latest handset by Blackberry. I have been a big fan of hers, big admirer. I remember when she got married, I also cried. So, it would be great fun working with her. But I dont know whether they have confirmed it yet, he added. Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani, which is being directed by Ayan Mukherjee, will see Ranbir romancing his exflame Deepika Padukone when it hits screens May 31. He says he is proud to see Deepika doing so well in her career. Its always great to see someone whom you have been so close to reach where she has because of her hard work, resilience, vision and intelligence. I am very proud of everything she has achieved, said Ranbir.
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Mumbai Just like everyone else, Bollywoods rockstar Ranbir Kapoor is unsure if he will be shaking a leg with dancing diva Madhuri Dixit in his upcoming film Yeh Jawani Hai Deewani. However,
London The X Factor boss Simon Cowell says he is very much single and is now looking for love. The 53-year-old, who was dating model Carmen Electra, 40, says she was fun person to be with, reports The Sunday People. Id like to find a girlfriend. Im now a single man. We spent time together and she (Electra) is so much fun. But Id like to find a girlfriend, Cowell said. Cowell says he has an inclination towards British women. I do particularly like British women but I havent got my eye on anyone, he said.
Los Angeles The Indian flavour was predominant at the 85th Academy Awards, when Life of Pi, widely shot in India with Indian actors, won the maximum awards, including the best directors trophy for Ang Lee, who not only thanked his Indian crew but also wowed everyone by saying Namaste. Another India link was Lincoln, a historical drama about the last few months of 16th US President Abraham Lincoln, which has been coproduced by Indian business tycoon Anil Ambanis Reliance Entertainment and DreamWorks. However, Indias only hope - vocalist Bombay Jayashri - lost the award in the best original song category. Life of Pi, based on Canadian author Yann Martels Booker Prize winning eponymous novel, won four out of its 11 nominations at the 85th Academy Awards Sunday. Apart from the best directors gong for Lee, who won his second Oscar after 2005 Brokeback Mountain, Life of Pi clinched the trophies for best cinematography (Claudio Miranda), best music - original score (Mychael Danna), and best visual effects (Bill Westenhofer, Guillaume Rocheron, Erik-Jan De Boer and Donald R. Elliott). In his acceptance speech, Lee thanked his producers, Indian crew, technicians who worked on the movie and the films lead actor Suraj Sharma. Suraj, where are you, he asked, and the cameras panned to Suraj, a 19-yearold Delhi boy who made his acting de-
film, went to different movies. The best actor trophy went to Daniel Day-Lewis for portraying Abraham Lincoln in Lincoln, which won a total of two awards out of its 12 nominations. The other gong was for production design. Day-Lewis is the only actor to win three best actor Oscars for My Left Foot, There Will Be Blood and now Lincoln. Jennifer Lawrence won the best actress trophy for her work in Silver Linings Playbook. The best film award went to Argo,
which was announced by US First Lady Michelle Obama. Based on a joint CIACanadian secret operation to extract six American diplomatic personnel during the 1979 Iran hostage crisis, the film also got the trophy for best editing and best adapted screenplay. While Anne Hathaway walked away with best actress in a supporting role Oscar for Les Miserables, Christoph Waltz picked up the best supporting actor trophy for his performance in Django Unchained. The best original screenplay trophy went to filmmaker Quentin Tarantino for Django Unchained, set among the slave plantations of pre-American Civil War. Austrian movie Amour, about an old couple and how their life changes after the woman becomes partially paralysed, bagged the best foreign language film trophy. Skyfall and Zero Dark Thirty shared the best sound editing award, while the best sound mixing trophy was given to Les Miserables.Brave won the best animated feature film award and director John Kahrs Paperman bagged the best animated film short. Director Joe Wrights 19th century high society drama Anna Karenina won the best costume design award, while the best achievement in makeup and hairstyling went to Les Miserables, which was also set in the same era. The award for the best documentary feature went to Searching for Sugar Man and Inocente was named best documentary short. Curfew won the best live action short film.
Mumbai Bollywood actress Kareena Kapoor has been named showstopper for the second consecutive year for Lakme Fashion Week Summer/Resort 2013. She
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W E E K L Y H O
Some differences with Subordinates will spouse and partnership help. Relation with are seen. Negative inpartner and spouse fluence of Rahu, Sani will improve. Doing and Ketu can cause good deeds will help some depression. HowTAURUS you in every field. ever, Mars position in Mar 21-Apr 19 eleventh with Sun in- Apr 20 - May 20 Check your expendidicates some financial gains. Yoga and ture. Success in government related Meditation will help you relax. Remedies matter is seen. Remedy for Ketu is suggested. for Ketu and Rahu are suggested.
LEISURE
R O S C O P
Speculation can lead to losses. Love affairs can give you mental agony. Journey to far off places GEMINI or pilgrimage is May 21 - Jun 20 seen. Take caution while eating out, stomach upset cannot be ruled out. Remedies for Sani and Rahu are suggested.
Do not get involved in litigation. Income from more than one source is seen. Some mental strain cannot SAGITTARIUS be ruled out. Health Nov 22 - Dec 21 of spouse can be of concern. Mild stomach upset is seen. Loss from speculation is seen. Avoid junk food. Strengthening of Jupiter will bring good results. Health of mother can be of concern. Some dispute in property related matter is seen. Do not argue with your CANCER superiors. Some gains Jun 21 - Jul 22 from elder siblings are seen. There can be some trouble with genital parts. Do yoga or meditation. Remedies for Rahu and Ketu are suggested.
Sun and Venus in Capricorn. Moon and Jupiter in Taurus. Shani and Rahu in Libra. Ketu in Aries. Mars and Mercury in Aquarius.
ARIES
Some financial gains are A short journey is inindicated. Take good dicated. Differences care of your finances. with spouse or partGood luck is on your ner can occur. Your side. Devotion towards children might give God will bring more you good news. Do VIRGO Jul 23 - Aug. 22 not gamble as it can Aug. 23 - Sep 22 luck and happiness. Enemies will be defeated. lead to losses. Struggle is seen in Gain from speculation cannot be ruled profession. Remedy for Ketu is sug- out. Love life will blossom. Remedy gested. for Sani and Rahu is suggested.
LEO
Mental stress and Expenditure is on the problems related to rise. However, health brain and spinal cord will be good and some are indicated. gain in property related Business will be slow matter is seen. People LIBRA and do not spoil relain higher authority will Sep 23 - Oct 22 tionship with partner SCORPIO be helpful. Love life Oct 23 - Nov 21 will be good. Comor spouse. Curb speculation. Health of children will improve. Remedies mission agents will do well. Remedy for Sani and Rahu is suggested. for Rahu and Ketu are suggested. ACROSS 1. Right Away (Abbr.) 5. BS 0rival 8. Soreness 12. Volcanic rock 13. Luan souvenir 14. Look 15. Rediates 17. Hurt 18. Lasagna Cheese 20. Asian Sauce 21. Rocker____ Cooper 23. Reduces 25. Manhattan Letters 26. A Great Lake 27. Intensify 31. Character 35. Greek God 37. Earths star 38. Former (hyph.) 41. Modify 43. Friend 44. Chewy Candy 46. Declare 48. Self-indulgent 51. Drinks like a dog 52. Country Hotel 53. Enlightened ones words (2 wds.) 54. Large amount 55. Passing grade 56. Sailing
Good week for overSome good news reall progress. Good garding profession is for business, property on the cards. Health matters, profession, will improve. Sucand government matcess in government CAPRICORN related matter is ters. Good flow of Dec 22 - Jan 19 seen. Business will AQUARIUS income. Some unexJan 20 - Feb. 18 pected good news is be good. Be careful before buying foreseen. Keep your head cool. Remany property or vehicle. Remedies edy for Sani and Rahu is indicated. for Ketu and Rahu are suggested.
Business can suffer and lead to mental agony. Relationship with spouse is also not good. Some success in propPISCES erty related matters can Feb 19 - Mar 20 be seen by the end of week. Take extra care of your belongings. Health of children can cause worry. Increase in medical expenses is seen. Remedies for Ketu are suggested.
V. Kumar (Scientific Horoscope Consultant) You can consult him with appointment on: 9855150789; 9592095234
DOWN 1. Beers kin 2. Uncle _____ 3. Greed 4. Sudden fright 5. Chorus voice 6. Lady bug, e.g. 7. Water tank 8. Fire leftover 9. Desist 10. Long-legged bird 11. Television awards 16. Flying hero 19. Europes neighbor 21. Plus 22. Caustic liquid 24. Group 28. Gold Fish, e.g. 29. Clapton or Idle 30. Wandering 32. Futile 33. Flee 34. Terminate 36. Peaceful 38. Iridescent gems 39. Nautical 40. Secretly marry 41. Physicians org. 42. Radio and newspapers, e.g. 45. Teen skin problem 47. Compass dir. 49. Formerly called 50. Oolong, e.g.
1 12 15
4 16
5 13
8 14 17 19
10 11
18 21 12 25 27 38 39 40 43 46 51 54 47 44 48 52 55 45 28 29 30 35 36 23 26 31
20 24 32 33 34 37
28 B 32 R 35 O
29 30 L A D E D T E O
E S 26 R A 31 D 34 M E N A
37 R A E S C O T
41 T E 43 A 47 T 50 A 44 45 L L E O B E E S T R
41 42 49 50 53 56
G I 48 E G 51 T N
46 S T 49 A I 52 N E
Washington A long overdue book has finally been returned to the New York Public Library - 55 years late. The Daily News says the biography of a 16th-century priest, Fire of Francis Xavier, was borrowed from the librarys Fort Washington branch April 10, 1958. Library manager Jennifer Zarr told the newspaper that the book reached them Monday wrapped in a plain brown envelope. There was a cheque for $100 to cover the dues. Shanghai Daily quoted the librarian as saying that library records do not go back to 1958 and theres no way to trace who borrowed the book.
Sydney Interaction of autistic children with animals can enhance their social skills like talking, smiling, laughing and also enable them to connect well with others, according to an Australian study. The presence of an animal can significantly increase positive social behaviours in children with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), according to research published February 20 in the open access journal PLOS ONE by Marguerite E. OHaire and colleagues from the University of Queensland, Australia. They found that in the presence of animals, children with ASD demonstrated more social behaviours like talking, looking at faces and making physical contact. The presence of animals also increased instances of smiling and laughing, and reduced frowning, whining and crying behaviours in children with ASD more than having toys did, reports Science Daily. According to the authors, the ability of an animal to help children with ASD connect to adults may help foster interactions with therapists, teachers or other adult figures. They add that animal-assisted interventions may have applications in the classroom as well, saying For children with ASD, the school classroom can be a stressful and overwhelming environment due to social challenges and peer victimization.
REVIEW
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Book Music Jack the Giant Slayer Mere Dad Ki Maruti album with The Puppeteer humdrum drama hardcore Punjabi Tracks
Actors: Nicholas Hoult, Eleanor Tomlinson, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Bill Nighy, Ian McShane, Eddie Marsan and Ewen Bremner; Director: Bryan Singer Grafted from the classic, Jack and the Beanstalk childrens fantasy, this one is a soul-less fantasy-actionadventure thats neither captivating nor convincing. It was long, long ago, in the kingdom of Cloister, there lived a disgruntled Princess Isabelle (Eleanor Tomlinson) and a happy-go-lucky orphan named Jack (Nicholas Hoult). Their paths first cross in a market place, where Jack shields the Princess from undesirable elements. Soon, due to financial constraints, Jack is again at the market to sell his horse. But instead of selling the horse, he is forced to barter his horse with beans by a desperate monk, who needs the horse to escape the Kings soldiers.Unknown to Jack, these beans are the magical giant beanstalk that sprout when they get wet. Destiny leads Princess Isabelle to Jacks home on a rainy night at which point those magic beans sprouts volcanically skywards, taking along with it, the house and the princess up, up, up into the clouds, toward Gantua, home of a race of giants led by the two-headed Fallon (Bill Nighy). In the meanwhile, Isabelles father, King Brahmwell (Ian McShane) is out searching for his daughter. Seeing the giant beanstalk and his daughters bracelet with Jack near it, he deploys his trusted staff including Elmont (Ewan McGregor), Wicke (Ewan Bremner), and Roderick (Stanley Tucci), who is Isabelles shifty fiance, to make the skyward journey to rescue the Princess. Jack too joins the motley group, mostly because the script demands it. What follows is a lame variant on exploring Skull Island, with Elmont as the very, very heroic knight in charge. An evil schemer betrays everybody, uses an ancient relic to control the giants and then gets them to invade the human kingdom below. Before its all over, the giants have found a way down to Earth and threaten to take over once and for all, and the end is obvious as the title suggest it. Hoult and Tomlinson are appealing actors who match up well. They are capable of much more than what they have delivered. It is only Tucci as the scheming villain and McGregor as the large-hearted and commanding knight, who bring life to their performance. Bill Nighy as the freaky twoheaded leader of the giants, exults some pronounced voice work worth mentioning. On the whole, one barely cares about most of the live characters, let alone the computer generated ones. The giants are cartoonish and not at all menacing to look at.
Yash raj Films are ready with their latest release Mere Dad Ki Maruti ,an upcoming Bollywood comedy film directed by Ashima Chibber, featuring Saqib Saleem, Ram Kapoor in lead roles. It also features newcomer Rhea Chakraborty in a central role.Music of the album is composed by Sachin Gupta who had composed albums for artists like Atif Aslam, Alisha Chinoy, Jal, Ahmed Jahanzeb, Apache Indian and Mika .The album sets up a Punjabi feel which is replicated in singing and lyrics that are penned by Kumaar. Punjabiyaan Di Battery- This loud peppy number sung by Mika and Yo Yo Honey Singh is picturized on Ram Kapoor and Saqib Saleem (father and son in the film). The arrangements are remarkable, and the beat makes you tap your feet and lighten up your mood. Kumaars lyrics are unusual and support the Punjabi theme throughout the song. Main Senti Hoon- sung by Jaspreet Jas and Shalmali Kholgade is a lively and romantic club track number. The track does not leave an attractive impression, though the lyrics are comical.Only the
vocals by Shalmali is the only save charm of this track. Haaay-Punjabi MC first Bollywood number featuring Manak-E which make this striking musical number. Kumaars lyrics are entertaining and the very funny link between a beautiful girl and a car has been well written. This hip hop number will make you groove. Hip Hip Huraah- The peppy number sung by Sonu Kakkar features the lead actress. Sonus youthful voice and Kumaars crazy lyrics are the best part of the track. Mere Dad Ki Maruti - title track of the album sung by Diljit Dosanjh revolves around a lost car. This highly situational number has the Punjabi folk spirit. Diljits refreshing vocals make it a little different from the rest of the Punjabi Track. Mere Dad Ka Mash Up- Dj Raamji Gulati and Dj Shadow fits in as a perfect in clubs and disco number.Both of them have done a good job in mixing the songs.
By Arindam Mukherjee Publisher:Grapewine About the book : A little while after the Kargil debacle, the President of Pakistan, in an unprecedented move declares that he is willing to resolve the Kashmir Issue with New Delhi; recognize the Line of Control as sacrosanct treat it the international boundary between the two nations and comb out the non-state actors. This windfall is hailed by the Indians obviously, and the different International Agencies. Amidst the mixed reaction among Pakistanis across different levels, there is an extremely unhappy man. He is Aamir Ben Kalish, empire builder and king maker one of the most powerful businessmen of Pakistan. He delegates a small trio of his trusted aides to intervene before the treaty is signed to silence the President Permanently. From the dusty quarters of Lahore to the hot and humid lanes of Calcutta, the story sprints to deliver to the President his gift for forgetting Pakistans geo-strategic imperative, for being the unnecessary cavalier. The bomb, the
bomber, his handlers none of them can be traced; for none of them officially exist.
Arindam Mukherjee is a corporate executive with a multinational company. After more than a decade as behavioural trainer developing industry professionals within India and abroad, he now undertakes to build social and political awareness through his writing. He is a conflict and geo-political observer by passion and believes that true global development is possible only when the focus shifts from upgrading commodities and products towards upgrading human values.
Movies
I, Me aur Main is an romance drama film directed by debutant Kapil Sharma. The film features John Abraham, Prachi Desai and Chitrangda Singh in lead roles. Plot: The story starts off with Ishaan (John Abraham )a charismatic, good-looking music producer from Mumbai, lives a sheltered existence as the apple of his mothers (Zarina Wahab) eye, always protected by his elder sister Shivani (Mini Mathur). He stays at his girlfriend Anushkas (Chitrangda Singhs) house and takes them all for granted. One night his self-centered attitude throws
him out of the Apartment and he finds a space in neighbor Gauris( Prachi Desai )House. Gauri makes him realize the importance of relationships in life. Talking about the performances,John Abraham in the role of carefree man leaves you a little disappointed as Ishaan. However, there is a hope of improvement in his performance. Chitrangada Singh brings a refreshing appeal and immense screen presence to her character. Prachi Desai as the girl next door isnt influential. Though she tries too hard to make her character attractive experimenting with her roles and looks.
The unconventional director, who is known for films such as Rangeela, Company and Sarkar,-Ram Gopal Varmas most controversial project The Attacks of 26/11,is a crime thriller based on the 2008 Mumbai attacks. The film features Nana Patekar as the Joint Commissioner of Police while Atul Kulkarni will also be seen as an important character, however audi-
ence are curious to see Sanjeev Jaiswal ,playing the character of Ajmal Kasab. The recent death sentence of Kasab has increased the interest among the audiences. A low-budget film about the attacks which releases this Friday, reconstructs the scary brutal attacks of 2008 with keen responsibility and assures that none of the sentiments get hurt.
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Tablets, notebooks for just Rs.25 for Goa students BlackBerry launches Z10
smartphone
Panaji Students in Goa can now get a tablet PC or a notebook for just Rs.25.The digital largesse is a part of the Goa government education departments initiative to familiarise Class V and VII students with computers in order to prepare them for the life ahead and get them curious about the e-systems, ac-
cording to additional director education Anil Powar.General category students will have to pay only Rs.25 while SC and ST students will have to pay Rs.10 to register for the scheme, Powar told reporters here . The official said that the state government was making arrangements for purchasing nearly 50,000 notebooks
Mumbai Mobile phone manufacturer BlackBerry launched smartphone Z10, powered by its newly developed operating system BlackBerry 10, in the Indian market and priced it at Rs.43,490. With BlackBerry 10, we have re-designed, re-engineered and re-invented BlackBerry to create a new and unique mobile computing experience, said Sunil Dutt, managing director for India at BlackBerry.
According to the company, the new smartphone is the first on the BlackBerry 10 platform, which offers faster and smoother usage experience. The Z10 comes with modern design and a gesture-based interface. The phones features include a 4.2-inch LCD (liquid crystal display) screen with a 1.5 GHz (giga hertz) dual-core processor and a 8-megapixel rear camera coupled with a 2-megapixel front camera.
Ankara NATOs Patriot missile systems, requested by Turkey to protect it from a potential Syrian attack, are expected to cost Ankara 15 million liras ($8.5 million) annually, the Turkish defence minister said. Ismet Yilmaz made the statement after he and his German and Dutch counterparts visited both the Dutch and German Patriot sites in Adana and Kahramanmaras near the border with Syria. The visit came after the final of six Patriot missile batteries deployed to Turkey was declared operational under NATO command and control Feb 15. They asked us What is the annual cost of this for you? Of course, these Patriots have been deployed within the general principles of NATO. We said, We reckon that its cost for us in a year will be 15 million liras, Yilmaz was quoted by Anatolia news agency as saying. They asked the same question to the Dutch minister. Dutch defence minister (Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert) said For us, the cost will be 40 million Euros ($53 million) in a year. The German minister (Thomas de Maiziere) said
like this and he did the right thing; he used the expression, There is no price for security, haberler.com quoted Yilmaz as saying. NATO agreed in December to station two units each from three NATO nations (Germany, the Netherlands and the US) at the request of another alliance member Turkey, after Syrian shelling along the border killed five Turkish civilians in October. Russia has repeatedly protested the move, warning it would mean the direct involvement of NATO forces in the Syrian conflict, further undermining the already unstable situation in the region. Turkey maintains it needs the batteries to shore up security on its 900-km border with Syria. Damascus is believed to have several hundred surface-to-surface missiles capable of carrying chemical or biological warheads. Patriot is an air-defence missile system with the capability to intercept some ballistic missiles as well as cruise missiles and aircraft. It was first used operationally in the first Gulf War in 1991.
Israel and the US have carried out the first successful test of the Arrow 3 missile defence interceptor, the Israeli defence ministry said. The interceptor, designed to shoot down long-range missiles, was fired into space from a coastal military launching pad in central Israel. A senior defence source told The Jerusalem Post that the interceptor took off over the Mediterranean Sea, obtained hypersonic speed, and reached an altitude of 100 km, entering space. The test was led by technicians from the Israel Aerospace Industries, together with a team from the US Department of Defenses Missile Defense Agency. The system is set to become operational by 2016 and is designed to effectively engage Iranian Shihab 3 missiles, among others. Arrow 3 will be part of the multi-layered defence shield, Israel is building. It currently has the Iron Dome missile defence system that can intercept shortrange and medium-range rockets and reportedly intercepted up to 85 percent of rockets fired from Gaza in November 2012.
Sydney Asteroids hitting the earth cause immense destruction, but some of them may have also played a key role in the evolution of early life, according to new research. Geologist Martin Schmieder, research associate at the University of Western Australia School of Earth and Environment, who led the study, said that heat generated by an asteroid impact took at least several hundred thousand years to dissipate. Schmiede said as impact craters cooled, they provided an ideal environment for microbial life to thrive, the journal Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta reports. As a case study, we analysed impactmolten rock samples from the 23 km-diameter and 76-million-year-old Lappajarvi crater in Finland, and were quite surprised by the results, Schmieder said, according to a Western Aus-
Curtin University. The studies were conducted by experts in rocks and minerals from craters produced by the hypervelocity impact of incoming asteroids and comets (termed meteorites once they hit the Earths surface). Although usually associated with massive havoc and destruction, asteroid impacts also acted as extraterrestrial boosters of life in the past, Schmiede said. A prime example is the giant Chicxulub impact that helped wipe out dinosaurs 66 million years ago and eventually paved the way for mammals and mankind, Jourdan added. Smaller to medium-size impact craters less than 30 km across represent the largest crater population on Earth and other planetary bodies, compared with giant impact basins such as those on the Moon that are visible to the naked eye on a clear night.
Temperatures during an impact event can reach several thousand degrees Celsius, capable of melting portions of the target rock, said Schmieder, who co-authored the study with Fred Jourdan, director of the Western Australian Argon Isotope Facility at
Amsterdam Millions of tonnes of food are dumped into the waste bin each year, as the best before date on the package has passed. Much of what is dumped might still be safe to eat. A new device could aid that eat-or-throw decision. Researchers at Eindhoven University of Technology, (The Netherlands), Universita di Catania (Italy), CEA-Liten (France) and STMicroelectronics, one of the worlds largest semiconductor companies, have invented a circuit that makes testing
KIDS
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Strange Facts You Didnt Know
Alexander Graham Bell- Born Students gear up for C.B.S.E 2013 on March 3, 1847
Alexander Graham Bell was an eminent scientist who is accredited with invention of the first practical telephone. Bells father, grandfather, and brother had all been associated with work on elocution and speech, and both his mother and wife were deaf, strongly influencing Bells lifes work. His research on hearing and speech further led him to experiment with hearing devices which eventually concluded in Bell being awarded the first US patent for the telephone in 1876. He is well remembered for his invention of the telephone. Heres a list of interesting things about this very intellectual inventor. Alexander Graham Bell was born on March 3, 1847 in Edinburgh, Scotland. In the United States he began teaching deaf-mutes, advertising the system called visible speech. Even as a kid, Bell was fascinated with sound and he taught himself both ventriloquism and piano without any training. He Wasnt Always Alexander Graham Bell. When he turned ten, he begged his parents to give him a middle name. It wasnt until his 11th birthday that the famous Graham was added to his name. In 1872, he founded a school to train teachers of the deaf in Boston, Massachusetts and became part of Boston University Bell was appointed professor of vocal physiology in Boston University. Since the age of 18, Bell had been working on the idea of transmitting speech. In 1874, while working on a multiple telegraph, he developed the basic ideas of the telephone. On March 10, 1876, his experiments with his assistant Thomas Watson finally became a reality.The statement that Bell transmitted was Watson, come here; I want you. The Bell Telephone Company was established in 1877. Bell was one of the cofounders of the National Geographic Society, and he served as its president from 1896 to 1904. Alexander Graham Bell died on August 2, 1922, at Baddeck, Cape Breton Island.
Elephant grass in Africa is named after elephants as it is about 4.5 meter high and even elephants can hide in this grass The worlds fastest growing plant is Burmas giant bamboo,it can grow 17 centimeter in a day. Dog nose prints are as unique as human fingerprints and can be used to identify them The giraffe has the highest blood pressure of any animal. Human being tongue has 3,000 taste buds.
The CBSE Board exams will be held from March 1 and a total of 17.7 Lakh students will take the exam for class X and XII. Among the students who will give the XII Board exams this year, almost 60-65% student will take the Board Exam for the first time as this batch had the opportunity to skip the exam in class X in 2011 for a school based test. There will be a new introduction for class XII students this year i.e. the value based questions. These questions will be about 3-5 marks each in 15 major subjects across all streams. The subjects where this will be introduced are English, Hindi, Mathematics, Biology,
Physics, Chemistry, Accountancy, History, Geography, Business Studies, Entrepreneurship and Economics. These questions will be interdisciplinary in nature. For a 100 marks paper, these will be of 5 marks questions and for a paper of 70 marks, they will be about 3-4 marks. Experts are saying that prepare for such questions, The questions will be more about application of theoretical knowledge in daily life situation. The questions will probe human values and environmental awareness.These questions will check the candidates capacity to apply theoretical knowledge to daily life situations.
My life can be measured in hours, I serve by being devoured, Thin, I am quick, Fat, I am slow, Wind is my foe. Who am I? Im black when you buy me, red when you are using me, and white when you are through with me. Who am I? I am a seven letter word. I have two sets of double letters in a row. I can fly like a bird or a plane. Kids love me. Who am I? I am white in color. You cant see me in water. I am appreciated if only added in the right measure. Who am I?
When one door closes, another door opens; but we so often look so long and regretfully upon the closed door, that we do not see the ones which open for us. -Alexander Graham Bell
Quote Corner
Insipid-Lacking flavour , not tasty Example-The insipid soup was alarmingly colourful. Voluminous-Having great volume, fullness Example- Her hair was voluminous after using the salon recommended shampoo. Desist - to cease to proceed or act Example-Despite orders from the police, the protesters would not desist. Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a persons character lies in their own hands. Anne Frank Answers : Candle Charcoal Balloon Salt Subsist- to have existence Example-I cannot subsist on bread and water alone. Apathy- lack of feeling or emotion Example-People have shown surprising apathy toward these important social problems. Utter- to say something Example- A reminder that our words, once uttered, have a life of their own.
A shark doesnt have a bone in its body. Its skull, spinal column and fin supports are made of cartilage. Cartilage is the flexible stuff in the tip of your nose. A cartilage skeleton
has its advantages. Its light, flexible, and it heals faster than bone. Sharks evolved from bony ancestors so there are several ideas why this may have occurred. One consideration is that
the evolution of a cartilaginous skeleton gives sharks a more flexible, manoeuvrable body, making them extremely well adapted for a variety of swimming modes. A flexible body is also helpful for moving around complex habitats and tucking into small spaces and crevices. Shark skin is very rough because if you see it very closely it is covered with small denticles. Denticles are found all over the body of every species of shark out there. They help make it easier to swim and help the shark to save energy and help to protect the shark skin from various elements in the water.
BUSINESS
Indias Economic Survey sees recovery, but with reforms being added mainly in informal and
New Delhi Pushing for reforms and tangible action on removing bottlenecks to investment and job creation, Indias Economic Survey for 2012-13 pegs the countrys growth at 6.1-6.7 percent next fiscal, with inflation easing soon to 6.2-6.6 percent. The survey released hours ahead of the annual budget said India is likely to meet the fiscal deficit target of 5.3 percent of the gross domestic product (GDP) in the financial year ending March 31. The forecast came against the backdrop of a deceleration in growth to around 5 percent and 6.2 percent in the previous two fiscals from 9.3 percent and 8.6 percent in the two fiscals before that, induced largely by the global slowdown and financial crisis. The slowdown is a wake-up call for increasing the pace of actions and reforms, said the survey, adding that India has navigated difficult times as these before, and with good policies and strong reforms programme, it will again come through stronger. Authored by Chief Economic Advisor Raghuram Rajan, the report card on the state of the economy, with recommendations for the way forward, was tabled in parliament by Finance Minister P. Chidambaram Wednesday, a day ahead of the national budget for 2013-14. Addressing a media conference after release of the survey, Rajan said Indian
economy was at a turning point and the macro-economic situation would improve in the next financial year, helped by moderate inflation and better external factors. India is in a difficult but not impossible situation...we are at or beyond the turning point of the economy, he said. Rajan, a former chief economist of the International Monetary Fund (IMF), said a wide gap in upper and lower projections of the GDP growth was mainly due to uncertainty prevailing in the economy. Given the uncertainty, we are giving wider band, he said. The survey also pushed for fast action on the ground after the opening up of the retail trade industry to overseas companies and said this will not just pave the way for flow of investment in new technology, but also for marketing of farm produce in India. Fast agricultural growth remains vital for jobs, incomes and food security. In the survey, a special chapter has been added focusing on jobs that says the future holds promise for India if it seizes the demographic dividend, with nearly half of the additions to the labour force till 2030 expected in the 3049 age group. Because good jobs are both the pathway to growth as well as the best form of inclusion, India has to think of ways of enabling their creation, says the survey, adding new jobs are currently
low productivity sectors. Coming a day ahead of the general budget, the survey also calls for widening the tax base and prioritisation of expenditure, holding them as the key ingredients to a credible medium-term fiscal consolidation plan. The policy recommendations of the Survey focus largely on stimulating investments and reducing supply bottlenecks particularly in the agricultural sector, the Confederation of Indian Industry said in a statement. The analysis shows that bottlenecks relate mainly to regulatory hurdles that prevent small firms from growing, the chamber said, adding that India Inc has precisely been stressing on these very issues to stimulate growth. The survey also expresses concern over the high current account deficit due to a higher share of imports vis a vis exports and says this in the short run must be corrected by cutting oil and gold imports with market-determined prices. This, the survey argues, is all the more necessary, since the flow of invisibles - such as money in the form of remittances by Indians abroad and software earnings - are not particularly sufficient to cut current account deficit, now at 4 percent of the GDP. On the controversial issue of land acquisition, the survey seeks a balance between the need for economic growth and the costs imposed on the displaced with proper mapping of land, easier means to facilitate leasing and transparent compensation policy. On foreign direct investment, the survey notes that India, with a rank of four in the global restrictiveness index, fares better than China, ranked first. Yet, there is scope to reverse the moderation seen last year in inflows of overseas capital. Accordingly, it calls for a review in increasing the foreign investment cap in a host of areas, notably public sector banks, insurance and defence production as they promise new technology and practices and such capital are better than portfolio investment.
Nagpur In an overwhelming response, Maharashtra governments two-day Advantage Vidarbha-2013 conclave notched proposals worth Rs.18,500 crore on the first day here. The Memorandums of Understandings (MoU) for as many as 24 mega-investment proposals, including eight of the Maharashtra Industrial Development Corporation (MIDC), totally worth nearly Rs.18,500 crore were inked in the presence of Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and top industrialists and officials present on the occasion. Chavan, while assuring the best of infrastructure and other facilities in the 11 districts comprising Vidarbha region of eastern Maharashtra also announced that the event Advantage Vidarbha would now become an annual feature in the states business calendar. Vidarbha, strategically located in the heart of India, offers excellent scope for industries, particularly textiles, agro-products, tourism, automobiles and other sectors, Chavan said. Under the states New Industrial Policy, we are offering lots of incentives to industries coming up in Vidarbha and other undeveloped regions of the state. I urge industrialists to take full advantage of all this, Chavan urged in his inaugural remarks.The chief minister listed other benefits of Vidarbha which is blessed with abundant water
and power supply, lush green forests, including two tiger sanctuaries, availability of skilled labour and a salubrious industrial climate which would be attractive for industrialists to set up shop here. Union Heavy Industries Minister Praful Patel, while complimenting the state government for organising the conclave said it would give a new direction to the industrial and financial development of Vidarbha. Patel announced that a mega international class expo centre on the lines of Pragati Maidan in New Delhi would be set up either in Nagpur or nearby Butibori, and events like the automobiles exhibitions would be held in this region. Speaking on the occasion, state Industry Minister Narayan Rane highlighted the New Industrial Policy declared recently which will be valid for five years. Rane also announced the setting up of an international convention centre on 50 acres at Butibori, and assured that industries would be accorded all possible assistance to enable them set up plants in Vidarbha. Prominent among the personalities present at the two-day conclave included Raymond Group chief Gautam Singhania, R.C. Bhargava of Maruti Suzuki, and legislators and parliamentarians from Vidarbha.
BUSINESS
CNX Nifty on Friday Spanish firm sells LNG assets to Shell China to approve new short-haul aircraft
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Madrid Spanish energy giant Repsol SA said that it agreed to sell a package of liquefied natural gas assets to Royal Dutch Shell Plc in a transaction valued at $6.65 billion. Shell will pay $4.4 billion in cash and assume $2.25 billion in debt, Repsol said in a regulatory filing. The Spanish company stands to net $3.5 billion as part of the asset-shedding called for in its 2013-16 strategic plan, Repsol said. Repsol is selling Shell its minority stakes in Atlantic LNG, based in Trinidad and Tobago, Peru LNG and Spains Bahia de Bizkaia Electricidad. Tanker ships associated with those assets are also part of the deal, but Repsols regasification plant in Canada was ultimately excluded and Shell is to supply the facility with 1 million tonnes of LNG over the next 10 years. The transaction, which is expected to close by years end, will allow Repsol to reduce its net debt by half, the Spanish firm said.
Beijing A new generation of short-haul aircraft will be granted production approval soon and enter the market in 2014, a media report said .The MA700 aircraft, designed by the Avic Aircraft Co., is about to be approved by the Ministry of Industry and Information Technology after years of research and development, a source told the China Securities Journal reported. The turboprop will mainly be used for medium- and short-distance trips, said Geng Ruguang, vice general manager of Avics parent company, the Aviation Industry Corporation of China, Xinhua reported. Compared with its counterparts, the planes travel costs will be 10 percent lower, while its carbon dioxide emissions will be 20 percent lower, Geng said. As of the end of 2012, the company had received orders for 196 units from domestic and overseas buyers, with 75 units having already been delivered to airlines in 13 countries, a report from Everbright Securities Co. said
CDMA spectrum auction from Bangladeshs current account March 11 surplus rises to nearly $1 bn lation of 122 2G licences, which was
entirely either in the 1800 or 800 MHz bands. The department said the spectrum put up for auction in Delhi and Mumbai circles were in compliance with the apex courts latest order of Feb 15. In the light of these developments, DoT will review the need to include the remaining two circles for 1800 MHz bands, namely Delhi and Mumbai, in the next round of auctions as also the need for a re-auction in the three metro circles of the 900 MHz band, the statement said. A furthur round of auctions for 1800 and 900 Mhz bands will be decided by the Empowered Group of Ministers after deliberating on the issue, the department said. The quantum of spectrum, the reserve price and the timelines for this auction will be decided after necessary directions are obtained from the EGOM and where required, the cabinet, in this regard, the DoT said. The department is also in the process of filing an affidavit of compliance in the Supreme Court regarding implementation of its Feb 15 order. Any further directions issued by the SC in the matter will be incorporated into the plan of action for the next round of auction to be held as soon as possible after the March 11, 2013, auction is completed, DoT said. The DoT will also take action as directed by the Delhi High Court to dispose of the applications for extension of licences received from operators whose licences are due to expire in November 2014. This action will be completed before the timeline fixed by the High Court of Delhi, i.e., March 7, 2013, the DoT said.
New Delhi With no takers for GSM spectrum, the government will start auction of CDMA spectrum, earlier scheduled for after the GSM auction, on March 11, the Department of Telecom said . The 1800 and 900 MHz bands (used for GSM) were to be auctioned simultaneously starting from March 11, 2013, and the 800 MHz band auction was to commence two days after the conclusion of the auction of 1800 and 900 MHz spectrum. In the light of these developments, the auction of 800 MHz spectrum will commence on 11.3.2013 itself, the DoT said here in a statement. According to the DoT, the last date for applying for the March 11 airwaves auction was Feb 25. The department will now start the process for the third round of auction for 20 of 22 area circles to comply with the Supreme Court order to place on sale the entire spectrum freed by cancel-
Dhaka Propelled by merchandise export and inward remittances, Bangladeshs account balance recorded a surplus of nearly $1 billion in the first half of current 2012-13 fiscal year ending in June, a central bank official said . Quoting the Bangladesh Bank (BB) data, the official told Xinhua that the current account balance showed a surplus of $850 million during the six months of the current fiscal year 201213 (July 2012-June 2013) against the deficit of $1.65 billion during the corresponding period of the previous fiscal year (July 2011-June 2012). The central banks current account balance and overall balance of payments have maintained positive trend as export earnings and inflow of remittances continued to grow though at a moderated pace, said the bank official who preferred to be unnamed. Bangladeshs exports growth in JulyDecember period of the current fiscal year surged 6.47 percent year on year to $12.34 billion, the bank data showed.
Posting nearly 10 percent growth year on year, it showed Bangladeshs overall remittance surged to $7.40 billion during the first half of the current fiscal year. As growth in exports and remittances dipped, BB current account balance surplus slumped in a couple of months until November last year, the BB official said. He said current account balance recorded a surplus of $41 million in July-November period, meaning Bangladeshs economy absorbed more than that it produced in the months. According to the official, comfortable receipts of remittances, however, helped the central bank of Bangladesh cushion huge trade gap which stood at $3.68 billion during the first half of the fiscal year. With relatively better positions in internal and external economic activities, Bangladeshs account balance recorded a surplus of $1.704 billion in the last 2011-12 fiscal year.
SPORTS
Nadal breezes into quarters
Chinese authorities have been keen to crack down on football corruption in a much publicised drive for reform over the last three years. Leading club Shanghai Shenhua, which fielded Nicolas Anelka and Didier Drogba this season, was stripped of its 2003 national title and fined last week following a match-fixing probe.
Acapulco Second seed Rafael Nadal shot into the quarterfinals of the ATP 500 tournament here Thursday, eliminating Argentine qualifier Martin Alund. Nadal met almost no resistance in the first set but had to save three break points in the second to gain a 6-0, 6-4 win. The Spaniard, who won the tournament in 2005, will now face Argentine World No.77 Leonardo Mayer, who knocked out Russias Andrey Kuznetsov 6-2, 6-2. It is Nadals third tournament after a seven-month layoff with a knee injury. He reached the final of the Chile Open before grabbing his 51st career title in Sao Paolo. Top seed David Ferrer, meanwhile, also had little trouble clearing the secondround hurdle as he blazed past Wayne Odesnik of the US 6-2, 6-1. Ferrer, the champion for the last three years, will play Italys 57th-ranked Paolo Lorenzi in the quarterfinals. Nicolas Almagro, seeded third, scraped past compatriot Tommy Robredo 6-4,
7-6(4) to book a quarterfinal encounter with eighth seed Horacio Zeballos of Argentina. The last quarterfinal pair features two unseeded players: Italys World No.43 Fabio Fognini and Santiago Giraldo of Colombia, ranked 66th in the world. The Acapulco tournament is a claycourt event. It offers a $1.2 million prize fund for men while for the women it is a lowly WTA international event offering prize money of $235,000.
Dubai India have taken an outright lead on top of the ICC ODI rankings with 119 ratings points. With India and Australia not scheduled to play any ODIs before the April 1 cutoff date, fourth-placed South Africa are the only side that can push India and England down the order when they take on Pakistan in a five-ODI series from March 10. Englands 2-1 win in the three-match series against New Zealand have not only given them a perfect build-up to the ICC Champions Trophy which is just 100 days away, it has also kept them on course for finishing second in the ODI Championship Table at the April 1 cut-off date.
Englands come-from-behind series win means they have retained second place but have dropped two ratings points to lead third-ranked Australia by just one ratings point and fourth-ranked South Africa by five ratings points. The only way South Africa can leapfrog England and add another $75,000 to their account is by beating Pakistan 4-1 or better. If South Africa win 4-1, then the Proteas will join England on 117 ratings points but will be ranked above Alastair Cooks side when the ratings are calculated beyond the decimal point. If South Africa make a clean sweep of the ODI series, then they will jump three places to claim top spot.
The Hague Steve McClaren has quit FC Twente with immediate effect following disappointing results in this season, the Dutch football club said .The 51-yearold English coach handed in his contract which ran until 2014. McClaren had returned to Twente in January 2012. After a disappointing sixth place last season, Twente are currently running fifth. They lost 1-2 to SC Heerenveen,, Xinhua reports.After the defeat to Heerenveen the board of FC Twente and I tried to find a solution to the difficult period the team has been going through, McClaren said on the club s website. We talked about the expectations of the club, how European qualification was key each season and finishing in the top 4. Despite being joint top at the winter break and second four weeks ago, recent results and performances have seen criticism, protest and demonstration from both supporters and the media, he added. Saturdays result has seen further ad-
verse reactions and with two home games coming up we feel the team needs the support and backing from the supporters. I also needed assurances about my position both now and in the future which I know in the present situation is difficult, McClaren said. After much discussion and deliberation those assurances weren t forthcoming and we have agreed its in the best interest of the club that I leave. We agree the club is bigger than any one individual and Twente is too big in my heart to stand in the way of its progress.McClaren already coached Twente between 2008 and 2010 and in his last year he led the club to their first top league title. McClaren also worked as coach of Nottingham Forest, Middlesbrough, VfL Wolfsburg and England His assistants Alfred Schreuder, Boudewijn Pahlplatz and Youri Mulder will provisionally take over his coaching job at Twente. A permanent successor might be appointed in due course.
Dubai Indias Somdev Devvarman beat Russian Igor Kunitsyn for the first time in four meetings when he easily won his first round at the Dubai Duty Free tennis championships in straight sets 6-1, 6-4 here. Devvarman, using his protected ranking as he is returning from an injury break, got a direct entry here and continued his good form to outclass the Russian, who is presently ranked 167 on the ATP charts, in 65 minutes. The Indian, who was out with an injury for most part of last year and is currently ranked 315, looked far more impressive than the Russian who in 2009 had his best ranking at 35. Somdev, whose best ranking was 62 two years ago, raced through the first set dropping just one game and with an early break he looked on a cruise in the second set, too. But the Russian broke back to tie two games all. Somdev was back in the drivers seat by breaking Kunitsyn again in the seventh game and with his steady hitting from the back court he clinched his next two service games. The Indian will next take on the winner of the match between fourth-seeded Juan Martin Del Potro and Cypriot Marcos Baghdatis in the second round. Second-seeded Roger Federer had a tough first round match against Tunisian Malek Jaziri, dropping the first set before recovering to take the next two without breaking sweat, 5-7, 6-0, 6-2.
Makhachkala (Russia) Sydney Olympics gold medallist wrestler Sagid Murtazaliev has sent his gold medal back to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in protest at the sport being cut from the Summer Games. The IOCs executive board voted earlier this month to cut wrestling from the list of confirmed sports for the 2020 Olympics, and the sport must now battle seven candidate disciplines for the sole remaining slot. Russias Murtazaliev, who won heavyweight freestyle gold at Sydney 2000, said he was following the example of Bulgarian champion Valentin Yordanov, who sent back his Atlanta 1996 gold medal last week. The decision to return my Olympic medal was not easy for me, Murtazaliev said in a letter addressed to IOC president Jacques Rogge and obtained by RIA Novosti. But after much thinking, I decided anyway to follow the example of the great
Bulgarian wrestler Valentin Yordanov. I took this step in protest at the recommendation the IOC executive committee recently made to exclude wrestling from the Olympic programme. The final decision on the Olympic programme for the 2020 Games will be made by the IOC in Buenos Aires in September, along with the announcement of the host city. Wrestling has been included in various forms at every Olympics since 1904. In recent years, it has attracted scant spectator interest outside its stronghold countries and faced claims of corrupt refereeing at the Games. Wrestlings cause has brought together unlikely allies, with US and Iranian national Olympic officials among those to call for the sports reinstatement. Russia is a perennial power in Olympic wrestling, and President Vladimir Putin and the countrys national Olympic committee have both thrown their weight behind the sports reinstatement.
SPORTS
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keeper Thibaut Courtois. After 29 minutes Costa and Falcao linked to perfection with Costa chasing down a ball down the left wing before reaching the goal-line. Falcao looked to be covered by the home defence, but his curling run took him onto the end of Costas low pass and he slid the ball past Beto to double Atleticos lead. The away goals rule meant Sevilla now needed four goals to qualify and credit to Unai emerys side who kept their heads up before Jesus Navas gave them a lifeline with a fine curling shot in off the post to make it 2-1 on the night. Knowing it was all or nothing, Emery introduced striker, Manu Del Moral as a second half substitute for Reyes and was almost rewarded straight away as Del Moral saw a powerful shot well saved by Courtois. It was just as exciting with Costa and Falcao missing chances to seal the tie, before Alvaro Negredo rose above the Atletico defence before heading a Navas cross wide when he looked certain to score. That was the end of the football for a while as tempers boiled over and the game was interrupted by a series of fouls, which ended with Sevillas Gary Medel sent off after totally losing control, with Costa, who in fairness had been provoking the greater part of the Sevilla team. Credit to Sevilla who finally equalized in injury time through Ivan Rakitic to make it 2-2 on the night, but there was still time for Geoffrey Kondogbia to see a red card for another incident with Costa. It was not the sort of thing you want to see on a football pitch, but it did reflect the intensity of the occasion.
Madrid A storming first half show from Atletico Madrid striker Diego Costa proved vital as his side assured a spot in the Copa del Rey final after a 2-2 draw at Sevilla. Atletico Madrid progressed into the final with a 4-3 aggregate win Wednesday, booking a Madrid derby between them and Real Madrid, Xinhua reports. Atletico went into the return leg of their semifinal away to Sevilla with a 2-1 lead from the first leg and knowing a win would see them take on their local rivals, who destroyed Barcelona in the Camp Nou Tuesday. The two sides took to the pitch in the Sanchez Pizjuan stadium with an atmo-
sphere that dignified the occasion and a rainstorm that added drama to the occasion, especially as a 1-0 win would have been enough to see the home side through to the final. That scenario didnt last for long, however, as Costa was allowed time and space outside of the Sevilla penalty area and was able to fire a low right foot shot past Sevilla goalkeeper, Beto, into the back of the net. On a wet and slick pitch, the pace of the game was fast and furious with neither side holding back in the tackle, but with Atletico sitting deep and then looking to link up Costa and Radamel Falcao on the break, the home side were unable to seriously threaten Atletico
Beijing Almost a decade after they quit competitive play, the table tennis Grand Slam-winning Twin Stars of China, Liu Guoliang and Kong Linghui, have come together to coach the national team. The sports governing body of China held a press conference Tuesday to finalise the appointment of Liu to be the mens head coach while Kong will take charge of the womens team, Xinhua reports. Liu was also appointed as the general head coach, a first in eight years. Taking the charge of an all-time leading squad which has been on top of the world for decades, Liu and Kong will have to prove their worth in the 2016 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. My predecessor Shi Zhihao did an extraordinary job, said Kong, dubbed the Prince of Table Tennis during his playing days. Under Shis reign, the Chinese womens team pocketed all gold medals on offer in two Olympics, which set a high bar for me. No easy case for Liu, either, since the
mens team has been run under a commission without a general head coach for eight years. It will be very challenging, for sure, Liu said. The duo, however, hold far more soaring ambitions than lying on the record of merits. Im both confident and determined to create a new era of table tennis alongside with my buddy Kong Linghui in the coming years, said Liu, who first took his job as the mens national head coach in 2003 and successfully guarded it twice in the following years. during his reign, the mens team collected almost all but one Olympic and world titles. Like my buddy Liu Guoliang said, we are not just eyeing to win more gold medals, but going to make table tennis a more popular sport in China and elsewhere in the world, echoed Kong. Both now 37 years old, Liu and Kong had been always put on a par with each other in 1990s, not only for their equally glorious career as paddlers but their brotherhood. We were called up to the junior na-
tional team in the same year when we were 13, but two years earlier we had met each other in some national event, recalled Kong, a most popular paddler with Chinese supporters even years after he retired. Kong and I have always been a pack. In the past 26 years, weve been through a lot together, said Liu. When we were players, we trained together, played all kinds of matches together, sometime against each other and sometimes combined as a pair. For all those years, weve shared so many memories, joy and tears. In 1995, the two helped China claim the world crown and days later they squared off for the singles title. Just at that time, Kong claimed his first world championship title at 20 in Tianjin, but had to wait five years to bring in his Olympic gold medal in Sydney. Lius grand slam was completed in the 1999 world championships in Eindhoven, the Netherlands, as he won the final against younger teammate Ma Lin, though he said he performed just 70 percent of his top form as in 1996 when he took the Olympic gold and World Cup title. The two good friends parted their ways in 2003 when Liu, who was trusted by table tennis authorities and his mentors, made a brilliant triple jump from assistant coach to coach to the youngest head coach ever on the Chinese team, while tenacious Kong continued his playing career. In the 2004 Athens Olympics, Kong made his third Olympic appearance, while Liu experienced his biggest test as newly combined Ma Lin and Chen Qi claimed the doubles gold but upbeat Wang Hao fell to South Korean Ryu Seung Min in the singles final. For the following years, Liu led the side to conquer all, including two clean sweeps in the 2008 Beijing Games on home soil and the most recent London Olympics, while Kong acted as a player/coach assisting Liu before he called it quits in late 2006 and turned a trainer to coach the womens side.
Hyderabad Australia cricketer Moises Henriques has been fined 10 percent of his match fee for breaching the ICC Code of Conduct during the fourth days play in the first cricket Test match against India which ended in Chennai Tuesday. Henriques was found to have breached Article 2.1.1 of the ICC Code of Conduct for Players and Player Support Personnel (the Code) which relates to breach of the ICCs Clothing and Equipment Regulations during an International Match. The debutant was found to have a manufacturers logo on the chin strap of his helmet in breach of the specific requirements of the ICCs Clothing and Equipment Regulations, said an ICC statement Wednesday. Henriques accepted the Level 1 charge and the sanction proposed by Chris Broad of the Elite Panel of Match Referees. The charge was brought by onfield umpires Marais Erasmus and Kumar Dharmasena, third umpire Vineet Kulkarni and fourth umpire Krishnaraj Srinath.
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