Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Shekhar Kapur to direct 'Tiger's Curse'

Los Angeles, Nov 5 (IANS) Internationally known Indian director Shekhar Kapur of “Elizabeth” fame has been roped in to direct an adventure saga titled “Tiger’s Curse”.


The project will be introduced by Lotus Entertainment at the American Film Market, reports variety.com.


Based on the first in a series of novels by Colleen Houck, “Tiger’s Curse” has been adapted by Julie Plec, creator of “The Vampire Diaries” and “The Originals”.


The project will be produced by Ineffable Pictures’s Raphael Kryszek and Jesse Israel along with Lotus Entertainment’s Bill Johnson and Jim Seibel and Kapur.


The novel centers on a woman who learns that she has a powerful connection with a white tiger named Ren, while working at a circus in Oregon over the summer. When a mysterious stranger arrives to reclaim Ren and return him to his native India, the woman learns that the tiger is a prince who is the victim of a 300-year-old curse.



Shekhar Kapur to direct 'Tiger's Curse'

Restrictions in Srinagar as separatists call for shutdown

Srinagar, Nov 5 (IANS) Restrictions were imposed in some areas of the Srinagar city Wednesday as separatists called for a protest shutdown against the killing of two youths in army firing in Badgam district, an official said.


“Restrictions have been imposed today (Wednesday) in Khanyar, Nowhatta, M.R. Gunj, Rainawari, Safakadal and Nowgam areas to ensure nobody disturbs peace in the city,” a senior police officer told IANS here Wednesday.


Separatist leaders, including hardline Syed Ali Geelani, moderate Mirwaiz Umer Farooq and Muhammad Yasin Malik, have called for a protest shutdown in the Valley Wednesday against the killing of Faisal Yusuf Bhat and Mehrajuddin Dar in army firing Monday in Chattergam village.


While Geelani is in New Delhi, Malik who is in Anantnag district has been placed under preventive detention and Mirwaiz has been put under house arrest here.


Two youths were also injured in Chattergam army firing Monday. All the four belonged to Nowgam area of Srinagar city.


Senior police officers and the district magistrate of Srinagar has confirmed the four had no militant links.


The army has ordered an enquiry into the firing.


Chief Minister Omar Abdullah has said the firing was avoidable and the incident has cost innocent lives.



Restrictions in Srinagar as separatists call for shutdown

Nikki Haley wins second term as South Carolina governor

Washington, Nov 5 (IANS) Scoring the first win for Indian-Americans in the US mid-term elections, South Carolina’s Republican Governor Nikki Haley handily beat Democratic state Senator Vincent Sheheen to win a second term.


Born Nimrata ‘Nikki’ Randhawa, the 42-year-old daughter of Sikh immigrants from India became the first minority and first female governor of the state four years ago.


Haley was declared the winner based on projections from exit poll data that suggests the Republican will win by a wider margin than 2010, when just 4.5 percentage points separated her from Sheheen, according to local WCIV TV.


Sheheen never gained the traction necessary in the rematch to close the gap, despite hammering Haley on her first-term blunders, it said noting Haley won over voters by successfully branding herself as the “jobs governor.”


“Governor Nikki Haley has done an extraordinary job for South Carolina; her leadership is making the difference,” the Republican Governors Association chairman Chris Christie said in a statement following her re-election victory.


“With Haley at the helm for four more years, South Carolina is sure to experience continued growth and success. No one fights harder for South Carolina than Governor Haley, and because of her, it’s going to be another great four years.


“The Republican Governors Association is proud to congratulate Governor Haley on her re-election,” said, Christie, who is the New Jersey governor.


Results of other races involving a record 30 Indian-Americans are still awaited.


Four of them are seeking a two-year term in the House, two are running for governorships, three more for other top state jobs and 20 are eyeing legislative seats in 15 states


Prominent among Desi contestants to the House are Democrat Amerish ‘Ami’ Bera, only the third Indian-American lawmaker in US history, and a former Obama administration official Rohit ‘Ro’ Khanna.


Republican Neel Kashkari faces an uphill task against California’s three term Democratic Governor Jerry Brown, while Kamala Harris, the state’s first female Indian-American and African-American Attorney General is sitting pretty in her re-election bid.



Nikki Haley wins second term as South Carolina governor

Both BJP, AAP claim they will win Delhi battle (Roundup)

New Delhi, Nov 4 (IANS) Soon after the cabinet recommended the dissolution of the Delhi assembly, both the BJP and the AAP Tuesday claimed they were confident of winning the fresh elections.


But Bharatiya Janata Party’s Delhi unit president Satish Upadhyay said his party — unlike in the December 2013 election — would not project a chief ministerial candidate.


“It’s too early to talk about the CM candidate. The party will decide at the right time and will choose a leader through a democratic process,” he said, adding quickly that he was not in the race for the post.


Upadhyay said the BJP would repeat its winning streak in Maharashtra and Haryana in Delhi too.


Aam Aadmi Party leader Arvind Kejriwal meanwhile accused the BJP of spreading communal poison in Delhi and said his party would bring together eminent religious leaders to combat this.


The former chief minister also insisted that the AAP would win a majority in the upcoming election in the capital.


“We will win in Delhi no matter how hard the BJP tries.”


Upadhyay and Kejriwal spoke a day after Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung was told by all three major parties in Delhi — the BJP, AAP and Congress — that said they favoured fresh elections.


Kejriwal said the AAP was confident of winning more than 45 of the 70 seats in Delhi — up from the 28 it bagged in 2013, leading then to a hung house.


After the BJP with 31 seats refused to form a government, the AAP took power with the backing of the Congress. But the government collapsed in 49 days, leading to political uncertainty.


Kejriwal said the AAP would seek votes on three key issues: its achievements during its 49-day rule, a corruption-free Delhi and making the capital one of the world’s best cities.


Asked if he could take on Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the AAP leader said Delhi’s voters would have to choose between him (Kejriwal) and BJP’s Jagdish Mukhi for the chief minister’s post.


“Will Modi resign as prime minister and contest for the chief ministership of Delhi?”


Upadhyay said: “Our MLAs are ready for fresh elections and we will fight under a collective leadership… We will repeat our performance of Haryana and Maharashtra.”


He said the BJP’s main plank would be “good governance”.


Kejriwal and his colleagues attacked the BJP for delaying the elections all these months and accused it of using “unfair means” to install a BJP government in Delhi.


The capital has been under President’s rule since Feb 17.


Earlier Tuesday, the union cabinet recommended the dissolution of the Delhi assembly, paving the way for a fresh electoral contest.


The BJP and the Congress have traditionally held sway in Delhi. This changed last year when the AAP contested the assembly elections and pulled off a stunning performance winning 28 seats.


In comparison to the BJP’s 31 seats, the Congress got just eight seats.


This year, the BJP won all the seven Lok Sabha seats in the capital. The AAP finished second in all the places. The Congress either finished third or fourth.



Both BJP, AAP claim they will win Delhi battle (Roundup)

Long term shift work hampers memory

London, Nov 4 (IANS) Long term shift work can help you earn more but it could adversely affect your brain functions, such as memory and processing speed, says a research.


Disruption of the body clock as a result of shift work could generate physiological stressors, which may in turn affect the functioning of the brain, the researchers suggested.

“The cognitive impairment observed in the present study may have important safety consequences not only for the individuals concerned, but also for society as a whole, given the increasing number of jobs in high hazard situations that are performed at night,” the researchers warned.

However, the study led by Jean-Claude Marquie of the University of Toulouse in France found that once people stop working in shifts, it is possible for them to recover the memory loss. But it could take five long years.

The researchers tracked the cognitive abilities of more than 3,000 people who were either working, in a wide range of sectors, or who had retired, at three time points: 1996; 2001; and 2006.

The data showed that those who currently, or who had previously, worked shifts had lower scores on memory, processing speed, and overall brain power than those who had only worked normal office hours.

The second set of analyses looked at the impact of working a rotating shift pattern and found that compared with those who had never worked this type of shift, those who had, and had done so for 10 or more years, had lower cognitive and memory scores.

The study appeared in the British Medical Journal.




Long term shift work hampers memory

Tripura CM asks PM to restore MGNREGA funds for state

Agartala, Nov 4 (IANS) Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar has urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to restore the funds cut from MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) rural employment scheme in the state.


“The union rural development ministry has increased its allocation of funds under MGNREGA for Rajasthan, West Bengal, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu and some other states but reduced central allocation for Tripura,” Sarkar said in a letter to the prime minister.

He said that although Tripura under MGNREGA topped all states, providing 87 days of work per household in the 2013-14 fiscal against the national average of 45 person-days, the state’s allocation had been sharply reduced.

“Tripura received Rs 943.66 crore during the last financial year (2013-14). The union rural development ministry informed that it would provide Rs.652 crore during the current fiscal (2014-15) despite the ministry having approved the labour budget of Rs.1,406.96 crore under the MGNREGA for the ongoing financial year.”

In his letter Sarkar said that under MGNREGA guidelines, the central allocation would have to be released in two instalments, but the Union ministry has so far provided Rs.373 crore in three instalments.

The chief minister said that the unemployed and uneducated rural people from among tribals, minorities, scheduled caste, other backward communities and women would be largely affected due to the reduction of funds under MGNREGA.

The MGNREGA mandates 100 days of employment in a financial year to at least one member of each rural household.

According to Tripura rural development officials, the state has retained the top position for the fifth consecutive year by providing 87 person-days rural jobs per household during the 2013-14 fiscal.




Tripura CM asks PM to restore MGNREGA funds for state

Monday, November 3, 2014

Hyderabad: Birth anniversary of Guru Nanak Dev

This slideshow requires JavaScript.


'Unique band' has best of talent from India, Pakistan

New Delhi, Nov 4 (IANS) Lahore-based musician Mekaal Hasan has done something unique by adding Indian artistes to his band last year. Now out with a new album “Andholan”, aptly named, he says it’s more adventurous in its writing style and believes that the “unique band” has best talent from his homeland and India.


Popular for Sufi rock music, the band was formed in 2001 and has seen a change in its members since then. With Hasan taking on the role of lead guitarist and fellow Pakistani Mohammad Ahsan Papu on flute, the remaining members are Indians — vocalist Sharmistha Chatterjee, bassist Sheldon D’Silva and drummer Gino Banks.

Hasan met Banks and D’Silva in 2007 in Mumbai. They became friends and he would hear them play on his visits to India.

“I would marvel at their talent and eventually Gino and I started discussing how we could carry on the idea of the band with an Indian contingent involved.

“Thus started our journey of how to make this rather unique band, which I believe has the best contemporary talent from both sides playing as one unit,” Hasan told IANS in an email interaction from Lahore.

“I have been touring in India for over a decade and I felt that there was so much which we shared in common through our music, our poetry, our culture and that there was every reason to bring in the music to be played with the finest musicians on the Indian circuit,” he added.

He believes that the incarnation of the band is its finest and reflects the wide range of sound and dynamics.

And the response has been “overwhelming”.

“I think both countries understand that our true strengths are our people and their ideas, our collective ability to innovate and overcome even under trying circumstances.

“In Pakistan, many fellow musicians have called or messaged and been all praises for the band’s invigorated sound and presentation,” he said.

Likewise, he says, friends and peers in the Indian music industry have embraced the band with open arms.

“I am truly moved by how nice everyone has been and how much respect and love they have all shown. At the end of the day, if we play music of value, we also appreciate and yearn for the love and respect of our peers. For me, such gestures of warmth say so much about the love we all share for quality music and musicians,” he said.

Talking about “Andholan”, he said: ” ‘Andholan’ as a record features a progressive writing style that I think it came off well. The challenge now is to make it sound even better live!”

They plan to perform internationally and in India as well.

“I believe we have some engagements coming up in this season which will be taking us to various cities in India,” shared Hasan, who also produces and engineers records and singles at his Digital Fidelity Studios.

He is also open to Bollywood projects.

“If there is something which my music can compliment or work with, sure. But my primary intent is to play my music with this band,” said the 41-year-old.

(Natalia Ningthoujam can be contacted at natalia.n@ians.in)




'Unique band' has best of talent from India, Pakistan

Women have higher risk of injury than men post-drinking

New York, Nov 4 (IANS) Woman who find alcohol hard to resist even after three standard drinks are more likely to suffer from injury when compared with men, shows new research that includes patients from India.


While the risk of injury is similar for both men and women up to three standard drinks (containing 16 ml or 12.8 g of pure ethanol), the risk then increases more rapidly for women, becoming twice the risk to men around 15 drinks and three times the risk to men around 30 drinks.

“There is an increasing risk relationship between alcohol and injury, but risk is not uniform across gender, cause of injury, or country drinking pattern,” said lead author, Cheryl Cherpitel from the Alcohol Research Group (ARG) of the Public Health Institute in the US.

In this study the drinks were reportedly consumed six hours prior to injury.

The risk of violence-related injury is consistently larger than the risk of other types of injuries, the study showed.

The researchers also found that the risk of injury from violence increases more rapidly as the volume of alcohol consumed increases.

The study looked at over 13,000 injured patients from 18 countries – Argentina, Belarus, Brazil, Canada, China, Czech Republic, Dominican Republic, Guatemala, Guyana, India, Ireland, Korea, Mexico, New Zealand, Nicaragua, Panama, Sweden, and Switzerland.

The study appeared online in the scientific journal Addiction.




Women have higher risk of injury than men post-drinking

Skip check-in with keyless smartphone entry

New York, Nov 4 (IANS) Joining the worldwide shift towards smart hotel technology, Starwood Hotels & Resorts Worldwide Inc – that owns over 1,200 properties across the world – launched the smartphone-based keyless entry for its guests to access rooms and other services.


Starting Nov 5, the innovative technology will introduced at three Starwood brands: Aloft, Element and W.

All you need to do is to sign up through the hotel’s free SPG (Starwood Preferred Guest) app.

As you enter the hotel, you will have the option to use SPG Keyless to access the room, MarketWatch reported.

Just hold the smartphone up to the Bluetooth panel on the door and wait for the green light.

Upon arrival at the hotel, the guest can completely bypass the front desk and go directly to his/her room.

The app also allows guests to view the details of their stay and receive push notifications on the status of their room, such as information on upgrades.

The app technology also has practical applications including access to elevators or the gym.

The keyless entry works on Bluetooth-enabled iPhones and Android smartphones.

Starwood will rapidly expand rollout in the first half of 2015 and, by the end of next year, SPG Keyless will be available in 150 hotels across the globe.




Skip check-in with keyless smartphone entry

Myanmar to tighten security during ASEAN summit

Nay Pyi Taw, Nov 4 (IANS) Myanmar will deploy 20,000 police personnel to secure the upcoming 25th ASEAN Summit, officials said Tuesday.


The ASEAN Summit is scheduled to be held Nov 12-13 at the Myanmar International Convention Centre in the capital city of Nay Pyi Taw, Xinhua reported.

Security for the participating foreign leaders is being heightened at all entries into the country including airports, seaports, highway terminals and city entry checkpoints.

The police authorities have notified people to keep their identity cards or effective travel documents with themselves while travelling during the period, saying that passengers on highway buses would be thoroughly checked.

Myanmar, the rotating chair of ASEAN this year for the first time after joining the group in July 1997, hosted the 24th ASEAN Summit in May.




Myanmar to tighten security during ASEAN summit

Kick the butt to avoid chronic back pain

New York, Nov 4 (IANS) Smokers are three times more likely than non-smokers to develop chronic back pain, warns a research.


“Smoking affects the brain. We found that it affects the way the brain responds to back pain and seems to make individuals less resilient to an episode of pain,” said Bogdan Petre, technical scientist at the Northwestern University’s Feinberg School of Medicine in the US.

The results came from an observational study of 160 adults, with new cases of back pain.

They were asked to rate the intensity of their back pain in a questionnaire that also asked about their smoking status.

Scientists analysed MRI activity between two brain areas, which are involved in addictive behaviour and motivated learning.

These two regions of the brain “talk” to one another and scientists discovered that the strength of that connection helps determine who will become a chronic pain patient.

This connection was very strong and active in the brain’s of smokers.

“But we saw a dramatic drop in this circuit’s activity in smokers who – of their own will – quit smoking during the study. When they stopped smoking, their vulnerably to chronic pain also decreased,” Petre added.

Medication such as anti-inflammatory drugs did help participants manage pain but it did not change the activity of the brain circuit.

Kicking the butt is the only solution if smokers want to get rid of back pain, the authors concluded.

The study was published online in the journal Human Brain Mapping.




Kick the butt to avoid chronic back pain

Picasso auction in US nets $4.6 mn

New York, Nov 4 (IANS/EFE) A “Picasso through the eyes of a connoisseur” auction in New York brought in $4.6 million for close to 100 works by the Spanish painter.


The event took place Monday in Sotheby’s auction house.

Among the 97 works of art up for sale, two sold for more than $500,000 each, one of them being a portrait titled “Jeune fille, d’apres Cranach le Jeune, II”, created with pieces of different-coloured linoleum in 1958.

Four years later, Picasso – using the same technique created “Femme au chapeau a pompons et au corsage imprime”, which sold for $509,000 at the auction.

The collection also included “Femme aux Cheveux Verts” (1949), a series of eight lithographs Picasso created of his lover and muse Francoise Gilot in various poses. It sold for $437,000.

The ceramic work titled “Tipode (Alain Ramie 125)” was sold for $131,000.

According to the auction house, the collection “illustrates the artist’s wide ranging iconography”.

Sotheby’s Tuesday will focus on two other works by Picasso – “Homme Assis” valued at $12 million and “Les enfants”, which is estimated to be worth $7 million.

–IANS/EFE

ksk/ml/vm




Picasso auction in US nets $4.6 mn

Pleasant Tuesday morning in Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 4 (IANS) It was a pleasant Tuesday morning here with a minimum temperature of 16.8 degrees Celsius, two notches above the season’s average.


The Met Office has forecast the sky will be clear in the day.

“The sky Tuesday will be mainly clear and the maximum temperature is likely to hover around 31 degrees Celsius,” said an official of the India Meteorological Department.

Humidity at 8.30 a.m. was 66 percent.

Monday’s maximum temperature was 31.2 degrees Celsius, a degree above the season’s average, while the minimum was 15 degrees Celsius, normal for this time of the season.




Pleasant Tuesday morning in Delhi

Pakistan observes Muharram amid high security

Islamabad, Nov 4 (IANS) Pakistan Tuesday observed Muharram to pay homage to Imam Husain and other martyrs of Karbala amid strict security, a media report said.


The local administrations placed hospitals and ambulance services on high alert, Dawn online reported.

A suicide attack at the Wagah border Sunday claimed 60 lives following which Punjab Police conducted raids in several cities and arrested a number of suspects.

Police personnel and Rangers and Frontier Corps officers have been deployed in many cities on the routes of Muharram processions, while the army is on standby in Quetta, Karachi, Sukkur, Lahore, Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Parachinar, Kohat and Dera Ismail Khan, the report said.

Pillion-riding has been banned in many cities, including Karachi, where several cases of cracker and grenade attacks have been witnessed since the advent of Muharram.

The law enforcement agencies and the army will use helicopters in many cities to monitor security, the report added.




Pakistan observes Muharram amid high security

Delhi girl rewarded by police for bravery

New Delhi, Nov 3 (IANS) Delhi Police Commissioner B.S. Bassi Monday rewarded a 19-year-old national level taekwondo player for her bravery and courage which led to the arrest of a man who was harassing her.


Bharati Kumari, also a national level wushu player, strongly resisted the harassment by the man, later identified as 28-year-old Rajesh Gupta, while she was returning home in Burari area of north Delhi Oct 30.

“The girl hit him back and using her training in martial arts, overpowered him. She then called her trainer Amit Goswami and with his help, she handed over Rajesh Gupta to police,” a police officer said.

Bassi rewarded the courageous girl with a commendation and a cash reward of Rs.10,000.




Delhi girl rewarded by police for bravery

Aviva Life fined for violating fair business practices

Chennai, Nov 3 (IANS) Indian insurance regulator Monday fined private life insurer Aviva Life Insurance Company Ltd for violating and deviating from the fundamental principles of life insurance contracts and certain regulatory provisions.


The regulator also ordered the company to pay back additional premium charged from policyholders without their prior consent on various policies along with interest.

Levying a fine of Rs.500,000 on Aviva Life Insurance, Insurance Regulatory and Development Authority (IRDA) chairman T.S.Vijayan said in his order that informing the policyholders of additional premium while sending the policy document is considered as a serious violation of “fair business practices” and “regulatory provisions.”

In respect of policies where the terms and conditions were modified and issued without the prior consent of the policyholders, the IRDA chief directed Aviva Life to restore the terms and conditions as originally proposed.

The company was directed to refund the additional premium or charges collected alongwith half-yearly compounding interest at a rate which is two percent above the bank rate prevalent as on April 1, 2014 by debiting shareholder’s account.

The company is a joint venture between India’s Dabur group and the Britain’s Aviva group.




Aviva Life fined for violating fair business practices

Durand Cup: Pune FC face Vasco SC for semis berth

Margao (Goa), Nov 3 (IANS) Buoyed by their 3-0 win over Churchill Brothers, Pune FC will face Vasco SC in the final Group-IV Durand Cup quarterfinal league encounter at the Raia Sports Complex here Tuesday.


A win will not only send Pune into the semifinal only for the second time after 2011 but also will help the team to register its best ever group-stage performance of collecting four points which they managed in 2010 and 2011.

Pune are leading the group with three points, ahead of second-placed Vasco and Churchill, who have one points each. The game between the two Goan sides ended 1-1 Sunday. The result means that Pune need just a draw to seal its place in semi-finals.

“I have made it clear to the team that we cannot play for a draw, we have to play our normal game and win the match. It will help us build our confidence for the next round,” coach Karim Bencherifa said after a training session at the Benaulim Football Ground.

Pune will miss two players – goalkeeper Amrinder Singh, who serves a one game suspension and striker Thongkhosiem Haokip, who suffered a minor injury in the previous game.

In first choice custodian Amrinder’s absence, coach Bencherifa will have to choose between Arup Debnath and Moniruzzaman Ansari.

On the other hand, Vasco come into the game after a 1-1 draw in their first game with a chance to qualify for the penultimate stage.




Durand Cup: Pune FC face Vasco SC for semis berth

Avoid spreading rumours on Muharram: Delhi Police

New Delhi, Nov 3 (IANS) Delhi Police commissioner B.S. Bassi Monday appealed to the people to avoid spreading rumours during Muharram processions to be held in the city Nov 4, adding that strict action would be taken against violators.


He said: “I appeal to the people to avoid spreading any rumours. If anyone is found to be involved in such activities, they will be dealt with strictly.”

He also said that Delhi Police have collected evidence of those spreading rumours through Whatsapp and social networking sites, and have warned that legal action would be taken against anti-social elements, who get themselves involved in such activities.

“Our eyes are on Bawana, Tilokpuri and other parts of the city, which are sensitive. We have asked men to keep a tab on such areas, where the processions are to be held Tuesday,” Bassi concluded.

Tension simmered in some parts of Delhi after Hindu leaders objected to the routes of the Muharram processions, a holy march observed by Muslims every year.

Bassi told IANS at the police headquarters here: “We have made elaborate arrangements and conducted meetings with Aman Committee members and leaders of both the communities (Hindu, Muslim) to maintain peace during the Muharram processions.”

“Our Special Branch is in touch with people of both the communities so that no one is able to spread rumours,” he added.

On Sunday, Jat community leaders, in the presence of local politicians and Delhi Police officers, conducted a mahapanchayat in west Delhi’s Bawana at which they objected to the Muharram procession routes in their area.

“A month ago, we got information about some tension in Bawana but we handled the situation. The area is under control,” a police officer said.

Sources in the Delhi Police told IANS that there are few other places where people have objected to the Muharram processions in their areas.

Following the tense situation, Delhi Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung also held a meeting of Delhi Police officers.

The officers briefed him about the preparations for Muharram and also informed him about the situation in riot-hit east Delhi’s Trilokpuri where two groups of Hindus and Muslims clashed over Diwali celebrations Oct 23.




Avoid spreading rumours on Muharram: Delhi Police

Woman with Rs.10 lakh fake notes held in Bengal

Kolkata, Nov 3 (IANS) A woman was apprehended with fake Indian currency notes (FICN) totalling a face value in excess of Rs.10 lakh. The notes were recovered from her house near the Indo-Bangladesh border in West Bengal’s Malda district, the BSF said Monday.


Acting on intelligence inputs, Border Security Force (BSF) troopers Sunday night raided the house near the Churiantpur border outpost of the district.

“Upon search of the house, FICN of the face value of Rs.10,94,000 and 30 bottles of liquor were seized. The apprehended lady and the FICNs have been handed over to the local police for further investigation,” said a BSF officer.

The South Bengal Frontier of the BSF has seized more than Rs.1,20,12,500 of FICN in the current year.




Woman with Rs.10 lakh fake notes held in Bengal

Hindustan Zinc treating 30 percent of Udaipur's sewage

Udaipur, Nov 3 (IANS) Seeking to take the “Swachh Bharat” campaign of Prime Minister Narendra Modi to another level, Hindustan Zinc has set up a waste treatment plant that handles 30 percent of the sewage generated in this lake city of Rajasthan.


A part of the Vedanta Group, engaged in zinc, lead and silver business, the company’s plant treats 20 million litres of sewage each day, against the 70 million generated in this well-known tourist destination, famous for its lakes, palaces and forts.

“This sewage treatment plant has been built at a cost of Rs.170 crore and has been constructed and commissioned on design-build-own-operate-transfer mode in association with the government of Rajasthan,” the company said.

This city has seen most of its sewage is ending up in the lakes, and contamination the water, polluting the eco-system and, thereby, affecting the overall landscape and beauty of these landmarks.

The only solution seen was large-scale treatment plants that could handle such large capacities of sewage. Such plants are also seen as a move towards clean environment and preserving the grandeur of these lakes, which attract millions of tourists every year.


Besides treating the sewage, Hindustan Zinc’s treatment plant will also generate large quantity of manure to be sold by the Udaipur Municipal Corporation to the local bodies, and generate revenues of Rs.1 crore every year.

“Hindustan Zinc ha also started the work related to diverting domestic sewage pipeline into large pipe-lines that could lead to the sewage treatment plant, to reduce further flow into the lakes,” the company said.


The project is in keeping with the company’s strategy to ensure that all its facilities work on the concept of zero-discharge principle, while putting effort and research for gainful utilisation of waste generated by them.

Late last month, the company had said it has constructed 10,000 toilets in Rajasthan as part of its Maryaadaa (dignity) campaign, which will build 30,000 such units and free some 80 villages in the state from open defection.

Joining Prime Minister Modi’s Swachh Bharat Campaign, The Maryaadaa campaign was kick-started by Vedanta Group chairman Anil Agarwal. The group entered into a pact with the state government to make 80 villages free of open defecation in the next five years.




Hindustan Zinc treating 30 percent of Udaipur's sewage

10 killed in boat capsize off Istanbul coast

Ankara, Nov 3 (IANS) At least 10 people were killed and 20 went missing Monday after a boat carrying migrants capsized off Istanbul’s northern coast.


Most of the migrants who died were children, a rescue official said.

According to reports, the boat was carrying 30-40 people, Hurriyet news reported.

Six people have been rescued by Turkish coast guards and rescue teams dispatched to the area while 10 bodies were found near the site of the incident.

Meanwhile, the Istanbul governor’s office confirmed that four bodies were found in the sea as five people were rescued alive.

The accident took place near the village of Rumeli Feneri.

Seven coast guard boats, a helicopter and a special team of divers are assisting the rescue work, officials said.

Fishermen have also been assisting officials in the rescue work.

The refugees were believed to be heading for Romania.




10 killed in boat capsize off Istanbul coast

India largely lacks innovation skills (Column: Active Voice)

Entrepreneurship and innovation are intrinsically linked with growth and development of any economy. Newer ways of competing define not just innovation but are also intrinsic to the very idea of capitalism. India of late is realizing this paradigm of innovation. How real is it? There are several organizations (the likes of ISRO, DRDO, various CSIR labs, L&T) that are engaged in and are doing path-breaking work. These are in several areas like space science (the Mangalyaan mission which has been described by China as the Pride of Asia) amd technological innovations (weapon systems co-developed by L&T and Indian Navy). A grassroots innovation movement has also taken strong shape in India. Newer frameworks like ‘jugaad innovation’ have become buzzwords. There is also a paradigm of ‘Reverse Innovation’ in which companies are innovating in India or a developing world context and once the innovation has taken proper shape, introducing it to the developed market.


However, if one looks at the broader picture at the level of the country, we find that India’s performance is still poor if not outright dismal with respect to innovation. India still lags behind many smaller nations when it comes to entrepreneurship and innovation. We say this because of two fundamental reasons.


First, if one looks carefully at the numbers and global indices on innovation, one sees a totally different reality. India ranks 76th on the global innovation Index 2014 among the 143 economies considered. The index is co-published by Johnson Graduate School of Management at Cornell University, INSEAD and World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO). Similarly, with respect to IPR, India is placed last (at 25th position) by an index developed by the Global Intellectual Property Center of the US Chamber of Commerce. It points to the need for stronger IPR policy and more importantly enforcement and implementation. It will also bring in investments from countries that India desperately needs for building infrastructure and also for leveraging its demographic dividend.

Second, because of a weaker IPR regime and a host of other factors like access to venture capital, the general belief-set of the population, the downside risks of failure and the like, entrepreneurship is mostly at a nascent stage in India. While there is a constant din about entrepreneurship in business schools and the media, the rates of formal firm creation are dismally low. The numbers simply don’t add up to the hype. If one looks at the entrepreneurship data from the World Bank group, one finds that in India, on an average, we create roughly 200 times less number of firms per 1,000 working-age individuals as compared to Hong Kong. It may be due to India’s colossal workforce. But that argument also seems weak. Equally dismal are the total number of formal firm creations (limited liability firms) in India. In fact, from 2004 to 2012 the total formal firm creation in the whole of India (512,425) was lesser that Hong Kong (9,67,745). The problem also to a great extent to us appears to lie in the procedures and general awareness about formal firm creation in India. The proposal of setting up of an entrepreneurship fund of Rs. 10,000 crore by the finance minister in his maiden budget was a step in the right direction. However, it is equally pertinent to study the factors leading to low rates of entrepreneurship in detail before making allocations to boost entrepreneurship and small enterprise creation in the economy.

Despite the numbers, we have overt advertisements in TV channels taking about India’s ‘innovative’ universities, ‘innovative’ consumer durable companies and even ‘innovative’ sanitation hardware makers. One can only wonder if this is what innovation truly is. In our opinion, organizations in India have to overcome this systemic mindset of ‘branding’ themselves as innovative enterprises and try to look at the fundamentals of what innovation truly is. This will to a very great extent help them make progress with respect to truly being innovative without necessarily the need for branding.

One must look up to the likes of Schumpeter, Drucker or even most recently Christensen and Von Hippel if one wants to understand the innovation paradigm and what it truly means for organizations (both big and small) and how it has the potential to be a game-changer for any economy. A culture of innovation and entrepreneurship can not only provide better jobs, but also improve the quality of jobs and truly help India in realizing its demographic dividend.

If India wants to move ahead and boost its competitiveness, it will have to create incentives for entrepreneurship to flourish and a culture of innovation rooted in thinking rather than superficial branding. This will start with creating awareness and removing the entry barriers to both doing and more importantly creating new business.

(The article is co-authored with Sankalp Sharma, Senior Researcher at the Institute for Competitiveness, India. Amit Kapoor is Chair, Institute for Competitiveness & Editor of Thinkers. The views expressed are personal. He can be reached at amit.kapoor@competitiveness.in and tweets @kautiliya)




India largely lacks innovation skills (Column: Active Voice)

Six SP candidates file nomination for RS polls

Lucknow, Nov 3 (IANS) Six Samajwadi Party (SP) candidates Monday filed their nomination papers in Uttar Pradesh for the Rajya Sabha polls later this month.


Tanzeem Fatima, wife of state Urban Development Minister Mohammad Azam Khan, was amont those who filed their nomination papers in the presence of Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav.

The other candidates include party general secretary and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav’s cousin Ram Gopal Yadav, former prime minister Chandrashekhar’s son Neeraj Shekhar, Chandrapal Yadav, Ravi Verma, and Javed Ali.

On the basis of the party’s strength in the state assembly, all six candidates will sail through the polls for ten seats. Bharatiya Janata Party will get through one candidate while the Bahujan Samaj Party is likely to get two candidates.

Congress leader Kapil Sibal is seeking SP’s support for entry into the upper house. Having lost the 2014 Lok Sabha polls from Chandni Chowk, Sibal is likely to get the party’s support, sources said.

Rashtriya Lok Dal chief Ajit Singh is also lobbying for SP’s support. Voting will take place Nov 20 for the 10 Rajya Sabha seats from Uttar Pradesh.




Six SP candidates file nomination for RS polls

Real Sociedad sack manager Arrasate

Madrid, Nov 3 (IANS) Spanish football club Real Sociedad have sacked manager Jagoba Arrasate following the team’s 0-1 home defeat to Malaga.


The result Saturday left the side from San Sebastian in the relegation zone of the BBVA Primera Liga, second from bottom of the table and makes Arrasate the third manager to be sacked in Spain this season following Albert Ferrer (Cordoba) and Jose Luis Mendilibar (Levante), reports Xinhua.

Arrasate was named as Real Sociedad manager in the summer of 2013 after the decision by Phillipe Montainier not to continue at the club after leading them to the Champions League.

The former youth team coach led Real Sociedad into the group phase of the competition, but his lack of first team experience showed as they finished bottom of their group and suffered a poor start to the campaign.

After the turn of the year, Real Sociedad’s form improved with less matches in their fixture calendar and they eventually finished in seventh place, qualifying for this season’s Europa League as well as reaching the semi-finals of the King’s Cup where they lost in controversial fashion to Barcelona.

The summer saw the club lose striker Antoine Griezmann to Atletico Madrid and although they were able to retain players such as Carlos Vela, Sergio Canales and Esteban Granero, they were knocked out of the qualifying round of the Europa League and have so far taken just six points and won just one game (at home to Real Madrid) from 10 this season.

Former Manchester United coach, David Moyes is among the favourites to replace Arrasate and whoever the new coach is, they will debut at home to Atletico Madrid.




Real Sociedad sack manager Arrasate

Vasan rebels, floats new party

Chennai, Nov 3 (IANS) The Congress in Tamil Nadu split Monday with senior leader G.K. Vasan announcing his decision to float a new party.


“The people are looking for an alternative. We want to give an alternative in Tamil Nadu,” Vasan told reporters.

He said the new party’s name and flag will be announced at the party’s conference to be held in Trichy this month.

“Steps will be taken to register the party with the Election Commission,” he said.

Several leaders of the Tamil Nadu Congress party like Peter Alphonse, B.S. Gnanadesikan and others have joined Vasan.

Vasan said the All India Congress Committee did not act as per “our expectations” so that a Congress government could be formed in the state.

He said for 48 years the Congress party is not in power in the state and the party has a vote share of more than five percent in the state.

“We will give preference to the problems faced by the state,” Vasan said about the party’s focus.

He said the party would follow the path laid by late Congress leaders K. Kamaraj and G.K. Moopanar.

To a query, Vasan said he had campaigned for the party in all the 39 constituencies during the recent Lok Sabha elections.

Tamil Nadu Congress chief E.V.K.S. Elangovan, however, told reporters that the party will not be affected by Vasan’s exit.




Vasan rebels, floats new party

Pakistan PM vows to battle militants as Wagah toll mounts

Islamabad, Nov 3 (IANS) Pakistan Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif vowed the military operations against militants would continue till their complete elimination as the Wagah suicide bombing toll mounted to 59, a media report said Monday.


Over 110 people were bloodied and wounded, some of them critically, when a young suicide bomber blew himself up near the Wagah border.

There were conflicting reports on the blast toll. Some media reports said that the toll was 59, while others put the number of dead at 60.

The responsibility was claimed separately by the Jundullah and Tehreek-i-Taliban Pakistan-affiliated Jamaat-ul-Ahrar outfits.

Nawaz Sharif condemned the bombing and said that military operations against militants would continue till their complete elimination.

He ordered an inquiry and sought a report from Punjab Chief Minister, Shahbaz Sharif.

Punjab Law Minister, Mujtaba Shujaur Rehman claimed that the suicide bomber managed to cross four security checkposts on GT Road.

Two of the four posts had been set up after a threat was reported by the intelligence agencies Sunday morning.

The minister said the target of the bomber was the flag-lowering ceremony.

According to reports of the Punjab home ministry, 10 to 15 kg of explosives were used in the suicide bombing.

Evacuee Trust Property Board chairman Siddiqul Farooq said that the safety of over 2,000 Sikh pilgrims, who are scheduled to arrive in Lahore Tuesday for the three-day birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak, will be ensured, Dawn reported.

“The suicide attack at Wagah looks like a security lapse and I will ensure this does not happen again, particularly when over 2,000 Sikh pilgrims arrive at the Wagah railway station.

“I have also urged Railways Minister Khawaja Saad Rafique to check the trains, which will bring all the pilgrims,” Farooq was quoted as saying.

Farooq said it was possible that the target was the main ceremony area, where a large crowd had gathered.

“The suicide bomber was stopped at the second of two checkposts leading to the ceremony area, where he blew himself up. It was possible that the terrorist reached the spot through the nearby fields.”




Pakistan PM vows to battle militants as Wagah toll mounts

Sunday, November 2, 2014

BJP wants fresh polls in Delhi

New Delhi, Nov 3 (IANS) The BJP has decided it will not form a government in Delhi and fresh polls should be held, party sources said Monday.


BJP sources said Delhi BJP President Satish Upadhyay met Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung Monday morning.

Upadhyay, according to sources, conveyed BJP’s point of view in the meeting.

The LG’s office, however, refused to comment.

Jung will Monday meet representatives from the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) and Congress to decide on government formation. Though Upadhyay met the Lt governor in the morning, the BJP is also scheduled to meet Najeeb Jung in the evening.

BJP sources added they expect the election to be held by February next year.

The BJP-Shiromani Akali Dal combine has 29 seats in the 70-member Delhi Assembly.

The alliance won 32 seats in the December elections, short of a majority. Since then, three BJP legislators were elected to the Lok Sabha in the general elections.

AAP, the second largest party, has 28 legislators.




BJP wants fresh polls in Delhi

Delhi LG invites all parties to discuss government formation

New Delhi, Nov 3 (IANS) Delhi Lt. Governor Najeeb Jung Monday invited all parties to discuss the possibility of government formation in Delhi, informed sources said.


“We have been called at 5.45 p.m.,” Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) leader Manish Sisodia told IANS.

Congress legislator Haroon Yusuf also confirmed receiving Jung’s invite and said they are likely to meet him at 3.45 p.m.

Sources in the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), the single largest party in the Delhi assembly, said that their meeting is likely to be held Monday evening at Raj Bhavan.

Jung Oct 29 said he would meet all party leaders to discuss the possibility of government formation in the capital.

The development came a day after the Supreme Court expressed displeasure at the central government’s delay in ensuring a new government in Delhi which has been under President’s Rule since Feb 17.

The national capital has been without an elected government since February, when the AAP government quit.

After three BJP legislators were elected to the Lok Sabha in May, the effective strength of the assembly came down to 67 from the original 70.

The BJP’s tally also got reduced to 28 from 31. It has the support of a lone Akali Dal legislator.

After expelling Vinod Kumar Binny from the party, the AAP is left with 27 legislators.

The Congress has eight legislators. There is one independent legislator and one from the Janata Dal-United.




Delhi LG invites all parties to discuss government formation

'Security of Sikh pilgrims visiting Lahore to be ensured'

Islamabad, Nov 3 (IANS) The security of over 2,000 Sikh pilgrims, who are scheduled to arrive in Lahore city via the Wagah railway station Tuesday for the three-day birth anniversary celebrations of Guru Nanak, will be ensured, an official said Monday.


“The suicide attack at Wagah looks like a security lapse and I will ensure this does not happen again, particularly when over 2,000 Sikh pilgrims arrive at the Wagah Railway Station,” Evacuee Trust Property Board (ETPB) Chairman Siddiqul Farooq said.

“I have also urged Railways Minister, Khawaja Saad Rafique to check the trains, which will bring all the pilgrims,” Dawn online quoted Farooq as saying.

Over 110 people were injured Sunday when a teenaged suicide bomber blew himself up at the Wagah border.

There were conflicting reports on the blast toll. Some media reports said that the toll was 59, while others put the number of dead at 60.

Farooq said it was possible that the target was the main ceremony area, where a large crowd had gathered.

“The suicide bomber was stopped at the second of two checkposts leading to the ceremony area, where he blew himself up,” he added.

When asked how the incident took place despite an intelligence report of a young suicide bomber having entered Lahore Sunday, Farooq said law enforcement agencies were doing their best to avoid any untoward incident.

“But when a large crowd gathers somewhere, no one expects a terrorist entering from anywhere,” he said.

“It was possible that the terrorist reached the spot through the nearby fields,” he added.

“I don’t believe that the incident may result in cancellation of the Sikh celebrations”.

“I would contact Indian authorities and assure them of best security and logistic arrangements for the pilgrims during their stay in Pakistan,” he concluded.

The pilgrims would visit the Nankana Sahib gurudwara, Hassan Abdal and other cities to pay respects to their religious and spiritual leaders.




'Security of Sikh pilgrims visiting Lahore to be ensured'

IPL probe: Mudgal committee submits final report to SC

New Delhi, Nov 3 (IANS) The Supreme Court appointed Justice Mukul Mudgal committee Monday submitted its final report of its investigation into the allegations of betting and spot-fixing in the 2013 edition of Indian Premier League (IPL).


The committee, which investigated the allegations against sidelined BCCI chief N. Srinivasan, who is still the International Cricket Council (ICC) chairman, and 12 others submitted the report in a sealed cover.

An apex court bench headed by Justice T.S. Thakur, before which senior counsel Raju Ramachandran submitted the report Monday, said that it will be taken up for hearing as scheduled Nov 10.

In the course of the last hearing , the court gave the Justice Mudgal committee another two months time to complete its probe.

Delhi Police were the first to bust the scandal after they arrested three Rajasthan Royals cricketers – S. Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet Chavan – in a midnight raid in Mumbai.

Mumbai police also unearthed betting links after they arrested Gurunath Meiyappan, son-in-law of Srinivasan, and Bollywood actor Vindu Dara Singh.

In October last year, the Supreme Court appointed a three-member committee, headed by former High Court judge Mukul Mudgal and comprising additional solicitor general L. Nageswara Rao and senior advocate Nilay Dutta.

The court told the panel to conduct an independent inquiry into the allegations of corruption against Meiyappan, India Cements, and Rajasthan Royals team owner owner Raj Kundra and also asked them to look into the involvement of players.

In March, the Supreme Court suspended Srinivasan as BCCI president following two reports submitted by Mudgal Committee and a sealed envelope containing 13 names in February.

The court in its interim order stated that Srinivasan be replaced by former cricketers Sunil Gavaskar and Shivlal Yadav.

Gavaskar was given charge of IPL affairs while former Test spinner Shivlal Yadav was entrusted with non-IPL issues.

The Supreme Court, in May, gave the Mudgal committee greater powers to investigate the contents of the sealed envelope that it had provided the apex court along with the report.

A group of investigators headed by senior IPS officer B.B. Mishra assisted the Mudgal Committee, which was given the power to probe, search and seize relevant documents and record evidence, though not the power to arrest.

The court had said that the Mudgal panel would also be assisted by Delhi, Mumbai and Chennai police and it will not reveal anything regarding the investigation to others and the media and will maintain absolute confidentiality.

The Mudgal panel, which was asked to submit a report by August-end, seeked a two-month extension to complete its probe, which was granted by the Supreme Court.

In another setback for the BCCI, the board was forced to postpone its Annual General Meeting (AGM) after the Supreme Court Sep 1 ignored pleas to reinstate Srinivasan as its president.

The court also referred to an earlier order by Justice A.K. Patnaik saying Srinivasan “could not come back as BCCI president as long as the probe is on”.

The BCCI will have its eyes fixed on Supreme Court’s next date of hearing Nov 10 that could very well decide Srinivasan’s future as a cricket administrator




IPL probe: Mudgal committee submits final report to SC

Nanobodies to help out in boosting immunity

New York, Nov 3 (IANS) Targetting difficult-to-reach areas affected by disease could become a lot easier as researchers have developed a new system to make nanobodies, the efficient tiny cousins of antibodies, the defensive proteins deployed by the immune system, more accessible.


Nanobodies could be much more efficient than antibodies in attacking diseased cells, but scientist have so far lacked an efficient way of identifying the nanobodies, which are more closely tuned to their targets.

“Nanobodies have tremendous potential as versatile and accessible alternatives to conventional antibodies, but unfortunately current techniques present a bottleneck to meeting the demand for them,” said study author Michael Rout from the Rockefeller University in the US.

“We hope that our system will make high-affinity nanobodies more available, and open up many new possible uses for them,” Rout added.

The study was conducted using llamas. They were injected with foreign proteins.

“The key was to figure out a relatively fast way of determining the genetic sequences of the antibodies that bind to the targets with the greatest affinity. Up until now obtaining these high-affinity sequences has been something of a holy grail,” said Brian Chait, professor at the Rockefeller University.

“Once those sequences are obtained, it is easy to engineer bacteria to mass produce the antibodies,” Chait added.

The researchers determined partial sequences of the amino acids that made up the protein of the nanobodies with a technique known as mass spectrometry.

Using a computer algorithm called ‘llama magic’, the researchers matched the composition of the highest affinity nanobody with the original genetic sequence.

The study appeared in the journal Nature Methods.




Nanobodies to help out in boosting immunity

Hope to reach masses with 'Savaale Samaali': Ashok Selvan

Chennai, Nov 3 (IANS) After two Tamil thrillers “Pizza 2: Villa” and “Thegidia, which catered mostly to multiplex audiences, actor Ashok Selvan hopes to reach masses with upcoming comedy entertainer “Savaale Samaali”.


“I was getting typecast in serious roles. Even if you look at ‘Soodhu Kavvum’, I played a serious character and I hardly laugh in it. That’s when I decided to try my hands at comedy. I’m doing ‘Savaale Samaali’ because I really liked the script,” Ashok told IANS.

“I guess ‘Savaale Samaali’ will help me reach the masses. It has come out very well and I’m extremely confident about it. It’s the kind of film that will entertain everybody,” he said.

Directed by Satyasiva, the film features Bindu Madhavi in the lead.

Ashok has also started shooting for Tamil actioner “Varai Padam”, in which he’s attempting a “full-length action role” for the first time in his career.

With back-to-back hits, he says “it’s nice” to get identified by people.

“The best part about the success as an actor is when you go out and people identify you. When I’m in public, people smile at me and wave out to me. I was recently shooting in Switzerland for ‘Savaale Samaali’, and people there came and spoke to me. They were so happy to see me. I think I get a high when I make people happy,” he said.

Ashok will soon be doing another film to be produced by C.V. Kumar. It will be his fourth film with the producer.

He says he doesn’t mind when people typecast him as a product of the filmmaker.

“People always keep asking me why I only work in C.V. Kumar’s films. But they should understand that when I approached others for work, nobody gave me a break. He gave me an opportunity to act, and then made me a hero,” he said.

“All my three films so far have been under his banner, but I’ve branched out with my next film. I plan to do more films for other producers as well,” he added.




Hope to reach masses with 'Savaale Samaali': Ashok Selvan

BSF recovers 22 kg of heroin in Punjab

Amritsar, Nov 3 (IANS) Border Security Force (BSF) troopers recovered 22 kg of heroin valued at Rs.110 crore in the international market in Punjab’s Freozepur district along the India-Pakistan border, an officer said Monday.


This is the second major seizure of heroin by the BSF in Punjab in the past 24 hours.

BSF troopers had killed an Indian smuggler in exchange of fire and also recovered 22 kg of heroin in the Gurdaspur sector Sunday morning.

The latest heroin recovery was made near the Ulluke border outpost in Ferozepur sector, the officer said.

Till Sunday, the BSF had recovered over 305 kg of heroin during this year in the Punjab sector.

Punjab has a 553-km-long, fenced international border with Pakistan.




BSF recovers 22 kg of heroin in Punjab

San Lorenzo defeat Boca Juniors in Argentine tournament

Buenos Aires, Nov 3 (IANS) San Lorenzo won their fourth consecutive match by defeating Boca Juniors in the 14th matchday of Argentina’s Transicion football tournament.


Uruguayan Martin Cauteruccio and Argentine Gonzalo Veron scored the two goals in the 51st and 56th minutes that gave San Lorenzo the victory, in the match played in ‘Nuevo Gasometro’ stadium here Sunday, reports Xinhua.

With this result, San Lorenzo reached 17 points while Boca with 23 now have few possibilities to win the tournament.

On the other hand, due to bad weather the game between Tigre (17) and Lanus (27) in the northern region of Greater Buenos Aires, was suspended. The score was 0-0 at the end of the first half.




San Lorenzo defeat Boca Juniors in Argentine tournament

India needs to act with Indonesia for Indo-Pacific security (Comment)

“This is the time to return to Jalesveva Jayamahe (in the ocean we will triumph). For too long, we’ve neglected the seas, oceans, straits and bays… We must possess the soul of Cakrawarti Samudra (emperor of the sea),” Joko Widodo, the newly sworn-in president of Indonesia said in his inaugural address last month, outlining his vision of turning the archipelagic nation the world’s “maritime axis”.


Joko’s sea-centric speech placed his country instantly in the same wavelength as the US rebalancing, China’s Silk Road initiative and India’s Act East policy, as he has also sought greater engagement with multilateral maritime groupings like the Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) that Indonesia is likely to lead at the end of 2015.

During the election campaign, Joko and his running mate Jusuf Kalla had released a Vision Mission (Visi Misi), a policy platform that indicated expanding engagement in the Indo-Pacific, viewing the region as a single geopolitical and strategic entity. Also, it articulated the concept of “dynamic equilibrium” that envisioned cooperation with major powers for inclusive regional development and, as some analysts say, the development of a counterweight to China’s assertiveness in the South China Sea.

Retno Marsudi, the new foreign minister, has now said that her office would focus on realizing the president’s vision in the next five years.

And Joko himself is expected to talk about his vision this month in multilateral fora like the ASEAN Summit and the 9th East Asia Summit (EAS) in Myanmar capital Naypyidaw, where Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi will have an opportunity to interact with him.

Both leaders have a few things in common. They have worked their way up to national politics from underprivileged backgrounds and the provinces. If one calls himself a ‘chaiwallah’, the other is a “furniturewallah”, who jokes that his face looks like that of a street food vendor. More importantly, their views on governance and policy-making, particularly emphasis on economic diplomacy, fixing the domestic infrastructure and harnessing demographic dividends, are quite similar, although their approaches may vary.

Modi had in a message wished Joko success and pledged India’s partnership in realizing his goals. It will be interesting to watch how the two leaders vibe, as Joko recently said, “The most important thing is meeting leaders face to face and develop those relationships.”

But more than the personal meeting, it is the convergence of strategic interest that would bind the two neighbours. A spread out archipelago of 13,500 islands, Indonesia is less than 100 nautical miles from India’s Nicobar Islands and sits astride the world’s busiest shipping lane in the Strait of Malacca where both seek to ensure freedom of navigation and safeguard maritime security.

Joko’s strategic plan to place Indonesia as the global maritime axis is expected to promote connectivity between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific and thereby stability in the region. Leonard C. Sebastian and Emiraza Adi Sayilendra of the Nanyang Techonological University say Joko’s idea follows the strategy adopted by the 7th century Srivijaya kingdom, when all trade between West and East Asia passed through the sea ports that were dominated by Srivijaya. The kingdom’s ability to protect the sea lanes from pirates legitimized its position as the maritime axis of the world.

Now Indonesia seeks to secure important choke points in the Indian Ocean such as Malacca, Sunda and Lambok Straits. Joko’s vision and Indonesia’s earlier proposal for an Indo-Pacific “Treaty of Friendship and Cooperation” supposes cooperation with countries like India on transnational security challenges.

This jells well with India’s own maritime security policy. Ninety percent of world trade flows by sea and a majority of that through the vulnerable straits of Malacca, Singapore and Taiwan. India’s dependence on the sea for import of energy resources, critical to economic growth, and its growing trade force it to play a more effective role in the region. India is looking to the South China Sea as a source of energy. It signed an agreement with Vietnam last month to prospect new fields, besides exploring the two blocks off the Vietnam coast. India also extended a $100 million credit line to Hanoi to buy offshore patrol vehicles and is helping the country build its defence capabilities.

The Modi government has effected a substantive shift in India’s approach to the region in turning the “Look East” to an “Act East” policy. Modi amplified this during Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung’s October 27-28 visit, saying India has “shared interest in maritime security, including freedom of navigational commerce and peaceful settlement of maritime disputes in accordance with international law.”

And that is why, he said, his government has “purposefully intensified engagement in the Asia-Pacific region.” A major policy plank of the Modi government is integrating the subcontinent with the markets of Southeast and East Asia.

India and Indonesia share a strategic partnership inked in 2007. During former prime minister Manmohan Singh’s summit meeting with then president Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono last year, the two countries agreed to adopt a five-pronged initiative that included defence and security cooperation and cooperation in responding to common challenges. A year later that looks a tall order. Rizal Sukma, director of Jakarta’s Centre for Strategic and International Studies, who worked within Joko’s transition team, says “the relationship has not reached half its potential.”

And this is something for Modi to think about, as the high-stake game hots up in the Indo-Pacific.

(03.11.2014 – Saroj Mohanty is a vetaran journalist and analyst. The views expressed are personal. He can be contacted at saroj.m@ians.in <mailto:saroj.m@ians.in> )




India needs to act with Indonesia for Indo-Pacific security (Comment)

ION OF SEVERAL RESORTS ,ANTIGUA AND BARBUDA

                                


In addition, the Morris Bay resort will see the construction of a high end resort valued at US$120Million and Barbuda will benefit from a US$250M luxury resort for high net worth individuals. The property will be developed by a renown American Celebrity and an Australian Billionaire. 

Our Government pledged to treat Barbuda and Barbudans as our co-equals and we will ensure that Barbuda is developed concurrently with Antigua. This US$250M investment project will change the economic land scape of Barbuda for the better, providing investment opportunities and hundreds of sustainable jobs for Barbudans.

These and several other smaller properties, will break ground in 2015, stimulating economic growth and development, thereby reversing the many years of economic misfortune.

The cruise and cargo ports will be expanded and modernized to facilitate increased trade.  Through assertive leadership, my government in partnership with members in the private sector have been instrumental in attracting more tourists to the island.  2015 will see a significant increase in cruise arrivals, as well as, an increase in stay over visitors.

And 500 new homes will be built in 500 days across the nation.

To date, we have incorporated the National Housing & Urban Renewal Company, a wholly owned government corporation and have capitalized the company primarily through private grant funding, with an initial EC$13M, and a further EC$7 million to follow in  a few weeks, bringing the initial capital to EC$20 Million.

The company is presently acquiring and developing land to commence construction in a few weeks.

National Housing will serve as a development company and will also be involved in contracting activities in the public sector to assist with the repairs and maintenance of government buildings. 

Government properties that are to be rehabilitated, including the Police Headquarters, the Newgate Street Police Station Building, and Government House.

Our Administration has requested concessionary funding of US$40 million from the Government of Mexico to assist in housing renewal and expansion.  We are determined to rid the landscape of all those dilapidated homes that are littered across the country.

It is expected that National Housing will provide several hundred jobs for citizens and residents before the end of the year and thousands of jobs in the near future.

The new University College of Antigua and Barbuda will be launched at Five Islands, a site to which the Antigua State College will be relocated.

The old State College site will become a Secondary School to meet growing demand.  In excess of six million dollars will be invested in the decrepit structure that stands unfinished on the college compound.  Construction is expected to commence before the end of the year.

Presently, we are pursuing sustainable strategies to resolve the water crisis that has plagued our country for the past year.  This includes the acquisition of a mobile reverse osmosis plant to service the English Harbour area, as well increased production from, SembCorp and APUA existing water production facilities.

We will rebuild our country.  We will provide hundreds of jobs within our first few months in office.  We will put our people back to work and provide them with good quality housing.

And, in that rebuilding there is a place for every willing citizen and resident of our country. No one will be left behind.

One of the architects of the new Antigua and Barbuda is the venerable, emeritus leader of the Antigua & Barbuda Labour Party, the Honourable Lester Bryant Bird.

Sir. Lester was an outstanding athlete during his youth. He was an outstanding cricketer, a footballer, and he earned his spurs in high jump and long jump. He subsequently graduated from Grays Inn, London, as a lawyer before returning home to Antigua to practice law. He served our country in excess of 40 years as a Parliamentarian, including18 as Deputy Prime Minister and 10 as Prime Minister.

The Honourable Lester Bryant Bird is a heroic figure in our recent history. Unarguably, he has made the second single largest contribution to the socio-economic advancement of our country.

He is the father of modern Antigua & Barbuda.

In recognition of his contribution and keeping with the authority vested in the Prime Minister by The National Honours (Amendment) Act 2000, the Governor General has been advised, with the concurrence of Cabinet and the Honours Committee, to confer upon this great citizen of Antigua and Barbuda, during the 33rd Anniversary of our country’s Independence, the honour of Knight Companion of the Most Exalted Order of National Hero.

I am certain that Antiguans and Barbudans consider Sir Lester most deserving of this honour and also share the enormous outpouring of love and admiration that we all hold for this outstanding son of the soil.

He will enjoy his flowers while still alive.

My fellow Antiguans and Barbudans, Independence is not just a word or a concept.
Independence is what gives us the right to make our own decisions as a nation; the privilege not to bend our knee to any but God; the opportunity to claim our entitlements in the international community and to resist the pressures and demands of external forces.

But, we will not preserve our independence like large nations with military might; we can only defend it and enlarge it by economic success.  
 That is why we all have to work together; strive together and achieve together.  That is why we must work in unison in the transformation of our country into an economic powerhouse in the Caribbean.
 Independence is a time for rejoicing and reflection on past challenges and achievements.
 It is also a time to look to the future.
 The Antigua and Barbuda we want for our children and their children is one that perpetually rises – producing jobs, and communities free of crime.
 We want an Antigua and Barbuda where everyone can share in prosperity; where opportunities are available to all who are willing.
 Achieving those worthy goals is within our capacity and within our reach.
 Let us make this 33rd Anniversary of Independence, a celebration of Team Antigua and Barbuda, and all that our nation can achieve as one.
 I am happy to lead this team and to lead by example of hard work, sharp focus and a resolve to deliver.
 I invite you all to join me, in what for all of us, will be an exciting, dynamic and wholly beneficial journey in the advancement of our nation.

God bless our beautiful twin island state.



Saturday, November 1, 2014

Anotherr Burkina Faso army officer seizes power

Ouagadougou, Nov 1 (IANS) Burkina Faso’s senior military officer Isaac Zida, who was in command of the presidential guard, Saturday announced he has seized power as head of state during the interim period.


“I now assume… the responsibilities of head of the transition and of head of state to assure the continuation of the state” and a “smooth democratic transition”, Xinhua cited Col. Zida as saying in a statement aired by a local television station.

Zida said an interim body would be established in order to restore constitutional order.

He also ordered the closure of borders and announced the invalidation of a statement made Friday by the country’s army chief Nabere Honore Traore stating he has assumed power as head of state on a transitional basis.

Traore’s declaration was rejected by demonstrators and sparked waves of protests Friday.

On Thursday, hundreds of thousands of people turned out in the streets of the capital to prevent members of parliament from voting to amend the constitution, a move that would have allowed 63-year-old President Blaise Compaore to compete for another term of presidency.

Compaore came to power after overthrowing his brother Thomas Sankara in a coup in 1987.




Anotherr Burkina Faso army officer seizes power

Odisha test to procure 30 lakh tonne rice in 2014-15

Bhubaneswar, Nov 1 (IANS) The Odisha cabinet headed by Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik Saturday approved the procurement of 30 lakh tonnes of rice in 2014-15, an official said.


Food Supply and Consumer Affairs Secretary Madhusudan Padhi said that normal paddy would be procured from farmers at Rs.1,360 per quintal while Grade I paddy would be procured at Rs.1,400 per quintal.

The government has also decided to have a facility to store paddy on a temporary basis. It has decided to store 10 lakh metric tonne (MT) of paddy this year in cover and plinth (CAP) storage locations under open sky.

The Odisha State Civil Supplies Corporation will manage the CAP storage locations in the state. About 100 locations will be identified in all the districts of the state, said Chief Secretary G.C. Pati.

The quantum of paddy procurement has grown from about 12 lakh MT in 2003-04 to 36.7 lakh MT in 2012-13.

However, despite an upfront investment of about Rs.6,000 crores annually, the effective control of paddy procurement has remained with the millers because all paddy is delivered to them with very little security.




Odisha test to procure 30 lakh tonne rice in 2014-15