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Manmohan issues veiled threat to neighbours
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Quake damages N-facilities in Pak Northern Areas
Abu Salem’s plea rejected
Singapore to hire air base in India
Husband entitled to get maintenance: HC
Ban on Deendar Anjuman upheld
Extremely backward castes to decide the winner
Bar girl Tarannum released from jail
Lalu admits to mistakes during
RJD rule
Haryana moots Metro rail link to Sonepat
Safe sex kits in all hotel rooms in Goa soon
TDP MLA's murder accused captured
Voting on Iran issue: Left to meet today
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Manmohan issues veiled threat to neighbours
New Delhi, November 17 In a sugar-coated but a stern message, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said: “No one can assume that when a neighbour is hurt by terrorism one can somehow remain insulated from the consequences.” “It is only in peace and in stability that we can build the foundation necessary for social development and economic growth in the region,” he said. Dr Manmohan Singh said: “Peace in the region will benefit all. Terrorism anywhere will hurt us all.” “We must join hands to put our collective house in order,” Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in a speech to business leaders a few days after returning home from a regional summit in Bangladesh. “To imagine that any one of us can pursue what economists call ‘beggar-thy-neighbour’ policies and thereby prosper is to delude oneself,” he said. Despite efforts by the seven-member South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) to break down trade barriers and woo foreign investors to underpin economic growth and fight poverty, he said this could not happen without peace. “No investor will come to this region if there is no assurance of peace and security,” he said. The two decade old SAARC has long been held hostage to simmering hostility between India and Pakistan. Trade within SAARC accounts for only about 5 per cent of the members’ total and economists doubt a free trade pact to take effect from next year will have much benefit until India and Pakistan can put aside their differences. Delivering the inaugural address at the SAARC Business Leaders Conclave, here today, Dr Singh said: “Our business community has a vital stake in regional security and in victory in the war against terror. It is only in peace and in stability that we can build the foundation necessary for social development and economic growth in the region.” Emphasising the need to move rapidly to meet the deadline for SAFTA, the Prime Minister said, “We now need to expand the ambit of SAFTA, to include trade in services, in addition to widening the scope of trade in goods. Only then will SAFTA emerge as an effective vehicle for growth and regional integration. Meanwhile, allaying aside the deadlock at the WTO, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Kamal Nath today called upon the neighbouring countries in South Asia to work out a coherent and comprehensive strategy for intensifying its efforts toward economic integration. While addressing the SAARC Conclave, organised by the FICCI and the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he said the signing of the agreement on a South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA) two years ago at Islamabad summit was a milestone and the culmination of clear commitment for the creation of a South Asian Economic Union. Mr Nath regretted that over 90 per cent of the requirements of South Asian countries were still sourced from outside the region and conversely a major part of the exports of South Asia were also destined for countries outside the group. “To make SAFTA a force to reckon with, a grouping that is respected the world over, and an economic union that is cherished by the common people of our countries, should be the goal towards which we should strive.”
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India calls for economic integration in South Asia
New Delhi, November 17 While addressing the SAARC Conclave, organised by the FICCI and the SAARC Chamber of Commerce and Industry, he said the signing of the agreement on a South Asia Free Trade Area (SAFTA) two years ago at Islamabad summit was a milestone and the culmination of clear commitment for the creation of a South Asian Economic Union. Mr Nath regretted that over 90 per cent of the requirements of South Asian countries were still sourced from outside the region and conversely a major part of the exports of South Asia were also destined for countries outside the group. “To make SAFTA a force to reckon with, a grouping that is respected the world over, and an economic union that is cherished by the common people of our countries, should be the goal towards which we should strive. We trust that the present tempo will be maintained and all these measures will be finalised before the target date set for implementing SAFTA,” he said. SAFTA is expected to come into effect from January 1, next year. The total intra-regional trade amongst SAARC countries is barely of the order of $ 7 billion or so. It is a drop in the ocean, just two per cent, when compared to the total volume of our combined international trade of over $ 350 billion, the minister said. Mr Nath said New Delhi would not show any flexibility on agriculture issues in next month's global trade talks in Hong Kong. “There will be absolutely no flexibility on agriculture,” Mr Nath earlier told a conference of economic journalists. |
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Quake damages N-facilities in Pak Northern Areas
New Delhi, November 17 Because of this Islamabad has turned away international relief teams from the region, prevented Indian Army relief work and Indian Air Force supply drops, and withdrawn the consent for Israeli assistance, fearing that Mossad agents would be infiltrated who would destroy the atomic establishments. There is 15 per cent to 20 per cent damage to Pakistani nuclear facilities and storage sites in the Northern Areas, especially in Skardu and Chitral, the portal newsinsight.net, which describes itself as a public affairs magazine, has said in its latest posting. The portal quoted “western sources” as saying that reactors had been damaged in the earthquake, missile silos had developed cracks and storage facilities had taken a hit. Since the epicentre is likely to be seismically active for another two years, these “western sources” expressed fear of further collapse of the nuclear establishments. Because of contamination hazard, a curfew has been imposed, and people of the Northern Areas are being actively prevented by the authorities from leaving the area. The Pakistani establishment’s refusal to permit international inspection of the disaster-hit areas can be better understood in the backdrop of this development. Interestingly, Pakistan has now accepted NATO deployment for relief work in the Northern Areas and PoK, but the areas of the nuclear disaster have been sealed off. The portal said at least two Pakistani nuclear facilities in the Northern Areas in Chitral and Skardu and a third establishment in a location in Doran were damaged in the high intensity earthquake. Missile silos that are reinforced to withstand tremors cracked, and several storage facilities collapsed.
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Relief train leaves for Pak
New Delhi, November 17 MEA spokesman Navtej Sarna announced the schedule for the five crossing points on LoC which are being opened for the purposes of relief material and for the crossing of people whose names have been approved. These dates have been agreed to by Pakistan. These are: Tithwal-Nauseri (Saturdays): November 19 and 26 and December 3 and 10 Poonch-Rawalakot (Mondays): November 21 and December 5 Mendhar-Tattapani (Mondays): November 28 and December 12 Uri-Chakoti (Thursdays): November 17 and December 1 Uri-Hajipur (Thursdays): November 24 and December 8. About the quake relief train, which is carrying 600 tonnes of material in 27 wagons, the spokesman said the material includes snow tents, snow sleeping bags, blankets, essential medicines and medical equipment including injections such as Pethidine for pain and X-ray machines, among others. The train left from here and is expected to reach Lahore via Attari-Wagah border on November 18 around noon. These 600 tonnes are in addition to about 300 tonnes of relief goods sent to Pakistan as official assistance in the immediate aftermath of the earthquake on October 8 and about 400 tonnes carried by 45 trucks and handed over to Pakistani authorities so far across LoC. With this consignment, the total relief material provided by India to the earthquake victims in Pakistan comes to 1300 tonnes. Apart from official support by the Government of India, several private organisations have sent relief material to Pakistan. The High Commission of Pakistan in New Delhi has also been permitted to source supplies of relief material from India. |
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Abu Salem’s plea rejected
Mumbai, November 17 Rejecting Salem’s plea, Judge Pramod Kode of the special court designated under the Terrorism and Diruptive Activities Act (TADA) ruled that the gangster’s fear of the CBI forcing a confession out of him was premature and based on speculation. The judge, however, allowed Salem to approach the CBI for permission to let his lawyer sit through the interrogation and left the final decision to the discretion of the investigative agency. HYDERABAD: The Special CBI court on Thursday remanded Monica Bedi, companion of underworld don Abu Salem, to two days’ CBI custody, a PTI report said. Judge C.V. Subramanyam had posted the order for today after hearing the petition of the CBI on Tuesday which had sought five days’ custody of Bedi for interrogation. Bedi was arrested and remanded in judicial custody till November 25.
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AWACS makes debut in Indian skies
Kalaikunda, November 17 An AWACS, with its electronic radar and surveillance equipment, is like an eye in the sky and can detect and track a large number of aircraft over a wide area. It gives commanders a complete picture of the skies and can therefore, advice and guide friendly forces to intercept hostile aircraft. “Our pilots were exposed to flying in an AWACS environment, which will help us when we induct our own AWACS,” Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command, Air Marshal F.M. Major told mediapersons here today. The IAF is expected to induct the first AWACS by 2007. The aim of the exercise, the second of its kind in two years, was to learn about each others operational concepts familiarise fighter and weapons controller with each other’s technologies and train together with AWACS. The exercise also focused on familiarising ground crew about each other’s maintenance practices and identify areas of commonality in terms of operations, administration and maintenance for future joint exercises. Besides the E-3C, the F-16 of the USAF’s 13th Fighter Squadron based at Japan took part in the exercise. The IAF fielded the SU-30, MiG-29, Mirage 2000, MiG-27 and MiG-21 aircraft. The exercise began on November 7 and deinduction would begin tomorrow. Nearly 300 sorties were flown by both sides, which included dissimilar air combat missions, basic fighter manoeuvers and large force engagements. All this while, the E-3 maintained its post in the skies. Indian pilots flew in US two-seater aircraft while US pilots experienced the feel of the stick in Indian fighter cockpits. Sorties and missions included a mix of Indian and US fighter pitted against a similar mix. Commending the efforts put in by both sides, Vice Commander of the US Pacific Air Force, Lieut-Gen D A Deptula said he had attended a number of joint exercises with other countries, but he had never seen such a better organised and executed exercise. “It will go a long way in developing mutual understanding at various level in the government as well as in the military,” he said. The US General said that the purpose was not to score over each other, but to learn and absorb. Towards this end, there was no compilation of each other’s hits or misses. |
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Singapore to hire air base in India
Kalaikunda, November 17 “Singapore is sending eight F-16 aircraft in January for carrying out their training here,” Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief, Eastern Command, Air Marshal F.M. Major told The Tribune here today. “They will stay here for about two weeks and carry out training exercises,” he added. This would be the second time in three months that Kalaikunda, which was built during the World War II, would be hosting F-16s on its tarmac. This month, US Air Force F-16s are operating from this base during Cope India 05, a joint Indo-US air exercise. Besides the Singapore Air Force following its own independent training agenda, joint exercises with the IAF are also scheduled. Singapore is a small country and hence has severe restrictions to carry out aerial maneuvers and firing air to air and air to ground weapons. It is in this context that it has approached the Indian Government. The IAF air to ground range at Dega near Kalaikunda as well as the air to air range at Chandipur-on-Sea would be utilised for training purposes. Singapore would pay the Indian Government for the use of airspace as well as facilities at the air base, including landing and parking charges. Besides rent for other infrastructural facilities, the country will also pay for fuel, lubricants and food etc. Officers said the activities of the Singapore Air Force was not likely to affect the IAF own training schedule here. |
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Husband entitled to get maintenance: HC
Lucknow, November 17 On a petition filed by Santosh Kumar Gupta seeking maintenance from his working wife on the ground that his income was too meagre to enable him to maintain himself, the Lucknow Bench of the court recently ruled that the provision of interim maintenance during proceedings of the matrimonial disputes was applicable to both spouses. The single-judge Bench headed by Justice D.P. Singh directed the wife to pay Rs 2,000 per month to Mr Kumar, an employee in the state-owned Uptron Corporation, which had been declared a sick unit following which the petitioner was getting only Rs 1,000 per month. His wife, working in a bank, gets a salary of Rs 13,000 per month, had filed the divorce petition against him in a family court. — PTI
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Ban on Deendar Anjuman upheld
New Delhi, November 17 According to an official statement, the tribunal headed by Justice R.C. Chopra of the Delhi High Court held earlier this week that it had “no hesitation in concluding that there is sufficient evidence for declaring Deendar Anjuman to be unlawful.” The Centre had imposed a ban on the organisation on May 17 and had constituted the tribunal for adjudication on June 14, which is mandatory as per the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act of 1967. The tribunal is constituted for the purpose of adjudication whether or not there was sufficient ground for declaring Deendar Anjuman as an unlawful association.
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Extremely backward castes to decide the winner
Patna, November 17 While the preference and voting behaviour of the upper castes, Dalits, Yadavas, Koreis, Kurmis and Muslims are more or less known, it is the voting option of the extremely backward castes (EBC) that will give the extra edge. For the past two weeks, local newspapers and magazines are full of advertisements of the RJD and the JD (U) seeking the support of the EBC. The JD (U) advertisement, carrying its leader Nitish Kumar’s picture, attacks the RJD supremo for having “destroyed” the EBCs during his 15-year rule. “Don’t hide truth with threatening disclaimers”, the JD (U) leader is shown to be telling the leader with the lantern (RJD’s election symbol) in advertisements. It seeks to tell the EBCs that how on 11 counts the RJD rule failed to do anything for them. Quickly responding to the main political adversary’s allegations, the RJD advertisement, carrying pictures of Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav and his wife Rabri Devi, appeals to the EBCs to see the truth themselves as 73 persons belonging to these castes had been appointed to different positions in its 15-year-rule. Telling the EBCs about various steps that the RJD took for the uplift of their lot, the RJD advertisement asks these castes to defeat the adversary’s conspiracy against them. The EBCs, constituting almost 35 per cent of the electorate, have naturally acquired significance. The majority of them till the February election were with the RJD as Mr Yadav was considered and perceived as the champion of social justice. Sensing the EBCs’ growing disillusionment with the RJD, the other parties fielded candidates from these castes in the last Assembly elections. In the February poll, 14 representatives of the EBCs had won and that is why all political parties barring the Congress have fielded EBC candidates in the present Assembly elections. While the JD (U) has given ticket to 14 EBCs, it has accused the RJD of fielding only eight persons from the EBCs in the elections. The RJD had to issue an advertisement informing that the JD (U) claim was misleading as the party had given 18 ticket to representatives of the EBCs. The LJP, the CPI (ML-L), the CPI and the CPM have given 24, 18, 2 and 2 ticket, respectively, to EBCs while the Congress has not given even one ticket. The BJP has seven from these castes in the electoral fray.
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Bar girl Tarannum released from jail
Mumbai, November 17 Tarranum was granted bail by a Sessions Court yesterday after the police failed to file a charge sheet against her within the stipulated 60 days period following her arrest. Tarranum walked out of the Byculla Central Jail here at 10 am. Outside the jail, she told journalists, “I will not talk about the case as the matter is sub judice. But I am very excited and am looking forward to meet my family after a long time.” Tarannum was arrested after Income Tax authorities found large amount of cash and property investments, disproportionate to her known sources of income during a raid on her residence. |
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Lalu admits to mistakes during
RJD rule
Patna, November 17 Amidst claims and counter-claims by the SDF, NDA and LJP to form the next government in Bihar, the campaigning for the fourth and final phase of polling for 41 seats to be held on November 19 ended here today. The paramilitary forces took positions to guard important areas in the state capital as the administration was not leaving anything to chance after Sunday’s Maoists attack in the Jehanabad jail. Both Mr Lalu Prasad and his wife, former Chief Minister Rabri Devi, today appeared before the media after 48 days of hectic campaigning schedule in the four phase of polling in Bihar. Mr Prasad claimed that the SDF was heading towards absolute majority as the NDA would continue to “feel good” only like 2004 Lok Sabha poll. Mr Prasad avoided making any direct comments on the performance of the LJP supremo and his Cabinet colleague in the UPA, Ramvilas Paswan. Ms Rabri Devi said she did not have any problem to head the government for the third time if her party and other SDF partners wanted her to do so. |
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Haryana moots Metro rail link to Sonepat
New Delhi, November 17 Confirming this to The Tribune here today, Haryana Chief Secretary Meenaxi Anand Chaudhry said the state government was in touch with the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) for a feasibility report on a Metro rail link to the north of Delhi till Kundli and further on to Sonepat. She said the state
government was also trying to work on the possibility of a direct Metro rail link to Gurgaon from the Indira Gandhi International Airport(IGIA) side, near the Dwarka sub-city. Considering that the 6.5-km extension till Dwarka, of the 22.9-km stretch from Cannaught Place to Dwarka Mor,
is expected to be ready by March 2006, it will be easier and faster for the DMRC to take the Metro rail from this side, rather than wait for a clearance from the Group of Ministers for a Metro rail link from the Mehrauli side. Though the Detailed Project Report (DPR) of the Metro rail link to the IFFCO Chowk from the Mehrauli side has been ready since November last year, the fact of the matter is that at present the Gurgaon metro rail project is in a state of limbo with hardly any progress. Considering that the IGIA is just 4.2 km
from Gurgaon, if this new proposal materialises, the Metro rail will be able to reach the hub of commercial activity of Haryana much earlier from the Dwarka side than from the Mehrauli side, as planned in the DPR. In any case, in September the Group of Ministers, while giving a go ahead to a majority of links in Phase-II, had struck down the NCR links to Noida and Gurgaon, saying that the funding patterns and the alignment of lines were not clear. Mrs Chaudhry, however, said that as far as Haryana was concerned, its funding plans for the Metro rail link till Gurgaon were very much in place, though adding that since it was part of the NCR region, Haryana should be treated on a par with Delhi. The Haryana Government’s keenness to have Metro rail links between its major NCR townships can be judged from the fact that just a couple of weeks back it agreed to sanction Rs 1.35 crore to the DMRC for link from Nangloi in west Delhi to Bahadurgarh and from Okhla in South Delhi to Faridabad. |
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Safe sex kits in all hotel rooms in Goa soon
Salcete (Goa), November 17 The proposal to provide tourists literature on HIV AIDS along with a packet of Deluxe Nirodh condoms, has been mooted by the seven-year old Goa State AIDS Control Society. The Travel and Tourism Club, an association of all hotels and beach resorts in the State has committed its support to the Goa State AIDS Control Society for this project. By ensuring availability of condoms in hotel rooms, the Society will be virtually “taking the horse to the river.” The initiative assumes significance in view of HIV AIDS related statistics in the State that has a population of 13.5 lakh. Dr Jose D’sa, Deputy Director of the Panaji based Goa State AIDS Control Society, says the total number of reported HIV AIDS cases in Goa so far is 7,200. The estimated HIV AIDS cases according to the Sentinel survey done by the Society stands at 12,000. Ninety per cent of HIV infections in Goa are due to unprotected sex. The figures of the survey are based on evidence gathered from ante natal clinics and clinics for the treatment of sexually Transmitted Diseases. Dr D’sa says that they borrowed the idea of providing safe sex kits after reading a news-story that similar kits are placed in hotel rooms in Germany, Portugal and UK. “We have already supplied 1000 condom packets to Candolim Hotel, a three-star hotel in North Goa. We supplied the condoms to Candolim Hotel in October before the tourist season. The feedback from the hotel is good and the service has been received well by the guests. At an advocacy workshop with the hotel representatives last month, some hotels volunteered to prepare the health literature while others said that they would place the safe sex kits supplied by us.” Dr D’sa said that the society will spare the condoms to the hotels and resorts from its annual supply of six lakh condoms from the State Family Welfare department. He said that the five-page literature on HIV AIDS prepared by the society answers frequently asked questions on HIV AIDS. “The literature addresses prevention of HIV infections, modes of transmission, counselling and other treatment facilities available in the State.” Non-government organisations working with Goa SACS as Rishta, Lifeline Foundation, Chart Foundation and Positive People Network is contributing to the intervention project in hotels. |
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TDP MLA's murder accused captured
Hyderabad, November 17 J. Srinivasa Reddy, alias Moddu Seenu, who confessed in a TV interview that he had killed Mr Ravi, had been absconding and was wanted by the CBI which is investigating the case. A blast occurred today at the lodge, where he was staying, injuring one person. He was immediately rushed to Gandhi Hospital, where the police identified him as the killer of the Telugu Desam MLA. Hyderabad Police Commissioner Mahender Reddy said that Seenu, who came to the city from Mumbai yesterday, booked into Supraja Hotel at Chandanagar in the outskirts of the city on a false name. “He was in the middle of making a crude bomb when the chemicals exploded. We found a revolver, 6 cartridges and a cell phone in his room,” he said. The opposition TDP alleged that Seenu, who had been evading police dragnet for the last ten months, had the blessing of some ruling party bigwigs and hence, he was allowed to escape even after he made sensational statements on the TV about his role in the killing. The self-proclaimed sharp shooter had also talked about his links with M.Suri, a Congress leader, who is alleged to have masterminded the killing from his prison cell. A team of CBI officials have started from Chennai to take him into custody. The CBI had explained to the court in Anantapur, in August last, that in spite of all its efforts and announcement of a reward of Rs one lakh for information about his whereabouts, they had failed to make any breakthrough.
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Voting on Iran issue: Left to meet today
New Delhi, November 17 The Communists, who are extending outside support to the coalition, have warned that they would have to “rethink afresh” their support if the government voted against the Islamic republic in the atomic energy meet next week. CPM general secretary Prakash Karat had stated that the Left would raise the Iran issue in Parliament and warned that the stand of Tehran had the support of 100 MPs in Parliament. The meeting of Left leaders tomorrow would focus on the strategy to be adopted in the Winter Session beginning on November 23.
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In video: India sends third
consignment of relief material for quake-ravaged Pakistan.
