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India, Pak to ease cross-border travel
Nobel laureate Hargobind Khorana dead
Bhanwari devi case |
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Centre non-committal on Kingfisher bailout
‘Restrain 147 individuals from functioning as cable operators’
Over 90% support to Jan Lokpal in star constituencies: Team Anna
BJP workers hurl shoes at Varun’s cavalcade
Deve Gowda under fire for ‘threatening’ probe officer
Why is Rahul’s ire limited to UP, asks Mayawati
Tigers kill two in Kaziranga
Fresh curbs on tobacco use in TV programmes, films
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India, Pak to ease cross-border travel
New Delhi, November 12 At their meeting in the Maldives earlier this week, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his Pakistani counterpart Yousuf Raza Gilani expressed their resolve to put the visa agreement in place shortly. Senior officials of the two countries finalised the draft of the agreement in October, pending approval by their political leaderships. Though both sides are keeping the draft of the agreement under wraps, informed sources said the new regime proposes issuing six-month visas for social visits, and not a maximum of three weeks as of now, and a one-year visa with multiple entries for senior citizens, eminent persons, women of one country married to men in the other country and their children aged below 18. It also proposes that
senior citizens (above 65) will be given visa on arrival if they choose to travel
by road. Another significant proposal favours group tourism for up to 30 days, but with a condition that such travel be conducted by registered travel agents and the group comprises over 10 persons. The agents will register the group on arrival and departure with police stations of places to be visited. As of now, the two countries have been issuing visas restricted to social visits and pilgrimage and that too for travelling to the specified place and not anywhere else. Businessmen registered by trade bodies of the
two countries could be given multiple-entry visas for one year. Both sides will also allow transit visa
for 36 hours to their respective citizens. The business chambers in both countries have been complaining that giving them city-specific visa only hampers their movement when they visit each other’s country. India and Pakistan presently have a visa
system under which they give visas for a maximum of three cities to each other’s citizens. For example, a businessman from India cannot travel to Rawalpindi if does
not have visa for the city, which is just about 15 km from Islamabad. Similarly, a Pakistani businessman cannot go to Noida or Gurgaon if he does not have the visa for the two cities which are close to Delhi and have emerged as favourite destinations for corporate honchos from across the world. The business lobby has also suggested upgrading the physical infrastructure on the Wagah border, including installation of sophisticated X-ray machines through which trucks can pass.
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Nobel laureate Hargobind Khorana dead
Washington, November 12 He won the Nobel Prize in 1968, sharing it with two others, for unravelling the nucleotide sequence of RNA and deciphering the genetic code. He was then with the University of Wisconsin (UW). He is survived by his daughter, Julia, and son, Dave. Born in 1922, in a small village called Raipur in Punjab, which is now in Pakistan, Khorana is known as a scientist who revolutionised biochemistry with his pioneering work in DNA chemistry. “The work that he did in Wisconsin from 1960 to 1970 continues to propel new scientific discoveries and major advances,” said Aseem Ansari, professor of biochemistry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison where Khorana taught and did research from 1960 to 1970 before moving to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT). At Wisconsin, Khorana, along with his colleagues, worked out mechanisms of RNA codes for the synthesis of proteins, which won him the Nobel Prize. He shared the prize with Robert Holley of Cornell University and Marshall Nirenberg of the National Institutes of Health. Khorana was among the pioneers of the now-familiar series of three-nucleotide codons that signal to the cell which amino acids to use in building proteins - for example, uracil-cytosine-uracil, or UCU, codes for the amino acid serine, while CUC codes for leucine, MIT said. “Gobind was a brilliant, path-breaking scientist, a wise and considerate colleague, and a dear friend to many of us at MIT,” said Chris Kaiser, MacVicar Professor of Biology and head of the Department of Biology, in an email announcing the news. In a statement released by MIT, Khorana’s daughter, Julia Khorana, said her father loved mentoring young scientists. Inspired by Khorana’s story in 2007, UW-Madison faculty members Ansari and Ken Shapiro established the Khorana Scholars Programme to enable exchange of top students between select Indian research institutions and UW-Madison. According to his biography issued by the MIT, Khorana attended high school in the nearby city of Multan before enrolling in Punjab University, where he received his bachelor’s degree in 1943 and master’s in 1945, both in chemistry and biochemistry. He received a fellowship from Indian government to study at University of Liverpool in the UK, where he received his PhD in 1948. Khorana did postdoctoral work at Switzerland’s Federal Institute of Technology. —
PTI
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Bhanwari devi case
Jaipur/Jodhpur, November 12 Maderna, who was grilled by CBI for two consecutive days but skipped questioning in connection with the case today citing ill-health, was suspended by Rajasthan Pradesh Congress Committee (RPCC) president Dr Chandrabhan. Action against Maderna was on the cards, with the RPCC contemplating action after a CD purportedly showing him in a compromising position with Bhanwari came into the public domain. The controversy involving Maderna has hit the Ashok Gehlot government amid calls by opposition BJP for the Chief Minister’s resignation. Maderna’s suspension in an apparent clean-up act by the Congress came hours after another minister Ramlal Jat resigned in the wake of a media report in which allegations were levelled against him. The report alleged that Jat, Minister of State for Forest and Environment, had tried to pressurise the Bhilwara district administration to conduct post-mortem on a woman in the middle of the night in September. Paras Devi, wife of the Bhilwara Dairy chairman Ratanlal Jat, died in mysterious circumstances in a hospital, according to the report in a vernacular daily. CBI continued questioning Congress MLA Malkhan Singh and Maderna's wife Lila for the second consecutive day in Jodhpur in connection with Bhanwari case. Lila defended her husband, claiming he is innocent and that the CD in question is fabricated. Maderna, who was asked to come today for the third consecutive day for questioning, failed to turn up and sent a medical certificate to the concerned CBI officials here, agency sources said today. After getting the certificate, CBI exempted Maderna from questioning on health grounds. Malkhan was grilled along with Lila at the Circuit House in Jodhpur for nearly six hours, officials said. Lila, who had yesterday accused the media of trying to target her husband, told reporters that the CD in question was aimed at "maligning the legacy of her family by their rivals". She claimed she had no clue of any relationship between Bhanwari and her husband, adding that even if they were in a relationship, "it was not an offence and an act of mutual consent". A CD purportedly showing Maderna and Malkhan in compromising position with Bhanwari. —
PTI
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Centre non-committal on Kingfisher bailout
New Delhi, November 12 “This is to clarify that no such bailout package is pending before the Government nor has been proposed by Ministry of Civil Aviation for Kingfisher Airlines,” Ravi said. Sources said the government had decided to leave the airline to fend for itself, at least for now, even as promoter of the airline Vijay Mallya indirectly blamed the government for his woes, tweeting, “Every government has gone out of the way to support airlines and connectivity. In India, airlines are over-taxed and over-charged. Wonder why?” He also wanted to know: “Is it Kingfisher’s duty to fly on loss-making routes when state governments tax heavily? Or should we be financially prudent and fly profitably?” For the Congress-led UPA, it will not be an easy task to provide succour to the ailing airline. Not just BJP, Left parties have also criticised Ravi for even contemplating a bailout package for an airlines identified with the flashy lifestyle of its owner. “How can the government think of a bailout package for Kingfisher when it has done nothing to ensure universal public distribution for food security or to ensure subsidy on diesel and kerosene?” CPM leader Nilotpal Basu questioned. Mallya has sought the Finance Ministry’s help on loans’ restructuring even though the airline officially maintains that it has only asked banks to increase limits in order to meet escalating operations costs. Analysts however say any possible government intervention through state-owned banks may help the airline tide over the problem for a short while but it was unlikely to resolve issues on a long-term basis.
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‘Restrain 147 individuals from functioning as cable operators’
Madurai, November 12 Guild president A Pandi, in his petition, also prayed to quash the registration of 147 cable operators with Arasu Cable TV corporation between May 1 and Sept 7 with respect to various areas in the city. Pandi said that the guild was registered under the Tamil Nadu Societies Registration Act, 2001. There were 262 members in the guild functioning as Cable operators under Cable TV Networks (Regulation) Act 1995, the objective of which was to regulate haphazard mushrooming of cable TV operators.
— PTI
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Over 90% support to Jan Lokpal in star constituencies: Team Anna
New Delhi, November 12 According to a statement by Team Anna, 96.5 per cent of people said they would not vote for their representative in the next elections if he or she did not support the Jan Lokpal Bill within the Standing Committee as well as Parliament. Civil society members claimed that 99.5 per cent of the one lakh persons surveyed in Sonia Gandhi’s constituency, Rae Bareily, supported the Jan Lokpal Bill while 98.3 per cent supported the proposed law in Rahul Gandhi’s constituency Amethi. In Congress leader Manish Tiwari’s constituency, Ludhiana, 95.8 per cent people said they wanted their MP to support Jan Lokpal, the group claimed. In Ghaziabad, the constituency of BJP leader Rajnath Singh, 94.4 per cent voters maintained that they would not vote him again if he did not support Jan Lokpal in Parliament. Similarly, 91.8 per cent of the electorate in Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh’s constituency supported Jan Lokpal while 97 per cent people of Ambedkar Nagar, the constituency of BSP leader Rakesh Pandey, supported it. In Lalu Prasad’s Chhapra in Bihar, the figure was 94.3 per cent. The referendum was carried out in 16 constituencies from September 25.
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BJP workers hurl shoes at Varun’s cavalcade
Bareilly, November 12 The workers showed black flags to the MP and hurled shoes at his cavalcade, sources said. Organiser of the programme and chairman of the Parishad Kunwar Ravindra Singh Rathore said the programme was fixed by BJP and the workers got agitated due to Gandhi's "refusal" to attend the programme. — PTI
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Deve Gowda under fire for ‘threatening’ probe officer
Bangalore, November 12 While former Chief Minister and BJP leader BS Yeddyurappa has continued to remain under the spotlight with regard to the issue of corruption - the latest accusation against him being that he has got the Lokayukta ADGP JK Gaonkar transferred to derail the investigations against him by the Lokayukta police - former PM Deve Gowda also has been accused of an act that is no less serious. Deve Gowda allegedly threatened Gaonkar against going tough on investigations into his son HD Balakrishne Gowda’s disproportionate assets case. This follows HD Kumaraswamy’s midnight meeting with CID chief Shankar Bidari. Bidari has been asked by the BJP government in the state to probe an irrigation scam that dates back to Deve Gowda’s term as Karnataka Chief Minister. Addressing a press conference here today, the former Prime Minister admitted having spoken to Gaonkar but denied having threatened him. “It is true that I have said that limits are being overstepped. There is a limit to everything. But I didn't threaten him,” Gowda said. Gaonkar was transferred from the post two days ago as ADGP Administration. Former Lokayukta Santosh Hedge, who had nailed Yeddyurappa in his report on illegal mining, has criticised Gaonkar’s transfer and said it was done at Yeddyurappa’s behest. However, as it turns out, the transfer of the upright cop will please Deve Gowda too. Gowda’s indiscretion in having called up the ADGP has given opportunity to the BJP to train guns at the JD(S) supremo who, in any case, does not enjoy a particularly good reputation as far as corruption is concerned. Excise minister MP Renukacharya and BJ Puttaswamy, political secretary of former Chief Minister BS Yeddyurappa, have demanded the immediate arrest of Gowda, Kumaraswamy and Balakrishne Gowda to ensure fair investigation into the cases involving Kumaraswamy and Balakrishne Gowda. Gaonkar also wrote to acting Lokayukta Justice SB Majage and Chief Secretary SV Ranganath saying that Gowda called him over the phone on Tuesday morning and tried to intimidate him. Gowda reportedly threatened Gaonkar with dire consequences if the probe against his son continued. Gaonkar has switched off his mobile phone and could not be contacted for comments. Balakrishne Gowda also allegedly called up Lokayukta SP Shivashankar to deliver a similar threat. Balakrishne is facing a private complaint of amassing wealth to the tune of Rs 300 crore during his tenure as a state government officer when his father and brother were in power in the state.
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Why is Rahul’s ire limited to UP, asks Mayawati
Lucknow, November 12 Clearly getting back at the Amethi MP’s recent retort during his interaction with carpet weavers in Bhadohi where he asked them why the conditions in which they live did not make them angry. “I get angry every time I visit UP,” he reportedly told the gathering earlier this month. Mayawati today chose a massive public meeting to hit out at Rahul in particular and the Congress in general. She was inaugurating Dr Shakuntala Mishra University, the state’s first university for physically challenged persons named after her close aide Satish Mishra’s mother. Once again describing Rahul Gandhi as the Congress ‘yuvraj’, the Chief Minister didn’t mince words while hitting out at him for indulging in ‘vote ki natakbazi’. “When the poor and marginalised from UP and Bihar, who go to Maharashtra and Delhi in search of a livelihood, are harassed and tortured there, the Congress yuvraj does not get angry. When feudal forces in the Congress-run state of Haryana kill Dalits in Mirchpur, the yuvraj doesn’t get angry,” said
Mayawati.
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Tigers kill two in Kaziranga
Guwahati, November 12 Jawaharlal Karmakar, 65, was killed when a tiger pounced on him and broke his spinal cord while Ganesh Orang, 17, was seriously injured by the same animal inside the national park at Haldibari under Kohora Range at around 10.45 am today. Around the same time, Krishna Ram Gogoi, 70, died in an attack by another tiger inside the national park in a fringe area at Kohoran Range. — TNS
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Fresh curbs on tobacco use in TV programmes, films
New Delhi, November 12 The new rules, notified yesterday by the Health Ministry, are the second set of rules to the existing Cigarettes and other Tobacco Products (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply and Distribution) 2011. The rules will come into effect from November 14.
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Washington, November 12
