|
 |
| L
A T E S T N E W S |
India makes fresh request to Switzerland seeking info on secret accounts
NEW DELHI: India has made a fresh request to Switzerland seeking bank details and names of Indians having unaccounted money in Swiss banks, as the government expands its efforts to combat the menace of black money.
The latest request has been made by the Finance Ministry after a Swiss government official recently said Switzerland was ready to cooperate proactively with India to share details on a ‘spontaneous’ basis about persons and entities suspected to have untaxed assets in Swiss banks.
“We have written to the Swiss authorities seeking details in this regard. Finance Minister Arun Jaitley had promised that such a step will be taken,” a senior Finance Ministry official told PTI.
The official said the request letter has cited the existing bilateral treaties and global protocols applicable to the two countries for getting information about bank and other details of Indians holding untaxed funds or hidden wealth.
A spokesperson for Switzerland’s Secretariat for International Financial Matters (SIF) later said Swiss authorities were in touch with
India and “Switzerland looks forward to working together with the new government of the Republic of India in its fight against tax evasion.”
The Swiss government has been reluctant to share details about the Indians named in a so-called ‘HSBC list’, which was reportedly stolen by a bank employee and later found its way to tax authorities in various countries, including India.
Despite repeated requests from India, including through at least four letters written by former Finance Minister P Chidambaram, Switzerland has maintained that its local laws prohibit administrative assistance in matters where information has been sourced illegally, including through stolen lists. — PTI
B.Tech to be 4-year course for students
admitted in 2013-14: UGC
NEW DELHI: The UGC today asked Delhi University to continue with the four-year B.Tech programme only for the students admitted during the academic year 2013-14, putting an end to uncertainty following rollback of the controversial FYUP.
The University Grants Commission (UGC) also asked DU to ensure that colleges under it, which admitted students to the four-year undergraduate programme (FYUP), obtain approval from regulatory bodies such as UGC itself and AICTE to ensure that students under FYUP are not put to any disadvantage.
Over 2,500 students are enrolled in six B.Tech programmes — Computer Science, Electronics, Food Technology, Polymer Science, Instrumentation and Electronics and Psychological Science. They have been protesting ever since the rollback of FYUP.
The UGC, in a statement, said, "Four-year B.Tech Programmes in Computer Science, Electronics, Food Technology, Instrumentation Electronics and Polymer Science {where such students were admitted in the colleges under Delhi University} and which are covered under section 22 of the UGC Act, with respect to B.Tech, may continue in these programmes only for the students already admitted for academic year 2013-14."
The Commission was, however, silent on the Psychological Science course. This programme, also with the Bachelor in Management Studies (BMS) programme, about which the commission also remained silent, are likely to be converted into three- year courses, officials said.
The directive of UGC is in line with the recommendation of its Standing Committee, which has suggested that the programme should continue in the four-year format for the students already admitted, so that there is no "prejudice" caused to their interest.
The Standing Committee had on June 23 discussed the steps for transition from FYUP to a three-year programme.
The statement said "the colleges under Delhi University, which admitted students in academic year 2013-14 for these programmes may, wherever required, obtain appropriate approval of the regulatory bodies such as UGC and AICTE and ensure that students admitted in these programmes are not put to any disadvantage".
Scores of B.Tech and BMS students of Delhi University staged a protest this morning outside the residence of Human Resource Development Minister Smriti Irani, demanding that their four-year courses should not be scrapped.
Students also threatened that if the varsity does not take care of their interest, they are ready to move court.
Under pressure from the UGC to act on its directive, DU has scrapped its FYUP and reverted to the previous three-year structure. — PTI
Chennai building collapse: Death toll rises to
9;
rescue operations on
CHENNAI: The death toll in the multi-storey building collapse near here on Sunday rose to nine as four more bodies were recovered from the rubble,
the police said.
While the five bodies kept in a private hospital in Porur were identified Sunday morning, another four bodies kept in Royapettah Government Hospital were yet to be identified, police said.
Of the nine killed, three are women, they said, adding, a total of 18 persons have been rescued and are being treated in two government hospitals – 17 in a private hospital in Porur and one in Rajiv Gandhi Government Hospital.
Of the five bodies identified, four of them are from Andhra Pradesh, they said.
However, there is no clarity on the number of people trapped inside the debris.
“There is no clarity on the number of people trapped. Our initial priority is to rescue trapped people who are known to be inside. Clearing the debris is a big challenge, it would take two to three days,” National Disaster Response Force DIG S P Selvan told reporters here.
NDRF would use an advanced equipment to detect trapped people, he said, adding, 10 teams of the NDRF are already on the job.
Meanwhile, a control room has been started in Vizhianagaram by Collector Kantilal Dande in Andhra Pradesh following the mishap as many of the labourers working in the building are said to be from the district.
At least 14 people hailing from Vizianagaramwere believed to be working in the construction of the building.
Two directors of the construction company which had taken up the housing project were detained for questioning yesterday.
The building collapsed at Moulivakkam in the western suburb, about 20 km from here, as rains lashed the area and several other parts of the city last evening.
Building firm Prime Sristi, which took up the residential project, claimed the mishap occurred due to impact of thunder.
Meanwhile, Minister of State for Heavy Industries Pon Radhakrishnan visited the incident spot and oversaw the rescue operations.
“We have advised the rescue teams to fasten their work. We are happy that at least 24 persons have been rescued. The licence given to the owners of the building must be cancelled”, he told reporters. — PTI
Saina Nehwal clinches Australian Open
SYDNEY: Ace Indian shuttler Saina Nehwal produced a dominating performance to lift her second title of the season, winning the
$7,50,000 Star Australian Super Series after beating Spain’s Carolina Marin in the summit clash in Sydney on Sunday.
The sixth-seeded Indian, who had won the India Open Super Series earlier this year, prevailed 21-18 21-11 in a 43-minute contest which made her richer by $56,000.
The 24-year-old Saina, who enjoyed a 1-0 head-to-head record against Marin going into Sunday’s match, logged the first point and displayed some deft net play against her rival, stroking in some delectably timed volleys to take a 5-2 lead in the opening game.
But the 21-year-old Marin was not the one to give up easily and showed just why she is considered one of the most feisty players on the circuit. She narrowed the gap to 6-8 but seemed distinctly out of her comfort zone every time Saina dragged her towards the net.
Also, Marin didn’t help her cause by committing a service error to gift an easy point to Saina, who went into the interval leading 11-7 after an intriguing rally which ended with the Spaniard smashing the shuttle wide.
Marin raised her game and the decibel levels after the break but Saina was quick to counter-attack and returned her rival’s attempted smashes with quiet intensity.
In between, Marin played some fine strokes but they never came consistently enough as Saina made it 17-12. Marin’s dogged determination was there to be seen in every point she played for but that alone was never going to be enough to upstage a composed Saina.
The Indian, who didn’t seem affected at all by Marin’s aggressive outpouring of emotions after every claimed point, sealed the opening game 21-18 after her world number 11 rival smashed one into the net 23 minutes into the match.
In the second game, Marin’s determination helped her take a 3-1 lead to start with but it was not too long before Saina came back into the fray, this time on the back of some well-placed strokes from the baseline.
Perhaps taking a cue from Marin, Saina too let some emotion show as she clenched her fist and shouted ‘come on’ after every clinched point. But one of her screams came about in the middle of a rally, prompting Marin to complain to the chair umpire, who merely asked her to continue.
The distraction didn’t do any good to Marin as Saina raced to a 11-4 lead against the Spaniard, who looked to be in disarray.
After the interval, Saina kept up the pressure, regularly inducing errors from Marin, who struggled to maintain the intensity she displayed in the opening game.
Dominating the proceedings, Saina produced some of her trademark smashes to further demoralise her rival, whose shoulders had dropped by that stage.
But there was to be some moments of drama before the win came about.
Leading 19-9, Saina challenged a line call that went against her but replays showed that the shuttle had in fact landed wide. The Indian made another mistake while playing the very next point as she buried an attempted smash into the net.
But Saina made amends quite quickly and clinched the title after Marin lobbed a shuttle wide. — PTI
42
pc deficient rainfall in June; monsoon expected
in North India by July 5
NEW DELHI: The national cumulative average of rainfall in June is deficient by a whopping 42 per cent, making it only the 12th instance in the past 113 years when rain shortfall was over 30 per cent in the month, according to a private forecasting agency.
States like Gujarat and Rajasthan have over 80 per cent of deficient rain.
The respite is that monsoon is likely to revive in the first week of July and rain is expected in the national
Capital and northwest plains from July 5, the agency added.
“As of now, the national cumulative average monsoon rain is deficient by a whopping 42 per cent, making it only the 12th instance in last 113 years when rainfall deficit has been over 30 per cent in the month,” Skymet, a private forecasting agency said.
“Gujarat is reeling under extreme dry weather conditions and the deficit here has mounted to 88 from 78 per cent till June 17. Similarly, even Rajasthan is facing a huge deficit,” it said.
“The Northern Limit of Monsoon (NLM) continues to pass through Veraval, Surat, Nashik, Wasim, Damoh and Sultanpur. The western arm, passing through Veraval, Surat and Nasik has been stagnant for the 13th consecutive day,” it said.
According to the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD), the rainfall in the country has made marginal progress as compared to last week. It received 74.4 mm of rainfall from June 1 to June 25, as compared to normal precipitation of 124.5 mm, which is 40 per cent less.
The IMD says the rainfall recorded from June 1 to June 18 in the country was 45 per cent less that what was expected in its first spell. It received 43.4 mm of rainfall as compared to normal rain of 78.8 mm from June 1 to June 17.
Central and northwest India continued to receive less rainfall from June 1 to June 25. Northwest India received 25.0 mm of rainfall as compared to normal rainfall of 48.3, which is 48 per cent less while central India received 51.4 mm as compared to normal rainfall of 118.9 mm, which is 57 per cent less.
MET department has also said that the monsoon will revive in the first week of July.
“A fresh western disturbance would affect northwest India in the beginning of July. We are expecting mild interaction of monsoon and western disturbance and this will help in advancement of monsoon in Northern Uttar Pradesh, Himachal Pradesh and Jammu division,” B P Yadav, Director, IMD.
According to Skymet’s Meteorology Division in India, cumulative rain deficit has been increasing in Konkan and Goa, which at present stands at 56 per cent short of monsoon rain. Rain deficiency in coastal Karnataka is 35 per cent and Kerala about 24 per cent but the present weather system could mitigate this deficit rain to some extent.
Some good news for the west coast is a fresh surge in the Arabian Sea that could bring monsoon showers along the coastline by July 1.
However, south, east and northeast India have received better rainfall as compared to other parts of the region.
“The Southern Peninsula received 90.3 mm of rainfall as compared to normal rainfall of 126.0 mm, which is 28 per cent less while the East and northeast India received 198.8 mm of rainfall as compared to normal rainfall of 281.3 mm, 29 per cent less,” the IMD said.
The cyclonic circulation near the coastal parts of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh will continue to bring good monsoon rain over Odisha and Andhra Pradesh and will engulf interiors of Telangana, south Odisha, Telangana and Vidarbha. — PTI
FIFA World
Cup
Three more (games) to see if we can reach heaven, says Scolari
Belo Horizonte
(Brazil): Brazil boss Luiz Felipe Scolari said his team
was “three steps from heaven” after beating Chile on penalties to reach the World Cup quarter-finals on Saturday.
The hosts’ excruciatingly tense 3-2 penalty win, after the game in Belo Horizonte ended 1-1 following extra-time, left them three games away from lifting the World Cup for a sixth time and exorcising the ghosts of defeat in the 1950 final on home soil.
“We took upon ourselves this mission that we must be champions. If you make a promise, you must deliver. This is what the players are doing,” Scolari told reporters.
“There are three more (games) to see if we can reach heaven,” he added.
Scolari praised Chile, who nearly won with a last-minute shot that cannoned off the crossbar, and said Brazil must improve if they were to keep progressing.
“In every match, the difficulties are escalating,” the coach said. Brazil now face Colombia
who beat Uruguay 2-0.
“The World Cup has show that teams are very balanced. If you cannot exploit one or two or three chances, as we didn’t today, then you might pay the price for that and go out.”
Asked about tension between the Brazil and Chile benches during the game, Scolari warned he may abandon a new-found patience and revert to a more explosive style.
At times, the fourth official had to restrain Chile’s bench, with assistants to their coach Jorge Sampaoli straying beyond their area and gesticulating aggressively.
“We are being very cordial, very nice and polite to the foreign teams. But perhaps it’s time for us to change,” he said, alleging someone threw stones at Brazil’s dugout.
“They were almost encroaching into our area. It was almost like war, they were waging a battle. I can’t hold it in, I can’t be polite any more.”
Scolari was critical of the mix-up at the back between Hulk and Marcelo that led to Chile’s equaliser by Alexis Sanchez in the first half that cancelled out David Luiz’s early strike, saying it was unacceptable at international level.
But he piled the praise on his leading forward Neymar.
The 22-year-old striker had a quiet game by his standards but coolly converted his penalty in the shootout.
“He’s mature. He has been ready since he was 17 or 18 years old. He is a simple player, he likes playing football. He takes a penalty as if he was playing with friends,” Scolari said, adding that Neymar took a kick on the thigh and will take a few days to recover.
“We will do our best to have him on the pitch for the next match,” added Scolari.— Reuters
James Rodriguez creates history at Maracana
Rio De Janeiro (Brazil):
A sensational display from James Rodriguez fired Colombia into the World Cup quarter-finals for the first time on Saturday with the attacking midfielder scoring twice in a 2-0 victory over Uruguay, including a contender for goal of the tournament.
Rodriguez became the World Cup’s top scorer with five goals and, based on comparative last-16 displays, a buoyant Colombia will fancy their chances against their next opponents Brazil who squeezed past Chile on penalties earlier in the day.
Rodriguez, who looks years younger but turns 23 on July 12, the day before the World Cup final, epitomised everything that was good about their confident performance against Uruguay, who struggled at the Maracana without their banned talismanic striker Luis Suarez.
And while Suarez name might have been on everyone’s lips at the start of the afternoon following his banishment from the tournament for biting Italy’s Giorgio Chiellini, Rodriguez was the talking point afterwards.
“Maradona, Messi, Suarez, James Rodriguez, they do things because they have certain gifts that makes them special. It is not up to me to say but I believe from what I have see that he is the best player in the World Cup,” Uruguay coach Oscar Tabarez said.
His own manager Jose Pekerman was just as complementary.
“At his age, he has no problem taking on responsibilities and doing things that footballers take many years to understand,” he said.
“Footballers need to handle a lot of situations and we are witnessing a footballer, with technique, who has all the things a top-level world player needs.”
Rodriguez tilted the match Colombia’s way by scoring his truly stunning opening goal after 28 minutes and became the tournament’s top scorer after 50 minutes with his fifth goal in four games.
While his first was down to individual brilliance, his second rounded off a beautifully-worked team effort.
Without Suarez, South American champions Uruguay had no way back and although they rallied at the end and forced two important saves from Colombian keeper David Ospina, they were well beaten.
In the end Uruguay, raging against FIFA, conspiracy theories and cursing Suarez’s fate, had no reply to a Colombia side inspired to a great victory.
“It is obvious that Luis is our main reference, the main player we have and that was felt. But that is not the reason we lost,” Uruguay captain Diego Godin said.
“This group is leaving with its head held high. When you give everything, your soul, your heart and you give yourself for the shirt people are thankful and Uruguayans are always going to be thankful.”
Almost 20 years to the day after Colombia gained an unwanted place in the World Cup story with the murder of defender Andres Escobar following an own goal in a World Cup match against the United States, Colombia can now add to World Cup folklore for the right reasons.
After a cagey start, no-one in the Maracana was expecting the game to explode into life with such a stunning opening goal which came when Uruguay only half-cleared the ball as far as Carlos Sanchez, lurking alone in midfield.
He instinctively headed it back in Rodriguez’s direction and the next few seconds of play are guaranteed to be replayed time and time again down the years.
Cushioning the ball on his chest with his back to the goal the youngster, who cost AS Monaco 45.0 million euros ($61 million) when they signed him from Porto last year, swivelled and volleyed in with his left foot in one movement, powering the ball in off the bar from 20 meters.
Although the ball brushed Uruguayan keeper Fernando Muslera’s fingertips on its way in, he had no chance of saving it.
It rivals the header by Netherlands striker Robin van Persie against Spain and Australian Tim Cahill’s volley against the Dutch as a contender for goal of the World Cup and it will take something special to beat it.
It was also a goal that was completely out of keeping with the opening phase of the game which saw both teams hesitantly stutter around without either creating any meaningful attacks.
Five minutes after halftime a cross from Pablo Armero was headed back across goal at the far post by Juan Cuadrado for Rodriguez to tap in to effectively seal the win.
Uruguay rallied in the last 20 minutes, but Diego Forlan, the 35-year-old veteran brought in for the disgraced Suarez, is not the player he was when he was the top scorer at the 2010 World Cup.
Edinson Cavani came closest to reducing the deficit but his shot was well saved by Ospina just minutes before Uruguay’s troubled finals came to an end. — Reuters
|
