New Delhi, January 17
In what is being considered a triumph for Indian diplomacy, Japan appears to have given up most of its reservations with regard to civil nuclear cooperation with India and hopes to conclude an accord with New Delhi in this critical area very soon.

Japanese Ambassador to India Hideaki Domichi also stated today that the two countries were all set to sign a Comprehensive Economic Partnership Agreement (CEPA) in Tokyo in mid-February to give a major boost to trade and economic relations between them.

The Japanese envoy was interacting with the media on the sidelines of a function at which former Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama announced that an India-Japan Global partnership summit would be held in Tokyo from September 5-7 to deepen relations between the two countries. However, what the Japanese envoy said about the prospects of cooperation between the two countries in the civil nuclear field is of great significance. He broadly indicated that the two countries would speed up negotiations on the nuclear accord so that it could be clinched sooner than later.

“We have been negotiating a nuclear deal for sometime…we are getting closer to it,” the envoy said.

Asked if the accord could be signed this year, he was evasive but asserted that there was political will on both sides to wrap up the negotiations as quickly as possible. “We clearly recognise the opportunities for the Japanese industry (in the Indian nuclear market)…we also know that the Japanese technology is essential for everybody.”

Domichi also avoided a straight reply when asked if India’s stand on the NPT and the CTBT was in coming in the way of an early conclusion of the accord.

It is understood from Indian officials that the Japanese have been insisting that India commit itself not to conduct another nuclear test in the proposed accord between the two countries. However, New Delhi’s contention is that it has already declared a unilateral moratorium on further nuclear testing.

Kochi, January 17
The Kerala High Court today pulled up the state government for ignoring its warning on safety of Sabarimala pilgrims and ordered authorities to explain by Thursday how the stampede that killed 102 devotees occurred.

Taking suo motu notice of the tragedy at Pulmedu near the famous hill shrine on Friday night, a Division Bench that is monitoring the affairs relating to Sabarimala pilgrimage also observed there had been lack of co-ordination among various departments involved in conduct of the annual 'Mandalam-Makaravilakku' festival.

The festival attracts millions of pilgrims during the two-month long season from mid-November.

The bench comprising Justices Thottathil Radhakrishnan and PS Gopinathan directed the police, the forest department and the Travancore Devaswom Board, which manages the temple affairs, to furnish detailed reports on the causes that led to one of the worst pilgrimage tragedies in recent times.

The judges recalled that they had given a warning to the authorities on January 5 about the need to regulate the flow of pilgrims to avoid disasters like the latest stampede. “We want to know what had happened. Explain how the mishap occurred,” the judges said while giving the direction.

The court also sought to know from the government details of the help provided to the injured and those stranded in the Pulmedu route in the forest area after the tragedy. The stampede occurred when Ayyappa devotees were returning home after witnessing 'makar jyoti', considered a divine celestial phenomenon. — PTI

Los Angeles, January 17
Oscar winning Indian musician AR Rahman lost out the Golden Globe in the Original Score category to Trent Reznor and Atticus Ross, who won for their music in ‘The Social Network’.

The 45-year-old musician was up for his second Golden Globe for the Danny Boyle film ‘127 Hours’ and had just a day earlier bagged the best original song trophy at the 16th Critics’ Choice Awards for his number ‘If I Rise’ from the film.

The musician who had won his first Golden Globe in 2009 for another of the British director’s film, ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, is in the running for his second Oscar with the song, which is a collaboration between him and British popstar Dido.

“A year ago I had no idea I’d have the opportunity to score a film. The idea of standing up here to accept this award is surreal,” said Reznor, who is the frontman of the rock group ‘Nine Inch Nails’, in his acceptance speech.

Rahman’s music in ‘127 Hours’, starring James Franco as real-life mountain climber Aron Ralston, who cut off his arm to escape from beneath a boulder after being trapped for more than five days, had received good reviews for it’s “haunting tracks” and “wonderful crescendos.” The musician, known as the ‘Mozart of Madras’ had won two Oscars for his score in ‘Slumdog Millionaire’ at the 2009 Oscars, taking the film’s total haul to eight.

His song ‘Na Na’ from his Hollywood debut venture Couple’s Retreat, was longlisted in the ‘Best Original Song’ category at the 2010 Oscars but failed to win a nomination.

Rahman, who was honoured with a Padma Bhushan last year, had enjoyed a golden run at the 52nd Grammy Awards, where he had again bagged two gramophones for his music in the ‘Slumdog Millionaire’. — PTI 

Thiruvananthapuram, Jan 17
The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), which had a recent setback with the failure of its latest communication satellite GSAT-5P, is planning to launch three satellites in the first quarter of this year.

“The coming three months are going to be eventful with three major milestones to be achieved,” ISRO Chairman Dr K Radhakrishnan said here today.

“PSLV-C16 vehicle is already assembled at SHAR. Resourcesat-2 and Youthsat are getting ready for shipment to SHAR. Both these satellites carry a host of advanced optical payloads,” he said.

PSLV-C17 assembly would commence soon for a GTO mission to launch GSAT-12, a communication satellite. This would be immediately followed by a series of 4 PSLVs and flight-testing of Indian cryogenics stage after due tests on ground.

Second static testing of S-200 is on the anvil.

Another communication satellite GSAT-8 is getting ready for launch onboard Ariane-5 in April-May, 2011.

Resourcesat-2, an advanced remote sensing satellite, Youthsat, a participatory scientific mission with payloads from both Russia and India, and X-sat, Singapore’s first indigenous satellite, would be the launched onboard PSLV C-16, he said while delivering the presidential address at an international conference on “Contemporary trends in optics and opto-electronics” at the VSSC here.

“We have three major missions slated for February, March and April. Among them Resourcesat-2 is meant to replace Resourcesat-1, launched in 2003, to provide data connectivity,” Dr Radhakrishnan said. — PTI 

Mumbai, January 17
Union Minister for Environment and Forests Jairam Ramesh's order to demolish the controversial Adarsh Co-Operative Housing Society has come as a shock to senior bureaucrats who have bought flats in another controversial project which also is accused of violating environmental and national security norms.

The high-profile residents of Harsiddhi Heights, an 18-storeyed building in Central Mumbai's Worli area, fear that it would be the turn of their building next to face the hammer. The building is located near the sea and would have normally come under CRZ norms which do not allow buildings to exceed seven storeys in height.

Adding to the problems of the residents, the Navy has also moved court saying the building came up without permission from defence authorities. The building overlooks the Navy's missile base, INS Trata.

"The building did not have the mandatory No Objection Certificate from the Navy. It is located less than 60 metres from the missile base and one can have a clear few of sensitive defence installations from the upper floors of the building," a senior Naval official told this newspaper. According to the Naval officials one cannot prevent civilians and foreign nationals from photographing the facilities once they gain access to the building.

The Navy has now moved the Bombay High Court and sought the demolition of the building. Last week, the Bombay High Court stayed the developers of the project from selling flats till the petition filed by the Navy was disposed of.

Residents of the building, including former Maharashtra Chief Secretary R M Premkumar, Energy Secretary Subrat Ratho former Finance Secretary OP Gehrotra and others are kicking up a storm. Ratho told reporters here that the developer putting up the project showed them documents stating that all permissions had been received. Both Ratho and Premkumar have denied helping the builder bag the project. Another occupant, former police officer-turned-lawyer Y P Singh alleged that the Navy was targeting the building because he was a resident at the complex. Singh is one of those responsible for bringing the Adarsh Housing Society scandal to light. 

New Delhi, January 17
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s 45-minute meeting with President Pratibha Patil this evening was being read as an indication that the long-awaited Cabinet reshuffle could take place this week.

Though there was no official word on the subject, UPA sources did not rule out the possibility of a Cabinet rejig before January 22.

The PM is learnt to have apprised the President about the proposed changes. However, a press statement put out by the Rashtrapati Bhavan said the two leaders discussed the forthcoming Budget Session of Parliament, the current economic situation including price rise, internal security and other issues of national and international importance.

According to government sources, the PM was keen to shift Home Minister P. Chidambaram to the finance ministry but Pranab Mukherjee is not enthused about moving out. The senior leader is said to have conveyed as much to Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

Speculation about Chidambaram’s return to his old ministry had gathered momentum after the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) cleared his name for participation in the World Economic Forum being held at Davos this month-end. The others who are on the list include Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Commerce Minister Anand Sharma, Surface Transport Minister Kamal Nath, Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel and Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia.

Eyebrows were raised over the Home Minister’s inclusion in an economic summit. According to sources, Pranab had, at one point, said that instead of travelling to Davos, he would rather go for next month’s G-20 finance ministers meeting.

With Mukherjee reluctant to swap portfolios with Chidambaram, it now appears that the four top slots, home, finance, defence and external affairs, will remain untouched. While Mukherjee has begun work on the upcoming General Budget, External Affairs Minister SM Krishna has left for Australia on an official visit and is cleared to attend the SAARC foreign ministers’ meet in Thimphu next month.

There are three clear vacancies in the Cabinet following the resignation of A Raja, Prithviraj Chavan and Shashi Tharoor. UPA sources said Kapil Sibal, who was given additional charge of the telecom portfolio, is likely to retain this ministry to deal with the fall-out of the 2G spectrum controversy. He may, however, have to let go of the HRD ministry.

Since Uttar Pradesh is currently unrepresented in the Cabinet, Salman Khursheed, who is presently minister with independent charge, could be elevated. Similarly, the controversial environment minister Jairam Ramesh may also be headed for a promotion but with a different charge as he has alienated virtually all his colleagues in the present ministry. With Andhra Pradesh in a turmoil, the UPA leaders may mollify MPs from the Telangana region, who are pressing for a separate state, by including them in the Cabinet.

BRIEFLY

ULFA boss writes to CM
GUWAHATI: The chairman of the banned United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA), Arabinda Rajkhowa has written a letter to the chief minister Tarun Gogoi regarding the on-going peace process and possibility of holding talks with the Central India in near future sending out a positive signal for the peace initiative. — TNS

Naxals escape
CHAIBASA: Three hardcore Maoists removed a rod from their cell window and escaped early Monday morning from a high-security jail in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district. Superintendent of Police AK Singh said that the Maoists escaped in connivance with the jail staff. Adjoining police stations have been alerted and the district border sealed, he said. -- PTI

DJ weddings
MUZAFFARNAGAR: In view of a ban imposed by Muslim clerics on use of disc jockeys by community members during weddings, hundreds of imams in this district have decided to keep away from marriages where their services are being utilised. Several ulemas, including Maulana Mohd Salim of Deoband, under the banner of Muttahid-Mahaz Organisation (United Front) are party to the decision. — PTI