Big B wants Katy Perry’s autograph for granddaughter! (India)

Big B wants Katy Perry’s autograph for granddaughter! (India)

Mumbai, April 5 (IANS) Millions would run after Amitabh Bachchan to get his autograph, but the megastar is trying to get American singer Katy Perry’s signature for his granddaughter Navya Naveli.

Amitabh and Perry were among the star performers at the opening ceremony of the fifth edition of the Indian Premier League (IPL) in Chennai Tuesday night.

“The granddaughter has a fancy for the singer Katy Perry. I hope I have the name correct. Yes just checked, it is right… Navya wants her autograph for she loves her. So efforts are on to make that happen,” the 69-year-old posted on his blog bigb.bigadda.com.

It was Perry’s maiden performance in the country, and she chose to go desi for her performance. She wore a blingy choli teamed with pink-coloured transparent lowers, and accessorised her look with a maang tika and bindis on her forehead.

Big B, who recited a poem at the ceremony, says he didn’t know about the 27-year-old pop icon earlier.
“I would probably get killed for this, but I had not heard of her till last night. The age difference is playing havoc,” he added.

The actor, who is a fan of evergreen and classic music by British rock band ‘The Beatles’, feels “today’s grandchildren would ’snuff’ at that”.

source: Thaindian

image credit: glamsham.com

Read more »

Worli building sold for over Rs 452 crore (India)

Worli building sold for over Rs 452 crore (India)

MUMBAI: Hindustan Unilever Ltd (HUL) on Wednesday informed the Bombay Stock Exchange about the sale of its Gulita building in Worli to Piramal Realty (Ajay Piramal Group) for Rs 452.5 crore.

The letter said the two companies signed an agreement, assigning HUL's leasehold rights over the one-acre land and building for a transaction value of Rs 452.5 crore.

HUL's announcement comes days after TOI reported about an ensuing legal battle between the Lucknow-based Sahara Group and HUL over the sea facing property.

In March, Sahara issued a legal notice to HUL for selling the property to the Piramals. Aamby Valley, a part of Sahara Group, claimed that although its offer of Rs 442 crore was highest, its bid was rejected. However, Wednesday's letter to the stock exchange confirms that Piramal's bid was the highest.

Interestingly, at one time during the bidding process, Sahara had quoted Rs 487 crore. But when asked to improve its bid, the company quoted a lesser figure.

HUL, fearing that Sahara was all set to drag the matter to court, filed a caveat in three different courts in Lucknow.

source : TOI
image credit: http://www.prlog.org 

Read more »

Ex-Punjab minister Bibi Jagir Kaur gets VIP treatment in jail, officials touch her feet (India)

Ex-Punjab minister Bibi Jagir Kaur gets VIP treatment in jail, officials touch her feet (India)

CHANDIGARH: Hardly a few hours after her conviction and arrest on Friday evening, former Punjab cabinet minister Jagir Kaur continued to wield political influence even as a prisoner of law.

Video footage emerging from Patiala and Kapurthala jails clearly shows that Jagir Kaur, who was convicted of criminal conspiracy and other charges in the mysterious death of her 19-year-old daughter, Harpreet Kaur, in April 2000 and sent to jail, was availing VIP treatment despite her conviction and arrest.

A Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) special court in Patiala on Friday sentenced Jagir Kaur to five years rigorous imprisonment on counts of forcible abortion, wrongful confinement, abduction and criminal conspiracy. She was absolved of the charges of murder of her daughter. Three others were also convicted by the court in the case.

Image Credit: firstpost.com

Forced to resign as Punjab's minister for rural water supply and sanitation and defence services after her conviction and arrest, Jagir Kaur was accompanied out of the packed courtroom by police officials.

"It appeared that the police officials were escorting and guarding her from the crowd and media rather than taking her away as a convicted criminal," a lawyer in Patiala courts told IANS.

She was led into a waiting air-conditioned grey-coloured Toyota Innova luxury vehicle to be taken to the Patiala central jail.

Within hours of her being sent to the jail, her request to be transferred to the Kapurthala central jail, nearly 200 km from Patiala, was "promptly" acceded to. Jagir Kaur, who is head of a cash-rich "dera" (sect) in Begowal village, belongs to the district.

Jagir Kaur was, late on Friday night, driven under police escort, which looked more like a ministerial convoy rather than being that of a convicted criminal, in another white-coloured private air-conditioned Toyota Innova. In the car, she was accompanied by only one woman police official seated next to her.

Her Innova was allowed to be driven straight inside the Kapurthala jail complex where police officials in uniform and other jail officials in plainclothes were waiting for her arrival.

To top it all, one official in plainclothes and a uniformed officer bent to touch her feet as she alighted from the Innova car in her trademark white salwar-kameez and a cotton dupatta over her head.

Former Congress legislator Sukhpal Singh Khaira, whom Jagir Kaur had recently defeated in the assembly election from the Bholath seat in Kapurthala, on Saturday demanded sacking of the police officials who touched the feet of Jagir Kaur and sought a probe into the VIP treatment being extended to the former minister after her conviction and arrest.

"Video footage shows jail officials, in uniform and civil clothes, shamelessly touching her feet. I understand that she has been extended the facility of a special darbar inside the jail where people can meet her. All this is happening on the directions of Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal. There should be an inquiry and these officials should be sacked," Khaira said here Saturday.

Raising questions over shifting Jagir Kaur from Patiala to the Kapurthala jail, Khaira said the rules were being openly circumvented, at the behest of the Badal government, to give VIP treatment to Jagir Kaur.

He said justice could only be done if she is shifted to a jail outside Punjab and treated like any other convicted criminal.

Jagir Kaur, who is a powerful politician in Punjab and considered close to the chief minister, was inducted as a cabinet minister March 14. She was the only woman minister in the Badal government. Being a former SGPC chief twice, the lone woman to head the Sikh body, she has a sizeable hold over Sikh religious affairs.

Her daughter had died under mysterious circumstances April 20, 2000, following which she was cremated hastily by the family members. There was no post-mortem conducted. The Badal government was in power at that time as well.

Harpreet had angered her mother and other family members by secretly marrying a youth, Kamaljit Singh, who belonged to a lower caste. Kamaljit belonged to Begowal village in Kapurthala district where Jagir Kaur heads her dera. 

source: TOI

Read more »

Kashmir’s 300,000 ‘ghost’ houses (India)

Kashmir’s 300,000 ‘ghost’ houses (India)

If they are all put together on a plot of land, they could make a massive ghost town replete with haunted houses, dark alleys and creaking gates.

The state of Jammu and Kashmir, battered by militancy since the 1990s, has more than 3,00,000 houses — mostly mansions and bungalows — unoccupied and seldom attended to. These “ dead houses”, according to an official estimate, are together worth a stupendous `90,000 crore.

Image Credit: icetrail.blogspot.com

Ironically, the state also has nearly 6,00,000 families living in sub- human conditions in one- room tenements. “These houses were constructed by welloff people, mostly government employees, bureaucrats and businessmen. Then they left them vacant. Each house costs a minimum `30 lakh and the dead investment could add up to roughly around `90,000 crore. It is a dead investment because it doesn’t benefit anyone, not even its owners,” a government official said.

The officials described this trend of “dead houses” worrying. They said some of these houses have been vacant for decades. “More than 64,000 vacant houses were added over the past decade in Srinagar and Jammu. The number of such houses has gone up from 2,40,000 in 2001 to 304,000 in 2011,” Chander Shakar Sapru, joint director of the state’s census operations, said while releasing the census figures for housing and households.

Sapru refused to give the profile of the people who own these “dead houses”. But Saleem Beg, chief of the J& K chapter of the Indian National Trust for Art and Cultural Heritage (INTACH), said the vacant houses speak about the state’s cultural and economic position.

“In Kashmiri society, people have no other avenue of investment other than land and housing. This is the economic aspect. The social aspect is that we all want to own huge houses,” he said. The 2011 Census found that the total number of houses in the state — from palatial homes to decrepit huts to nondescript barns and stables — stood at 36,03,632, of which 32,99,219 were occupied dwellings.

The figures also highlight the yawning gap between the rich and poor. Around 680,000 households fall in the poor category, where families were living in one- room pigeonholes. The state has also seen a spurt in the construction of places of worships. From 32,025 holy places such as mosques, temples, gurdwaras and churches in 2001, the number has risen to 49,135 in 2011. That’s more than 53 per cent increase, the officials said.

There is one aspect of growth that this trouble- torn state can crow about — that is an almost 65 per cent growth in the number of educational institutions, from 12,455 to 31,843 over a decade.

Reproduced From Mail Today. Copyright 2012. MTNPL. All rights reserved.

source: yahoo news

Read more »

IIT-Delhi country's highest-ranked institution (India)

IIT-Delhi country's highest-ranked institution (India)

NEW DELHI: Indian Institute of Technology- Delhi is the country's highest ranking institution in world with a global rank of 218, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.

Minister of State for HRD D Purandeswari said during Question Hour that as per the Quacquarelli Symonds global system of ranking of higher education institutions for 2011, IIT-Delhi is the overall highest ranking institution in India at serial number 218.

"As per the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2011, IIT-Bombay is the highest ranked institution at serial 317, while the Academic Ranking of World Universities has ranked Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore at serial 321," she said.

Image credit: knowurcollege.com

As per the 2011 QS Engineering & Technology Rankings, IIT-Bombay is at serial 43, IIT-Delhi at 50, IIT-Kanpur at 59 and IIT-Madras at 60 in Computer Science and Information Technology.

In the same ranking system in Civil and Structural Engineering, IIT-Bombay is ranked at serial 30, IIT-Kanpur at serial 38 and IIT-Delhi at serial 43.

As per QS Global Business School Report, 2012, Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad has been ranked second in the Asia Pacific region, next to INSEAD (Institut Europeen d Administration des Affairs), Singapore while IIM-Bangalore, Indian School of Business, IIM-Calcutta and SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai figure in the top 20 institutes.

According to Financial Times London Global Buiness School rankings, IIM-Ahmedabad is at serial 11 and Indian School of Business at serial 13. 

source :  TOI

Read more »

Muted celebrations in Punjab over stay on Rajoana hanging (India)

Muted celebrations in Punjab over stay on Rajoana hanging (India)

CHANDIGARH: A day after the Presidential stay on the hanging of Balwant Singh Rajoana, a convict in the assassination case of former chief minister Beant Singh, the celebrations in Punjab were muted on Thursday as the government ensured that no 'victory' processions were taken out in the state.

All the victory marches planned for Thursday were aborted by various Sikh organizations after Punjab police in a late night swoop had arrested over 20 leaders of radical organizations including Shiromani Akali Dal (Amritsar), Dal Khalsa, Panthic Sewa Lehara and SAD (Panch Pardhani).

Punjab government has also imposed section 144 of CrPc at various places in the state to prevent the gathering of individuals.

Image Credit: http://www.babushahi.com

However, despite the arrests there was no let up in people congratulating each other over the phone or visiting gurdwaras for the thanksgiving prayers.

Members of various Sikh organizations had started visiting the gurdwaras on Wednesday evening as soon as the news of the stay on hanging broke and the thanksgiving prayers continued on Thursday also.

Sweets were also distributed by Sikhs and congratulated text messages continued to be sent and received on the cell phones.

The leaders who have been taken into preventive custody include SAD (A) president Simranjit Singh Mann, Panthic sewa Lehar leader Baljit Singh Daduwal, SAD (Panch Pardhani) president Daljit Singh Bittu and general Secretary Harpal Singh Cheema, and SAD (Delhi) state president Jaswinder Singh Balliewal.

Police officials said that the leaders were arrested to ensure communal harmony was not disturbed in the state as most of the Sikh radical organizations had planned victory processions in the state.

Officials added that the government also did not take the risk of letting radical organizations "exploit the situation." 

 

 

source: TOI

Read more »

Major fire in Kolkata, no casualties so far (India)

Major fire in Kolkata, no casualties so far (India)

KOLKATA: A large number of shops were destroyed in a major fire that broke out in Kolkata's age-old Hatibagan market in the early hours Thursday. No casualties have been reported.

Thirty fire tenders pressed into service have brought the blaze partially under control after hours of fire fight, a government official said.

The fire was first noticed at 2.30 a.m. Thursday, it spread rapidly to engulf large part of the market, which was set up in 1945 in a congested part of north Kolkata.

Image Credit: desi-radio.com

Disaster management group and Rapid Action Force personnel are at the spot.

"So far there are no reports of any casualty," Fire services and Disaster management Minister Javed Khan said.

"This market is a bit unplanned like any other old market of Kolkata. It seems the electrical wiring and other such things have not been taken care of properly over the years," City Mayor Sovan Chattopadhaya said. 

source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Read more »

Sikh Organisations for General Amnesty to Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana (India)

Sikh Organisations for General Amnesty to Bhai Balwant Singh Rajoana (India)

Sikh outfits here today urged Jathedar Akal Takht, the highest temporal seat of Sikhs, to ask Punjab government to pass a resolution seeking amnesty to Balwant Singh Rajoana who has been sentenced to death for killing former Punjab Chief Minister Beant Singh in 1995.

The leaders of the outfits, who submitted a memorandum to the Akal Takht, were former Punjab Education Minister Manjit Singh Calcutta, former MP Dhian Singh Mand, United Sikh Movement Bhai Surat Singh, Akali Dal Panch Pardani Bhai Jasbir Singh, Sikh Student Federation president Karnail Singh Peermohammed, Akali Dal Delhi Balwinder Singh Bhullar, President Shriomani Akali Dal (Amritsar) President Simranjit Singh Mann besides others.

Image Credit: sikhsiyasat.net

The Sikh organizations appealed to the Akal Takht to take necessary and early steps to issue directions to SGPC president Avtar Singh Makkar to help save the life of Rajoana.

They claimed there was lot of anxiety in Sikh community when the news with regard to hanging of Balwant Singh Rajoana was flashed in the section of media.

However, Jathedar Akal Takht Gyani Gurbachan Singh said people from different walks of lives were asked to reach at Teja Singh Samundri Hall, known as mini Sikh parliament on March 23 when a strategy is to be announced before the gathering to launch effective efforts to save Rajoana from the gallows. He is scheduled to be hanged on March 30.

Image Credit: google images

The Jathedar said saving the life of Rajoana was not a political issue but a matter related to Sikh community.

Punjab’s late chief minister Beant Singh was assassinated on 31 August 1995 at Chandigarh by members of militant outfit Babbar Khalsa group. The mastermind of the attack includes Jagtar Singh Hawara and Rajoana. Both were awarded death sentence by a special CBI court.

While commuting the death sentence of Hawara into life, the high court had, however, upheld the death sentence to Rajoana who had not opposed the punishment awarded to him in 2007 after an 11-year-old trial in a special trial court.

Please Support in saving the life of Bhai Rajoana

source: http://news.outlookindia.com

Read more »

New Volkswagen Jetta Petrol to launch in India in April 2012

New Volkswagen Jetta Petrol to launch in India in April 2012

Launched in August 2011, but only with a diesel motor, the new Volkswagen Jetta is more than a mere rehash of its predecessor and so far has been well received in India's burgeoning executive sedan market.

Looking to give its turbocharged diesel model some worthy camaraderie, Volkswagen has been planning the introduction of a petrol version of the same model for a while now. After initially considering the same 1.8 TSI petrol motor doing its business on the company's subsidiary group cars like the Skoda Laura and Superb, Volkswagen did a rethink and decided to go with a smaller-capacity 122PS, 1.4-litre turbocharged petrol engine for the new Jetta.

The petrol version too will feature the patented Volkswagen BlueMotion Technology while boasting some top-of-the-line features and technological upgrades in its class.  These include leather seat upholstery, a leather package for the steering wheel, handbrake and gear lever, etc. Standard features on the petrol Jetta will be the same as the diesel model i.e. daytime running lights, cruise control, Hill Start Assist, an electrically adjustable driver seats, rear AC vents, a touchscreen entertainment system with an integrated CD player, aux input and 8 speakers.

Speaking of safety, the new Jetta will feature electronic stability programme (ESP) and 8 airbags to minimise injury in the event of an accident or collision. A 3-point belt for the center rear seat will be a welcome feature in this new version.

However, a lot of the petrol Jetta's success will depend on how it is priced and the variants on offer. While the diesel one is priced at a starting price of Rs 14.12 lakh (ex-showroom Delhi), we hope the petrol model gives tough competition to its rivals, the likes of Toyota Corolla Altis, Renault Fluence and Honda Civic.

source & Image Credit: http://www.zigwheels.com

Read more »

Tata Communications to hire 1200 sales and engineering guys in 2012 (India)

Tata Communications to hire 1200 sales and engineering guys in 2012 (India)

DUBAI: India's Tata Communications will recruit an extra 1,200 staff over the next 12 months in its outsourcing, sales and engineering divisions as it tries to turn around nearly three years of losses, the firm's CEO said.

The operator will also consider upping its debt if the potential returns justify it, Vinod Kumar, Tata Communications chief executive, told Reuters.

Kumar declined to comment on the prospects of Tata buying Cable & Wireless Worldwide (CWW).

Image Credit: post.jagran.com

Tata said in a regulatory filing on March 1 its plans for an all-cash bid for CWW were "at a very preliminary stage", adding it would decide on whether to make an offer by March 29.

Sources later told Reuters Tata was seeking $2 billion in term loans to finance a potential bid as well as to refinance existing debt.

Tata, 26-per cent owned by the Indian government and part of the tea-to-technology Tata Group conglomerate, has net debt of $1.5 billion on core earnings of $350 million, giving it leverage of 4.1 times, according to Thomson Reuter data.

"It depends on the business opportunity is and what the returns can be," said Kumar, when asked if he was comfortable with Tata taking on more debt. "Our goal is reduce the debt and tailor it to the size of the business and eventually pay the debt off."

Kumar said two-thirds of Tata's new staff would be hired for its outsourcing business, which provides telecoms services for other operators, with 250 added to its sales division and a further 150 recruited to product and engineering.

The increased headcount will raise its workforce to 8,900 from 7,700 at present.

"The three areas where we are adding people are all related to revenue generation and continuing the turnaround to consolidated profitability," said Kumar.

Tata subsidiary Neotel, South Africa's second-biggest fixed-line phone operator, swung to profitability in its core earnings in the financial year, Kumar said.

"That trend will continue into the next (financial) year, but it will be a few quarters before Neotel can be profitable on its own accord," he said.

Tata is one of the world's largest submarine telecom cable owners and it plans to extend its reach to Latin America, which Kumar defined as Central and South America, adding the latter was a more important region to his firm.

"There are multiple cables which are on the drawing board and we are in discussions with them to choose the best option," said Kumar. "These cable systems will get built typically over two years so in two years we should be part of some cable that gets us to Latin America."

This likely expansion comes despite a drive to reduce costs, with capital expenditure likely to drop to between $250 million and $300 million per year, from an average of up to $500 million annually in recent years.

"We don't believe those levels of investment are required any more, even to keep the business growing at the same rate," added Kumar. "We have done the heavy lifting." 

 

source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Read more »

Lalu Prasad Yadav admitted to AIIMS (India)

Lalu Prasad Yadav admitted to AIIMS (India)

New Delhi, March 22 (IANS) Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) chief and former Bihar chief minister Lalu Prasad was admitted to the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS) here Thursday after his blood sugar levels and blood pressure went up.

“Lalu Prasad was admitted to the hospital today (Thursday) morning, We are examining him for increased blood sugar levels and high blood pressure,” a hospital official told IANS.

Image Credit : nbtvlive.com

According to party sources, the 63-year-old Lalu Prasad, who was railway minister in the first United Progressive Alliance (UPA) regime, was rushed to the hospital with complaints of increased blood sugar levels, high blood pressure and problems in the urinary bladder.

source: Thaindian

Read more »

Dinesh Trivedi puts up a brave face (India)

Dinesh Trivedi puts up a brave face (India)

New Delhi: Putting up a brave face after he was forced to quit as Railway Minister for hiking passenger fares, Dinesh Trivedi said on Monday that “he was nobody’s pawn” and he had always acted in the interest of the country.

Asked whether he had been used as a “pawn”, Trivedi said “I am not anybody’s pawn”. He was speaking after meeting party Chief Mamata Banerjee, a day after he quit as rail minister.

He refused to answer questions on the controversy surrounding him and his Rail Budget that proposed an across the board passenger fare hike, saying “I won’t get into politics… I have been trained to think for the country, country is far bigger than an individual.”

While stating he had only done his duty, the minister praised Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and described him as “one of the best prime ministers”.

“I must thank honourable PM for being extremely supportive,” he said.

On the ‘advice’ he would give to his successor, Mukul Roy as per reports, Trivedi said, “I am no expert to say something for anybody.”

Trivedi finally decided to quit yesterday after speaking over phone with Mamata Banerjee, who was upset with the minister after he raised passenger fares in the Rail Budget presented last week.

Reports said in the wake of pressure from the TMC, the government could go in for a partial rollback.

It has already acceded to its demand of replacing Trivedi with TMC MP Mukul Roy, who is also Minister of State Shipping.

source: http://www.centralchronicle.com

Read more »

Araw ng Dabaw: Mutya ng Davao 2012 Winners (Philippines)

Araw ng Dabaw: Mutya ng Davao 2012 Winners (Philippines)

The Mutya ng Davao 2012 coronation night, one of the highlights of Araw ng Dabaw this year, was held Wednesday evening. Marianne Mae “Yannie” Te bagged the crown.

Te is a 21-year-old print model and a chef, an AB Hotel and Restaurant Management graduate of the Philippine Women’s College (PWC). She also won the Miss AirPhil Express title.

Image Credit: dabawpinoy.com

The other Mutya ng Dabaw 2012 winners are:

• 1st Runner-Up (Diwa ng Davao): Dorothy Maruel Ibañez
• 2nd Runner-Up (Sinag ng Dabaw): Jhoanna Myles Te
• 3rd Runner-Up (Pag-asa ng Dabaw): Maria Theresa Tan
• 4th Runner-Up: Jazzel Therese Gomez

Here’s a video of the Mutya ng Dabaw 2012 pageant:

Video Credit: Youtube

source: CoolBuster

Read more »

Asia Cup 2012 : India aim to beat Bangladesh to seal final berth

Asia Cup 2012 : India aim to beat Bangladesh to seal final berth

MIRPUR: A 50-run win against Sri Lanka has really made life a lot easier for the Indian team in the context of the Asia Cup. A good two-day break followed and after that, MS Dhoni couldn't have asked for anything better than a match against Bangladesh to seal a berth in the final before the high-tension India-Pakistan match on Sunday.

The team, which looked tight and tense right through the series Down Under, is now feeling at home. The track and format is to their liking, the batsmen seem to be among runs and Bangladesh, as hosts, are under immense pressure from their fans to win the game to simply keep themselves alive in this tournament.

Image Credit: sportsencounter.com

India's targets are now simple: get some momentum going when it comes to winning and if possible, get Sachin Tendulkar's 100th ton too out of the way in the process.

However, Virender Sehwag's "Bangladesh is an ordinary side" jibe before the World Cup seems to have stayed in the minds of Mushfiqur Rahim & Co and they are looking for an opportunity to settle scores. "Sehwag is not there, but there are other players who are equally good. We would like to prove that we are a decent side after all," skipper Rahim said on the eve of the match on Thursday.

Despite the recent struggle against India, Bangladesh had their moments against the Men in Blue, the biggest being in the 2007 World Cup when they won to knock their fancied opponents out. Bangladesh are looking back to such highs and drawing inspiration. "We may not have won too many, but we have done reasonably well against them," Rahim added.

India, though, don't seem too bothered. But for any injuries, they are likely to stay with the same attack that played against Sri Lanka. There's only an outside chance for Yusuf Pathan, if Dhoni decides to give Ravindra Jadeja a break and go with four specialist bowlers.

It's a matter of conjecture, though, whether the likes of Yusuf or Rohit Sharma will get a decent hit even if they are in the playing XI. Given the nature of the tracks here, the top-four will always look to cash in while those coming down may well have to accelerate at the death.

With Pakistan next up, Dhoni can't afford a part of his batting lineup to be a touch undercooked, and it can be a wise idea for the skipper to push the likes of Rohit or Yusuf up the order so that they get a feel of the situation in the middle. Both the teams are likely to go in with three pacers and India's R Vinay Kumar indicated that defending is not an easy job.

"The wicket is completely flat and the ball comes on very well to the bat thorough the majority of a game. You need 280 runs to make a match of it," Kumar said. India, of course, have the ammunition to get 280-plus and the Bangladesh skipper is wary about the form Virat Kohli and Gautam Gambhir are in. "They are great players and we have to find ways to get them out. Otherwise, things can get tight for us," Rahim felt.

Some also feel that this game will be Sachin Tendulkar's best chance in the Asia Cup to complete his 100th ton but the Bangla skipper promised to make it difficult for the maestro.

"We want it to happen, we don't mind if it happens during the Asia Cup, but definitely not against us," the skipper said, giving the impression that they won't be psyched out in this big game.

India (probable): Gautam Gambhir, Sachin Tendulkar, Virat Kohli, Rohit Sharma, MS Dhoni, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, Irfan Pathan, R Ashwin, R Vinay Kumar, Praveen Kumar

Bangladesh (probable): Nazimuddin, Tamim Iqbal, Jahurul Islam, Mushfiqur Rahim, Shakib Al Hasan, Mahmudullah, Nasir Hossain, Abdur Razzak, Mashrafe Mortaza, Shafiul Islam and Shahadat Hossai.

source: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com

Read more »

Union Budget 2012: Growth, fiscal consolidation top challenges (India)

Union Budget 2012: Growth, fiscal consolidation top challenges (India)

NEW DELHI: Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee will present the budget for 2012-13 on Friday against the backdrop of a sharp slowdown in growth, deteriorating fiscal conditions, continuing inflationary pressure and political turbulence.

This will be the seventh time Pranab Mukherjee will be presenting the budget in the Lok Sabha, the second highest number of time by any finance minister. Pranab had presented budgets for three consecutive years in early 1980s.

The maximum number of 10 budgets were presented by former Prime Minister Morarji Desai. He held the finance portfolio from 1959-64, 1967-70 and between 1977 and 1979.

Image Credit: trak.in

Pranab is facing a huge challenge of reviving economic growth, which has slowed down over the last six quarters.

The country's gross domestic product (GDP) growth fell to three year low of 6.1 per cent in third quarter of the current financial year. It was recorded 7.7 per cent in the first quarter and 6.9 per cent in the second quarter of the current fiscal.

According the Central Statistical Organisation data, economic growth is expected to fall to 6.9 per cent for the fiscal ending March 31, against the budgetary target of around nine per cent.

The Economic Survey, which was tabled in parliament on Thursday, projected economic growth at 7.6 per cent for 2012-13 and 8.6 per cent for 2013-14.

Fiscal situation has worsened this year. Fiscal deficit is projected to increase to 5.6 per cent of the GDP as against the budgetary target of 4.6 per cent.

Despite the recent moderation, inflationary pressure continues and the Reserve Bank of India said in its mid-quarter review Thursday that it would resurface if the government did not control its spending.

The survey, presented a day before the annual budget, said inflation will remain in the range of 6.5-7 per cent by end of March.

However, it said that fiscal consolidation was the only way to keep inflation down.

source: Times of India

Read more »

Vijay Bahuguna sworn in as Uttarakhand chief minister (India)

Vijay Bahuguna sworn in as Uttarakhand chief minister (India)

3
inShare

Share on Tumblr

Dehradun: Vijay Bahuguna, Congress MP from Tehri Garhwal, has been sworn in as the chief minister of Uttarakhand despite a revolt by Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Parliamentary Affairs Harish Rawat and his supporters. Bahuguna was administered the oath of office and secrecy by Governor Margaret Alva in Dehradun on Tuesday evening.

Only 15 Congress MLAs attended the swearing-in ceremony even though the party won 32 seats in the 70-member Uttarakhand Assembly, and has the support of three independent and three Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) legislators.

Earlier, the Congress had made it clear to Rawat that would be sworn in as Uttarakhand chief minister on Tuesday evening.

Congress Sonia Gandhi chaired a meeting of senior party leaders at her residence 10 Janpath in New Delhi on Tuesday following Rawat's revolt and his offer to quit from the Union Cabinet over the question of Uttarakhand chief ministership. The meeting was attended by Uttarakhand Congress leaders Yashpal Arya, Harak Singh Rawat and Congress in-charge of the state, Ghulam Nabi Azad.

Image Credit: http://media2.intoday.in

Vijay Bahuguna sworn-in as Uttarakhand chief minister despite revolt

The rebellion by Rawat threatened to delay the swearing-in ceremony. Rawat had offered to resign from the Cabinet and wrote a letter to Sonia Gandhi that he would like to work just as an ordinary worker.

This is the second time that Rawat's claim has been ignored as almost 10 years ago ND Tiwari was made the chief minister at the last moment by the party leadership.

Rawat, representing Hardwar constituency in the Lok Sabha, was a strong contender for the post.

Hailing from Almora in Uttarakhand, Rawat was elected to the Lok Sabha for the first time in 1980. He served as the president of Uttarakhand Pradesh Congress Committee from 2000 to 2002 and is reportedly upset at being overlooked by the party high command. Rawat claims to have the support of at least 17 MLAs in Uttarakhand Assembly.

source: http://ibnlive.in.com

Read more »

Akhilesh Yadav is new chief minister of UP (India)

Akhilesh Yadav is new chief minister of UP (India)

NEW DELHI: Three-time MP from Kanauj Akhilesh Yadav is the new chief minister of Uttar Pradesh. Akhilesh Yadav has also been elected as the leader of the Legislative Assembly

Senior SP member Azam Khan proposed Akhilesh yadav's name as UP chief minister. Akhilesh Yadav's name has been endorsed by majority of the party MLAs.

Image Credit:  todaynewz.com

 Earlier, senior SP leader Azam Khan proposed Akhilesh Yadav's name as chief minister of UP at the legislative board meeting in Lucknow, which was later endorsed by most of the Samajwadi Party leaders.
There were strong voices within the party supporting him to be the chief minister. Initially, Mulayam's brother Shivpal Singh Yadav was opposing Akhilesh as chief minister, but he was later convinced by the former chief minister.

Akhilesh at the age of 38 has become the youngest chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.

It must be noted that the credit for the win of the Samajwadi Party and the routing of Mayawati-led Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) has been unanimously given to a rigorous campaign by Akhilesh across the state.

The suspense over who will head the new government in Uttar Pradesh is over now. The swearing-in- ceremony is likely to be held on Monday.

source: Times of India

Read more »

200 kids fall sick playing Holi in Mumbai (India)

200 kids fall sick playing Holi in Mumbai (India)

Mumbai, March 8 (IANS) Nearly 200 children from Mumbai’s Dharavi slum suffered colour poisoning playing Holi Thursday and were admitted to hospital following allergic reactions, a hospital official said. All are now said to be stable.

“So far 176 children have been admitted to the hospital with complaints of skin allergy, burning of eyes, giddiness and vomiting,” a duty medical officer from Sion Hospital told IANS.

Image Credit: blogs.sacbee.com

“More and more cases are coming in since the afternoon. They seem to have played with colours with some chemical elements,” he said.

The incident occurred in Shastrinagar area of the slum in south-central Mumbai when Holi celebrations were in full swing. The affected children were taken to the hospital.

According to hospital officials, some cases were critical on admission but are now stable and responding well to treatment.

Officials also added that they have got calls from a few adults also with similar complaints.

Police are looking into the matter and trying to find out the source of the Holi colours, a police official said.

source: Thaindian

Read more »

Punjab Elections 2012 Result: Parkash Singh Badal Is The New CM Of Punjab (India)

Punjab Elections 2012 Result: Parkash Singh Badal Is The New CM Of Punjab (India)

The ruling Shiromani Akal Dal (SAD)-Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) made history in the Punjab Assembly by retaining power in the state of Punjab belying history that has not witnessed the incumbent returning to power in the past 46 years.

The SAD-BJP coalition has bagged 62 seats, whilst Congress pocketed 45 seats.

The others gained two seats in the 117-seat Punjab Assembly.

Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal and his son and Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal have also won the seats from Lambi and Jalalbad respectively.

Image Credit: indianexpress.com

Responding to the triumph, an overjoyed Parkash Singh Badal stated, "One of the two reasons we won is that the BJP gave its full fledged support to us. And the other reason which worked for us is the work we have done for development in the state."

The final outcomes came as a displeasure for the Congress.

Punjab Congress chief Captain Amarinder Singh stated, "I take full responsibility for the defeat. We will introspect and look into the reasons that led to our loss."

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said, "I am extremely disappointed with Punjab. Punjab requires deep introspection and inquiry."

Punjab Congress President Amarinder Singh won from Patiala constituency by voting down SAD's Surjit Singh Kohli by a big margin of 42,318 votes, whilst his son Raninder Singh lost by 6,930 votes from Samana seat.

source: topnews.in

Read more »

Two Indians dead, 22 injured in Malaysia accident

Two Indians dead, 22 injured in Malaysia accident

Report from IANS:

Kuala Lumpur, March 5 - Two Indian tourists were killed and 22 injured Monday after a tour bus skidded and flipped over while returning from the popular resort of Genting Highlands. All the passengers were from India’s Punjab state.

District police chief Mohamad Yusri Hassan Basri said all 24 victims were Indian tourists aboard the bus on their way down from Genting Highlands in Pahang state.

He said the bus hit the road divider and flipped into the opposite lane, Xinhua reported.

Mohamad Yusri said police are collecting information from the tour agency that the group travelled with and would then contact the Indian embassy.

Image Credit: newstopnight.in

Bernama reported that Rajindra Kumar Agarwal, 67, and Anita Aggarwal, 59, died in the accident.

Two drivers of the bus, who were injured, have been detained.

The Star Online cited authorities as saying that four of the victims were in critical condition.

The bus was headed for Kuala Lumpur, and then onwards to Singapore.

Genting Highlands is a popular tourist destination at an altitude of 2,000 metres. There are indoor and outdoor theme parks. One of the most popular attractions is the casino, the only one in Malaysia.

source: IANS

Read more »