Website releases photos of Modi with woman

Gulail, the investigative website which released tapes of purported conversations between Narendra Modi's aide Amit Shah and suspended Gujarat police officer G L Singhal to allege that the state government had subjected a young woman to illegal surveillance, on Thursday released photographs to seek to establish that the woman had known the Gujarat CM at least since 2005.

Gulail uploaded a dozen pictures of Modi's presence at the first edition of 'Kutch Sharad Utsav' in October 2005. In one of the pictures, Modi is engaged in animated conversation withIAS officer Pradeep Sharma and the woman with her face partially masked.

As per the recordings of the purported conversations between Shah and Singhal, the state police mounted an aggressive surveillance on the woman, introduced by the website as Madhuri (not her real name), in 2009 at the instance of "sahib". She was tracked in gyms, at the airport, in aircraft and even in hospital where her mother was admitted.

"These pictures raise a serious question mark about the credibility of the explanation put forth both by Madhuri's father Premlal Soni and the BJP that only Premlal was known to Modi and it was he who had requested the CM to 'take care' of his daughter in 2009 when the illegal snooping operation was mounted. The pictures show that Modi knew Madhuri for at least five years before his state machinery mounted an illegal round the clock vigil on the young woman in August 2009. It also confirms that part of the affidavit filed by Sharma in the Supreme Court in which he had alleged that Madhuri had visited Modi when he came to inaugurate the 'Sharad Utsav' in October 2005. Sharma served as the collector of Kutch district between 2003 and 2005," the website said in a statement.

The website has refrained from attesting to the veracity of the conversations.

Sharma had in May 2011 told the Supreme Court in an affidavit he had introduced Madhuri to Modi when he visited Kutch to inaugurate the hill garden project. Later, Modi and Madhuri started exchanging emails and text messages, Sharma said in his filing.

Sharma has alleged that one of the key reasons why he fell out of favour with Modi, and was later subjected to harassment, was because he was aware of Modi's proximity to the woman. Sharma moved the Supreme Court last week demanding a CBI inquiry into the illegal surveillance.

Sharma has in his application claimed that he was victimised because of his "knowledge of the intimacy shared by Shri Narendra Modi with a young lady architect, aged 27 years, from Bangalore, but originally from Bhuj in Gujarat, who was introduced to Shri Modi by the applicant himself in the year 2004".

"The said tapes/transcripts reveal a strong bias and prejudice of the state of Gujarat against the applicant herein and the state's intent to somehow implicate the applicant herein in criminal offences," the application has said.

More: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Website-releases-photos-of-Modi-with-woman/articleshow/26543237.cms

HIV response 'at turning point'

Much progress has been made, but in this week's Scrubbing Up, Chris Beyrer, president-elect of the International Aids Society and Michel Kazatchkine, the UN Secretary General´s Special Envoy for HIV/Aids in Eastern Europe and Central Asia warn that we are at a turning point in the fight against the disease.

They are co-chairs of the 'Nobody left Behind campaign', an International Aids Society initiative.

Living in Paris in 1986, Andrée was a drug user with no hope of access to an effective treatment for HIV (since there was none), and no access to harm reduction (since it did not exist).

She had lost her friends and family, she was stigmatised - and she ultimately died a lonely death after a few months in a hospice.

Larissa, from Kaliningrad in Russia started antiretroviral treatment late in her HIV disease, and only because of her privileged contacts, but had no hope of treatment for her hepatitis C.

She had been rejected by friends, neighbours and family. She too was stigmatised - and she had been repeatedly arrested and incarcerated.

But Larissa's story is from 2013, not 1986. While 25 years has passed in the circumstances of these two women, their predicament was depressingly, tragically, the same.

How this can possibly be so, in a period when so much progress has been made?

We seem to have come full circle and now have to face what will certainly be an uncomfortable truth for many of us working in the sector: we have made very little, if any progress, in getting prevention and treatment to those groups of people most vulnerable to HIV/Aids, wherever they are.

These groups people who inject drugs, transgender people and men who have sex with men. They make up the majority of those affected by the epidemic, except in sub-Saharan Africa, where they also make up an increasing share of infections in urban settings.

New obstacles

Against a backdrop of some truly extraordinary responses to the global HIV/AIDS epidemic over the past 30 years, it is both painful but necessary to acknowledge that the response for these groups remains so often a story of indifference and neglect.

Indeed we can compare our failure to adequately address these issues to the situation that prevailed in 2000.

At that time, effective HIV drugs had been available in rich countries for years, but were inaccessible in developing and emerging economies because of cost.

Today, cost is not the primary obstacle: we have drugs and we have proven interventions.

Rather, it is economic, social and political obstacles that prevent them from being made available to those who need them most.

We have plenty to be immensely proud about the global response to HIV/Aids: antiretroviral treatment has been provided to 10m people in developing countries, with notable success in Africa, where 60% of people in urgent need of these medicines now have access to them, something unthinkable just a few years ago.

As a result, at a global level, we are seeing steadily declining rates of new HIV infections: a third fewer in 2013 than in 2011.

Around 1.6 million people died of Aids in 2012, down from 2.3m in 2005.

Of the 25 countries that have achieved a 50% reduction in the rate of new HIV infections in the last 10 years, more than half are in sub-Saharan Africa.

'Turning point'

The successes are due to factors such as some extraordinary advocacy from civil society activists and community mobilisation, courageous and compassionate political leadership and remarkable advances in science and technology which have enabled new drugs and tests to reach parts of the developing world at unprecedented speed and relatively low cost.

This is the Aids response that has generated extraordinary hope: sort of hope we see reflected in recent headlines that predict "the end of Aids", or "a world without HIV", or the possibility of an "Aids-free generation", in our lifetimes.

Sadly, however, this is not the whole story.

One can draw upon an almost infinite supply of statistics that tell the true picture for those most affected by the epidemic: in low- and middle-income countries, men who have sex with men and female sex workers are 19 and 13 times more likely to have HIV, respectively, than the rest of the population.

Men who have sex with men alone account for more than 33% of new infections in China, and projections indicate that this group could make up half or more of all new infections in Asia by 2020.

The fuel for these figures, for the lives being adversely affected, are the recurring themes of stigma and discrimination at the social, cultural and political levels.

Public health access for these groups is being driven underground; there are repressive government drug policies which advocate criminalisation over public health and there is a failure and unwillingness of too many governments to base health policy on the scientific evidence before them.

Growing urbanisation, and the accompanying movement of marginalised groups to cities seeking to explore their sexuality and increased freedom of cultural expression is having an impact.

So too is the transition of many developing countries into middle income status - accompanied by increasing economic and social disparities as well as the sudden ineligibility for crucial Global Fund finance that was previously the backbone of the national HIV/Aids response.

Quite simply we are at a turning point. And if we are honest with ourselves we ought to admit that we are somewhat in disarray.

We don't know quite what it is that we should do.

Here we are, we have all the technology, we have extraordinary scientific progress, and we just cannot translate that into making a difference in these populations.

But it is abundantly clear that there is an urgent need for re-think of how we approach the epidemic.

A failure to do so will mean that there is a serious risk that Aids will become more and more concentrated everywhere.

And that means we will not be able to end Aids.

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/health-25118975

1 mn deaf children in India awaiting medical aid: Natarajan

Noting that about one million deaf children in the country are in need of modern medical treatment like cochlear implantation, Union Environment Minister Jayanthi Natarajan today said a holistic effort by government, medical fraternity and others would help in propagating the technology for the benefit of such kids.

"Even though more than 20,000 cochlear implantations have thus been done across India, we still face an uphill task with potentially one million children awaiting implantation, for many of whom cost of implant is a deterrent," Natarajan said.

She said this fact has come to light from the Central government's deafness survey titled "The National Program for the Prevention and Control of Deafness". The minister was speaking after inaugurating the 9th Asia Pacific Symposium on Cochlear Implants and Related Sciences (APSCI 2013) here.

"States like Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh and Kerala have taken the initiative for totally funding cochlear implants through their 'Chief Minister's Comprehensive Health Insurance Schemes', which has motivated other states to follow up in the same way," Natarajan informed.

She observed that a holistic effort by government, in collaboration with medical fraternity and society, can make a "remarkable transition in the lives of the deaf children in bringing them out of the gloomy world of silence, onto the vibrant world of sound."

"Such an effort can be fulfilled only when technology is propagated to all rural areas across the country and the success of such an effort would lead to realising a deafness free India in the near future," Natarajan said.

The minister said the science of deafness was undergoing rapid changes in recent times. "...There is a need for updating the recent advances among the medical and allied fraternity (otolaryngologists, audiological scientists etc) and the symposium is a step in that direction," she said.

The APSCI 2013 is being attended by over 1,000 delegates from around 60 countries across the globe.

More: http://zeenews.india.com/news/health/health-news/1-mn-deaf-children-in-india-awaiting-medical-aid-natarajan_25311.html

India To Sling Mars Craft Into Sun Orbit Sunday

India’s maiden Mars craft will sling into Sun orbit early Sunday for a 280-day long voyage to reach the red planet Sep 24, 2014.

“The Orbiter entered the final orbit of earth early Wednesday for its trans-injection into the Sun orbit Sunday at 00.49 a.m. for a nine-month journey to Mars through the interplanetary space, a senior space agency official said here.

The craft passed its penultimate perigee (closest to equator) at 07.10 a.m. Wednesday to commence its four-day final orbit around earth to leave for Mars in the wee hours of Sunday.

“A 440 Newton engine will be fired for nearly 23 minutes to sling the craft into the Sun orbit at a speed of 648 metres per second for which 190 kg of fuel will be consumed,” Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) scientific secretary V. Koteshwara Rao told reporters here.

Orbiter has completed its six-orbit raising manoeuvres between Nov 7 and Nov 16 and crossed an apogee (farthest from equator) of 192,915 km.

“All is going well, Orbiter will be slung into the heliocentric (Sun) orbit towards Mars for a 680-million-long coasting distance,” Rao said at the space agency’s telemetry, tracking and command network (Istrac) in the city.

The 1,337-kg Orbiter was launched Nov 5 from Sriharikota spaceport off the Bay of Bengal, about 80 km north east of Chennai, on board a 350-tonne rocket with five scientific instruments to detect Methane in the Martian atmosphere, measure the thermal emission and capture images of the red planet from its orbit at a distance of 500 km.

“The slingshot for the trans-injection will be a complex combination of navigation and propulsion technologies, governed by the gravity of Sun and Mars,” Rao said at a briefing on the Rs.450-crore mission’s next phase.

The Orbiter’s trajectory will be achieved using the attitude and orbit control thrusters during the correction manoeuvres planned enroute.

As the fourth planet from Sun and behind Earth, Mars is the second smallest celestial body in the solar system. Named after Roman god of war, it is also known as red planet due to the presence of iron oxide in abundance, giving it a reddish appearance.

Though Earth and Mars have equal period of revolution around their axis, the red planet takes 24 hours and 37 minutes to complete a revolution. Earth takes around 365 days to orbit the sun and Mars 687 days.

“The craft will be injected into the outer space in a trajectory by precisely computing 280 days in advance the position it would achieve near Mars Sep 14, 2014, which will be 500 km above its surface at that time,” Rao pointed out.

The Mars Orbiter Mission (MOM) complex at Istrac is also daily conducting checks of the main bus systems, redundant systems, failure detection, reconfiguration and its scientific instruments, including its powerful colour camera.

The camera, which has been activated, has demonstrated its functioning by taking a clear picture of the Indian sub-continent Nov 19 from a distance of 67,975 km with a 3.5 metre resolution.

During the helio sun phase, travelling at a speed of 32.5 km per second mid-course corrections will be carried, if required, Dec 11, mid-April, mid-August and Sept 14.

“The Orbiter will be inserted Sep 24 at 07:14 a.m. into the Martian orbit at 372 km periapsis (nearest to surface) and 80,000 apo-asis (farthest from surface) by firing the engine for nearly 29 minutes in the reverse direction to reduce its speed to 11,009 metres per second by consuming 24 kg fuel,” Rao pointed out.

The mission has also built-in mechanism for contingencies and redundancies have been built into the systems and the onboard autonomy to switch over from primary to stand by system.

More: http://news.bioscholar.com/2013/11/india-sling-mars-craft-sun-orbit-sunday.html

Comet Ison destroyed in Sun passage

Comet Ison was severely battered in its encounter with the Sun, and largely destroyed.

Telescopes saw the giant ball of ice and dust disappear behind the star, but only a dull streamer re-emerge.

Astronomers continued to search for the object, but it eventually became clear that the much vaunted "Comet of the Century" had gone out with a whimper.

Despite its great size, Ison was probably torn apart in the immense heat and tidal forces so close to the Sun.

The European Space Agency's experts on the Soho Sun-watching satellite called the death of the comet at about 21:30 GMT.

"Our Soho scientists have confirmed, Comet Ison is gone," Esa's twitter feed announced.

Ison had captivated skywatchers with its promise ever since it was discovered by Vitali Nevski and Artyom Novichonok in 2012.

A "fresh", 2km-wide object flung in towards the inner Solar System from its home far beyond the outer planet Neptune, it was hoped it might produce a brilliant tail that would arc across the night sky, perhaps for weeks.

And, as it got closer and closer to the Sun, its ices did indeed begin to vaporise, releasing dust that shimmered in a distinctive trailing stream.

But from early on, it was clear Ison was unlikely to be spectacular; it was just not brightening in the way experienced comet watchers had anticipated.

This led scientists to fear for its survival when it eventually grazed past the star at a distance of just 1.2 million km at 18:35 GMT on Thursday.

Soho followed Ison as it began its sweep around the back of the Sun, but then failed to pick up a coherent object at the time it was supposed to re-emerge. A streak in the imagery was interpreted as the last fizzling of debris.

Other telescopes such as Nasa's Solar Dynamics Observatory could detect no clear sign of the comet's nucleus, either.

Passing close to the Sun, Ison would have been subjected to temperatures over 2,000C. And the immense gravity of the star would also have pulled and squeezed on the object as it tumbled end over end.

All the evidence suggests Ison's nucleus was torn apart in the close pass, in the same way that Comet Lovejoy - a previous hopeful in 2011 - was disrupted.

Comets will stay in the news, however. Next year, in October, Comet Siding Spring will breeze past Mars at a distance of little more than 100,000km. And then in November, the European Space Agency's Rosetta mission will attempt to place a probe on the nucleus of Comet 67P/Churyumov-Gerasimenko.

More: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-25143861

NASA plans to grow plants on Moon by 2015

NASA is planning to grow plants and vegetables — such as turnip and basil — on the Moon, by 2015, to understand whether humans can live and work on the Earth’s natural satellite.

The US space agency will deposit plants, on-board a commercial lunar lander, on the Moon’s surface within the next two years, NASA said.

The initiative is being driven by the Lunar Plant Growth Habitat team. They intend to use coffee-can sized containers designed to protect the plants against harsh elements of the climate, and will also provide cameras, sensors, and electronics in order to relay information about how the plants fare back to Earth.

NASA’s plan is “to develop a very simple sealed growth chamber that can support germination over a five to-ten day period in a spacecraft on the Moon.” The containers will attempt to grow turnip, basil and Arabidopsis.

NASA’s plan is to find some answers when this “self-contained habitat,” which will have a mass of about one kg and would be a payload on a commercial lunar lander, is on the Moon. “How can we send plants to the Moon soon? Hitchhiking.

Thanks to Google, there are many potential rides to the Moon in the near future, with commercial spacecraft companies competing to collect the Google Lunar X-Prize in 2015,” according to NASA.

After landing on Moon, water will be added to the seeds in the module — a trigger would release a small reservoir of water wetting filter paper and initiating germination of the seeds, ‘Phys.org’ reported. Air in the sealed container would be adequate for more than five days of growth.

Their growth will be monitored for five to ten days and compared to Earth-based controls. The seedlings would be photographed at intervals. “We would use the natural sunlight on the Moon as the source of illumination for plant germination as a first ISRU (in situ resource utilisation) demonstration,” said NASA.
NASA believes the effort will yield returns on two fronts, knowledge about plants and broader knowledge about life’s chances on the Moon.

The information about the plants may help NASA better address the question if humans can live and work on the Moon.

Last year, Chinese scientists announced their plans to grow fresh vegetables in extraterrestrial bases on Moon or Mars to provide food and oxygen supplies to astronauts.

More: http://www.livemint.com/Consumer/3WyYAkYaqgXuOtAEHeZXuI/NASA-plans-to-grow-plants-on-Moon-by-2015.html

This is the second innings of my life; I am serving with UNICEF and it means a lot to me: Sachin Tendulkar

Ace cricketer Sachin Tendulkar, who recently retired from cricket, has started the second innings of his life as the UNICEF ambassador for South Asia. Tendulkar in the capacity of a good will ambassador will aid UNICEF for the next two years, in promoting hygiene and sanitation in South Asian countries including India.

The cricket star on Thursday quoted an anecdote from his childhood at a press conference, Tendulkar nostalgically said, “It is imperative to make children understand the importance of washing hands. I can speak for myself, when as a kid I would play cricket with my friends, I would want to come back home and eat without washing my hands. My mother insisted that I wash my hands first and ate with clean hands.”

“I look forward to working with children and communities in the region, urging them to use toilets and wash their hands. This is the second innings of my life that I am serving with UNICEF and it means a lot to me,” he further said.

According to UNICEF, almost half the population in India defecates in the open and 68 lakh people practice open defecation in South Asian countries of India, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Bangladesh, Nepal, Maldives and Bhutan, defecate in open.

“Of these, 60 lakh persons that defecate in open are in India alone. Mindsets of people need to be changed and they be made to understand the importance of using a toilet for better sanitation,” said Karin Hulshof, UNICEF regional director, South Asia.

Tendulkar was baffled at the large number of children dying every day due to waterborne diseases. “1600 children die every day due to diarrhoea related infections. By not washing hands after defecation allows person to carry germs back home. Many diseases like diarrhoea, dysentery, worms and respiratory illnesses are caused because of our negligence and a child cannot pay the price of an adult’s mistake,” he said.

Tendulkar expressed that he would achieve something in his second innings of life if he was able to bring down the number of child mortality due to diarrhoea related diseases. “I would have achieved something in my post cricketing years, if we could contribute to bringing down such astronomical numbers in terms of people getting affected due to poor sanitation and hygiene,” he said.

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/sport/report-this-is-the-second-innings-of-my-life-i-am-serving-with-unicef-and-it-means-a-lot-to-me-sachin-tendulkar-1926380

MPCA joint secretary booked for molestation, faces arrest

More than two months after Madhya Pradesh Cricket Association joint secretary Alpesh Shah was accused of sexual assault by a U-19 woman cricketer, an FIR was registered on Thursday. Shah has been booked for molestationat Tukoganj police station here and is likely to be arrested.

With MPCA refusing to act on Shah, the cricketer along with her father and grandfather went to the police in the evening and lodged a complaint of molestation. The survivor claimed on September 23, Shah called her to her room at the Madhavrao Scindia Administrative Block at the MPCA office to give "special blessings". When the girl went to his office, Shah allegedly tried to molest her, but she wriggled out of his clutches and rushed home.

SP (East) O P Tripathi said the FIR has been lodged and Shah would be arrested. Earlier, veteran cricketer and MPCA life member, Liladhar Paliwal, went to the Tukoganj police station, seeking registration of criminal cases against Shah, association chairman M K Bhargava, CEO Rohit Pandit and secretary Narendra Menon. However, the Tukoganj police station in charge Maonj Ratnakar refused to lodge the complaint. Paliwal said, "I wrote a letter to MPCA secretary Narendra Menon and association president Jyotriaditya Scindia asking them to lodge an FIR in 24 hours against Shah. Since they didn't act, I went to the police." The cricketer's grandfather had approached the State Women Commission a few days ago.

More: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/indore/MPCA-joint-secretary-booked-for-molestation-faces-arrest/articleshow/26543997.cms

I don't like stardom: Saif Ali Khan

National-award winning actor Saif Ali Khan, who will be next seen in Tigmanshu Dhulia'sBullett Raja, says he dislikes fame and stardom and does not attach much significance to it.

"I don't like stardom... It is not important for me. I want to be respected as a person and money can do that. I don't like people making noise, camera flashing, drama and three security guards walking with you.. It is horrible," Saif told PTI in an interview.

"I love acting and love getting paid for it. I love making money.. It is nice, these things are great. I don't want to be famous, I don't like the attention. It sounds strange to people. It feels nice to be walking and seeing things around, do normal things. I want to be happy, comfortable. That is why I spent lot of time abroad.. Nobody recognises me.. So, I am very happy," he said.

The 43-year-old does not consider himself as a great actor or a superstar.

"I don't think I am a superstar... I am just a star. Actors like Rajesh Khanna, Amitabh Bachchan and others are superstars who have achieved great success. I don't think I have achieved that. I do I think I am successful but not super successful till now. But I would like to be super successful," Saif said. It is for the first time that Saif has teamed up with director Tigmanshu Dhulia for an action masala entertainer, which will hit theatres tomorrow. "I wanted to work with Tigmanshu he is quite multiplex and single screen type director. Bullett Raja is like single screen kind of film. If the film doesn't do well.. Then I will be in trouble. I am looking to do work that is slightly out of my comfort zone, I hope it works for me," he said.

"All the films that I have done cater to multiplex audience. Doing a single screen kind of film is being part of a Hindi film star. Today more and more different kinds of films are being made hence there is an option to choose the best," he added.

Tigmanshu's films have always had guns and Saif too loves using guns in reel and real life.

"I love guns, I know guns very well. They are like passion for me. I love shooting them and love looking at them. I would like to have a library, I would like to have a gun room, look at them and admire. They are like work of art for me, like painting. I possess 12 in the family," he said.

The film deals with the nexus between politicians and gangsters in UP and Saif got well versed with this during the shooting process.

"I knew there was corruption over there but I realized it is like (in this way) between the businessmen, police, gangsters and politicians while doing it (film)," he said. In this film, Saif has a raw and rustic avatar. "It feels great when people like your look. It is like the Dabangg of gangsters. The look is my idea.. I gave inputs. We found this nice look with shiny shirts, rudrakash etc," he added.

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-i-don-t-like-stardom-saif-ali-khan-1926303

'Dhoom:3': Teaser of Rs5 crore song 'Malang' causes a buzz on YouTube as Katrina Kaif-Aamir Khan up the heat

The song has made headlines for its cost and now the teaser is out.

A still from the song

Set for release on December 20, 2013Dhoom:3 has already created a lot of buzz with the trailer, the title track and now the film is in the news for the upcoming Rs5 crore songMalang which had its teaser released on Thursday.

With the sexy Katrina Kaif who was seen sizzling in the title song of the film, Aamir Khan joins her in the song Malang which sees the duo performing a rhythmic dance number along with 200 acrobatic artists.

With huge sets and energetic dance moves, the new song teaser sets it up to be one of the most colourful and princely song in Bollywood.

Aamir Khan is seen flying in the air as Katrina Kaif does a ring dance move mid-air besides the couple doing an acrobatic dance in the air suspended from the roof.

Watch the teaser of the song:


More: http://www.dnaindia.com/entertainment/report-dhoom-3-teaser-of-rs5-crore-song-malang-causes-a-buzz-on-youtube-as-katrina-kaif-aamir-khan-up-the-heat-1926343

ZTE set for 4G launch with 3 operators in 2014

Chinese handset vendor ZTE is all set to launch its 4G handsets by mid-next year, in association with three operators who are due to launch 4G next year.

Speaking to dna, Amit Saxena, marketing director, terminals business, ZTE India, said, “90% of our Indian market share currently comes from 4G equipment, data cards and CPEs that we have been providing to Airtel...however, we are expecting at least four-five operators to get into the 4G business between May 2014 and 2015, and we are in talks with at least three of them for 4G equipment and handsets, as going forward, 4G will be launched with voice and data in India.”

Saxena added that 4G handsets were taking time to come to India because of the high price factor. For ZTE, which is the fifth largest handset player globally, India contributes a mere 5% to its overall revenues – pegged at $400 million at the end of October 2013.

This is because, despite being in the country for 13 years ZTE is better known for its back-end products like routers, switches and IP phones, and in handsets it only holds the leadership position in CDMA phones. In fact, in the last seven years, ZTE has only sold 36 million devices
In a bid to change this, ZTE launched its first experience zone in Gurgaon on Thursday, which apart from selling ZTE handsets, will also aid in brand recall by displaying videos and allowing users to experience ZTE products, aided by qualified ZTE personnel. In the next two months, the entire bouquet of ZTE products, spanning 36,000 product categories will be available at the experience zone.

ZTE is expecting revenues of $800 million from India in the next fiscal - $500 million is expected to come from equipment business and $300 million from its terminal business that includes handsets and other mobility devices.

Saxena said, “While globally we compete with the likes of Nokia and Samsung, in India our first step will be to understand the customer, second to launch services and devices as per Indian requirements and then only we can think of competing in the saturated Indian market. We expect this process to take four years at least.”

In preparation, ZTE will be launching 40 devices in India (eight in the next six months) which are dual SIM, compared to their flagship single SIM handsets for other markets.

In India, handsets will also have higher battery life, larger screens and slimmer bodies – as per the demand.

“In the next three-four months, we will also be launching handsets with more localised apps, including cloud, entertainment, infotainment and utilities. Later, we plan to launch our own ZTE app store and ZTE cloud,’ said Saxena.

“Consequently, we have also increased our prices in keeping with these Indian market customisations to Rs 8,000 from Rs 5,000 on the lower end and from Rs 8,000 to Rs 18,000 on the higher side,” he added.

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/money/report-zte-set-for-4g-launch-with-3-operators-in-2014-1926551

Tax row: HC asks IT dept to decide on Nokia offer

The Delhi High Court on Thursday asked the Income Tax Department to file its reply by Monday on Nokia India's offer to deposit Rs 2,250 crore in an escrow account towards its tax liability, which, after adding interest and penalty, adds to almost Rs 10,580 crore. Nokia India had made this offer hoping that the tax department would lift the freeze on its Chennai factory, which it plans to transfer to Microsoft by December 12.

"You (I-T department) have to take a decision. Say yes or no. If it is acceptable say yes. If not, say no. Either way but you can't say we will not decide," a bench of justices Sanjiv Khanna and Sanjeev Sachdeva said.

Nokia had, last week, said that if the freeze was not lifted, the asset transfer to Microsoft could not take place by December 12. In that scenario, it would not be left with any option but to run the factory as a contract manufacturer. It had also said that in that event, it may even have to wind up its operations over the next 12 months.

On Thursday, in another application filed by the Additional Commissioner of Income Tax (ACIT) before the High Court, the tax department has urged that Nokia India's proposal should be dismissed as the company is seeking relief from the court with "facts hidden behind

its back".

Terming Nokia's proposal to deposit Rs 2,250 crore in lieu of settlement of all its anticipated and existing tax demands as "wishful thinking", the department has stated that the said amount is a "fantastic figure" for which no basis has been disclosed by the firm.

The department has stated that the handset manufacturer's intention to avoid payment of "rightful" taxes is evident as it has neither disclosed its agreement with Microsoft to the tax authorities nor has it stated the entire sale price of the deal. This, the department claims, reflects "absolute lack of sincerity" of the applicant.

The ACIT has also raised concerns that the handset manufacturer has not addressed the issue of capital gains tax liability that will accrue to Nokia India on sale of its assets to Microsoft, adding that Microsoft's decision to purchase Nokia India's assets and not its equity shares is a "convenient coincidence" borne out of an "internal collusive agreement" between the two parties

More: http://www.indianexpress.com/news/tax-row-hc-asks-it-dept-to-decide-on-nokia-offer/1201000/0

Mumbai firm buys prime diplomatic property in UK

Mumbai-based Lodha Developers have been confirmed as the new owners of Macdonald House in central London, which currently houses the Canadian High Commission.


Canada's High Commissioner to the UK, Gordon Campbell,confirmed on Thursday night that legal contracts have been exchanged for the sale of 1 Grosvenor Square for 530 million Canadian dollars.

"We thank Lodha Group for their keen interest and welcome this new phase in the project," Campbell said.

The High Commission, advised by Savills UK, said the Lodha Group will acquire the property.

"There was exceptional interest from international parties for the property on Grosvenor Square. We are looking forward to the move to Canada House on Trafalgar Square, Canada's traditional home in the United Kingdom, in the next year," he said.

Canada had first announced its intention to sell the property in Canada's House of Commons in February.

It has described the move as a key step in plans to revitalise Canada House on Trafalgar Square in the heart of London and to consolidate the Canadian High Commission?s diplomatic activity in the UK in one central London location, "saving valuable operational dollars".

"The acquisition of this marquee asset overlooking London's most renowned garden square, in the heart of Mayfair, and in close proximity to Bond Street and Mount Street is a great opportunity for our company," Abhishek Lodha, MD of Lodha Group said.

The value of Macdonald House, if converted to residential use, is estimated at over 450 million pounds.

"This is without doubt one of the finest addresses in central London," Tim Whitmey, director in Savills development team, said.

London has been witnessing a massive property boom this year, largely triggered by cash-rich overseas investors keen on investing in the British capital.

Estate agent Wetherell recently claimed at least 20 of the 165 diplomatic missions in London have been sold or explored a sale in the past six months after prices in up-market embassy areas rose by up to 60 per cent since 2007.

The Canadians are following in the footsteps of their American counterparts, who sold the US embassy on Grosvenor Square in 2008.

More: http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/mumbai-firm-buys-prime-diplomatic-property-in-uk/article1-1156979.aspx

Wipro and Bangalore civic body row may land in court

The dispute between WiproBSE 0.30 % and Bangalore city authorities has erupted again with both planning to approach the courts over property tax that the city's civic body claims the technology services company owes it.

The issue resurfaced after Bruhat Bengaluru Mahanagara Palike (BBMP) officials visited the Wipro campus in Sarjapur on Wednesday seeking about Rs 16.47 crore in property taxes, which the company has refused to pay.

Wipro called BBMP's action an "illegal attemp ..


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Economy probably recovered slightly in Sept quarter

India's economic growth probably picked up slightly in the September quarter, but weak investment levels have tempered hopes that strong rural demand and a rebound in exports will drive a sustained recovery ahead of elections due early next year.

A Reuters poll of 40 economists showed gross domestic product (GDP) likely expanded 4.6 percent year-on-year, only two basis points above the previous quarter, which was the lowest in four years.

The statistics office will release the data at 5:30 p.m. on Friday.

If the forecast materialises, it would mean the fourth successive quarter of economic growth below 5 percent, far below the 8 percent the government says is needed to reduce poverty and provide jobs for its burgeoning young population.

"A combination of weak investment, high inflation and tight monetary policy would not let India's economic recovery gather steam anytime soon," said Miguel Chanco, Asia Economist at Capital Economics in Singapore.

The ruling Congress party is pinning its hopes on a growth rebound to help win back voters in a national election expected by April. Opposition prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi has made the depressed economy a central plank of his campaign.

After a successful decade of chaperoning Gujarat state's economic growth, Modi is viewed by some as the saviour of the country's battered growth story.

Economic growth virtually halved in two years to 5 percent in the fiscal year that ended in March -- the lowest level in a decade in which Congress has dominated Indian politics. Most economists surveyed by Reuters last month expect the fiscal year to March 2014 to be worse.

A pickup in rural consumer spending after a strong monsoon raised farm yields and a rebound in merchandise exports have spurred hopes among India's policymakers that the worst may be over.

The monsoon also replenished hydroelectric reservoirs, leading to higher electricity generation.

But the economy is facing headwinds from other quarters. Persistently high inflation has suppressed consumer demand in the urban areas that drive India's economy, and businesses remain wary about expanding their capacity in a situation akin to stagflation.

Looming national elections expected by April next year are also credited with a dampening effect.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has expedited clearances for big ticket infrastructure projects but many businesses now prefer to wait until the next government is formed before they commit to new projects.

"Political stability and policy credibility are paramount to corporates making long-term investment decisions," Nomura said in a note on Tuesday.

Investment slowed to a decade-low of 1.7 percent last fiscal year.

Goldman Sachs expects investment growth to ease further to 1.2 percent this fiscal year, dragging down overall economic growth to 4.3 percent. The government is more optimistic, forecasting growth in the year of between 5 and 5.5 percent.

The downturn has hit government finances, making it tougher for Finance Minister P. Chidambaram to deliver on his promise to narrow the budget deficit to a six-year low of 4.8 percent of gross domestic product this year.

With revenues under pressure and his reputation on the line, Chidambaram is expected to wield his budget knife to hit the deficit target. Such a move in the backdrop of weak corporate investments could further dent long-term economic prospects.

Concerns about the high budget and current account deficits combined to help drive the rupee currency to record lows earlier this year.

The economic malaise has also doubled bad loans at Indian banks since 2009 to 4.2 percent of total loans, raising concerns over the health of the country's financial system

More: http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/11/29/india-economy-gdp-investment-idINDEE9AR0E220131129

U.N. Nuclear Inspectors Invited to Iranian Facility

Days after Iran struck a landmark accord with world powers on its nuclear program, the International Atomic Energy Agency announced on Thursday that Tehran had invited its inspectors to visit a heavy-water production plant linked to the deal — the first tangible step since the agreement was concluded.

In a speech in Vienna, the agency’s director general, Yukiya Amano, said the invitation was for inspectors to travel to the plant in Arak, in central Iran, on Dec. 8. Mr. Amano told reporters that it was “for sure” that inspectors would accept the offer.

¶The invitation was limited to the heavy-water production facility on the same site as a reactor that is under construction and to which international inspectors have had some access, Mr. Amano said. The facility producing heavy water, used in some types of reactors to control nuclear activity, has been off limits to inspectors for more than two years.

¶Part of the deal reached with world powers in Geneva specifically provided for Iran not to produce fuel for the Arak plant, install additional reactor components there or put the plant into operation. If it became fully operational, the reactor would produce plutonium that could be used in a nuclear weapon.

¶In return for that and other curbs on Tehran’s nuclear program, the powers promised a limited easing of the international economic sanctions that have crippled the Iranian economy.

¶The speed with which Tehran offered access to Arak was taken by some analysts as a sign that Iran’s leaders wanted to press ahead with the deal, which is intended as an interim accord lasting six months during which negotiators are to discuss a comprehensive settlement.

¶The dispute hinges on the purpose of Iran’s nuclear program, which Western leaders say is intended to acquire the technology for atomic weapons. Iran says the program is for peaceful purposes.

¶Mr. Amano also told the agency’s board on Thursday that Catherine Ashton, the European Union’s top foreign policy official, who played a central part in the negotiations, had said in a letter that the I.A.E.A., the United Nations’ nuclear watchdog, “will have an important role in the verification of the nuclear-related measures” agreed to in Geneva. He suggested that the agency might need more money and experts to fulfill that role.

¶“We are now looking at the way in which the elements of the agreement relevant to the agency could be put into practice,” he said. “This will include the implications for funding and staffing. This analysis will take some time.” Diplomats said the review could take until January.

¶Mr. Amano, who visited Tehran on Nov. 11, said he had agreed with high-ranking officials there that Iran would permit “managed access” to at least two contentious sites: the Gachin mine in Bandar Abbas and the Arak plant, which Iranian officials say is intended to produce medical isotopes.

¶The term “managed access” usually denotes arrangements allowing host countries to protect information that they consider proprietary or secret, while permitting inspectors to collect the data they require, officials said.

¶The promise of inspections did not extend to the Parchin military site southwest of Tehran, where I.A.E.A. inspectors suspect that Iran at one time tested triggering devices for nuclear weapons.

¶The organization has also questioned whether the Gachin mine, which produces yellowcake uranium for conversion to nuclear fuel, is linked to Iran’s military. Mr. Amano’s announcement on Thursday did not specifically mention access to the mine. But, he said, “all other outstanding issues” relating to the I.A.E.A.’s differences with Iran would be addressed “in subsequent steps.”

More: http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/29/world/middleeast/iran-nuclear-inspections.html?_r=0#h[]

31 dead as car bombs rock Iraq

The bloodshed, in which more than 6,000 people have been killed this year, is the worst prolonged stretch of unrest since 2008 and comes just months before a general election, forcing Baghdad to appeal for international help in battling militants.

Attacks in Iraq killed 31 people on Thursday as 11 car bombs struck nationwide, the latest in a surge of violence that has sparked fears Iraq is slipping back into all-out sectarian war.

The bloodshed, in which more than 6,000 people have been killed this year, is the worst prolonged stretch of unrest since 2008 and comes just months before a general election, forcing Baghdad to appeal for international help in battling militants.

Although there have been no claims of responsibility for much of the unrest, officials see the hand of a resurgent Al-Qaeda emboldened by the civil war raging in neighbouring Syria.

Attacks struck across the country, from the northern hub of Mosul to Kut in the south. They cut down civilians as well as security forces in a wide variety of incidents targeting markets, bus stations, a funeral tent and the convoy of a top police official, security and medical sources said.

Babil province, south of Baghdad, suffered the lion's share of the car bombs, as a half-dozen struck provincial capital Hilla and nearby towns, killing six people and wounding dozens more.

Another vehicle rigged with explosives targeted Salaheddin provincial police chief Major General Juma al-Dulaimi. It killed three civilians and wounded two others.

Dulaimi himself escaped unharmed from the blast in the provincial capital of Tikrit, hometown of now executed dictator Saddam Hussein.

A suicide car bombing at a police checkpoint near Samarra, also in Salaheddin, killed three police and wounded three more.

Two more car bombs in predominantly-Sunni Salaheddin and two others in Wasit, a mostly Shiite province south of Baghdad, killed three people and wounded 15.

Also in Salaheddin, militants who set up a fake checkpoint gunned down six people -- a senior official in Iraq's identity card department and his wife, two policemen and two other civilians.

Meanwhile in Baghdad, a roadside bomb targeting a patrol of Sahwa anti-Al-Qaeda-militiamen killed two people, one of them a Sahwa fighter, and two other bombs elsewhere in the capital killed four more.

From late 2006 onwards, Sunni tribal militias known as the Sahwa turned against their co-religionists in Al-Qaeda and sided with the US military, helping to turn the tide of Iraq's insurgency.

Sunni militants view them as traitors and frequently target them. Also today, shootings in the northern city of Mosul killed four people, including two members of the Yazidi religious sect.

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report-31-dead-as-car-bombs-rock-iraq-1926528

Delhi police oppose BSP MP Dhananjay Singh's bail plea

Looks like the police's opposition could spell doom for Bahujan Samaj Party MP Dhananjay Singh. The Delhi police on Thursday opposed his bail plea, saying that he made his wife carry out the torture on their maid. The police said that he incited his wife to beat up the servants in the house and said that though Dhananjay had filed a petition seeking divorce from his wife Jagriti, both were in constant touch with each other via messages and calls. 

Dhananjay has filed for divorce from his wife Jagriti Singh "They were directly in touch through calls and SMSes. Why they have filed a divorce petition. It is very questionable," they said. Dhanajay filed for bail after he failed to get relief from a magisterial court, concluding that the allegations against him were very serious. The court also said that Dhananjay didn't deserve leniency due to his conduct previously. 

Dhananjay and his wife Jagriti Singh were arrested in connection to the death of their maid. The court will give its order on Nov 29.

Read more at: http://news.oneindia.in/new-delhi/delhi-police-oppose-bsp-mp-dhananjay-singhs-bail-plea-1349713.html

EC tells parties to restrain themselves, warns of action

Declining to act on petitions by the Congress and BJP seeking each other's de-recognition for repeated violations of the model code of conduct and use of intemperate language by party leaders, the Election Commission on Thursday put all parties on notice and warned of action in case they still failed to restrain themselves.

Observing that the "plummeting levels of political discourse witnessed during the ongoing elections...are a matter of serious concern and deep anguish", the Commission said the flood of complaints and counter-complaints it had received so far indicated the mouthing of provocative and inflammatory statements calculated to cause disharmony. Also, intemperate and abusive language used by party leaders had trangressed the limits of decency, and personal attacks on political rivals aggravated differences between parties, besides creating a divide on communal and religious lines.

"The gravity of the situation can be guaged by the fact that the Commission is seized of petitions from two national recognised parties seeking each other's derecognition for repeated violations of the model code under Para 16A of the Election Symbols (Reservation and Allotment) Order, 1968," noted the EC.

The petitions had followed separate complaints to the Commission against BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi and Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi for their intemperate/communal remarks during campaigning. The EC had found them guilty of violating the model code and, in separate orders, disapproved of their remarks and warned them to be more circumspect about their utterances.

While clarifying that it recognised the fundamental right of freedom of speech and expression, the Commission in its general order on Thursday pointed out that such a right was "not absolute and is to be exercised in such a manner that it does not transcend, inter alia, the boundaries of decency and morality or disturb public order or amount to defamation or give incitement to an offence ordained in clause (2) of Article 19 of the Constitution".

Reminding that the model code of conduct dissuaded parties from resorting to personal attacks and making communal appeals, the Commission said that while it did not intend to take action on the Congress's and BJP's complaints, it "desires to put all political parties on notice that any repeated violations of the model code of conduct and use of intemperate and abusive language may invite action against the defaulting parties".

More: http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/EC-tells-parties-to-restrain-themselves-warns-of-action/articleshow/26545740.cms

Narendra Modi hits out at Congress for failing to fulfill 'obligations'

BJP PM candidate Narendra Modi today attacked the Congress alleging that it has not fulfilled its constitutional obligations and "destroyed" the nation in its nearly six decades rule.

Addressing a poll rally here, he also attacked UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for claiming to have made laws in favour of the poor but not implementing them on ground.

"When Babashaeb Bhim Rao Ambedkar made the Indian constitution, was it to keep the people of the nation poor or to keep them illiterate. The Congress has not fulfilled its constitutional duties and responsibilities and has destroyed the country in the last 60 years," Narendra Modi said.

He took a dig at Sonia Gandhi, saying when she addressed the people here yesterday, she claimed that several laws have been made for the poor.

"If a gun licence instead of a gun is shown to a lion, he is not going to get scared and in the same way just making laws for poor was not enough and their implementation was also required," Narendra Modi said.

He said the UPA Government humiliated the poor of the country when it did not even listen to the Supreme Court and allowed several thousand tonnes of wheat to rot on railway stations.

"The rotting wheat was given to wine manufacturers at the rate of 80 paise but not given to the farmers," Narendra Modi alleged.

He also brought up the issue of inter-linking of rivers in the country, saying had the UPA worked on the dream project of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, districts such as Sikar would have been able to produce more through increased irrigation facilities.

More: http://www.financialexpress.com/news/Narendra-Modi-hits-out-at-Congress-for-failing-to-fulfill--obligations-/1200693

Youth arrested for assaulting woman athlete in Bihar's Jehanabad

Police on Thursday arrested a youth from Jehanahad railway premises in connection with the assault on a woman athlete, whose participation in the Gujarat National Games early next month has now become uncertain.

The youth, identified as Nitish Kumar, son of a railway gangman, was arrested from his home, Jehanabad Superintendent of Police Shyali Dhurat said. He was produced before the Railway magistrate and sent to jail.

Ashwani Raj was returning home here after attending a training programme in Gaya, when three to four youths, who alighted from the same train, accosted her and started beating her up when she protested.

The youth allegedly regularly teased the athlete, who was preparing for 5,000 mt race, which she used to ignore.

Admitted to the Jehanabad Sadar Hospital, Raj expressed apprehension that she might not be able to participate in the National Games starting in Gujarat starting from December 7.

The SP, who met the athlete, said she was recovering fast.

More: http://zeenews.india.com/news/bihar/youth-arrested-for-assaulting-woman-athlete-in-bihar-s-jehanabad_892869.html

Ahead of elections, BJP’s Dr-Jekyll-and-Mr-Hyde act

The BJP’s has been a double-deck campaign that is now in its final stages. It was brazenly geared at keeping its core Hindutva base while stoking urban aspirations by insulating, albeit awkwardly, Narendra Modi’s “Gujarat model” of service-delivery and development.

The Congress failed to expose the BJP double-speak, hamstrung as it was by its own semantics. Its campaign was largely defensive, letting pass Modi’s barbs on the UPA’s governance record. The Samajwadi Party was as diffident over the manner it handled the Muzaffarnagar riots.

Only Nitish Kumar’s JD (U) was better heard for it reacted forcefully. The holes it shot in Modi’s bombast over facts of history showed him as a dilettante.

A glaring example of the BJP’s obviously choreographed dissociative identity disorder – or call it a Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde act -- was a rally Modi addressed in Agra. The local leadership led by his confidant Amit Shah feted ahead of his arrival the BJP legislators accused of inciting communal tempers in Muzaffarnagar.

It’s hard to believe Modi was oblivious of the planned show. Having failed to utter a word on the riots, he kept the silence, playing instead the good Dr Jekyll: “BJP will follow the vikas (development) mantra to change your lives. You have my word for it.”

Agra actually was Act II of the dichotomous campaign that unfolded in Bihar where the BJP’s Asthi Kalash yatras coincided with Modi’s condolence calls on families of supporters killed in blasts the Indian Mujahideen triggered at his Patna rally. The spectacle barely concealed the agenda to polarise communities over terrorism. It sat uneasy with Modi’s Gujarat project to emphasise national unity by erecting the world’s tallest statue in memory of Sardar Patel.

The saffron campaign was a please-all fusion of pretence and reality. But when the mask slipped it exposed the party’s historical social bias for the religious majority. The illusory tactics aimed at barricading Modi against allegations of communal mobilisation while its leaders in UP and Bihar went about doing exactly that.

Quite noteworthy in this context was the VHP’s abortive chaurasi kosi yatra and the BJP’s UP chief Laxmikant Bajpayee’s description of legislators ‘complicit’ in the Muzaffarnagar ferment as saviours of the Hindus.

The alacrity with which Modi retracted his comments making fun of the Sadhu who predicted a gold haul in UP showed the leopard hasn’t changed spots. He also got a rap on the knuckles by his minders in the Sangh for his pahle sauchalya phirdevalaya flourish. Such third-party interventions made one wonder whether Modi indeed was a free agent he made himself out to be. Was he enacting a role scripted for him in faraway Nagpur?

In Bihar, the BJP averred its marches in the aftermath of the blasts were for fostering communal accord. The claim lacked credibility. None of its yatras with the victims’ ashes was led by Shahnawaz Hussain, an MP from Bihar who is the party’s sole Muslim member of the Lok Sabha.

Rahul Gandhi’s formulation on the vulnerabilities of minorities alienated by communal violence was well conceived but poorly worded. The Sangh shared his apprehensions. But in another display of a split personality, the BJP used it to incite the Congress’s Muslim base. As much ammunition for it were the SP’s crude overtures to mollify the minorities after failing them in Muzaffarnagar.

About time the “secularists” realise that they aren’t facing one but two BJPs — their strings held by a common puppeteer.

More: http://www.hindustantimes.com/specials/coverage/myindia-myvote/chunk-ht-ui-myindiamyvote-countdownto2014/ahead-of-elections-bjp-s-dr-jekyll-and-mr-hyde-act/sp-article10-1156947.aspx

As bad loans mount, India gets tough on 'wilful' default

Kemrock Industries and Exports owns a golf course near its plant in western India and its chairman, Kalpesh Patel, talks of the high salaries he pays employees. Still, the company has defaulted on payments for about USD 250 million in loans and Patel's banks, frustrated that they are unable to seize assets as he fights them in court, say they want to declare him a "wilful defaulter", a fast-growing category in India as bad loans mount. Also Read: Stop lending to defaulting promoters, FinMin tells banks Patel firmly denies he is such a case, saying that the business has hit lean times but he is working to turn it around. The prevalence of so-called "wilful" defaults is symptomatic of what critics say is a loose credit culture that plagues Asia's third-biggest economy, keeping underperforming companies in business, crowding out other borrowers and leaving taxpayers on the hook to recapitalise state banks.

 The Reserve Bank of India defines a wilful defaulter as a borrower that is able but unwilling to pay, has diverted loan proceeds for other than their initially stated use, or has overstated profits in order to obtain a loan. Policymakers have voiced growing about the problem in recent months, and are urging banks to get tough. "In India, there is no stigma attached to defaulting on bank loans," said Sharad Bhatia, president, stressed assets management, at Axis Bank Allahabad Bank Allahabad Bank . "These are not small companies. They dig into money from their own company, and when we move to take charge of the assets they transfer it in the name of their friends or relative or get stay orders from courts." To declare a wilful default, a bank must set up a committee to hear the borrower's story. 

If it then determines the default is "wilful" it informs the central bank, which circulates a list of "wilful defaulters" to lenders nationwide. State lenders in particular are constrained from moving quickly to pursue dud loans by bureaucratic hurdles and a culture where it can be safer not to make a decision. Paltry legal fees - state banks pay just 40,000 rupees per corporate debt recovery - mean top lawyers have little incentive to take on cases that can drag for months or longer. Private sector banks pay many times more to ensure cases get resolved more quickly, lawyers said. "We need to become more nimble," said Arundhati Bhattacharya, chairwoman at State Bank of India, the country's largest lender. "It takes a long time to make decisions. 

The government is aware of it and we are trying to see what we can do about it." Kemrock Indus stock price On November 28, 2013, Kemrock Industries and Exports closed at Rs 16.55, up Rs 0.00, or 0.00 percent. The 52-week high of the share was Rs 110.65 and the 52-week low was Rs 14.90. The latest book value of the company is Rs 185.42 per share. At current value, the price-to-book value of the company was 0.09.

Read more at: http://www.moneycontrol.com/news/business/as-bad-loans-mount-india-gets-toughwilful-default_999069.html?utm_source=ref_article

With a midnight meeting, delicate new balance emerges in Pakistan

Just after midnight in early October, Pakistani Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and a coterie of his closest advisers met at his palatial Lahore home and made his toughest decision since coming to power - picking the new army chief.

The meeting took place only hours after Pakistan's all-powerful army chief General Ashfaq Kayani suddenly announced he would retire in November, scotching rumours he was seeking to extend his tenure. Sharif saw Kayani's departure as a chance to limit the sway of an institution that has ruled Pakistan for more than half its 66-year history. He immediately sat down with his top aides to choose a successor, an insider with first-hand knowledge of the event told Reuters. "We have to say 'no' to the Kayani doctrine," the insider quoted Sharif as saying at the meeting. "(Sharif) and the three others in the room all agreed that it was time to show the world that this was no longer Kayani's army."

Lieutenant-General Raheel Sharif, considered a rank outsider in the race for army chief, is due to take charge of the world's sixth-largest military in a ceremony on Friday. The decision was announced on Wednesday, and came as a shock to those familiar with the country's politics. Not only did Sharif choose to bypass Lieutenant-General Haroon Aslam, the most senior military officer after Kayani and thus his natural heir, but he also ignored Kayani's personal favourite, Lieutenant-General Rashad Mahmood. Raheel Sharif, 57, is known as a laid-back man with a fondness for cigars and an almost complete lack of political ambition. His father, a retired major, ran one of the country's most exclusive country clubs in Pakistan's cultural capital, Lahore, ensuring a connection with Nawaz Sharif, who has long been one of the most important members of the city's upper classes.

Most importantly, Raheel Sharif, who is no relation to the prime minister, has twice served under tribal affairs minister Abdul Qadir Baloch, a retired general and one of Nawaz Sharif's closest confidants. Baloch was at the Lahore meeting when Raheel Sharif's name was finalised for the top job.

COMPROMISE
Sharif knew, however, that he could not entirely overrule Kayani, the quiet, chain-smoking general, who at one point was voted by Forbes magazine as the 28th most powerful man in the world. Kayani had favoured Mahmood for the post. So Sharif chose a compromise aimed at placating Kayani loyalists. He appointed Mahmood chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee, technically the country's highest military office but historically subservient to the army chief.

Raheel Sharif will at times have to defer to Mahmood, his nominal boss, given his lack of experience in the intelligence service or the Military Operations Directorate, two traditionally powerful areas. The decision to appoint a Kayani loyalist as joint chiefs chairman is a political concession that will make or break Sharif's term as the prime minister of the coup-plagued South Asian nation, retired military officers and analysts said. It is an attempt to appease the generals while also allowing the balance of power in the country to swing toward the civilian government for the first time in more than a decade, said military affairs expert and author Ahmed Rashid. "Politicians here have a tendency to think that lesser known generals are more manageable generals," he said. "Raheel (Sharif) has not been on the radar at all. He doesn't have a public persona in the way that the other front-runners do."

For a prime minister determined to wrest control of strategic and foreign policy from the army, appointing Mahmood, a man moulded in Kayani's image, who would come to the job with his own ideas, would have been less than ideal. As one retired air marshal said: "Appointing Mahmood would have meant another three years of Kayani's thinking. It was a no-brainer."

More: http://www.dnaindia.com/world/report-with-a-midnight-meeting-delicate-new-balance-emerges-in-pakistan-1926509

Over 12 AAP nominees have spent years with Congress and BJP

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) is making its political debut, but many of its candidates are not. Unlike the top leadership of the party, which has a complete non-political background, more than a dozen of its nominees have spent years with the Congress and BJP, whom AAP has branded absolutely corrupt. They also held crucial organisational posts before joining the AAP.

Most candidates say they had a change of heart during Anna Hazare’s Jan Lokpal movement and jumped on to the anti-corruption bandwagon. Those like Anil Kumar Vajpayi (56), AAP’s nominee from Gandhi Nagar, had other reasons as well. “He was head of Delhi Congress Committee, had a rift with Sheila Dikshit over price rise, which led him to confront the chief minister,” his bio-data says.

The Congress and the BJP have been attacking AAP, saying that if these two parties are corrupt, why give tickets to their former leaders. The list of nominees also include several independent councillors who were earlier associated with the BJP and the Congress.

AAP’s national executive member, Sanjay Singh defended the decision. “We were never averse to giving tickets to people from other parties provided they were honest and had done social work. Since we completed announcement of our candidates quite early, we did not have to entertain rebels from other parties,” he said.



“The handful of people you are referring to are those who had left their parties long back and were working with us with no ticket aspirations in mind. They must have left their parties for a reason. Unlike us, the BJP and Congress gave tickets to each others’ men at the eleventh hour,” Singh said.

“For example, Congress has fielded former BJP councillor VK Monga from Krishna Nagar against Harsh Vardhan. Till recently, Monga was a close associate of Vardhan,” he said.

But political scientists view the phenomenon differently. Ravi Ranjan, fellow at Developing Countries Research Centre, University of Delhi, said, “AAP started with a fresh outlook but they are evolving like other parties in their rush to grab power. They set out to change the corrupt system with support from the middle class but the same middle class is witness to duality of means and ends of AAP.”

“It’s a myth that AAP is a party of newbies. You cannot win elections only with those who sacrifice their careers and deliver well-meaning talk. Knowing full well that the ability to win is the sole factor in the elections we have had to field experienced leaders,” said another AAP leader.

More: http://www.hindustantimes.com/specials/coverage/myindia-myvote/chunk-ht-ui-myindiamyvote-delhi/over-12-aap-nominees-have-spent-years-with-congress-and-bjp/sp-article10-1156963.aspx

Ahead of South Africa tour, Virat Kohli issues statement of intent

India have just beaten West Indies in a series. The Tests were easy, the ODIs were dull and that just about sums it up. But Dhoni’s men did what they do so well – they got on with the job at hand. In an alternate universe, around the same time, they could have been in South Africa facing up to best pace bowling attack in the world. But Dhoni has never been one to let his mind wander too much. He sticks to the present; to reality and so does his team. Virat Kohli is ready for India’s tour of South Africa. PTI Virat Kohli, who was adjudged the man of the series for scoring 204 runs in three matches against the West Indies, showed in the post match press conference that he was focussed on the tougher tour to follow. “Just trying to make the most of the sort of form that I am in.

 Just trying to do the right things, do the basics right. The most important month — tour to South Africa — is coming up. You have make the most of your good form,” said Kohli. “Just been hungry for runs but as I said the most important month for this team starts now.” “South Africa is a challenge this team likes challenges. We know we will be presented with a challenge in South Africa but we are ready for it. I think… no… I know we will do a good job there too,” Kohli added. At some level, you are glad that Kohli knows he will be judged by what he does on the SA tour – not by what he achieved against a weak West Indies team. At another level, you can’t help but marvel at the confidence of the young Indian team. There simply is no fear. South Africa will be the first true test of this young Indian team; it is also the first time the youngsters will be called upon to shoulder the responsibility of success and failure. Wins against Zimbabwe, West Indies don’t really matter – not anymore. 

Australia recalled Mitchell Johnson from the ODI tour for the Ashes, giving us an idea of how highly they rated the series, and even the Champions Trophy triumph was strangely enough a product of slow pitches… almost Indian conditions according to many. Among the batsmen only Mahendra Singh Dhoni and Chesteshwar Pujara have played Test cricket in South Africa. Among the bowlers, only Zaheer Khan and Ishant Sharma have any real idea of what the conditions will offer. For the others – it is pretty much unknown territory (despite the ‘A’ tours and IPL matches). The Indian team has never won a Test or ODI series in South Africa and even though the Proteas lost the ODI series against Pakistan, it will not be easy. Dale Steyn, Vernon Philander and Morne Morkel will come at them hard – in conditions that will be very different from what the Indians played on in recent times. 

In the past to prepare for SA tours, batsmen would practise with wet rubber and plastic balls. They would get pitches specially prepared. They would go there early (like they did on the last tour with coach Gary Kirsten leading them straight to his academy). But, this squad simply hasn’t had the time to do that. They have been playing cricket non-stop but still, this team isn’t scared. They will still go out, play their brand of cricket, back themselves, be aggressive and hope to find a way to make it all work. That’s what Dhoni does over and over again and the rest of the team simply follows his cue. 

For all his success in ODIs, the right-hander has still not established himself as a Test batsmen (avg of 41.16 as against 52.27 in ODIs, the average further falls to 28.92 in overseas Tests)and he knows that. He has also experienced the lows of Australia first hand and that is why Kohli’s words, simply put, were a statement on intent. India don’t intend to go down with a fight… they don’t intend to go down at all. Let’s just hope that at the end of it all, it’s not just talk.

Read more at: http://www.firstpost.com/sports/ahead-of-south-africa-tour-virat-kohli-issues-statement-of-intent-1255197.html?utm_source=ref_article

Abu Salem gets 7-year imprisonment in fake passport case

A special CBI court in Hyderabad awarded seven-year rigorous imprisonment to extradited gangster Abu Salem in a fake passport case on Thursday.

The 3rd special court Judge for CBI cases, MV Ramana Naidu had on November 18 held the underworld don guilty under different sections of Indian Penal Code (IPC) for obtaining a passport under a fictitious name and address,

from Kurnool district of Andhra Pradesh.

Salem, convicted earlier for criminal conspiracy and cheating under the IPC, was sentenced to seven years rigorous imprisonment (RI) and fined Rs. 1,000 for each of the charge.

Salem, also convicted on the charge of forgery for the purpose of cheating, was sentenced to one year RI, and also slapped with Rs. 1,000 fine.

He was also sentenced to one-year RI each on the charges of cheating by personation and for using as genuine a forged document of the IPC.

All the sentences will run concurrently.

"Salem has completed a term of around six years of imprisonment in the case," CBI's senior public prosecutor T V Ramana said.

Salem was present in the court when the judgment was pronounced.

After the verdict, he was taken back to Mumbai by the jail authorities there.

Salem had procured the fake passport under the fictitious identity of Ramil Kamil Malik by submitting forged documents to the Hyderabad Regional Passport Office, in connivance with some government officials and private persons in 2001.

In total, Salem obtained three passports -- one for his first wife Sameera Zumani, another for his companion and actor Monica Bedi and a third for himself.

Salem and Bedi were arrested in Portugal and extradited to India in 2005.

The fake passport case was transferred to CBI from AP police in October 2002, and a charge sheet was filed in 2004 against 10 accused.

While seven of the total accused faced trial, two had been acquitted. The trial against the gangster began in Hyderabad in 2009. Three accused are still absconding in the case.

Meanwhile, the defence said they will apeal against the order in the Andhra Pradesh High Court.

Later, speaking to reporters, Ramana said 39 witnesses were examined by prosecution in the case and 60 documents were marked as exhibits.

He said three accused are still absconding in the case and the central agency was tracing them through Interpol adding "once they are available, case will be conducted against them also."

All the charges were proved against the accused and he (Salem) got maximum punishment of 7 years each for the offence of criminal conspiracy and cheating under relevant sections of IPC, the CBI prosecutor said.

Salem has completed six years imprisonment in the case and he has to serve one more year in jail, Ramana added.

More: http://www.hindustantimes.com/India-news/India/Abu-Salem-gets-7-year-imprisonment-in-fake-passport-case/Article1-1156645.aspx

Tehelka case: Goa cops in Delhi with arrest warrant, but Tarun Tejpal not at home

Armed with a non-bailable arrest warrant, a seven-member team of the Goa Police arrived early this morning at the south Delhi residence of Tehelka founder Tarun Tejpal, but did not find him at home.

After about an hour of talking to his wife and family, the cops left for Goa Sadan where they are camped. Sources said Mr Tejpal's family refused to reveal where he is.

The police team is now expected to speak to the Tehelka founder's other relatives, but are working on the premise, sources said, that he might have left Delhi and could even be at a home he owns in Himachal Pradesh.

If Mr Tejpal is not found soon, the Goa Police could issue a lookout notice for him and alert police stations across the country.

Mr Tejpal, who stepped down as Tehelka's editor last week, is accused of raping a younger colleague in Goa earlier this month. The Goa Police said he would be arrested after he failed to meet a 3 pm deadline yesterday to appear for interrogation.

He had sought time till Saturday, but the Goa Police denied him the extension and he said last evening that he would make himself available for interrogation after lunch today. (Read full text of Tarun Tejpal's letter to the police)

The senior journalist has denied the charges of rape against him, and said that the encounter that's being described as rape was "light hearted bantering." (Read: Only "light-hearted bantering" not sexual assault, says Tarun Tejpal)

The young journalist who has accused him of sexual assault has ardently challenged his version of events, and accused Tehelka and her boss, Shoma Chaudhury, of trying to engineer a cover-up. She quit Tehelka earlier this week. (Tehelka journalist who accused founder of sexual assault resigns)

Ms Chaudhury also resigned yesterday from Tehelka after days of being pelted with criticism for her handling of the reporter's complaint, sent to her via an email that was leaked. (Full text: resignation letter sent by woman journalist to Tehelka)

That email was used by the Goa Police to file an FIR against Mr Tejpal.

More: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/tehelka-case-goa-police-team-at-tarun-tejpal-s-residence-possible-arrest-today-452266