A Pakistan News

Pakistan Elections 2008 Party Position [del.icio.us]

2008-02-18T21:38:16-06:00

Party NA PP PS PB PF PPPP 38 36 33 7 12 PML(N) 45 73 0 0 0 MQM 5 0 18 0 0 PML(Q) 18 35 6 11 3 ANP 8 0 2 1 23

Bogus voting let loose by capturing Lyari polling stations: Faruque Sattar [del.icio.us]

2008-02-18T08:57:39-06:00

KARACHI Pakistan: Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) leader, Faruque Sattar said that bogus voting was let loose by capturing 33 polling stations at Lyari area here. Addressing a press conference, MQM leader Faruque Sattar blamed that bogus voting was let

Ghinwa, Khuhro clash over polls in Larkana Pakistan [del.icio.us]

2008-02-18T07:22:57-06:00

LARKANA: Pakistan Peoples Party leader and candidate for PS-36 Nisar Khuhro was manhandled at women’s polling station located at Shaikh Zaid Colony School on Monday. According to details, chairperson of PPP (SB) Ms. Ghinwa Bhutto, contesting election

Voting ends in Pakistan polls, 14 killed in violence [del.icio.us]

2008-02-18T06:54:09-06:00

Voting ended across the country for elections 2008 at 5:00 pm on Monday. Large number of people exercised their right of vote countrywide. Fourteen people including UC Nazim and a woman have been killed and several wounded in firing and violence incid

I’m not pregnant: Aishwarya Rai [del.icio.us]

2008-02-17T21:38:20-06:00

Aishwarya Rai has hit on the rumours which suggested that she has pulled out of Shankar’s Robot due to her pregnancy. The Bollywood beauty has not only confirmed her plans to to play lead role opposite superstar Rajinikanth but also rubbished the baby

SAIF ALI KHAN DENIED MARRIAGE WITH KAREENA: [del.icio.us]

2008-02-10T02:41:25-06:00

SAIF ALI KHAN DENIED MARRIAGE WITH KAREENA:

Troops pound militants holding key Darra Adam Khel tunnel [del.icio.us]

2008-01-27T04:10:56-06:00

Troops pound militants holding key Darra Adam Khel tunnel in Pakistan

English-Spanish Basic Talking Dictionary 2006 - LingvoSoft Talking Dictionary 2006 Basic EnglishSpanish f... [del.icio.us]

2008-01-26T10:04:06-06:00

English-Spanish Basic Talking Dictionary 2006 - LingvoSoft Talking Dictionary 2006 Basic EnglishSpanish f...

Musharraf arrives in London [del.icio.us]

2008-01-25T09:46:53-06:00

President Pervez Musharraf arrived here Friday on the last leg of his four-nation European tour. During his three-day stay in Britain, President Musharraf will call on British Prime Minister Gordon Brown at 10 Downing Street on January 28 and discuss w

Pakistan test fires nuclear-capable medium-range missile Hatf-4 [del.icio.us]

2008-01-25T07:37:28-06:00

Brief: Nokia’s factory in Romania has officially produced their first mobile phone [del.icio.us]

2008-01-16T07:52:51-06:00

Free Articles [del.icio.us]

2007-11-06T02:33:13-06:00

Free Articles

Markets snap losing streak, Sensex gains 464 pts

1970-01-01T05:00:00Z

The benchmark Sensex on Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) on Friday (November 21) gained over 460 points to reverse hammering of the past seven days on emergence of buying triggered by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s confident remarks that economy would sustain eight per cent growth despite global economic turbulence.

The 30-share barometer on the Bombay Stock Exchange bounced back to close at 8,915.21, a smart rise of 464.20 points, or 5.49 per cent, from its last close. Nifty, the broader index on the National Stock Exchange (NSE), also recouped by 140.30 points, or 5.50 per cent, to 2,693.45.

The Sensex had plunged to its three-year low yesterday after being hammered in the past seven days. Sustained selling in these days has shaved off a whopping 2,085.15 points. The bellwether index has shed a massive 57 per cent since January after surging to over 21,000-level in the same month. Foreign institutional investors have pulled out Rs 53477 crore this year so far.

Domestic markets had fallen in sync with global bourses which plunged primarily due to looses and write-downs to the tune of one trillion dollars by global financial companies after the collapse of the US mortgage market leading to failure of many a financial institution. Besides Singh’s optimistic remarks, anticipation of another round of rate cuts by the central bank encouraged investors to buy.

Pointing out that country had been able to overcome a “more” serious 1991 crisis, Singh said in New Delhi, “I assure that despite the international environment, we have the capacity and ability to sustain the growth rate of about 8 per cent and will do so.” Market men said inflation declining for the second week in a row has further strengthened anticipation of rate cuts by the Reserve Bank of India.

(With inputs from agencies)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

BCCI moves SC against Cal HC order

1970-01-01T05:00:00Z

The BCCI today (Nov 21) moved the Supreme Court challenging a Calcutta High Court’s directive to initiate criminal proceedings against six top officials for filing false affidavits in the Jagmohan Dalmiya expulsion case.

The court’s order had come eight months after Dalmiya, a former BCCI president, alleged perjury against Pawar and Board officials and sought criminal proceedings against them for allegedly producing false documents.

The BCCI challenged the High Court’s ex-parte order directing its Registrar to initiate criminal proceedings under section 195 of the CrPC (prosecution for contempt of lawful authority of public servants for offences against public justice and for offences relating to documents given in evidence) at an appropriate court.

Justifying their approaching the Supreme Court, the Chairman of the BCCI Media committee Rajiv Shukla said that the BCCI officials were not given a chance to put across their case before the Calcutta High Court passd its verdict.

“It was an ex parte order and the BCCI officials were not given an opportunity to put across their case. We have decided to move the Supreme Court in this matter,” said Shukla.

The Calcutta High Court on Wednesday (November 12) had directed initiation of criminal proceedings against BCCI President Sashank Manohar, former Board President Sharad Pawar and four top officials — former secretary Niranjan Shah, Ratnakar Shetty (Chief Administrative Officer), N Srinivasan (Secretary) and junior Cricket Committee Chairman Chirayu Amin — for filing false affidavits in the case.

Justice Nadira Pathariya had passed the order eight months after Dalmiya, a former BCCI president, moved a case of perjury against Pawar and Board officials and prayed for criminal proceedings against them for allegedly producing false documents in court. (Read more)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

Michael Jackson converts to Islam

1970-01-01T05:00:00Z

Pop singer Michael Jackson has converted to Islam and changed his name to Mikaeel. The 50-year-old star, pledged his allegiance to the Koran in a ceremony at a friend’s mansion in Los Angeles, the Sun reported.

Jackson sat on the floor wearing a tiny hat after an Imam was summoned to officiate — days before the singer is due to appear at London’s High Court where he is being sued by an Arab Sheik, the paper said.

The star decided to adopt the new religion while he was recording a song at the home of his friend where a Jehovah’s witness was brought up to help him through the ceremony.

Apparently the star of hits like ‘the Way You Make Me Feel-was convinced by his producer and songwriter friends David Wharnsby and Phillip Bubal.

“They began talking to him about their beliefs, and how they thought they had become better people after they converted. Michael soon began warming to the idea.

“An Imam was summoned from the mosque and Michael went through the shahada, which is the Muslim declaration of belief,” the source revealed.

Mikaeel is the name of one of Allah’s angels. “Jacko rejected an alternative name, Mustafa meaning “the chosen one”, the source added.

The singer, who rarely ventures out without a mask, is due to give evidence on Monday in a 4.7 million pound lawsuit brought by Prince Abdulla Al-Khalif of Bahrain for defaulting on an exclusive recording contract.

(With Inputs From agencies)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

Ashlee Simpson-Wentz delivers baby boy

1970-01-01T05:00:00Z

Ashlee Simpson-Wentz and her rock-star husband Pete Wentz have become parents for the first time, People magazine reported on Friday.

Simpson-Wentz, 24, delivered a boy, named Bronx Mowgli Wentz, on Thursday, and all are doing well, People quoted a spokesperson as saying.

The report did not specify a location, but rival tabloid In Touch Weekly reported earlier on Thursday that Simpson-Wentz was at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles.

The singer, the younger sister of tabloid magnet Jessica Simpson, has released three albums, and is famous for singing to a prerecorded track that malfunctioned on “Saturday Night Live” in 2004. She married Wentz this past May.

Wentz is the bass player and main lyricist for the pop-punk band Fall Out Boy, which topped the U.S. album chart in February 2007 with its most recent album, “Infinity on High.”

(Agencies)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

Prince William to fight pirates in Caribbean

1970-01-01T05:00:00Z

Prince William, the second-in-line to the English throne, has joined an elite force of the British military on a secret training mission to fight pirates in the Caribbean. According to a report published in leading British tabloid ‘The Sun’, the 26-year-old Royal will experience how the Special Boat Service (SBS) unit deals with drug runners and pirates during his deployment.

SBS troops carry out secret missions in the notorious Caribbean, making daring raids on suspicious vessels as well as gathering intelligence. Sources said that William flew to Barbados on Sunday and would spend at least ten days with the SBS. His training entails going on exercise in powerful speed boats that’re used to capture sea bandits.

“William will not face a conflict situation. It’s a training mission, not an operational one. It’s a first for the Royals and is only possible because he’s a trained soldier,” a military source was quoted as saying. William has already spent time with the RAF, Navy and Air Corps as is to train as a Navy search-and-rescue chopper pilot in January.

(Agencies)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

Massive ice glaciers found on Mars

1970-01-01T05:00:00Z

The American space agency’s Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has revealed vast Martian glaciers of water ice under protective blankets of rocky debris at much lower latitudes than any ice previously identified on the Red Planet.

Scientists analyzed data from the spacecraft’s ground-penetrating radar and report in the November 21 issue of the journal Science that buried glaciers extend for dozens of miles from the edges of mountains or cliffs. A layer of rocky debris blanketing the ice may have preserved the underground glaciers as remnants from an ice sheet that covered middle latitudes during a past ice age.

This discovery is similar to massive ice glaciers that have been detected under rocky coverings in Antarctica, the space agency, NASA, said. “Altogether, these glaciers almost certainly represent the largest reservoir of water ice on Mars that is not in the polar caps,” said John W Holt of the University of Texas at Austin, who is lead author of the report.

“Just one of the features we examined is three times larger than the city of Los Angeles and up to half a mile thick. And there are many more. In addition to their scientific value, they could be a source of water to support future exploration of Mars,” he added.

Scientists, NASA said, have been puzzled by what are known as aprons, gently sloping areas containing rocky deposits at bases of taller geographical features, since Viking orbiters first observed them on the Martian surface in the 1970s.

One theory has been that the aprons are flows of rocky debris lubricated by a small amount ice. Now, the shallow radar instrument on the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter has provided scientists an answer to this Martian puzzle, the agency said.

“These results are the smoking gun pointing to the presence of large amounts of water ice at these latitudes,” said Ali Safaeinili, a shallow radar instruments team member with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) in Pasadena, California.

Radar echoes received by the spacecraft indicated radio waves pass through the aprons and reflect off a deeper surface below without significant loss in strength. That is expected if the apron areas are composed of thick ice under a relatively thin covering.

The radar does not detect reflections from the interior of these deposits as would occur if they contained significant rock debris. The apparent velocity of radio waves passing through the apron is consistent with a composition of water ice, the report said.

Scientists developed the shallow radar instrument for the orbiter to examine these mid-latitude geographical features and layered deposits at the Martian poles. The Italian Space Agency
provided the instrument.

“We developed the instrument so it could operate on this kind of terrain,” said Roberto Seu, leader of the instrument science team at the University of Rome La Sapienza in Italy. “It is now a priority to observe other examples of these aprons to determine whether they are also ice.”

Holt and 11 co-authors report the buried glaciers lie in the Hellas Basin region of Mars’ southern hemisphere. The radar also has detected similar-appearing aprons extending from cliffs in the northern hemisphere.

“There’s an even larger volume of water ice in the northern deposits,” said JPL geologist Jeffrey J Plaut, who will be publishing results about these deposits in the American Geophysical Union’s Geophysical Research Letters.

“The fact these features are in the same latitude bands, about 35 to 60 degrees in both hemispheres, points to a climate-driven mechanism for explaining how they got there.” The rocky debris blanket topping the glaciers apparently has protected the ice from vaporizing, which would happen if it were exposed to the atmosphere at these latitudes.

“A key question is, how did the ice get there in the first place,” said James W Head of Brown University in Providence, “The tilt of Mars’ spin axis sometimes gets much greater than it is now. Climate modeling tells us ice sheets could cover mid-latitude regions of Mars during those high-tilt periods.

The buried glaciers make sense as preserved fragments from an ice age millions of years ago. On Earth, such buried glacial ice in Antarctica preserves the record of traces of ancient organisms and past climate history.”

(Agencies)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

‘My words might hinder free expression’

1970-01-01T05:00:00Z

As the Tibetan conclave at Dharamsala entered its fourth day, Tibetan spiritual leader Dalai Lama has now distanced himself from the event, saying his comments would hinder free expression. “If I mention something, then that may become hindrance of their free expression. So, therefore for the time-being I remain completely silent,” Dalai Lama said.

The Tibetan spiritual leader refused on comment on the future of relations of Chinese government and whether he would have expressed his disappointment with the latter. Tibetans from across the world discussing the future course of their movement for their homeland were today divided with the young radicals pushing for the region’s independence from Beijing while the old guard favouring talks.

Sources in the discussion in the 15 sub-committees said two streams of opinions emerged on the fourth day of the crucial conclave at Macleodganj on Thursday (November 20). The tussle between conservative Tibetans and the young radicals on the future strategy of the movement came out clearly during the discussions, the sources added.

Those pushing for independence include the Tibetan Youth Congress, students for Free Tibet and several NGOs, they said adding while conservatives still favour talks with China to achieve genuine autonomy for Tibet.

China has already rejected the Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama’s ‘middle-path” proposal for autonomy for Tibet, which prompted him to call the conclave. The outcome of the discussions in different committees would be submitted by the chairperson of each body to the “Tibetan Parliament-in-exile” today.

Parliament will compile the “free and frank” opinions of Tibetans and hand it over to the Dalai Lama the next day. The 73-year-old noble laureate is scheduled to speak his mind on Sunday, November 23.

(With inputs from agencies)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

Dayanand Pandey undergoes narco test

1970-01-01T05:00:00Z

Dayanand Pandey, one of the accused in Malegaon blast case, underwent a narco analysis test at the Forensic Science Laboratory (FSL) in Bangalore in Friday (November 21), FSL sources said. Pandey was subjected to the narco analysis test for about four hours, the sources said.

FSL is yet to decide whether to subject Pandey to other tests like polygraph and brain mapping, they said. Pandey was brought to the city by Mumbai Anti-Terrorist Squad (ATS) in the morning and taken straight to FSL for the test under heavy security.

Ten persons, including Lieutenant Colonel Srikant Prasad Purohit, and sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, have been arrested so far for their alleged involvement in the September 29 Malegaon blast. Two out of the ten accused–Purohit and Ramesh Upadhyay, were subjected to narco test here on November 10.

Arrested activist of Abhinav Bharat Sudhakar Chaturvedi was also subjected to narco test on November 18. Police were probing if he had any links with Malegoan blast accused. “Pandey was subjected to the narco analysis test for about four hours”, Forensic Science Laboratory sources said.

FSL is yet to decide whether to subject Pandey to other tests like polygraph and brain mapping, they said. Purohit today made a written submission in a court in Pune alleging the ATS threatened to eliminate him in an encounter and tried to extract confession from his under duress.

(With inputs from agencies)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

Cambridge University magazine goes topless

1970-01-01T05:00:00Z

For the first time, a Cambridge University magazine has published a photograph of a topless female undergraduate student. The unnamed blonde was snapped in a black and lacy thong with stockings as she posed on the Clare College bridge, one of the city’s historic bridges, which goes over the River Cam, with a fag in her hand.

The student from Homerton College agreed to pose for the latest edition of ‘Vivid’ magazine, which is published by a group of students once a term and has a circulation of over 5,000 across Britain, the British media reported.

The magazine is distributed to all the university colleges. It has featured “page three” girls before but none have been as explicit. The magazine is largely constituted of comment pieces of a political and satirical nature.

So, the latest publication has caused an uproar among many university students.

“I can’t believe she agreed to pose for the magazine. Everyone has been talking about it. I’m sure she must really regret it now,” an unnamed student from the King’s College was quoted as saying.

Another student, from Clare College, who also did not want to be named, added: “Lots of students and professors have seen this. It’s a very risky thing to do when you are studying at one of the top universities in the country.”

However, neither the Editors of the magazine nor the university’s press office was unavailable for comment.

(With Inputs From agencies)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

‘Handshake’ between Ambani brothers spurs Reliance scrips

1970-01-01T05:00:00Z

Investors today rushed in to buy shares of the companies belonging to the two Reliance groups, pushing the scrips higher by up to 14 per cent — a day after the reported “handshake” between the two estranged Ambani brothers, Mukesh and Anil.

Shares of the three Mukesh-led group companies rose by 4-7 per cent, while that of the companies belonging to Anil Ambani group rose by 4-14 per cent at the Bombay Stock Exchange.

Ahead of a meeting of top industrialists called by main opposition political party BJP’s Prime Ministerial candidate Lal Krishna Advani, Mukesh and Anil Ambani yesterday reportedly shook hands for only the second time after going separate ways about four years.

It was a rare occasion when both the brothers were present together at any event ever since the division of the business empire founded by their father Late Dhirubhai Ambani.

Shares of Mukesh Ambani-led Reliance Industries Ltd today surged 6.49 per cent at Rs 1,127. It had touched the day’s high of Rs 1,158.30, up 9.42 per cent from previous close. Over 31.50 lakh shares changed hands on the bourse.

Reliance Industrial Infrastructure soared 4.64 per cent at Rs 318.25. It had touched a high of Rs 324.50 with a gain of 6.69 per cent.

Also, Reliance Petroleum gained 5.72 per cent to settle at Rs 73.95 on the BSE. The scrip had touched a high of Rs 74.90 during the trade and over 70.85 lakh shares got traded.

Besides, Anil Ambani group firm Reliance Communication today jumped 13.64 per cent at Rs 207.10. During the day, the scrip had rallied to a high of Rs 219.40, up 20.38 per cent. Over 63.17 lakh shares changed hands on the exchange.

Reliance Power gained 5.08 per cent at Rs 104.45. The scrip had witnessed a high of Rs 106.50 during the trade and over 21.87 lakh shares changed hands.

Besides, Reliance Capital increased 4.93 per cent at Rs 442.85. The scrip had touched the day’s high of Rs 453.75, up 7.51 per cent from previous close. Also Reliance Infrastructure today advanced 14.07 per cent at Rs 485.20. It witnessed a high of Rs 505 and over 24.15 lakh shares got traded during the day.

(Agencies)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

US Congress warned of Chinese cyber

1970-01-01T05:00:00Z

China has developed a sophisticated cyber warfare program and stepped up its capacity to penetrate US computer networks to extract sensitive information, a US congressional panel had warned.

“China has an active cyber espionage program,” the US-China Economic and Security Review Commission said in its annual report to the US Congress. “China is targeting US government and commercial computers.”

In its 393-page report, the panel also criticized Beijing for exercising “heavy-handed government control” over its economy and “continuing arms sales and military support to rogue regimes” such as Sudan, Myanmar and Iran.

The commission also issued a warning about China’s space program. “China continues to make significant progress in developing space capabilities, many of which easily translate to enhanced military capacity,” it said.

“Although some Chinese space programs have no explicit military intent, many space systems such as communications, navigation, meteorological, and imagery systems are dual use in nature,” the commission said.

The commission, which was established by Congress in 2000 to analyze the economic and national security relationship
between the two nations, said China was investing heavily in cyber warfare.

“Since China’s current cyber operations capability is so advanced, it can engage in forms of cyber warfare so sophisticated that the United States may be unable to counteract or even detect the efforts,” the commission said.

It said Chinese hacker groups may be operating with government support.

(With Inputs From agencies)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

Smuggler featured in ‘TIME’ sentenced

1970-01-01T05:00:00Z

A fast track court in Jaipur has sentenced notorious antique smuggler Vaman Ghiya and his accomplice Banne Singh to life imprisonment on Thursday (November 20) after they were found guilty of being part of an international antique smuggling racket. The racket is believed to have been operated from the heart of the Pink City.

This is the first time in the legal history of India that someone has been found guilty under Section 413 which awards life imprisonment for intentionally and habitually dealing with stolen property.

It turned out that Vaman Ghiya, a reputed antique trader in Jaipur was clandestinely operating the biggest and the most organised antique smuggling racket in the history of the country with some of the famous art connoisseurs in Europe and London as his clientele. Some of the alleged antiques were even auctioned at Sotheby’s in London.

Ghiya, who was made in to the TIME magazine five years ago, was active in more than 25 countries in Europe, West Asia and also in the United Kingdom. Like the famed ‘Jewel Thief” of the silver screen, Ghiya was a smooth operator in his profession that he was never present in person at the scene of the crime. In fact, he was operating his 200 member gang including petty thieves who were hired for specific operations.

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

World chess champ Anand is back

1970-01-01T05:00:00Z

After his German conquest, World Chess Champion Vishwanathan Anand returned to India late last night (Nov 20) and at the Chennai airport, it was a hero’s welcome that awaited him.

Huge banners announced his homecoming and everybody waited patiently for their hero. There were children with the tricolour flags, women with flower petals etc, all for a glimpse of Viswanathan Anand, the world chess champion.

Their prayers were answered when Chennai’s favourite son landed in his hometown and made his way out of the airport. He was greeted with a mammoth garland probably putting more burden on his shoulders than his world title. But this could not take the triumphant smile away from his face.

An elated Vishy said, “It is a fantastic feeling overall and I am glad to come back home victorious.”

Meanwhile, Anand, who will spend a couple of months in Chennai, did not forget to thank his fans for the warm reception. He said, “Immediately after arriving we really look forward to the family being there at the airport along with the chess fraternity and of course, the fans.”

Anand may have landed in the city just last night but plans are already underway to celebrate his birthday on December 11 in a big way.

But walking the distance to his car from the airport gate turned out to be quite a task for the Grand Master especially with his fans not getting enough of the Vishy phenomenon.

However, Anand, who retained his World Championship crown by easily beating his challenger Vladimir Kramnik in Bonn last month, will only be happy with all the adulation. After all he’s given his fans a reason to smile and cheer.

(By Divya Nair and Dakshina)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

Chargesheet filed in Surat bomb planting

1970-01-01T05:00:00Z

The Surat police on Friday (November 21) filed a 600-page chargesheet against 72 people in connection with the recovery of an explosive-laden car from the city and planting of bombs right after the serial bomb blasts there on July 26. The chargesheet against two arrested accused, Tanveer Pathan and Zahid Patel, and 70 absconders was filed in the Court of Magistrate G M Patel in Ahmedabad, designated for hearing the city serial blasts and bomb planting cases of Surat.

According to a senior police officer involved in the investigations, the chargesheet names Riyaz Bhatkal and his brother Iqbal as the kingpins behind the entire conspiracy of planting bombs in Surat city. They were the one who had supplied explosives to the team from Mumbai, which planted bombs in different parts of Surat, Investigating Officer, N B Parmar said.

Pathan and Patel were named in the chargesheet filed in a case registered at the Kapodara police station in Surat, where a red explosive-laden car was found one day after the terror attacks in Ahmedabad. The explosives came from Karnataka on the directions of Riyaz Bhatkal, the officer added. While Pathan is accused of providing logistic support for planting bombs in different parts of the city, as well as planting bombs, Patel was only involved in giving logistic support to the bomb planters, Parmar said.

Pathan and Patel are locals and had helped others, accused of terror conspiracy, in identifying the places where the bombs were to be planted, he said. The duo had also allegedly arranged for a rented house for those who had come from Mumbai to plant bombs in the city, he added. Both the accused have been charged under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Explosive Substance Act, and under various sections of the Indian Penal code including 120(B) (Waging war against the state).

Names of some of the accused involved in planting bombs are Afzal Usmani, Zhakir Sheikh, Mohammad Arif, Asif Bashruddin Shaikh, Mobin Kader Shaikh and Mohammed Mansoor Asghar Peerbhoy, Fazal-e-Rehman, Mohammed Akbar Ismail Chaudhary and Anik Shafique Sayed, the officer said. All of them, currently, are in custody of Ahmedabad police, he added.

Statements of over 224 witnesses, who were examined during the probe, have also been included as annexures in the chargesheet. The chargesheet also lists 70 absconders in the case, over and above the nine accused brought from Mumbai for questioning, Parmar said. The list of absconders include name of Riyaz Bhatkal, Abdus Subhan alias Tauqeer, Qayamuddin Kapadia and two from Bangalore who will be brought to Surat for investigation, he added.

Over two dozen unexploded bombs were recovered and defused by the bomb squad from various places in the city. Bombs were found from the densely populated Varacha area, where most of the diamond cutting polishing units is located.

However, the city crime branch investigating the serial blasts cases had on November 12 filed a 2000-page chargesheet in connection with blast at the city civil hospital in Shahibagh area and L G Hospital in Maninagar area.

Meanwhile, the Metropolitan Magistrate sent five men — Mohammed Saif, Zeeshan Ahmad, Mohammed Shakeel, Zia-ur-Rehman and Saquib Nissar — brought from Delhi, accused in the serial blasts case, to police custody till December 2. It also remanded one Mohmmad Ali, brought from Jabalpur, to police custody till November 25.

(With inputs from agencies)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

UN asks countries not to target migrants

1970-01-01T05:00:00Z

A senior United Nations’ official dealing with population issues has asked governments not to use migrants as scapegoats amid the current international recession, warning that migrant workers are already vulnerable to job cuts during economic crises.

“Migration flows are going to be disturbed and migrants are going to share the negative effects of the economic downturn in the whole population of the world,” said Hania Zlotnik, Director of the Population Division at the Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA).

In the current economic climate, it is important for governments to get together to talk about issues of migration and for a forum to exist at the global level because the recession is affecting most of the countries receiving migrant workers, she told reporters.

Since 2007 there has been an increase in the unemployment rates of key groups of migrants in different countries, according to Zlotnik.

Spain has seen a sharp increase in the number of unemployed foreigners. Between April and June at least 100,000 more people lost their jobs in the Iberian nation, taking the total number of jobless migrants to 280,000.

The same trend is appearing in the United States where the unemployment rate among Hispanics is rising and for the first time in several years the rate of out-of-work immigrant Hispanics is higher than the rate of non-immigrant Hispanics at around seven per cent.

“Unemployment tends to affect migrants first. Many migrants in the developed world and also in the developing countries have moved to these countries to work in the construction industry,” said Zlotnik.

“It’s the construction industry that is [most] affected by the drop in real estate prices,” she added.

Zlotnik noted that higher unemployment may have resulted in a significant reduction in the amount of money migrants send home, with Mexican banks experiencing a 4 per cent decline in remittances between January and September.

She said that the World Bank reported a slowdown in the growth of remittances to banks in developing countries in 2007 and 2008 and predicted a contraction of at least 1 per cent in the amount of money migrants will send home in 2009.

The global recession has also contributed to the sharp decrease of the number of people detained for illegally crossing the border into the US from Mexico. There have been around 40 per cent fewer detentions than previous years, as incentives for jumping borders decrease with the declining prospects for economic prosperity in other countries, she said.

Zlotnik reported that countries such as Australia are debating whether to cut quotas of skilled immigrant workers by around 20 per cent, while in the United Kingdom the government is considering cutting the overall number of immigrants allowed into the country as more jobs are lost.

(With Inputs From agencies)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

Mahendra Singh Dhoni’s gameplan worked

1970-01-01T05:00:00Z

Team India have had the advantage over England in the One-day series so far and most of the credit goes to the master strategist MS Dhoni. MSD set a calculated chase in the 3rd ODI and it was the lesson in captaincy which he handed out to Kevin Pietersen at Kanpur.

England captain Kevin Pietersen was getting it all wrong in the Kanpur ODI right from the toss and a shrewd Dhoni was more than happy at Peitersen’s decision to bat.

Dhoni himself said that he would have batted second on that pitch.

While Pietersen got it wrong right from the beginning, a smart Dhoni scripted a calculated and strategic win and unlike his counterpart, he kept the weather and light in mind.

Dhoni prepared for the fading light and opted for the 3rd power play in the 35th over keeping the Duckworth-Lewis Method in mind.

At 156 for 4, Dhoni took the 3rd powerplay in the 35th over, and India hammered 14 runs.
In the 36th over, Yuvraj gets out but Dhoni continues to attack.

In the 37th and 38th over, Dhoni ensured that India are ahead in D/L method. 17 runs in the remaining two overs meant India was ahead in the Duckworth Lewis method.

While Pietersen kept referring to his sheet and argued with the umpires, Dhoni’s gameplan worked.
The Mahi Way had worked once again for the Men in Blue.

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

Rahul: All potential will be harnessed if Cong comes to power

1970-01-01T05:00:00Z

AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhitoday said the potential of all sections of the people in Mizoram would be harnessed to make the state a prosperous one if the Congress is voted to power in the forthcoming assembly elections.

Addressing an election rally at Aizawl West-II seat here during his one-day whirlwind election tour, Gandhi blamed the ruling Mizo National Front (MNF) for “not doing anything” to create basic infrastructure.

“The Congress, if it forms the government in the state, will ensure that infrastructure was created to harness the potential of the ’sleeping Mizo youths’,” he said.

The UPA government at the Centre, led by the Congress, has done a great deal for the country and would do everything it can to uplift Mizoram, if ruled by the Congress, he said.

He said that he has seen many Mizo youths working around the globe who were very efficient in their jobs, but the state could not become more prosperous due to the wrong policies of the MNF government led by Chief Minister Zoramthanga.

“The Congress government will ensure that the youths in the state have a better future in all fields,” he said, adding “the Centre will give special fund to implement the New Land Use Policy (NLUP) as propounded by the Congress in the state so that all marginal and poor families have permanent livelihood.”

(Agencies)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

BCCI wants Lloyds ouster from ICC panel

1970-01-01T05:00:00Z

The Board of Cricket Control in India (BCCI) has reportedly asked the ICC to remove former West Indian captain Clive Lloyd from the post as chairman of the governing council’s cricketing committee following his remarks over the Indian Premier League (IPL) and Indian Cricket League (ICL) in a recent function in Mumbai.

Lloyd had expressed hope that the two Twenty20 leagues could co-exist, saying, “There’s nothing like having a discussion to break the ice. Just like the United States president Barack Obama said ‘you have to speak to people’. They [IPL and ICL] both need to understand their agendas and work accordingly.”

The former West Indian great, who has replaced Sunil Gavaskar as the head of the ICC’s cricket committee, added, “Leagues similar to the IPL and ICL will not only bring young talented players in the national team but will also make their basics clear.”

However, following this comments, the BCCI expressed disgust. Source within the BCCI said that Llyod is no different from Gavaskar, If the latter was made to choose between making certain comments, as a television commentator and as a journalist and holding an important ICC post, why should the former be any different.

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

Maruti targets rural market for beating fall in sales

1970-01-01T05:00:00Z

The country’s largest carmaker Maruti Suzuki is focusing on rural market to beat the slump in the car industry. The car major is planning to appoint 10,000 Resident Dealer Sales Executives by this fiscal to reach out to every prospective car buyer in rural areas.

Maruti Suzuki Executive Officer Mayank Pareek said that the company is doing every bit to penetrate the nascent rural market to cover up the decline in sales in major cities.

“We have devised a novel way to reach out the prospective rural customers. We appoint villagers as sales executives in the remote areas who can convince affluent villagers in local dialect to push the sales.

“The Resident Dealer Sales Executives (RDSE), as they are called, pick the prospective customer from their home and take them for a test drive. It’s becoming very effective sales tool for us in this economic downturn,” he said on the sidelines of the launch event of its latest model ‘A-Star’.

The company, which witnessed a growth of 4 per cent over the last year, has seen 83 per cent growth in its rural market share. “The contribution of rural market in our sales was just 5 per cent. Now it has grown to 10 per cent with our concerted efforts in the rural marketing,” Pareek said.

The company is also intensifying its ‘ghar ghar mein Maruti’ campaign to market the car at panchayat level.

“We are selecting influential people of village panchayats like sarpanch, teachers, doctors and other local leaders for being our brand ambassadors. This scheme is working for us as one car sold in a village is bringing many more rural customers to our fold,” he said.

Apart from that, the company is also eyeing export market in a big way. The newly launched A-star will be the company’s largest exported car in next two years. “We are planning to export around 1.5 lakh Maruti A-star cars annually by fiscal 2009-10, keeping 50,000 cars for Indian roads. This year, we are trying to consolidate the last year’s export of 53,000 cars,” he said.

(Agencies)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)

Obama on track to nominate Clinton

1970-01-01T05:00:00Z

President-elect Barack Obama plans to nominate Hillary Rodham Clinton as secretary of state as early as next week, a new milestone for a former first lady and a convergence of two political forces who contested mightily for the presidency.

Obama transition aides described a process yesterday that appears on track to make Clinton the top diplomat in an Obama administration, just one week after the two first met in secrecy to discuss the idea. Obama plans to nominate her after next Thursday’s US Thanksgiving holiday, aides said.

The nomination would be a remarkable union between the former first lady who was an early favourite to win the presidency and the first-term senator who upset her in the primary and cruised to a general election victory.

Such a high-profile seat in the Cabinet for Clinton also would be another achievement for the most accomplished former first lady in US history, who has been the first presidential spouse to serve in the Senate and run for the White House herself.

Some fellow Democrats and government insiders have questioned whether Clinton is too independent and politically ambitious to be an effective secretary of state.

But a senior Obama adviser said the president-elect has been enthusiastic about naming Clinton as secretary of state from the start, believing she would bring instant stature and credibility to US diplomatic relations and that the advantages to her serving far outweighed potential downsides.

The advisers who explained Obama’s plans and thinking did so on a condition of anonymity because he was not ready to formally announce his plans.

(Agencies)

( This post is from an independent writer. The opinions and views expressed herein are those of the author and are not endorsed by APakistanNews.Com.)