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India win ODI Series against West Indies 2-1, as Rain washes out 4th ODI

2009-07-05T23:23:00.003+05:30

St. Lucia: The much-awaited 4th and final ODI between India and West Indies, was washed out because of heavy rain. With this, India won the four-match ODI series 2-1. It was a heartbreaking story for Chris Gayle and his team, as they wanted to give India a tough fight in the final encounter. It was India's fifth straight ODI series victory and third in 2009.

Skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, who led India from the front in this series, was declared "Man of the Series". He gave the credit to his entire team and described Yuvraj Singh as the backbone of Indian batting line up.

Earlier, India won the toss and elected to field first. Ishant Sharma removed dangerous Chris Gayle for a duck on the second ball of the match. West Indies batsmen were under pressure and could reach just 27/1 in 7.3 over, when rain stopped play.

India won the ODI series in West Indies after a gap of 7 years. Last time in 2002, they had won the five-match series 2-1 under the captaincy of Sourav Ganguly. In 2006, they were routed 1-4 under the captaincy of Rahul Dravid.

Roger Federer wins 2009 Wimbledon Title, Celebrates 15th Grand Slam Victory

2009-07-05T22:58:00.006+05:30

London: Roger Federer of Switzerland, created history at the All England Club minutes ago, when he beat Andy Roddick of USA in the epic final to win the 2009 Wimbledon Title. With this victory, Federer won the 15th Grand Slam his career, which is a world record. Today's title is Federer's 6th Wimbledon Title. Earlier, he had equalled Pete Sampras' record of 14 Grand Slam titles, by winning the French Open Title 2009. Federer won 15 Grand Slam titles from 21 appearances in the finals.

Today's match witnessed a high-voltage contest between Roger Federer and Andy Roddick. Roddick won the first set 7-5. However, Federer bounced back by winning the second and third set in tie breakers - 7-6, 7-6. Roddick reduced the lead, by winning the fourth set 6-3.

The fifth and final set was no different and both players used their all experience and skill set to outsmart each other. Federer had the last laugh, as he took the marathon set and rubber 16-14. Federer won the match 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 3-6, 16-14. Perhaps, this is the longest-ever final set in any Wimbledon Final. The match lasted for over 4 hours and 15 minutes.

List of All 15 Grand Slam Titles of Roger Federer:

2003 Wimbledon Open - bt Mark Philippoussis (AUS) 7-6 (7/5), 6-2, 7-6 (7/3)
2004 Australian Open - bt Marat Safin (RUS) 7-6 (7/3), 6-4, 6-2
2004 Wimbledon Open - bt Andy Roddick (USA) 4-6, 7-5, 7-6 (7/3), 6-4
2004 US Open - bt Lleyton Hewitt (AUS) 6-0, 7-6 (7/3), 6-0
2005 Wimbledon Open - bt Andy Roddick (USA) 6-2, 7-6 (7/2), 6-4
2005 US Open - bt Andre Agassi (USA) 6-3, 2-6, 7-6 (7/1), 6-1
2006 Australian Open - bt Marcos Baghdatis (CYP) 5-7, 7-5, 6-0, 6-2
2006 Wimbledon Open - bt Rafael Nadal (ESP) 6-0, 7-6 (7/5), 6-7 (2/7), 6-3
2006 US Open Open - bt Andy Roddick (USA) 6-2, 4-6, 7-5, 6-1
2007 Australian Open - bt Fernando Gonzalez (CHI) 7-6 (7/2), 6-4, 6-4
2007 Wimbledon Open - bt Rafael Nadal (ESP) 7-6 (9/7), 4-6, 7-6 (7/3), 2-6, 6-2
2007 US Open - bt Novak Djokovic (SRB) 7-6 (7/4), 7-6 (7/2), 6-4
2008 US Open - bt Andy Murray (GBR) 6-2, 7-5, 6-2
2009 French Open - bt Robin Soderling (SWE) 6-1, 7-6 (7/1), 6-4
2009 Wimbledon Open - bt Andy Roddick (USA) 5-7, 7-6, 7-6, 4-6, 16-14

Five Lakh People displaced in Assam Floods

2009-07-05T20:08:00.003+05:30

Guwahati: The flood situation in Assam, has deteriorated further, with over 5 lakh people were reportedly displaced in ten districts of the state. The Majuli Islands are worst affected by the flood. Other areas in Assam, which are facing a turbulent time due to floods, are Lakhimpur, Dhemaji, Dibrugarh, Jorhat, Morigaon, Barpeta, Kamrup, Bongaigaon, Dhubri and Baksa.

According to latest reports, an entire island in Majuli Islands, got flooded. One person was reported swept away by the flood there. Heavy rain continued to worsen the flood situation in most parts of Assam, with normal life coming to a complete halt.

The Assam Government has put all district authorities on high alert. The National Disaster Rescue Force (NDRF) has been asked to step up the rescue operations.

LK Advani snubs EVMs, wants Ballot Papers back

2009-07-05T18:51:00.004+05:30

New Delhi: Senior BJP leader and Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha, LK Advani has raised questions over the effectiveness of Electronic Voting Machines (EVMs) and demanded the re-introduction of ballot papers. Advani said that the EVMs are prone to rigging and malfunctioning. Advani urged the Election Commission to ensure the smooth functioning and foolproof security of the EVMs, if it wants to continue with this mode of voting.

Advani made it clear that he is not alleging that the recently concluded elections were rigged, but just expressed his concerns about the effectiveness of the EVMs after a series of incidents of malfunctioning and possible rigging.

The BJP leader also said that Germany has completed banned the electronic voting, while the EVMs are being used the US with certain guidelines. He requested the EC to take a note of the concerns raised by certain people over the EVMs and introduce ballot papers, starting with the Assembly elections in Maharashtra in October.

Several BJP state units, including Orissa and Maharashtra had alleged malpractices through EVMs. However, the Election Commission seems satisfied with the reports it received on the safety and security system of the EVMs.

India looking for Series Victory against West Indies

2009-07-05T13:06:00.005+05:30

St. Lucia: A spirited Team India will be looking for its second series victory in West Indies, when it takes on the Caribbean team in the fourth and final ODI this evening at St. Lucia. India, after winning the third ODI on Friday, have taken a 2-1 lead in the series. If they win today's match, it will be their second ODI series victory in West Indies.

The last time India had won the ODI series in West Indies was in 2002 under the captaincy of Sourav Ganguly. In 2006, India suffered a 1-4 drubbing under the captaincy of Rahul Dravid.

An ODI series win in West Indies will give India much breather after the debacle in the ICC Twenty20 World Cup in England last month. Although the Indians have not been too convincing in the ongoing series, they still managed to put up a good show. They will need to fire in this match to wrap up the series 3-1, which may not be an easy task for them.

India Team:

MS Dhoni, Yuvraj Singh, Subramaniam Badrinath, Gautam Gambhir, Harbhajan Singh, Ravindra Jadeja, Dinesh Karthik, Praveen Kumar, Abhishek Nayar, Ashish Nehra, Pragyan Ojha, Yusuf Pathan, Ishant Sharma, Rohit Sharma, RP Singh, Murali Vijay.

West Indies Team:

Chris Gayle, Denesh Ramdin, Lionel Baker, Darren Bravo, Dwayne Bravo, Sulieman Benn, David Bernard, Shivnarine Chanderpaul, Narsingh Deonarine, Runako Morton, Ravi Rampaul, Ramnaresh Sarwan, Jerome Taylor.

Kandhamal Riot accused Manoj Pradhan gets Bail to take oath as MLA

2009-07-05T12:52:00.002+05:30

Bhubaneswar: Kandhamal Riots accused and BJP MLA G Udaygiri, Manoj Pradhan was released from jail this morning, after a fast track court in Phulbani, granted him interim bail. Manoj was granted bail so that he can take oath as an MLA. Manoj Pradhan had been in jail since October 2008. He was charged with murder, riot and arson.

Manoj Pradhan, had got bail in 12 other cases earlier. He got the conditional bail for 15 days in two other cases. He furnished all required documents and agreed to the conditions set by the fast track court.

The BJP MLA was elected from G Udaygiri Assembly segment during the recently concluded elections. He was granted bail on the basis of Orissa High Court's order. He had moved the HC to get bail in order to take oath as a Member of Orissa Assembly.

"All charges levelled against me are fabricated and baseless. I am being falsely implicated. I will continue to work for the development of my constituency", said Manoj Pradhan after his release.

Provident Fund Interest Rate retained at 8.5 per cent

2009-07-05T10:28:00.002+05:30

New Delhi: On the eve of the Union Budget 2009, the UPA Government did not make any changes to the Provident Fund Interest Rate and kept it unchanged. The Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO) has decided to keep the EPF rate at 8.5% for the year 2009-10. Currently, over 45 million people are subscribed to the Employees Provident Fund Organisation (EPFO).

The latest move to retain the existing interest rate on EPF, is seen as a return gift of the government to the employees, who played an important role in bringing it back to power.

The EPFO kept the interest rate unchanged at a time, when major banks are lowering their deposit rates. The EPF rate remained unchanged at 8.5 per cent for the fifth consecutive year.

MBA Gaduate gunned down by Cops in Dehradun, Probe Ordered

2009-07-04T21:20:00.003+05:30

Dehradun: The mystery deepened further over the alleged encounter of a qualified MBA graduate in Dehradun, after his family members cried foul. The MBA graduate Ranbir Singh, who hailed from Ghaziabad in Uttar Pradesh, was killed by the cops in Ladpur jungles in Dehradun yesterday. The Uttarakhand government has ordered a magisterial inquiry into the incident.

The police initially claimed that the youth was riding on a motorcycle and snatched the revolver of a constable. It is suspected that the youth was killed for a mistaken identity.

The 22-year-old Ranbir's family alleged that the cops killed him to get gallantry medals. He had gone to Dehradun in search of a job and had no criminal records. He along with his friends, was riding on a motorcycle, when the cops stopped them. And what happened that, remained a mystery.

The police claimed that Ranbir and his friends were stopped by the cops for a routine check, but hey overpowered the SI GD Bhatt at Dalanwala, snatched his revolver and fled away. The police later intercepted them and an encounter followed, in which Ranbir was killed. The police also said that his other friends escaped.

There are several loopholes in the version of story given by the Dehradun Police. These arguments can hardly stand before the commission and the truth will come out.

Serena Williams beat Venus Williams to win Wimbledon Open Title

2009-07-04T20:14:00.003+05:30

London: Serena Williams yet again turned out to be better in sibling rivalry, as she won the Wimbledon Open Women's Singles Title, beating her elder sister Venus Williams in straight sets 7-6, 6-2 in the final. This is Serena's 3rd Wimbledon Title and 11th Grand Slam Title. Serena had earlier beaten Venus in 2002 and 2003 Wimbledon finals, but lost in the final in 2008.

Serena holds a clear edge over her sister in their tennis career. Serena has so far won six Grand Slam finals against Venus Williams, while Venus has won just two finals against her. Venus looked disappointed and dejected after the loss.

Missing Orissa MLA Ramesh Rout takes back his Resignation

2009-07-04T19:58:00.002+05:30

Bhubaneswar: Putting all rumours and speculations into rest, Athagarh MLA Ramesh Rout, appeared before Orissa Assembly Speaker, Pradip Amat, and took back his resignation, which he had submitted on June 20. Mr. Rout said that he had submitted the resignation under duress and would like to continue as a Member of the House. Ramesh Rout also revealed that he was pressurised by some BJD leaders to resign from the Assembly.

All eyes have now shifted to BJD leader and former Athagarh MLA Ranendra Pratap Swain, who allegedly put pressure on Ramesh Rout to resign, so that he can enter the Assembly in a by-election.

It could be recalled that Mr. Swain's nomination paper was rejected due to some technical issues. Later, he and other BJD leaders campaigned for Independent candidate Ramesh Rout and ensured his victory.

Speaker Pradip Amat said that Mr. Rout had expressed fears about threat to his life and demanded protection. The Speaker has directed the Orissa Police to provide adequate security to Ramesh Rout and his family. Meanwhile, Mr. Ranendra Pratap Swain denied that he was involved in Ramesh Rout's resignation drama. I am not involved in this issue, he said.

J&K High Court orders exhumation of Bodies of Shopian Rape Victims

2009-07-04T12:25:00.003+05:30

Srinagar: The Jammu & Kashmir High Court has ordered the exhumation of the bodies of two women, who were raped and murdered in Shopian on May 30. The court also directed the state police to conduct a fresh post-mortem on the bodies. However, the exhumation will be subjected to the consent of the victims' family. The J&K High Court had earlier asked the SIT to interrogate all suspended officials in this case and conduct narco test, if necessary.

The two women, who were raped and murdered, were Asiya (17) and her pregnant sister-in-law Nelofar (22). Their bodies were recovered from a stream in Shopian on May 30. The police earlier tried to cover up the incident as an accident. However, the J&K had ordered a probe into the incident after a series of protests in the Valley over this issue.

The probe and all forensic tests revealed that the two women were raped and murdered. Four policemen including a former SP and a forensic department official were put under suspension.

It was alleged that some CRPF personnel were involved in this crime, however, nothing has come out of the investigation so far.

Maruti Suzuki launches Grand Vitara at Rs. 16.67 lakh

2009-07-04T12:24:00.003+05:30

New Delhi: India's largest carmaker, Maruti Suzuki has launched the advanced version of its Sports Car, Grand Vitara. The Suzuki Grand Vitara 2.4, is much powerful and sophisticated than the earlier versions launched in 2002 and 2004. The Grand Vitara is widely popular across the globe. The car is priced at Rs. 16.67 lakh - Rs. 17.97 lakh.

The Grand Vitara has new engines - a four-cylinder and a larger V6. It has also got a boost in horsepower and torque, making it as one of the best sports utility SUV. The 2.4 litre petrol engine will come up in both manual and automatic transmission.

Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad denies any Swine Flu death in India

2009-07-04T12:23:00.002+05:30

New Delhi: Union Health and Family Welfare Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad denied the reports that a Swine Flu patient died in Kerala. Azad said that no Swine Flu death has been reported in India so far. He made the statement during a discussion under Rule 193 in Lok Sabha yesterday. Azad also clarified that the 51-year-old man, who died in Kollam in Kerala on Wednesday, had tested negative for the Influenza A H1N1.

The person, who died on July 1, has been a diabetic for 30 years. He was suffering from hypertension, coronary artery disease and dyslipedemia. He reached in India on June 12 via UK and Dubai.

Reuters: Huge Demand for Michael Jackson Memorial Tickets

2009-07-04T11:37:00.002+05:30

Los Angeles: According to Reuters, there is a huge demand for the tickets of Michael Jackson's public memorial service to be held next week. More than half a million fans across the globe, have applied for 17,500 free tickets that are available. The memorial service will be held at the Staples Center, in downtown Los Angeles on Tuesday.

Heavy security arrangements have been made for Michael Jackson's memorial service. The memorial service will witness the the celebration of the life and music of Michael Jackson, the 'King of Pop', who died of a cardiac arrest on June 30.

The officials had launched an online lottery to allow fans to attend either the memorial service or watch the proceedings on a big screen at the nearby Nokia Theatre. However, server of the site http://www.staplescenter.com/ crashed within a few minutes. There was a heavy rush online to apply for the tickets and all applications were received before the deadline.

North Korea test-fires 3 Scud-type Missiles

2009-07-04T11:10:00.004+05:30

Seoul: North Korea continues to defy the world and the UN to pursue its nuclear ambitions. Just less than two days after it drew flak for test-firing three short-range missiles, North Korea test-fired three Scud-type missiles off its eastern coast this morning. The report was confirmed by South Korean official news agency, Yonhap. The missiles are estimated to have a range of 400-500 km.

According to South Korean officials, the Scud-type missiles, test-fired by North Korea, are more dangerous than the previous missiles. The Scud-type missiles were seen moving towards the Japanese coast after the launch.

The United States, South Korea and Japan have put their Air Force and Navy on high alert to avert any possible strike by North Korea on South Korea or Japan. The US has a strong military presence in the region.

India beat West Indies by 6 Wickets (D/L Method) in Rain Interrupted ODI

2009-07-04T08:21:00.003+05:30

St. Lucia: India won a cliffhanger against West Indies in the rain-interrupted third ODI at St. Lucia to take a 2-1 lead in the series with one more match to go. The match was delayed by rain and after several interruptions, it was reduced to 27 overs a side. Skipper MS Dhoni batted till the end and made sure that India does not squander the advantage it had in the match from the very beginning.

India won the toss and elected to field first. The match was reduced to 27 overs because of rain. The Indian bowlers bowled superbly to keep West Indies run rate under control. However, there were some fine batting in the middle and towards the end and West Indies put up 186/7 in 27 overs.

Ramnaresh Sarwan was the top scorer with 62, while Chris Gayle scored 27. Runako Morton and Darren Bravo contributed 22 and 21 respectively. For India, Ashish Nehra took 3 wickets, while Harbhajan Singh took 2 wickets. Although West Indies scored 186, India required 195 from the same overs to win the match under D/L method.

India started very well, while chasing a victory target of 195 from 27 overs. Openers Karthik and Gambhir added 84 runs for the first wicket in 12.1 overs. The match was later reduced to 22 overs and India needed 159 runs to win the match.

Although there was a scare after the departure of Gambhir, Karthik and then the early departure of Yuvraj and Rohit Sharma, Dhoni, who promoted himself to No. 3, batted till end and saw his team through with one ball to spare. India needed 11 runs from the last over. Dhoni's brilliant six off the second ball in that over, sealed the match in India's favour.

India reached 159/4 in 21.5 overs. Karthik made 47, while Gambhir scored 44. Dhoni remained unbeaten on 46 off 34 balls. Dhoni was declared "Man of the Match".

With this victory, India now leads the four-match series 2-1. The fourth and final ODI will be held in St. Lucia on Sunday. If India win that match and series, it will be their third straight ODI series victory this year. They have already won the ODI series against Sri Lanka and New Zealand.

Orissa gets New Trains, but gets less allocation in Railway Budget

2009-07-03T23:20:00.002+05:30

Bhubaneswar: After being neglected by successive Railway Ministers in the recent years, the people of Orissa had high hopes on incumbent Mamata Banerjee and expected big sops in the Union Railway Budget 2009. However, that did not happen, as the state received just Rs. 715.22 crore budgetary allocation, as compared to Rs. 949.34 crore received last year. However, Orissa got importance in terms of new trains and other infrastructure development.

Out of the 12 non-stop Duronto trains announced by Mamata Banerjee, Orissa got one, which will run from Bhubaneswar to New Delhi once in a week. In addition, the schedule of Rajdhani Express, has been extended to 4 days in a week.

Orissa got several new trains including Kamakhya-Puri Express, Puri-Surat via Sambalpur, Koraput-Rourkela, Bhubaneswar-Rourkela, Puri-Cuttack, Puri-Berhampur and Puri-Bhubaneswar.

Orissa had something to cheer, as out of 50 Railway Stations, which will be developed as world class stations, Mamata gave two to India - Bhubaneswar and Puri. Cuttack, Koraput and Rayagada will be developed as model railway stations.

While Mamata Banerjee allocated funds for the existing railway projects in the state. she also sanctioned survey for several areas that were left untouched earlier. They included Banspani – Bimlagarh – Barusuan, Bolangir – Nuapada, Digha – Jaleswar, Dantewada – Malkangiri and Sambalpur – Berhampur.

Mamata Banerjee's Duronto Trains to be faster than Rajdhani Express

2009-07-03T22:01:00.004+05:30

New Delhi: Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee, announced 12 new super fast non-stop trains in his dream Railway Budget 2009. Ms Banerjee named then as 'Duronto' trains, which will have no stoppage between the point-to-point stations. Four out of the 12 trains will be directly going to West Bengal. The 'Duronto' trains will have AC and non-AC sleeper coaches.

Here are the non-stop Duronto Trains, launched in Railway Budget 2009:

New Delhi-JammuTawi (Tri-weekly)
Howrah- Mumbai (Bi-weekly)
Mumbai-Ahmedabad (Tri-weekly)
Chennai- Delhi (Bi-weekly)
New Delhi -Lucknow (Tri-weekly)
Delhi-Pune (Bi-weekly)
Howarh - Delhi (Bi-Weekly)
New Delhi -Allahabad (Tri- weekly)
Sealdah-New Delhi (Bi-Weekly)
Kolkata-Amritsar (Bi-weekly)
Bhubaneswar - Delhi (Weekly)
Ernakulam - Delhi (Weekly)

Communal Clashes kill 3 People in Mysore

2009-07-03T19:59:00.003+05:30

Mysore: Karanataka is on boil again! Communal clashes broke out between two communities in Kyathamaranahalli and adjacent areas in Udaigiri police station in Mysore, which left three people killed and over 15 persons injured. The police lobbed tear gas shells and resorted to blank firing to disperse the mob, who indulged in violence.

The victims were identified as Mubarak (25), Tirupathi (46) and Junaid Pasha (15). One of the injured is said to be in a critical condition. The trouble began following the desecration of a religious school in Gayathripuram.

A carcass of a slaughtered animal was found inside the school ground, which incited the communal passion in the area. Prohibitory orders have been imposed in Udaigiri, Lashkar, Narasimharaja and Mandi Mohalla till July 5.

Gay Activists across the World welcome Delhi HC Verdict on Gay Sex

2009-07-03T16:26:00.003+05:30

Washington: The Gay activists across the world, have welcomed the Delhi High Court's verdict, which ended the discrimination against the Gays and termed 'homosexuality' as legal. Several Indian Americans celebrated this as a victory for Gay Pride, while similar celebrations were reported from the UK, Germany, Nepal and other parts of the world. The Western media hailed the court verdict as "historic".

Earlier yesterday, the Delhi High Court had termed the 'homosexuality' as legal. It sought immediate changes in the Section 377, which criminalizes consensual gay sex. The court ruled that Section 377 is a violation of fundamental rights.

Gay activists in India have celebrated this judgement, saying it will give them a sense of freedom and some means to live with dignity and self respect. They believe that their long struggle has finally yielded results, but they know that their battle is not yet over.

Union Railway Budget 2009: 57 New Trains, 12 non-stop Duronto Trains introduced

2009-07-03T13:33:00.020+05:30

New Delhi: Breaking News! Union Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee presented the Railway Budget 2009 in Lok Sabha today. Mamata Banerjee termed the budget as a populist one and introduced several new schemes and trains. She also did not hike the basic train fares and freight charges. Although she tried to please all sections and all states, West Bengal did get some importance in her 'Janata Budget'.

According to the Railway Budget, 50 Railway stations in India will be developed as world class stations. In addition, 49 stations have been identified for religious and tourism importance. 53 new railway tracks and 57 new trains will come up across the country.

The computerised railway tickets will be available across 5,000 post offices in the country, while Catering, Food, Punctuality and Cleanliness will be given top priority. Mamata also said that 375 stations will be developed as model railway stations. In addition, she also announced 12 new non-stop AC Duronto trains, which will connect all metros.

Here are the Key Features of Union Railway Budget 2009:

1) Interim Railway Budget is very unrealistic, can't sustain its targets
2) Budgetary support to Railways increased by Rs. 5,000 crore
3) 49 stations identified for religious and tourism importance
4) At least 1 doctor in all long distance stations
5) 50 world class stations to be set up
6) To ensure food and quality water in all trains
7) Catering, food, punctuality and cleanliness are priority areas
8) Automatic Ticket Vending Machines in all big stations
9) Commando battalions for Railways to be raised
10) Railway Recruitment Board policies to be reviewed

11) Tickets will be available in 500 post offices
12) Number of vending machines to be increased
13) Infotainment services, personalised services to be introduced in Rajdhani and Shatabbdis
14) SMS updates on wait-listed ticets to be introduced
15) To ensure Janata Food (at low price) in Trains
16) Double-decker AC for long-distance Intercity Express trains
17) Mobile ticketing vans to be introduced
18) Integrated security plan drawn up
19) Integrated Security System for 130 vulnerable stations
20) Women Commandos to be introduced

21) Mega logistics hub for Eastern and Western Corridor
22) Green Toilets in Trains
23) Cold storage facilities for farmers to store procure
24) 375 stations to be developed as model railway stations
25) Special provisions for SCs, STs and Sportspersons
26) Photo ID cards-cum-credit cards to be given to accredited journalists with PIB Card. Travel concession has been increased from 30% to 50% for them.
27) Kolkata Metro to be expanded till Barackpore
28) Special Pass for Students in Kolkata Metro
29) Kajigund-Anantnag Railway Line to be completed by August

30) 57 New Trains to be introduced
31) 53 new railway tracks to be built
32) Non-stop AC Sleeper Duronto trains to be introduced
33) Duronto Trains to connect major metros
34) 12 new AC sleeper non-stop trains to be introduced. They are Delhi-Jammu Tawi, Mumbai-Ahmedabad, Delhi-Chennai, Kolkata-Amrritsar, Delhi-Lucknow, Bhubaneswar-New Delhi, Delhi-Allahanad, Delh-Sealdah, Delhi-Ernakulam, Delhi-Pune, Howrah-Mumbai and Delhi-Howrah.
35) 10 New Garib Rath Trains
36) Ladies Special in Delhi, Kolkata, chennai
37) AC Yuva Trains to be introduced at Rs. 299 and Rs. 399
38) Tatkal Tickets booking time reduced to two days. Charges down to Rs. 100 instead of Rs. 150.
39) No fare hike in railway tickets
40) Ambulance Service in 6 Cities
41) 1,000 new Reservation Centres to be built in 200 cities

42) New Houses to be built for 6650 Railway Employees
43) Colleges on Railway land in public-private partnership
44) Scholarship for higher education of girls of Railway Officials
45) Railway Medical Colleges, Hospitals to be set up
46) Izzat Scheme - Monthly ticket at Rs. 25 for people who earn less than 1,500 per month in the unorganised sector
47) Rail Coach Factory to be built in Kachrapara, West Bengal
48) 1000 MW Power Plant in West Bengal
49) 18,000 new goods bogies to be purchased.

AIADMK Chief Jayalalithaa demands removal of Union Minister A Raja

2009-07-03T10:44:00.003+05:30

Chennai: AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa demanded the immediate removal of Union Minister for Communications, A Raja, accusing him of making a telephonic call to Madras High Court Judge, R. Reghupathi to grant bail to a MBBS student and his doctor father in a CBI case. Earlier, Justice R. Reghupathi had revealed that he had received a call from a Union Minister in this regard, but he did not name the Minister.

Jayalalithaa claimed that even though the Judge did not name the Minister, it was A Raja, who made the telephonic call to influence the Judicial system. "This is the first time in India's history that a High Court Judge had levelled such serious allegations against a Union Minister. The Minister should be removed from the Union Cabinet with immediate effect", said Jayalalithaa.

Earlier, Madras High Court Judge R. Reghupathi revealed in the court that a Union Minister called him up and tried to influence him to pass orders in favour of MBBS student Kiruba Shridhar and his father, Krishnamurthy, who alleged manipulated the answer sheets in the Ophthalmology Examination in the 3rd year of the MBBS course.

Legendary Sculptor Tyeb Mehta passes away at 84

2009-07-03T08:45:00.002+05:30

Mumbai: India's most acclaimed and renowned Sculptor, Tyeb Mehta, passed away at the age of 84. He breathed his last at the Asian Heart Institute, Mumbai. Mehta had developed a chronic chest ailment and had been ill for many years. He is survived by wife Sakina, daughter Himani, son Yusuf and daughter-in-law Fatima. Tyeb Mehta had received accolades both in India and abroad.

Tyeb Mehta's painting, 'Celebration', was sold at Christie’s auction in 2002 for a huge sum of Rs. 1.5 crore. His another painting, 'Mahishasura' was sold for Rs. 1.6 crore in 2006.

North Korea test-fires 4 Short-range Missiles

2009-07-03T08:33:00.002+05:30

Seoul: Defying the world community , North Korea continued with its missile programme, as it test-fired four short-range missiles from the eastern coast on Thursday. The latest development is likely to heighten the regional tension with Japan and South Korea condemned the move. The UN has already sanctions on North Korea after the recent nuclear test.

The reports of North Korea's missile tests, were confirmed by the South Korean Defence Ministry. The missiles were of short-range and basically had surface-to-ship firing capabilities.

Barely a week ago, US President Barack Obama extended the economic sanctions on North Korea for its continued nuclear and missile programme, in a clear defiance of the world community.

Economic Survey 2008-09 calls for Growth, Reform and Revival

2009-07-02T16:56:00.005+05:30

New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee presented the Economic Survey 2008-09, four days before the General Budget. The Economic Survey calls for more growth, reform and revival with a focus on investment and capital market. It paints a good picture of the Indian economy in the coming year. With the global recession receding and investment opportunities are opening up yet again, India is set to make its mark on the global arena.

While tabling the Economic Survey in Lok Sabha, Pranab Mukherjee expressed hope and confidence that India will surpass the 7 per cent GDP growth target. He also said that Monsoon would be normal this year despite the delay and there will be no impact on food production.

Here are the key areas on which the Economic Survey 2008-09 kept it focus -

Taxation:

In a major relief to the common people and taxpayers, the Economic Survey 2008-09 suggested tax cuts and increase in government expenditure. It said that the next round of stimulus package may include more tax cuts.

During the previous stimulus packages, the excise duty was cut by 6 per cent and service tax by 2 percent. The salaried employees and self-employed professionals may also witness an increase in income tax exemption limit for both men and women in addition to more relaxation under the Section 80 C and 80 D.

Capital Market:

"The capital market is showing signs of revival and confidence of both domestic and foreign institutional investors, will be restored", said the Economic Survey. The investments by FIIs in equity instruments amounted to USD 5.4 billion during April-May 2009.

The mutual fund investments in equity markets in March 2009 were Rs. 2,320 crore during April-May 2009.

Foreign Investment:

While the FDI limit in the insurance sector has gone up from 26 per cent to 49 per cent, the Survey wants 100 per cent FDI in insurance sectors related to health, weather and agriculture. It also wants 100 per cent FDI in high technology, strategic defence goods and services.

Debt & Bankruptcy:

The Economic Survey 2008-09 stressed on the need for a separate bankruptcy law for the country, separating from the existing Companies Act, 1956. A new bankruptcy law is needed to ensure speedy and effective bankruptcy, said the Survey. The existing bankruptcy provisions in India are very complex and it takes 8-10 years or more to complete the procedure of bankruptcy in the country.

The Economic Survey also calls for setting up an Independent Debt Office to manage the government debt.

Drug & Medicines:

The Economic Survey has called for decontrolling of drug prices. The drug price control should be limited to essential drugs where there are less than five producers, said the survey. The list of essential medicines will go to 354 from the existing 74.