India News

Australia’s Minister for Trade, Simon Crean, has called for intensified negotiations across all areas of the Doha negotiations in a speech to the CII on September 2.

He noted that while Doha Round covers a vast range of trading sectors, agriculture and industrial products tend to dominate media attention. The real gains for many countries, including India, are in areas such as services and trade facilitation.  He said “that is why we need our officials to be prepared to negotiate across the spectrum of Doha areas.”

Crean noted the recent Peterson Institute study into the benefits of concluding the Doha Round. A successful conclusion to the Doha Round could deliver as much as US$300 billion to US$700 billion per year additional GDP to the world economy.

He said “that is a huge impact with great on-going benefits for all nations from greater trade flows.”

He added that “benefits would flow to developed and developing countries and boost services.  For India, this could equate to a boost of almost 2 per cent of GDP growth or in dollar figures a boost of US$ 22.4 billion annually to the Indian economy.”

Crean stressed the importance of Australia and India working together to advance the Doha round.

He said “in Bangkok, India and Australia worked together for convergence in Asia” pushing for “track one status of an examination of a new Free Trade Area spanning the 10 countries of South-East Asia - known as ASEAN plus India, Japan, China, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia.”

This ASEAN+6 would cover some 3 billion people and have a collective GDP of $US14.1 trillion.  Minister Crean said “we both supported that proposal very strongly in Bangkok and we succeeded with it – another example of the Indian-Australian partnership at work.”

Crean told the audience that it is time to raise the level of the Australia-India relationship to “a strategic partnership –benefiting both nations and the region.”

He said “eight Australian Ministers are expected to visit India in 2009 and nine Indian ministers have visited Australia in the past 18 months,” and added “India is Australia’s fastest growing major two-way trading partner.”

In 2008, trade between India and Australia increased by 43 per cent to 18.9 billion dollars.

Speaking to gathered business representatives, Minister Crean said Indian business should “look to Australia – the fastest growing developed country in the world in the past year.”

He noted that the joint Free Trade Agreement feasibility study – which commenced in August 2007 was reaching its final stages, and he would return to India next month to discuss the next steps.

Crean concluded that Australia and India needed to “think big about how our bilateral relationship and how our strategic partnership should evolve and develop over the next decade.”

Source ANI

Two royal Bengal tigresses, which had strayed into a West Bengal village, were captured by forest officials on Tuesday.

The tigresses, who had terrorized villagers over the last several weeks, were trapped in the Panchmakhani and Pirkhali forests of the Sunderban Delta area.

The younger cat of the duo had been trapped in July too. At that time, she had entered and killed some cattle some cattle in Kumirmari village. She was fitted with a microchip for future identification.

N.C. Bahuguna, Director, Sunderban Biosphere Reserve, said the tigers were nabbed after stepping up night patrolling for a week.

"For the last one week the tigers were roaming outside the forests and we were informed by the locals the tigers were coming into their village and after that our staff became active. We stepped up night patrolling for a week and it was a chance that after a week we nabbed both the tigers," said Bahuguna.

The tigresses underwent a medical check-up at Sudhanyakhali and were declared fit to be released into the forest.

While the younger tigress would be released in the Sunderban Biosphere Area, away from its earlier territory, the older one would be set free within the Sunderban Tiger Reserve area.

The number of tigers in India has plummeted to around 1,411, nearly half the previous estimate.

The previous census, carried out in 2001 and 2002, said there were 3,642 tigers. A century ago there were 40,000.

Source ANI

Former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and now Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly, Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday said that everyone was concerned about the missing chopper that was carrying incumbent Chief Minister Y.S. Rajshekhar Reddy.

Addressing a press conference here, Naidu said: “We are all concerned. I also appeal to nearby villagers to help with the rescue. The situation is being monitored.”

Naidu’s appeal came as the Andhra Pradesh Government revealed this afternoon that the search is still on for the seven-seater Bell chopper that was carrying Reddy towards the state’s Chitoor District in inclement weather.

The State Government said that bad weather, time constraints plus the dense forested area where the chopper may have landed is hampering rescue operations. It appealed to the general public to step in and help in the rescue operations along with the Indian Air Force and the Army.

In Delhi, Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily, who is in charge of the Congress party affairs in Andhra Pradesh, is having a meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the issue. He is said to have briefed Gandhi about the latest developments.

Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram is also meeting Sonia Gandhi.

The Congress party on Wednesday held an emergency press briefing here on the issue.

Party spokesman Manish Tewari told media persons that it is an evolving situation that is being closely monitored by the Central and State Governments, besides the Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

The party said that state government is handling a very sensitive situation as the copter is said to have landed somewhere in the forests between the three districts of Rayalseema, Prakasham and Chitoor.

Tewari said that every effort was being made to resolve the situation as quickly as possible given the limited time available. He said that four Indian Air Force helicopters, one MI8 and a Dhruv chopper have been pressed into the rescue operation.

Earlier, Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister K.Rosiah confirmed that the chopper carrying the Chief Minister had landed in a forest area and efforts were on to locate it.

Addressing a news conference in Hyderabad, Rosiah said: “All state and central forces are on alert. At the moment, we are still tracing the location of the missing chopper, which has landed in the forests in the Chitoor-Nellore area. We are finding a way to reach the place.”

Rosiah said the state government has alerted the Union Home Ministry about the missing chopper. He said that after 9.35 a.m., contact had been lost with the chopper carrying the chief minister.

Rosiah said that the Prime Minister’s office as well as the offices of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Defence Minister A.K. Antony are being kept posted about the latest developments.

He also issued an appeal to the public to contribute to the search effort.

Rosiah’s briefing came as Andhra Pradesh Police continues their search for the missing chopper.

Panic was created around Wednesday noon as Reddy was reported untraceable for nearly four hours.

Reddy was on his way to Chitoor, by chopper which initial reports said had made an emergency landing near Kurnool due to inclement weather.

The chopper took off at 8.45 a.m. for Chitoor and was scheduled to arrive here at 10.45 a.m, sources said.

The chopper was said to have landed in the middle of  a thick forest, said to be affected by Maoist activities.

The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) confirmed receiving a message of the emergency landing of the chopper, but nothing thereafter.

Till now, no one has confirmed the movements of Reddy.

The Union Home Ministry is monitoring the search operations, as Kurnool is a Naxal affected area.

Air Traffic Control (ATC) sources said the chopper went off the radar due to heavy rains.

The CMO maintains there is no need to worry as the area has no mobile connectivity.

The Delhi High Court has on Wednesday said that the Chief Justice of India is a public authority under the RTI Act, which means that asset declaration is covered by the RTI under Section 8 1 (A).

This comes after SC judges had decided tp make their assets public. The only question was whether judges would entertain questions from the public under the RTI act.

A petition was filed by the apex court in the Delhi High Court challenging the Central Information Common Order which had questioned whether the judges revealed their assets to the Chief Justice of India.

Political parties and legal experts last week had welcomed the move of the Supreme Court judges to make public the details of their assets.

Union Law and Justice Minister M. Veerappa Moily said: "If they have come forward to disclose it, it is welcome. It is for the judges to decide how it should be done because what is best in the interest of the judges, they are the best judge."

Welcoming the move, BJP spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad said: "I am afraid that this decision could have been taken earlier and the unfortunate controversy over the last couple of months could have been avoided."

Congress spokesperson Abhishek Singhvi said the judiciary has avoided "further needless controversy", but it could have been avoided if the decision was taken earlier, he said.

"It is a question of public perception and public confidence, trust, faith and in that light it is a step in the right direction," he said.

Describing it as a very good decision taken by judges, Former Attorney General and constitutional expert Soli Sorabjee said: "I think it is a very good development. It''''s better late than never."

"I am sure their initial reluctance not to declare assets was not because they had anything to hide. They had misgivings that it may be misused," he added.

Senior lawyer Harish Salve said: "The whole controversy had become very unsavory with this kind of suggestions that judges have something to hide they want to be above the law. I am so happy that the Supreme Court has risen to the occasion."

Senior advocate Prashant Bhushan said the move would also now encourage the High Courts judges to make public their assets.

"It is absolutely a welcome move and I am sure it will also encourage the judges of the High Courts to publicly declare their assets and force the government to put up assets of government servants on public website which can be accessed by the people," Bhushan said.

Terming the decision as "excellent", senior advocate K K Venugopal said: "I think it is the greatest step that the judiciary could take because it has cleared all the clouds which have been hanging over the issue."

Source ANI

Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister, Ms Julia Gillard, today announced in New Delhi that the International Centre for Muslim and non-Muslim Understanding, located at the University of South Australia, will step up its cooperation with Indian partners.

Inspired by former Australian Prime Minister, Bob Hawke, the new research centre was announced at the University of South Australia (UniSA) in 2008 at a special ceremony attended by the former PM.

The Centre is dedicated to research that seeks to define, understand and transcend the divide between Muslim and non-Muslim cultures and has already attracted $10 million (Rs40 crore) in funding support from the Australian Government and the South Australian State Government.

Australia’s Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard said the launch of the Centre in India would help to encourage more of the world’s top researchers and thinkers to engage with its important research agenda.

Ms Gillard said “faith and culture have been paramount in the development of India; one of the world’s largest and most linguistically and culturally diverse democracies.  Holding the international launch of the Centre here in Delhi is appropriate because India is a nation that lives with difference on a grand scale and thrives.”

She said “There is expertise here and in many countries across the Asian region that we can learn from.  The goal is to build a worldwide community of outstanding scholars with a commitment to understanding and exploring the cultural and sociological factors that influence Muslim and non-Muslim relationships,”

She said the Centre would emphasise international engagement, with an international Advisory Board and a Council of Distinguished Scholars (including Indian representatives).  Former Australian PM the Honourable Bob Hawke is an ex-officio member of the board.

UNESCO Chair in Transnational Diasporas and Reconciliation Studies and UniSA Pro Vice Chancellor and Vice President for Education Arts and Social Sciences, Professor Pal Ahluwalia, who is leading the foundation of the Centre, said the research agenda goes far beyond religious differences.

“We also want to build the Centre as a place of engagement, so that the work we do is accessible to governments and societies. This supports a guiding principle of the research Centre - to analyse effective rapprochement between Muslim and non-Muslim communities informed by principles of social justice and reconciliation.”

Ahluwalia said the 10 international PhD scholarships, worth more than Australian dollars 26, 000 (Rs10 lakh) each plus relocation expenses would help to attract some of the brightest minds to the Centre.

“I am hoping to welcome strong applications from India that can build long lasting bilateral research relationships between Australia and India in this vital area.”

Ms Gillard is also Minister for Education, Minister for Employment and Workplace Relations and Minister for Social Inclusion.

Source ANI

The Congress party on Wednesday held an emergency press briefing here with regard to the missing state government helicopter carrying Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajshekhar Reddy.

Party spokesman Manish Tewari told media persons that it is an evolving situation that is being closely monitored by the Central and State Governments, besides the Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

The party said that state government is handling a very sensitive situation as the copter is said to have landed somewhere in the forests between the three districts of Rayalseema, Prakasham and Chitoor.

Tewari said that every effort was being made to resolve the situation as quickly as possible given the limited time available. He said that four Indian Air Force helicopters, one MI8 and a Dhruv chopper have been pressed into the rescue operation.

Earlier, Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister K.Rosiah confirmed that the chopper carrying the Chief Minister had landed in a forest area and efforts were on to locate it.

Addressing a news conference in Hyderabad, Rosiah said: “All state and central forces are on alert. At the moment, we are still tracing the location of the missing chopper, which has landed in the forests in the Chitoor-Nellore area. We are finding a way to reach the place.”

Rosiah said the state government has alerted the Union Home Ministry about the missing chopper. He said that after 9.35 a.m., contact had been lost with the chopper carrying the chief minister.

Rosiah said that the Prime Minister’s office as well as the offices of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Defence Minister A.K. Antony are being kept posted about the latest developments.

He also issued an appeal to the public to contribute to the search effort.

Rosiah’s briefing came as Andhra Pradesh Police continues their search for the missing chopper.

Panic was created around Wednesday noon as Reddy was reported untraceable for nearly four hours.

Reddy was on his way to Chitoor, by chopper which initial reports said had made an emergency landing near Kurnool due to inclement weather.

The chopper took off at 8.45 a.m. for Chitoor and was scheduled to arrive here at 10.45 a.m, sources said.

The chopper was said to have landed in the middle of  a thick forest, said to be affected by Maoist activities.

The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) confirmed receiving a message of the emergency landing of the chopper, but nothing thereafter.

Till now, no one has confirmed the movements of Reddy.

The Union Home Ministry is monitoring the search operations, as Kurnool is a Naxal affected area.

Air Traffic Control (ATC) sources said the chopper went off the radar due to heavy rains.

The CMO maintains there is no need to worry as the area has no mobile connectivity.

Source ANI

Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister K.Rosiah on Wednesday confirmed that the state government helicopter carrying Chief Minister Y.S. Rajshekhar Reddy has landed in a forest area in Chitoor District, and efforts are on to locate it.

Addressing a news conference in the state capital, Rosiah said: “All state and central forces are on alert. At the moment, we are still tracing the location of the missing chopper, which has landed in the forests in the Chitoor-Nellore area. We are finding a way to reach the place.”

Rosiah said the state government has alerted the Union Home Ministry about the missing chopper. He said search choppers, including two Indian Air Force Chetak helicopters have been roped in for the search operations. He said that after 9.35 a.m., contact had been lost with the chopper carrying the chief minister.

Rosiah said that the Prime Minister’s office as well as the offices of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Defence Minister A.K. Antony are being kept posted about the latest developments.

He also issued an appeal to the public to contribute to the search effort.

Rosiah’s briefing came as Andhra Pradesh Police continues their search for the missing chopper of the chief minister.

According to police sources, a civilian copter, air force helicopters and the army has been pushed in to the search operation.

Panic was created around Wednesday noon as Reddy was reported untraceable for nearly four hours.

Reddy was on his way to Chitoor, by chopper which initial reports said had made an emergency landing near Kurnool due to inclement weather.

The chopper took off at 8.45 a.m. for Chitoor and was scheduled to arrive here at 10.45 a.m, sources said.

The chopper was said to have landed in the middle a of thick forest, said to be affected by Maoist activities.

The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) confirmed receiving a message of the emergency landing of the chopper, but nothing thereafter.

Till now, no one has confirmed the movements of Reddy.

The Union Home Ministry is monitoring the search operations, as Kurnool is a Naxal affected area.

Air Traffic Control (ATC) sources said the chopper went off the radar due to heavy rains.

The CMO maintains there is no need to worry as the area has no mobile connectivity.

Source ANI

Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister K. Rosaiah will address a press conference at 4 p.m. here, during which he will provide an update on the whereabouts of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajshekhar Reddy.

Rosiah’s briefing comes in the wake of Andhra Pradesh Police continuing their search for the missing chopper of the chief minister.

According to police sources, a civilian copter, air force helicopters and the army has been pushed in to the search operation.

Panic was created around Wednesday noon as Reddy was reported untraceable for nearly four hours.

Reddy was on his way to Chitoor, by chopper which initial reports said had made an emergency landing near Kurnool due to inclement weather.

The chopper took off at 8.45 a.m. for Chitoor and was scheduled to arrive here at 10.45 a.m, sources said.

The chopper was said to have landed in the middle a of thick forest, said to be affected by Maoist activities.

The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) confirmed receiving a message of the emergency landing of the chopper, but nothing thereafter.

Till now, no one has confirmed the movements of Reddy.

The Union Home Ministry is monitoring the search operations, as Kurnool is a Naxal affected area.

Air Traffic Control (ATC) sources said the chopper went off the radar due to heavy rains.

The CMO maintains there is no need to worry as the area has no mobile connectivity.

Source ANI

About 400 armed Maoists attacked a plant owned by a private road construction firm and kidnapped six security guards on Wednesday in the Jamui district of Bihar.

The Jamui district comes under the Maoist affected areas of the state.

According to Additional Director General of Police Neelamani, the red ultras raided the SMPL''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''s plant at Hariondhi village and damaged pay loaders and three trucks.

Neelamani confirmed the kidnapping of six private security guards of teh company by the Naxals.

The non-payment of ransom demanded by the Maoists from the private firm owner was said to be the reason behind the attack, Neelmani said

The Special Task Force (STF) And the District armed policemen had an encounter with the Maoists for some time after the incident, but they managed to escape into the thick forest area on Jamui-Chakai road, sources said.

Source ANI

Army Chief General Deepak Kapoor on Wednesday criticized Pakistan for stockpiling nuclear weapons in the name of protection, and said the country is going beyond the degree of deterrence.

“There is a difference between having a degree of deterrence which is required for one''s own protection, and going beyond that degree of deterrence. If news reports of them (Pakistan) having 70-90 atomic bombs are correct then I think they are going well beyond the so-called requirement of deterrence even, that is something which is of concern to all of us,” General Kapoor told reporters here.

On Tuesday, reports of concern expressed by top US defence experts on Pakistan''s secret nuclear expansion has emerged.

In an article published in the latest issue of ‘Bulletin of the Atomic Scientist’, Robert S Norris and Hans Kristensen had claimed that Pakistan''s nuclear stockpile has jumped to an estimated 70-90 warheads from a previous figure of 60.

"A new nuclear-capable ballistic missile is being readied for deployment, and two nuclear capable cruise missiles are under development. Two new plutonium production reactors and a second chemical separation facility also are under construction," Norris and Kristensen wrote.

Norris is a Senior Research Associate at the Natural Resources Defense Council while Kristensen is Director, Nuclear Information Project at Federation of American Scientists.

"It is equally troublesome to guess what its future plans might be," the article says.

The report comes amid concerns expressed by the US over illegal modification by Pakistan of US-made Harpoon anti-ship missile, a weapon that could target India.

Source ANI

Andhra Pradesh Police is continuing a search for the missing chopper of Chief Minister Y.S. Rajshekhar Reddy.

According to police sources, a civilian copter has been pushed in to the search operation.

Unconfirmed reports said the Army has also joined the search operation.

Panic was created around Wednesday noon as Reddy was reported untraceable for nearly four hours.

Reddy was on his way to Chittor, by chopper which initial reports said had made an emergency landing near Kurnool due to inclement weather.

The chopper took off at 8.45 a.m. for Chittor and was scheduled to arrive here at 10.45 a.m, sources said.

The chopper was said to have landed in the middle a of thick forest, said to be affected by Maoist activities.

The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) confirmed receiving a message of the emergency landing of the chopper, but nothing thereafter.

Till now, no one has confirmed the movements of Reddy.

The Union Home Ministry is monitoring the search operations, as Kurnool is a Naxal affected area.

Air Traffic Control (ATC) sources said the chopper went off the radar due to heavy rains.

The CMO maintains there is no need to worry as the area has no mobile connectivity.

Source ANI

The National Dope Testing Laboratory (NDTL) has signed a contract with the International Doping Test and Management (IDTM) Stockholm, Sweden, which is a state of art service provider of doping control management.

IDTM is an independent body to supply sports organizations with an independent global doping control services in order to promise drug free sports and fair competition. The contract with ITDM is signed to carry out testing of 300 samples in a year.

The organizers of 11th South Asian Games -2010 being held in Dhaka have also approached NDTL to carry out testing of 300 samples during the games from January 29 to February 10. 2010. The tariff details have been sent to them. Iran NADO Secretary General has also requested for the tariff of testing to sign a contract with NDTL for testing of samples.

Apart from these, the NDTL is receiving queries from the various International agencies for testing of samples viz Nepal, Kuwait, Doha, Bangla Desh and Srilanka.

The lab has done International testing for 242 samples for various International games after obtaining World Anti Doping Agency (WADA) accreditation. Apart from receiving competition samples for the International events being held in India, lab has also received samples from Muscat, and Pakistan for out of competition testing.

The Government of India is fully committed to provide its support to NDTL thereby making it fully focused to have short term, mid term and long-term goals to further achieve excellence in the field.

The short-term goal is to enhance its sample testing capability from the existing 2000 samples in a year to 3000 samples in 2009 and to 5000 samples in 2010. It also aims to set up the new test methods for Human growth hormone, blood parameters and Erythropoietin prior to June 2010. Its mid term goal is to provide quality testing services at competitive rates for the International samples.

With full focus on these short term and mid term goals and after successfully completing the testing for the Common Wealth Games 2010, NDTL will move towards long term goals to diversify in research areas in collaboration with various national and international institutes.

The NDTL at Delhi, which got accreditation by WADA in September 2008, has been shifted to the new premises since May this year.

The new building of the NDTL is equipped with all modern amenities and latest state-of-art equipment. It is operational in new building after getting verification audit by National accreditation board of Testing and Calibration laboratories (NABL) in June.

Source ANI

Malaysian High Commissioner to India has advised his fellow countrymen to take extra precaution as the spate of fatal Indian road accidents involving them is worrying.

High Commissioner Tan Seng Sung said recent accidents, where Malaysians lost their lives showed that travellers need to be more careful when planning their travel to India.

“They must hire proper drivers and have their travel insurance ready when making trips to India,” Tan said on the sidelines of Malaysia’s 52nd National Day celebration in Delhi on Monday.

Over 200 guests, including foreign diplomats, Indian officials and Malaysians attended the event hosted by the High Commission at a hotel here.

The envoy’s comments came in the wake of a recent accident in Leh, in the Kashmir region, where three Malaysian women were killed while another is still missing after their vehicle toppled into a ravine.

Another woman, who is part of the Malaysian entourage on the trip suffered severe injuries and is still recuperating in a hospital here, The NST Online reported.

In April this year, a van ferrying a group of Malaysian pilgrims to Haridwar, a Hindu holy site, collided with another vehicle, killing the tour guide and his assistant.

Two Malaysian women, who were injured in that accident, later died in a hospital in Delhi.

A month later, two sisters, one a journalist of the New Straits Times, were badly injured when the taxi they hired rammed into an oncoming car.

Source ANI

The Chhattisgarh Government on Wednesday placed a demand for grant of Rs 94.22 crore from the Central Government to develop educational facilities in the Maoist- affected areas.

According to State Government sources, Chief Minister Raman Singh himself put the demand before Union Tribal Affairs Minister Kantilal Bhuria when the duo met here.

According to sources, Singh also submitted the details of assistance anticipated by the State Government to Bhuria.

Singh informed Bhuria that Chattisgarh needed central’s assistance mainly for construction of some 218 ashram schools, sources said.

State Government is also looking for the assistance to the programmes of job-oriented training to the unemployed tribal youths and constructing houses for the tribals," sources added.

The State Tribal Welfare Department-run ashram schools are basically residential schools where all the needs of the students will be looked after by the state government.

Unfortunately many of the Ashram Schools became the victims of Maoist attacks, especially in the Bastar region where the red ultras are in dominating position.

The red rebels demolished dozens of such school buildings in the interiors of Bastar region, which is spread out over 40,000 sq km.

The Maoist claims that they blow up the school complexes because they provided shelter to the forces involved in anti-naxal operations, sources said.

Source ANI

The Indian Premier League (IPL) and its commissioner Lalit Modi has asked the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) to take a final call on whether or not to terminate the services of IMG as an organiser of the event.

IPL and BCCI sources said that BCCI president Shashank Manohar will review the issue and present his report and recommendations to the BCCI’s working committee on September 24.

The decision was taken to end the chasm between two powerful BCCI officials - Lalit Modi  andN Srinivasan.

The BCCI’s decision to terminate the services of the IMG from IPL was seen as an attempt to clip Modi’s wings.

But with seven IPL franchises and even the former BCCI president Sharad Pawar throwing their weight behind Modi, the IPL Governing Council met here on Wednesday and took the decision to take the matter before the BCCI Working Committee.

Earlier, a ‘disturbed’ Pawar reportedly snubbed Srinivasan and expressed his disappointment in no uncertain terms in a letter addressed to Manohar.

‘‘When I was the board president, we signed a 10-year agreement with IMG to conceptualise, formulate and implement a new league along with Lalit Modi and the same was approved at all appropriate levels,’’ he stated.

‘‘IMG has been instrumental in day-to-day operations of the league and we should come to a suitable arrangement (with IMG). In IPL, there are many stakeholders and anything we do that may jeopardize their investments will show BCCI in a bad light. With the overwhelming success of the IPL, it is our duty to protect not only BCCI but also all its stakeholders,’’ Pawar said.

Srinivasan, the BCCI secretary, is of the view that the IMG has been overcharging the BCCI, and therefore, its services should be terminated.

Source ANI

Nepal Government officials on Wednesday said they cannot take any action in the Fake Indian Currency Note (FICN) racket against anyone, including former Crown Prince Paras, unless India lodges a formal complaint.

Taking note of the FICN issue, sources said the government has said that they will try to do their best to crack down heavily on those involved in this racket, but cannot take any action against unless India lodges a formal complaint against it.

So far, Nepal claims that there has been no official complaint from India.

On Tuesday, Union Home Minister P Chidambaram said he had raised the issue of fake Indian currency being smuggled out of Nepal with Nepal Prime Minister Madhav Kumar.

Addressing media persons in New Delhi, Chidambaram said,  "I did mention this to the Prime Minister of Nepal. He shared our concern and this will be an issue that will be discussed in the Home Secretary level talks. We are concerned that FICN finds its way to India through Nepal."

Nepali nationals who were nabbed by the Anti Terror Squad of Madhya Pradesh in connection with fake currency racket have revealed the involvement of Crown Prince Paras and his links to India''''s most wanted terrorist Dawood Ibrahim.

They further revealed that a prominent minister''''s son Yunus Ansari was working as the conduit between Paras and Dawood Ibrahim, who between them have been pushing crores of fake currency into India.

According to sources, Dawood manages the printing and manufacture of the fake currency, while Paras is responsible for the transit of the money from other countries into Nepal and then its flow into India.

Paras reportedly used his influence to ensure the money reached the transit points on the India-Nepal border without any hitch.

Source ANI

Vishwa Hindu Parishad (VHP) leader and stockbroker Damodar Modi''s servant, has hinted that he was attacked by insiders.

Sushil Paswan was attacked on August 29, just two days after a raid was conducted on his properties by the income tax officers in Rajasthan.

Paswan alleged the attack was a conspiracy waged by an insider, as he had asked a man named Manoj about a missing locker key.

The attackers inhumanly stabbed Paswan.

He also alleged that the insiders have wiped out all proof of the attack on him.

No one in Modi’s family informed the police. The police lodged a case on the basis of Paswan’s statement.

The Rajasthan Income-Tax Department has recovered over Rs 10 crore from eight bank lockers belonging to Modi in Jaipur.

Source ANI

The Jharkhand Police on Wednesday rescued a State Government official, who was abducted by the Maoists in Palamau District.

According to police sources, a 20 member armed gang of the Jharkhand Liberation Tiger (JLT) had abducted Alok Kumar, a Circle Officer (CO) of Paki block in Palamau district, on Monday.

The incident tookplace in Kekargarh village of Palamau, about 190 km from the state capital Ranchi.

Kumar was rescued from the forest near Manatu block in the district on the early hours, sources added.

Kumar was visiting the villages to select the workers for the Anganwadi, when he was abducted.

The Maoists demanded a ransom of Rs 20 lakh for the release of Kumar.

"It was the police operation that forced the rebels to release Kumar," said a police officer involved in the rescue operation.

Jharkhand has turned into a major Maoist hub in the country. The red ultras have the dominance in 18 of the 24 districts of the state.

Source ANI

A Nigerian woman has been detained at the Mumbai international airport on suspicion of carrying drugs. She landed in Mumbai on Tuesday by an Emirate flight from San Paulo in Brazil via Dubai.

The 20- years-old woman is currently undergoing medical examination at the J. J. Hospital. The Air Intelligence Unit had specific tip off the woman was carrying cocaine in her stomach.

The matter is under investigation.

Source ANI

Five suspected insurgents were killed in an encounter with security and paramilitary forces in the Gurez sector on Wednesday.

The encounter was still on when reports last came in.

Source ANI

Seven Indian cricketers dominate this year’s various LG ICC Annual Awards for 2009 to be announced in Mumbai later on Wednesday.

Indian skipper Mahendra Singh Dhoni, openers Gautam Gambhir and Virender Sehwag, off-spinner Harbhajan Singh, middle-order bats V V S Laxman and Yuvraj Singh and fast bowler Zaheer Khan feature in the list.

Dhoni, Gambhir and Harbhajan Singh have made the cut for the Cricketer of the Year award.

The trio has also been nominated, in the initial list, for the Test player of the year award along with stylish V V S Laxman.

For the coveted One-day International player of the year, skipper Dhoni, prolific batsman Yuvraj Singh and opener Virender Sehwag have made it to the initial list of nominees.

Indian pacer Zaheer Khan is a strong contender for the T20 Performer of the Year award.

Indian opener Virender Sehwag and former cricketer Ravi Shastri announced the names of the nominees along with the Chief Executive of the International Cricket Council, Haroon Lorgat.

The sixth ICC annual awards ceremony is to be held at Johannesburg during the ICC Champions Trophy.

There are eight individual prizes, including the Sir Garfield Sobers Trophy for the ICC Cricketer of the Year. The winners of seven individual awards would be chosen on the basis of voting done by a 25-person panel from around the world made up of former players, media personnel and an elite umpire and match referee.

Another 16-person group featuring former players and other experts on the women’s game would vote the nominations for the Women’s Cricketer of the Year award.

The other three awards are reserved for the Test Team of the Year, the ODI Team of the Year and the Spirit of Cricket award.

Performances of players in the period between August 2008 and August 2009 would be taken into account for deciding the awards, according to the ICC website.

Source ANI

Namibia, which has substantial quantity of uranium, has agreed to supply India with the same as part of a civil nuclear agreement.

Under the Agreement on Cooperation in Peaceful Uses of Nuclear Energy, the two sides will trade uranium and exchange expertise in designing of atomic plants and train personnel.

The two sides have also inked four other pacts as part of a move to inject "fresh dynamism" in their ties.

The five agreements were signed after talks between Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and visiting Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba in New Delhi.

Namibia is the fifth nation to sign a civil nuclear agreement with India after the latter secured a waiver from the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) in September last year. India has already inked similar agreements with the US, Russia, France and Kazakhstan.

The two sides have also signed agreements on Cooperation in the field of defence, cooperation in the field of geology and mineral resources, on Pan-African e-Network and waiver of visas for diplomatic and official passport-holders.

Prime Minister Singh said the two leaders reviewed the current state of bilateral relations and set a roadmap for the future.

"We have decided to inject fresh dynamism in our cooperation in areas such as human resource development, capacity building, trade and economic exchanges, agriculture, transportation, defence, information technology, health, energy and mining," Dr. Singh said.
 
The two sides noted that the bilateral trade volume and investment, though small, have been steadily increasing and resolved to take measures to enhance such flows. They noted the many opportunities for investment available in Namibia in the uranium, diamond, agriculture, energy, transportation, railways, mining, ICT and SMEs sectors and resolved to encourage Indian investments in these areas.

The Namibian side expressed its deep appreciation for the Human Resource Development and Capacity Building assistance extended by India under its ITEC and other programmes ever since Namibia''s independence.

The Indian side reiterated its commitment to further enhance its HRD and Capacity Building programme in Namibia with additional ITEC experts from one to five and augment the number of ITEC slots from 55 to 110.

The Namibian side thanked the Indian side for scholarships provided to Namibian nationals for bachelors, masters and doctoral programmes in India and requested for increase in the number of scholarships. The Indian side agreed to increase the number from seven at present to 15.

Both sides expressed interest in exploring cooperation in the diamond sector and stated that the establishment of a cutting, polishing and training institute in Namibia by India would go a long way in beneficiation of this local resource.

The Indian side informed the Namibian side of its decision to offer Lines of Credit of 100 million dollars over the next five years to be used in projects and supplies of products from India; (ii) reaffirmed its decision to establish, at a cost of over 12 million dollars, the Faculties of Mining Engineering and IT at the University of Namibia; and (iii) announced grants-in-aid of around 10 million dollars for the education and health sectors over the next five years. The Namibian side expressed its deep appreciation for these offers.

Both sides noted that people-to-people contacts and tourism between the two countries needed to be encouraged further and resolved to take necessary measures to enhance tourism, culture and people-to-people contacts.

A large business delegation is accompanying the Namibian delegation. An extensive interaction between them and their Indian counterparts was held in New Delhi on 31 August, 2009. A similar interaction is to be held in Mumbai on September 2, 2009.

After concluding his official stay in Delhi, President Pohamba and his delegation will visit Agra, Bangalore and Mumbai.

Source ANI

President Pratibha Patil will leave on a weeklong visit to Russia and Tajikistan from today.

She will be accompanied by Minister for Petroleum and Natural Gas Murli Deora and Minister of State for Textiles, Panabaka Lakshmi.

Strengthening bilateral ties with these countries will be top of the agenda of the visit.

Patil will first go to Moscow and meet Russian President Dmitry Medvedev and Prime Minister Vladimir Putin.

She is also scheduled to meet the Chairman of the Federation Council and the Speaker of the Duma.

Patil and Medvedev will participate in a gala concert in Moscow and witness an Indian cultural performance. The "Year of India" is being celebrated in Russia this year.

She will also scheduled to meet the Indian community and Friends of India. She will also visit St. Petersburg where she will meet the plenipotentiary representative of the President to the North-West District and visit a Russian School, which teaches Hindi.

Patil will be the guest of honour in the Independence Day celebrations of Tajikistan in Dushanbe.

This is the first time a foreign dignitary is being given this honour.

She will also inaugurate the India-Tajikistan Joint Business Forum apart from her meetings with the Tajik President Emomali Rahmon and Prime Minister Oquil Oquilov.

Patil will be the first Indian President to visit to Tajikistan.

Source ANI

Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Wednesday said he talked to Andhra Pradesh’s Finance Minster K.Rosiah regarding the tragic incident of the State CM Y.S.Rajasekhara Reddy.

“I have talked to the State Finance Minister. We are very sad about the incident,” said Mukherjee to reporters.

Meanwhile, former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu in a press conference in Hyderabad said: “We are all concerned. I also appeal to nearby villagers to help with the rescue. The situation is being monitored.”

Source ANI

Union Home Minister P.Chidambaram on Wednesday evening denied the possibility that the copter carrying Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister may have crashed and the search operation will remain on through out the night.

The search operation for the missing Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister will remain on throughout the night on foot, Chidambaram was quoted to have stated by the Zee News channel.

Chidambaram refuted the possibility, as no signal from the Emergency locator transmitter had been received.

The Army Commandos, CRPF personnel will carry out the search through out the night. The Sukhoi-30 aircraft is also engaged in the operation at night as it is capable of taking images at night.

Meanwhile, former Director General of Border Security Force (BSF) M.L. Kumawat described the search operation of YSR as “the most intensive, comprehensive, multi-borne search operation ever launched in the country.”

“It is a difficult terrain and will take some time,” he added.

Source ANI

State Finance Minister K.Rosiah on Wednesday said that the air operation had been called off due to inclement weather and less visibility.

“The air-search operations would begin by 6.00 to 6.30 on Thursday morning,” said State Finance Minister K.Rosiah.

“The team from ISRO’s low-flying aircraft has been landed in Hyderabad. They have taken about 40 images of Nallamali area. They have been analysed at the National Remote Sensing laboratory in Hyderabad. The results are expected by 11.30 tonight,” said State Government Secretary Ramakant Reddy at the conference.

Meanwhile, in New Delhi, Congress party’s core committee will hold a meeting do discuss developments related to Andhra CM’s missing incident.

Source ANI

National Security Adviser M.K.Narayanan on Wednesday evening said that search operations were being carried out in the Nallamallai forest area of Andhra Pradesh and some forward movements are expected by Thursday morning.

Nallamalai forest is the area where the State Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy’s helicopter has gone missing.

“Search operation is on in the area. We expect some forward movement by tomorrow morning. Two helicopters with the sensitive radar facility have been pressed into the operation,” said Narayanan.

“One more copter will be pressed into the service by tomorrow,” he added.

“ISRO’s low-flying aircrafts have taken high resolution pictures on Nallamalai area. The Indian Satellites’ pictures will also be examined by tomorrow morning,” said Narayanan.

“All the images will be available by tomorrow morning. The analysis will also be done tomorrow morning,” he added.

“We are (at present) not concerned about naxals’ presence but we are more concerned about CM and party’s safe return,” Narayanan said.

Source ANI

Congress President Sonia Gandhi held a meeting with Defence Minister A.K. Antony and senior party leader Ahmed Patel on Wednesday evening.

The leaders are believed to have discussed the developments related to the missing incident of Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy since morning.

Sources after the meeting said that there was on confirmation about Sonia’s expected visit to Hyderabad on Thursday morning.

Meanwhile, Sonia has also reportedly talked to Y.S.R’s son Y.S. Jaganmohan Reddy in the evening.

Source ANI

As the search for the missing Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister has intensified, the Air Force’s Sukhoi-30 aircraft has been pressed into service to help in the ongoing operations.

“A Sukhoi-30 aircraft has left Bareilly in Uttar Pradesh to search out for the missing Andhra Pradesh CM. It will carry out its search in the Nallamalla region for the CM,” stated a TV report at 8 o’clock.

As part of government attempts to search for the missing CM, the Army is sending 500 commandos of its Special Force “Ghatak”, who are specially trained in the jungle warfare.

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, has gone missing since 9.35 in the Wednesday morning.

Source ANI

About 50 to 60 Pakistani militants have positioned themselves to infiltrate into India, and the Indian defence forces are fully prepared to foil any such attempt, a top military brass has revealed.

"There are approximately 50 to 60 terrorists in various locations operating in Jammu, Smabha, Kathua. And they are waiting on time to infiltrate. However, we are keeping a clear watch of the situation and any attempt by the terrorist to infiltrate will be foiled by the forces deployed along the border. We have absolute synergy in this aspect by the border security force to prevent infiltration,” said Lieutenant General E M Nair, GOC 9 Corps.

The GOC mentioned that Pakistan is building fortifications along the border and more than 50 militants who are operating from various locations along the border could infiltrate.

The 9 Corps with its headquarters at Yole Cantonment oversees the defence operations in the Jammu region overlapping Himachal Pradesh.

Corps is the major formation responsible for a sector under an operational command and the 9 Corps functions under the Northern Command.

Source ANI

Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday evening called the wife of missing Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajshekhar Reddy.

The State and Central Governments have pulled out all steps to trace out the missing Andhra Pradesh CM.

Meanwhile, as part of government attempts to search for the missing CM, the Army is sending 500 commandos of its Special Force “Ghatak”, who are specially trained in the jungle warfare.

Moreover, TV channel reports stated Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, who is missing since morning, had reportedly left on a secret visit to the villages of State.

According to a private channel report, Reddy told media persons: “The objective to undertake such a visit was to reach out to villages. There is need to ensure Ration Card and water supply.”

The secrecy of his proposed tour was maintained due to security reasons. The two officials accompanying the chief minister were also informed just two hours before the scheduled departure.

Source ANI

The US Geological Survey on Wednesday issued a tsunami alert for the Indian Ocean in the wake of a 7.4-magnitude earthquake striking Indonesia''s Java island.

According to the USSGS, the quake struck less than 200 kilometres south of the capital Jakarta at a depth of 63 kilometres.

A powerful underwater earthquake shook southern Indonesia on Wednesday, damaging buildings near the epicentre and causing panicked office workers to run onto the streets.

There were no immediate reports of injuries.

A tsunami alert was issued, but revoked less than an hour later.

The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said the quake was powerful enough to cause a local tsunami, but there were no immediate reports of high waves.

Less than an hour later it said in a statement that "sea level readings indicate a significant tsunami was not generated" and retracted the alert.

Source ANI

Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister, who is missing for the last nine hours, had reportedly left on a secret mission to some villages in the state, said a private channel report on Tuesday evening.

According to the private channel, Reddy told media persons in the morning, just ahead of leaving, that he was undertaking a surprise visit.

“The objective to undertake such a visit was to reach out to the villages. There is need to ensure ration card and water supply,” said Reddy just before leaving.

The secrecy of his proposed tour was maintained for security reasons. The other two officials accompanying him were also informed just two hours before the scheduled departure.

Source ANI

Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary P. Ramakanth on Wednesday said that efforts are continuing to trace missing Chief Minister Y.S. Rajshekhar Reddy.

Addressing his second press conference of the day, Ramakanth said that search operations are being focused on the Nallamalla Forest Range, and added that the U.S. Defense Department and the Bangalore-based National Remote Sensing Agency (NRSA), which falls under the jurisdiction of ISRO, have been approached to provide satellite images and low-flying planes for the search. He said that the low-flying planes would be able to conduct a search of upto 250 kilometers and added that he expected some information from them within the hour.

State Finance Minister K.Rosiah said the search for Reddy, who has been missing for the last nine hours, is being conducted on a war footing with the help of the Central Government.

Chief Secretary Ramakanth said the Chief Minister’s Bell chopper was last seen over Atmakur and Pandi Atmakur in Kurnool District at around 9.15 a.m. this morning. He also ruled out the use of an unmanned aircraft, saying it was presently in the North East and would take a long time to reach Andhra Pradesh.

The State Government said the police search party is nearing the Nallamalla forests.

At least 5000 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Indian Army personnel have been deployed to search for Reddy in the Nallamalla forest range, which is a  Maoist stronghold.

State Government sources said the CRPF, the Army and Special Forces would conduct their search on foot through the night till the chief minister is traced.

The defence personnel would move along the same route that the chief minister took, notwithstanding the inclement weather.

Local villagers have also been provided with torches and other equipment to help in the search of an area that is dominated by Naxals.

A clearly worried Congress party held an emergency press briefing on the issue this afternoon.

Party spokesman Manish Tewari told media persons that it is an evolving situation that is being closely monitored by the Central and State Governments, besides the Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

The party said that state government is handling a very sensitive situation as the copter is said to have landed somewhere in the forests between the three districts of Rayalseema, Prakasham and Chitoor.

Tewari said that every effort was being made to resolve the situation as quickly as possible given the limited time available.

Earlier, Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister K.Rosiah confirmed that the chopper carrying the Chief Minister had landed in a forest area and efforts were on to locate it.

Addressing a news conference in Hyderabad, Rosiah said: “All state and central forces are on alert. At the moment, we are still tracing the location of the missing chopper, which has landed in the forests in the Chitoor-Nellore area. We are finding a way to reach the place.”

Home Ministry officials said troops will carry out a massive combing operation in the dense forests of naxal-infested Kurnool district.

They said CRPF personnel will be called from neighbouring Chhattisgarh and Orissa, adding that the first batch of these men is expected to reach soon.

Chief Minister''s Principal Secretary S Subramanyam and Chief Security Officer A S C Wesley and two pilots were also on board the missing twin-engined government helicopter.

Rosiah said that the Prime Minister’s office as well as the offices of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Defence Minister A.K. Antony are being kept posted about the latest developments.

He also issued an appeal to the public to contribute to the search effort.

Reddy was on his way to Chitoor. The chopper took off at 8.45 a.m. and was scheduled to arrive here at 10.45 a.m, sources said.

The chopper was said to have landed in the middle of  a thick forest, said to be affected by Maoist activities.

The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) confirmed receiving a message of the emergency landing of the chopper, but nothing thereafter.

Till now, no one has confirmed the movements of Reddy.

The Union Home Ministry is monitoring the search operations, as Kurnool is a Naxal affected area.

Air Traffic Control (ATC) sources said the chopper went off the radar due to heavy rains.

The CMO maintains there is no need to worry as the area has no mobile connectivity.

Source ANI

Union Home Minster P. Chidambaram, after meeting Congress President Sonia Gandhi, has gone to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to apprise him of the latest developments and efforts of the security forces to trace out Andhra Pradesh Y.S.Rajshekhara Reddy, missing since 9.35 morning.

Ahead of his visit to Sonia Gandhi’s residence, Chidambaram on Tuesday evening said both  Revenue and Forest officials of that area have been pressed into the search operations for the missing Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister.

Addressing media persons, Chidambaram said: “paramilitary and State police are actively carrying out the search operations.”

“The aerial search has been stopped for the time being. The revenue and forest officers are searching the area where the last mobile signal was recorded,” Chidambaram said evening.

“5,000 CRPF and police personnel have pressed into the operation and I have personally asked the officials to search the operations throughout the night than waiting till next morning. The CRPF will reach the spot in a couple of hours,” said Chidambaram.

“If we fail to trace him in the next two-three hours, we will have to wait till next morning,” said Chidambaram.

“Let’s hope for the best. Let’s pray for the best,” said Chidambaram just ahead of leaving to meet Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi at her residence.

Meanwhile, the State Secretary informed media persons in a conference that the ISRO was sending low-flying aircrafts to help in the search operations.

“Our efforts are on to find the CM. Search is on near Nallamalla forest, said the State Secretary Ramakanth Reddy.

The Andhra Pradesh Government has appealed to the public to provide any sort o information they come across about the whereabouts of the missing Chief Minister.

Source ANI

Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram on Tuesday evening said both  Revenue and Forest officials of that area have been pressed into the search operations for the missing Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S.Rajshekhara Reddy.

Addressing media persons, Chidambaram said: “Paramilitary and State police are actively carrying out the search operations.”

“The aerial search has been stopped for the time being. The revenue and forest officers are searching the area where the last mobile signal was recorded,” Chidambaram said evening.

“5,000 CRPF and police personnel have pressed into the operation and I have personally asked the officials to search the operations throughout the night than waiting till next morning. The CRPF will reach the spot in a couple of hours,” said Chidambaram.

“If we fail to trace him in the next two-three hours, we will have to wait till next morning,” said Chidambaram.

“Let’s hope for the best. Let’s pray for the best,” said Chidambaram just ahead of leaving to meet Congress President and UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi at her residence.

He is likely to apprise Sonia Gandhi about the latest developments and efforts being made to trace out the missing CM.

Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh Government has appealed to the public to provide any sort o information they come across about the whereabouts of the missing Chief Minister.

Source ANI

In a bizarre move, the Rajasthan government has directed all the government employees to properly welcome and see off visiting MPs and MLAs.

Among other things, the directive requires government employees to stand up when a lawmaker comes to visit them.

“Respecting them is essential and usually they come to address the grievances of the common man and not with their own personnel issues. In our culture we usually stand up when someone visits us and welcoming someone by just sitting on our chairs is not a part of our culture,” said Ashok Bairwa, spokesman, Rajasthan government.

On their part, the government employees have reacted with mixed notions.

They have contended that there was no need for such an order as they were already respecting public leaders, in and out of office.

“There might be an instance because of which the government had to issue this order. We are not aware of any such instance. I personally feel that employees and officers of the district administration have never shown dissent or disrespect to them nor such a feeling like this has ever come into their minds," said Gowri Shankar Soni, a government employee.

Many Congress party MPs and MLAs have often complained about indifference of bureaucrats and other staff members towards them.

Source ANI

Congress president Sonia Gandhi has asked Union Law Minister and general secretary in charge of Andhra Pradesh Veerappa Moily and Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office Prithviraj Chauhan to rush to Hyderabad to oversee the search and rescue operations for missing state Chief Minister Y.S. Rajshekhar Reddy.

The Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) has also joined in the search operation. Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram has said that he has advised the Andhra Pradesh Government to conduct a ground search for Reddy through the night. Aerial search has been called off.

The Indian Air Force has deployed Sukhoi 30 fighter jets to conduct an air sweep of the area where the chief minister’s chopper is said to have landed due to inclement weather.

The decision to send Moily and Chauhan comes as the State Government sources said the CRPF, the Army and Special Forces would conduct their search on foot through the night till the chief minister is traced.

The defence personnel would move along the same route that the chief minister took, notwithstanding the inclement weather.

The Andhra Pradesh Government has separately set up 14 teams, each consisting of eight members (112 personnel), to search for Reddy.

Local villagers have also been provided with torches and other equipment to help in the search of an area that is dominated by Naxals.

The State Government has also asked the Central Government to provide it with an unmanned aircraft and all-weather Fokker aircraft for the search operation in the Nanamalla and Seer Sailam forest ranges.

Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has denied that the seven-seater Bell chopper was not air worthy. It said that the outdated certificate that a private channel accessed appeared on the DGCA web site. The DGCA says the copter is air worthy.

The State Government has also said that it will be giving a fresh update on the situation at 7 p.m.

The State Government said that bad weather, time constraints plus the dense forested area where the chopper may have landed is hampering rescue operations. It appealed to the general public to step in and help in the rescue operations along with the Indian Air Force and the Army.

The Congress party on Wednesday held an emergency press briefing here on the issue.

Party spokesman Manish Tewari told media persons that it is an evolving situation that is being closely monitored by the Central and State Governments, besides the Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

The party said that state government is handling a very sensitive situation as the copter is said to have landed somewhere in the forests between the three districts of Rayalseema, Prakasham and Chitoor.

Tewari said that every effort was being made to resolve the situation as quickly as possible given the limited time available. He said that four Indian Air Force helicopters, one MI8 and a Dhruv chopper have been pressed into the rescue operation.

Earlier, Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister K.Rosiah confirmed that the chopper carrying the Chief Minister had landed in a forest area and efforts were on to locate it.

Addressing a news conference in Hyderabad, Rosiah said: “All state and central forces are on alert. At the moment, we are still tracing the location of the missing chopper, which has landed in the forests in the Chitoor-Nellore area. We are finding a way to reach the place.”

Rosiah said the state government has alerted the Union Home Ministry about the missing chopper. He said that after 9.35 a.m., contact had been lost with the chopper carrying the chief minister.

Rosiah said that the Prime Minister’s office as well as the offices of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Defence Minister A.K. Antony are being kept posted about the latest developments.

He also issued an appeal to the public to contribute to the search effort.

Rosiah’s briefing came as Andhra Pradesh Police continues their search for the missing chopper.

Panic was created around Wednesday noon as Reddy was reported untraceable for nearly four hours.

Reddy was on his way to Chitoor, by chopper which initial reports said had made an emergency landing near Kurnool due to inclement weather.

The chopper took off at 8.45 a.m. for Chitoor and was scheduled to arrive here at 10.45 a.m, sources said.

The chopper was said to have landed in the middle of  a thick forest, said to be affected by Maoist activities.

The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) confirmed receiving a message of the emergency landing of the chopper, but nothing thereafter.

Till now, no one has confirmed the movements of Reddy.

The Union Home Ministry is monitoring the search operations, as Kurnool is a Naxal affected area.

Air Traffic Control (ATC) sources said the chopper went off the radar due to heavy rains.

The CMO maintains there is no need to worry as the area has no mobile connectivity.

Source ANI

Aerial search operations for missing Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajshekhar Reddy have been called off, even as 5,000 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Indian Army personnel have been deployed to search for him in the forest ranges of Chitoor and Prakasham Districts.

State Government sources said the CRPF, the Army and Special Forces would conduct their search on foot through the night till the chief minister is traced.

The defence personnel would move along the same route that the chief minister took, notwithstanding the inclement weather.

The Andhra Pradesh Government has separately set up 14 teams, each consisting of eight members (112 personnel), to search for Reddy.

Local villagers have also been provided with torches and other equipment to help in the search of an area that is dominated by Naxals.

The State Government has also asked the Central Government to provide it with an unmanned aircraft and all-weather Fokker aircraft for the search operation in the Nanamalla and Seer Sailam forest ranges, where the chopper is believed to have made an emergency landing due to bad weather.

Meanwhile, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) has denied that the seven seater Bell chopper was not air worthy. It said that the certificate that a private channel accessed appeared on the DGCA web site. The DGCA says the copter is air worthy.

The State Government has also said that it will be giving a fresh update on the situation at 7 p.m.

Source ANI

At least 5,000 personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have reportedly been deployed for the search of missing Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajshekhar Reddy.

State Government sources said the CRPF personnel would move along the same route that the chief minister took, notwithstanding the inclement weather. It is reported also that the eleven choppers, including four from the Indian Air Force (IAF), may call off their aerial search soon due to dwindling light.

The Andhra Pradesh Government has separately set up 14 teams, each consisting of eight members (112 personnel), to search for Reddy and the seven-seater Bell chopper in which he was traveling to Chitoor District.

Local villagers have also been provided with torches and other equipment to help in the search of an area that is dominated by Naxals.

The State Government has also asked the Central Government to provide it with an unmanned aircraft and all-weather Fokker aircraft for the search operation in the Nanamalla and Seer Sailam forest ranges, where the chopper is believed to have made an emergency landing due to bad weather. At least seven choppers, including four from the Indian Air Force (IAF) have been pressed into the rescue operation.

The State Government has also said that it will be giving a fresh update on the situation at 7 p.m.

Source ANI

Sanjana Jon, sister of celebrity fashion designer Anand Jon has appealed to the Government to intervene in the case of her brother, failing which she would observe hunger strike.

On Monday, Los Angeles Superior Court sentenced Anand Jon to 59 years in prison for sexually assaulting aspiring models as young as 14 years in age.

Sanajana said that she would observe a hunger strike, if her pleas for help at the inter-governmental level were not paid heed to.

"My appeal is for intervention and I have said if I don''t get any help, my only resort, last resort would be to sit on a hunger strike till my voice is heard," said Sanjana Jon.

In Bangalore, Anand Jon''s fashion designer friend and stage artiste, Prasad Bidappa expressed sorrow at the American court''s judgement.

"Anand Jon case, I find particularly sad because I feel he was truly a very good talent; somebody who, I think, was taking India''s torch forward in terms of fashion. I feel very sad that it had to come to an end like this,"  said Prasad Bidappa.

Last November, thirty five-year-old Jon was found guilty of 16 counts, including rape, sexual battery and performing lewd acts on a child.

Los Angeles Superior Court Judge David Wesley sentenced Jon to 59 years to life after denying his motions for a new trial.

Prosecutors said the crimes started in 2001 when Jon set up a fashion design business through which he lured would-be models to Los Angeles.

Later, the police got involved in March 2007 after a woman said she was sexually assaulted at his Beverly Hills apartment.

Jon, whose full name is Anand Jon Alexander, denied the charges. His lawyers said the girls and young women were revenge seekers who had made up their stories or who had ''invited what happened'', and that in the case, there had been least physical evidence.

The Indian-born designer was profiled on the TV show ''America''s Next Top Model'' in 2003 and selected by Newsweek magazine as one of the world''s most successful South Asians in 2004.

Minister of State for Environment and Forests, Jairam Ramesh, said on Wednesday that India is looking forward to a fair and equitable agreement at Copenhagen meet on climate change.

“We are definitely looking forward to Copenhagen. We are looking forward to a fair and equitable agreement that recognizes common and differentiated responsibility principle. An agreement that doesn''t allows perfect to be the enemy of good. An agreement that is flexible enough to have an agreement in areas of where there is relatively less discord,” Ramesh said, addressing delegates at a carbon conclave here.

Ramesh said that India''s efforts against climate change are not confined to adaptation to alternative energies.

"National action plan on climate change is actually a mix of adaptation and mitigation. Two missions are specifically oriented towards the mitigation and a large number of activity whether it is energy efficiency mission, whether it is solar mission, whether it is a mission on sustainable habitat," Ramesh said.

According to the World Resources Institute, India''s total GHG emissions stood at 1,853 million metric tons equivalent of carbon dioxide, about 4.9 percent of global emissions in 2005.

A new government report says that the country contributes around five percent to global carbon dioxide emissions and is still only about a quarter of the emissions of China and the United States.

India’s per capita emissions are estimated at only one-twentieth of the United States and about one-tenth of Western Europe and Japan.

International summit on climate change is scheduled at Copenhagen in December where international community concerned about impacts of degrading climate is scheduled to meet.

Source ANI

A controversial twist was introduced into the case of missing Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajshekhar Reddy on Wednesday, when a private television channel revealed that the seven-seater Bell chopper that was carrying him to Chitoor, was not airworthy.

According to a Times Now report, the Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) certifcate shows that the chopper was last inspected two years ago.  The certificate also describes the owner and operator of the chopper as being the Government of Andhra Pradesh.

The revelation comes as the Andhra Pradesh Government set up 14 teams, each consisting of eight members (112 personnel), to search for Reddy and the chopper in which he was traveling.

Local villagers have also been provided with torches and other equipment to help in the search of an area that is dominated by Naxals.

The State Government has also asked the Central Government to provide it with an unmanned aircraft and all-weather Fokker aircraft for the search operation in the Nanamalla and Seer Sailam forest ranges, where the chopper is believed to have made an emergency landing due to bad weather. At least seven choppers, including four from the Indian Air Force (IAF) have been pressed into the rescue operation.

The State Government has also said that it will be giving a fresh update on the situation at 7 p.m.

Source ANI

Tibetans-in-exile living in India celebrated the 49th Democracy Day, the anniversary of their government-in-exile in Dharamsala.

Hundreds of Tibetans gathered at the Tsuglagkhang Temple, the main Buddhist temple in the picturesque hill town to mark the occasion.

The celebrations were marked by the hoisting of the Tibetan flag by Samdhong Rinpoche, the Prime Minister of the Tibetan government in exile. Performances by various Tibetan artists and schoolchildren were part of the celebrations.

Tibetan dignitaries expressed their gratitude towards the Indian government for the freedom of expression, which they enjoy, while living in the country.

"In Tibet we had dictatorship under the People''s Republic of China, there is no freedom of expression, no body has any rights, but we here in exile, due to the grace of the Government of India and the people of India, can celebrate democracy day," said Karma Yeshi, lawmaker, Tibetan government-in-exile

"49 years ago, his Holiness, the Dalai Lama, after having chartered a democratic charter approved by the parliament made the Tibetan administration into a democratic one," said Thubten Samphel, spokesperson of Tibetan Government-in-Exile

People''s Liberation Army troops marched into Tibetan region in 1950 and since then China has controlled Beijing considers Tibet as an integral part of its territory.

Source ANI

The Andhra Pradesh Government has set up 14 teams, each consisting of eight members (112 personnel), to search for missing Chief Minister Y.S. Rajshekhar Reddy and the seven-seater Bell chopper in which he was traveling to Chitoor District.

Local villagers have also been provided with torches and other equipment to help in the search of an area that is dominated by Naxals.

The State Government has also asked the Central Government to provide it with an unmanned aircraft and all-weather Fokker aircraft for the search operation in the Nanamalla and Seer Sailam forest ranges, where the chopper is believed to have made an emergency landing due to bad weather. At least seven choppers, including four from the Indian Air Force (IAF) have been pressed into the rescue operation.

The State Government has also said that it will be giving a fresh update on the situation at 7 p.m.

The latest missive comes shortly after former Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister and now Leader of Opposition in the State Assembly Chandrababu Naidu said that everyone was concerned about the missing chopper that was carrying incumbent Chief Minister Y.S. Rajshekhar Reddy.

Addressing a press conference here, Naidu said: “We are all concerned. I also appeal to nearby villagers to help with the rescue. The situation is being monitored.”

Naidu’s appeal came as the Andhra Pradesh Government revealed this afternoon that the search is still on for the seven-seater Bell chopper that was carrying Reddy towards the state’s Chitoor District in inclement weather.

The State Government said that bad weather, time constraints plus the dense forested area where the chopper may have landed is hampering rescue operations. It appealed to the general public to step in and help in the rescue operations along with the Indian Air Force and the Army.

In Delhi, Union Law Minister Veerappa Moily, who is in charge of the Congress party affairs in Andhra Pradesh, is having a meeting with Congress president Sonia Gandhi on the issue. He is said to have briefed Gandhi about the latest developments.

Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram is also meeting Sonia Gandhi.

The Congress party on Wednesday held an emergency press briefing here on the issue.

Party spokesman Manish Tewari told media persons that it is an evolving situation that is being closely monitored by the Central and State Governments, besides the Congress president Sonia Gandhi.

The party said that state government is handling a very sensitive situation as the copter is said to have landed somewhere in the forests between the three districts of Rayalseema, Prakasham and Chitoor.

Tewari said that every effort was being made to resolve the situation as quickly as possible given the limited time available. He said that four Indian Air Force helicopters, one MI8 and a Dhruv chopper have been pressed into the rescue operation.

Earlier, Andhra Pradesh Finance Minister K.Rosiah confirmed that the chopper carrying the Chief Minister had landed in a forest area and efforts were on to locate it.

Addressing a news conference in Hyderabad, Rosiah said: “All state and central forces are on alert. At the moment, we are still tracing the location of the missing chopper, which has landed in the forests in the Chitoor-Nellore area. We are finding a way to reach the place.”

Rosiah said the state government has alerted the Union Home Ministry about the missing chopper. He said that after 9.35 a.m., contact had been lost with the chopper carrying the chief minister.

Rosiah said that the Prime Minister’s office as well as the offices of Congress president Sonia Gandhi, Home Minister P. Chidambaram and Defence Minister A.K. Antony are being kept posted about the latest developments.

He also issued an appeal to the public to contribute to the search effort.

Rosiah’s briefing came as Andhra Pradesh Police continues their search for the missing chopper.

Panic was created around Wednesday noon as Reddy was reported untraceable for nearly four hours.

Reddy was on his way to Chitoor, by chopper which initial reports said had made an emergency landing near Kurnool due to inclement weather.

The chopper took off at 8.45 a.m. for Chitoor and was scheduled to arrive here at 10.45 a.m, sources said.

The chopper was said to have landed in the middle of  a thick forest, said to be affected by Maoist activities.

The Chief Minister’s Office (CMO) confirmed receiving a message of the emergency landing of the chopper, but nothing thereafter.

Till now, no one has confirmed the movements of Reddy.

The Union Home Ministry is monitoring the search operations, as Kurnool is a Naxal affected area.

Air Traffic Control (ATC) sources said the chopper went off the radar due to heavy rains.

The CMO maintains there is no need to worry as the area has no mobile connectivity.

Source ANI