Month: December 2010

SBI to raise Rs 12,000 cr from bonds by Mar 2012

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Mumbai, December 30: The country’s largest lender, State Bank of India (SBI), today said it plans to raise Rs 12,000 crore through bonds to fund its business growth.

The executive committee of the central board of the bank has accorded approval for raising the capital for an aggregate amount of Rs 10,000 crore by way of the issue of Tier II bonds, SBI informed the Bombay Stock Exchange.

The fund would be raised during the remaining period of 2010-11 and 2011-12 in different tranches, it said.

No legal requirement for India to access 26/11 accused: Pak

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Islamabad, December 30: Days after India proposed sending a panel to Islamabad to quiz LeT’s Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi and other key accused in the Mumbai attacks, Pakistan today said there is no legal requirement for an Indian commission to be granted access to the terror suspects in this country.

Foreign Office spokesman Abdul Basit said Pakistan’s proposal to send a commission to India to interview lone surviving attacker Ajmal Kasab and officials who probed the attack was a legal requirement to take forward the prosecution of Pakistani suspects.

FM hints at more steps to ease high food inflation

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New Delhi, December 30: Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today indicated more steps to check rising prices as food inflation surged to a 10-week high of 14.44 per cent while pegging the overall inflation rate at 6.5 per cent by this fiscal end, a bit higher than projected earlier.

The high inflation rate is not due to (statistical technicality called) base effect and is real, the Finance Minister told reporters here.

PDP demands simplifying Cross-LoC Trade procedures

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Jammu, December 30: Terming the opening of Cross-LoC Trade between Kashmir and Pakistan-Occupied Kashmir (PoK) as the most significant Confidence Building Measure (CBM), the opposition Peoples Democratic Party has demanded that the procedure of trade be simplified.

“The procedures should be simplified and required facilities should be provided to the traders,” former minister and deputy leader of Opposition Abdul Rehman Veeri said, while addressing a one-day party convention at Poonch.

The traders are facing hardships due to non-availability of adequate facilities, he added.

Jaya expresses doubt over CBI probe into 2G scam

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Chennai, December 30: AIADMK chief Jayalalitha today expressed scepticism over the ongoing CBI probe into the 2G spectrum scam, saying it appeared to be “doubtful”.

“We want the investigation to reach its logical end. So far it appears doubtful,” she told reporters after the party’s General Council meeting at Vanagaram in the city’s suburbs.

She said the CBI had not come out with its findings, adding that the party still stood by its demand for a probe by a Joint Parliamentary Committee into the scam.

She said she welcomed the Supreme Court’s independent investigation into the scam.

Fully committed to JPC but PAC has vast powers: Joshi

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New Delhi, December 30: After the unease in BJP over his active pursuit of 2G probe, Murli Manohar Joshi today said “as a member of BJP” he is in favour of a JPC to go into it but made it clear that the PAC he heads has “vast powers” in bringing greater accountability in public spending.

“As a member of the Bharatiya Janata Party, I stand fully committed to the demand for the formation of Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) to look into the broader questions related to corruption facing the country today,” he said in a statement here.

NIA links SIMI to Lashkar-e-Taiba

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New Delhi, December 30: The National Investigation Agency on Thursday linked the outlawed Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) to the dreaded Pakistan-based Islamic terror outfit Lashkar-e-Taiba.

ACB arrests two Andhra govt employees for illegal assets over Rs 2.37 cr

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Hyderabad, December 30: The Andhra Pradesh anti-corruption bureau on Thursday unearthed disproportionate assets worth over Rs 2.37 crore belonging to two government employees, including a senior official of the Institute of Preventive Medicine here.

The two govt employees, Alladi Laxminarayana, Assistant Director, Institute of Preventive Medicine and Rajender Reddy, Deputy Executive Engineer of Panchayat Raj, were taken into custody in separate cases by ACB sleuths in neighbouring Rangareddy district.

People who kill and attack people are harmards: Mamata

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Kolkata, December 30: Questioning Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacherjee objecting to the word ‘harmard’ to denote CPI(M) workers in Home Minister P Chidamabaram’s letter, Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee said today that those who killed and attacked people could be described as such.

“What else will the people call you (CPIM)? They will definitely not call you Pitamaha Bhisma of Mahabharata,” Banerjee retorted at a party rally in Dum Dum on the northern outskirts.

Dripping sarcasm, she questioned whether the CPI(M) was following ‘Leftism’ or ‘harmardism’.

Technical institutes have to reserve up to 5% seats: Kapil Sibal

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New Delhi, December 30: From now, technical institutes approved by the All India Council of Technical Education (AICTE) have to reserve up to 5% of their seats for students from economically backward sections of the society.

“Till now, tution fee waiver scheme operated by AICTE allowed providing up to 10% supernumerary seats that are given to students of economically backward category.

“It was the discretion on the part of the institution to apply for such a scheme. Now these seats are made mandatory for every institute up to five per cent,” HRD minister Kapil Sibal said today.

At Meira Kumar’s luncheon meeting, BJP sticks to JPC demand

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New Delhi, December 30: A luncheon meeting called by Speaker Meira Kumar with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Thursday to break the impasse over the 2G spectrum scam ended predictably – with the opposition party sticking to its demand for a JPC.

“We want a JPC (joint parliamentary committee),” BJP spokesperson Nirmala Sitharaman said after the meeting.

Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar, who took the initiative to call the informal meeting between the opposition parties and the government, expressed hope of something positive emerging from the meeting.

Will examine lapses in Aarushi probe: Moily

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New Delhi, Dec 30 (IANS) Even as the CBI has sought closure in the Aarushi Talwar murder case, union Law Minister M. Veerappa Moily said the government will look at the lapses in the probe that led to the case remaining unsolved even after more than two years.

“I felt it’s a brutal murder, known brutal murder. It’s a matter somewhere we need to work on… where the lapses are,” Moily said in an interview to NDTV Thursday.

RBI may take more steps to curb inflation

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New Delhi, December 30: The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) today said inflation is always a concern and hinted at taking more steps to check it.

“Inflation is always a concern”, RBI deputy governor KC Chakrabarty said.

Asked if the RBI is expected to take more measures to cool down inflation, he said, “RBI has already taken the measure. If the Reserve Bank feels the measure is not adequate, they (RBI) will take more measures.”

Cash-strapped Air India to get Rs.1,200 crore

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New Delhi, December 30: In a bid to revive cash-strapped national carrier Air India, the government Thursday approved an equity infusion of Rs.1,200 crore in the ailing airline.

“Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today approved the infusion of Rs.1,200 crore as equity in Air India Limited,” Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel said in a statement.

According to the statement, the infusion of funds would give the much needed capital required by the national carrier for payment of its dues, revival of its operations and expansion of its fleet.

Srikrishna Committee submits report, Chidambaram hopes for peace

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New Delhi, December 30: The Srikrishna panel report on Telangana has been submitted to the Home Ministry and would be made public Jan 6, Home Minister P. Chidambaram said Thursday and hoped that the present atmosphere of peace will continue in Andhra Pradesh.

Making a statement after the report was submitted to his ministry, Chidambaram said that a meting of eight recognised political parties from the state will be called Jan 6 after which the report will be made public.

Clashes kill 25 people in Mogadishu

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Mogadishu, December 30: Heavy clashes between Somali government troops, backed by African Union forces, and al-Shabab fighters have left at least 25 people dead and many others wounded in capital Mogadishu.

At least 17 people were killed on Tuesday after clashes broke out between al-Shabab fighters and the transitional government troops in Mogadishu’s northern districts of Hodan, Bondhere and Abdiaziz.

More than 32 civilians were also wounded in the skirmishes, Radio Garowe reported on Thursday.

Somali ambulance workers ferried those wounded to local hospitals.

14 civilians killed in Helmand blast

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Kabul, December 30: At least 14 Afghan civilians have been killed and several others injured in a roadside bombing in the southern province of Helmand.

The bomb triggered by militants went off in a crowded area of the Nahr-e Saraj district on Thursday, the NATO-led International Security Assistance Force (ISAF) and Afghan authorities confirmed, the Associated Press reported.

The blast took place when a minivan hit the bomb, said Daoud Ahmadi, a spokesman for the provincial governor.

17 Karnataka districts vote Friday in panchayat polls

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Bangalore, December 30: Karnataka’s 17 districts vote on Friday to elect local governing councils in the second of the three-phase elections whose outcome will impact the stability of the Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP) first government in the state.

Over 15 million voters, almost half of them women, are eligible to cast their ballots to elect 595 zila (district) and 2,161 taluka (sub-district) panchayat members.

Like in the first phase, held in 12 districts Dec 26, it is a three-way battle Friday among the ruling BJP, the Congress and the Janata Dal-Secular for most of the seats.

Pakistan condemns US drone attacks

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Islamabad, December 30: Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has condemned unauthorized US drone attacks on suspected militant hideouts inside tribal areas.

“The government with the help of law enforcement agencies has succeeded to separate terrorists from local population but drone attacks were affecting the efforts to end terrorism from the country, therefore we condemn it and we are against it,” Gilani said during a parliament session on Wednesday, a Press TV correspondent reported.

3 suicide bombers used to kill tenacious Iraqi cop

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Baghdad, December 30: Police commander Lt. Col. Shamil al-Jabouri knew al-Qaida wanted him dead. He was renowned in the tense northern city of Mosul for his relentless pursuit of the terror group, and insurgents had tried at least five times to kill him for it. On the sixth attempt, al-Qaida left little to chance.

As al-Jabouri slept Wednesday morning on a couch in his office, three men wearing police uniforms over vests laden with explosives slipped through an opening in the blast walls surrounding the compound where his building stood, police said.

Shahrukh Khan kisses Karan Johar on TV

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Mumbai, December 30: Everybody knows that actor Shahrukh Khan and filmmaker Karan Johar are good friends but it came as a big surprise when the news of their public display of affection reached our ears. The news is doing the rounds that they kissed in public, that too on television.

It happened at Karan Johar’s show Koffee With Karan. Shahrukh, who came to the show as a guest, planted a kiss on Karan’s check. It is said that the particular scene would attract the attention of the audience.

Well, expect the unexpected from this duo!

——–Agencies

Akshay rescues Katrina from mob attack

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Mumbai, December 30: Katrina Kaif was saved from groping fans by Akshay Kumar at the promotional event of their film Tees Maar Khan.

The fans at R City Mall in Gatkopar got a little too excited upon seeing Katrina Kaif at the event. The actress, dressed in black, was literally mobbed by the enthusiastic fans who even extended their hands to touch her.

But Akshay, being the gentleman that he is, came to her rescue. He put his arms around Katrina from behind and led her through the mob.
–Agencies

I don’t let age overpower me: Dharmendra

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Mumbai, December 30: Horses and men never grow old, says Dharmendra, still young at 75 and getting ready to entertain his legion of fans in the upcoming comedy Yamla Pagla Deewana.

“There is a saying, ‘horses and men never grow old’ and I’m one of those men who was tagged as the ‘He Man’. So can a ‘He Man’ afford to become old? This tag keeps me young at heart and I don’t let age overpower me,” Dharmendra told in an interview.

“My soul is still very innocent, like that of a mischievous kid. Since I feel young inside, it reflects on my face,” he added.

Several Hindus abducted for ransom, says Pakistani leader

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Islamabad, December 30: Santosh Kumar Bugti, a minority leader of the Pakistan Muslim League-N, has said that several members of the Hindu community have been kidnapped for ransom in the country as he sought early recovery of an abducted leading Hindu spiritual leader.

Addressing a press conference in Quetta, Bugti appealed to all tribal leaders and elders to play their role in recovering Lakki Chand Garji, the kidnapped Hindu spiritual leader of Balochistan.

Senior cleric hails Asian Gaza Convoy

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Tehran, December 30: Iranian Grand Ayatollah Naser Makarem Shirazi has lauded an Asian humanitarian aid convoy for making an effort to break the Israeli crippling siege of the Gaza Strip.

“I am so happy with your visit [to Gaza] which pursues a humanitarian goal,” Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi said in a letter to the Asian Gaza Convoy, ISNA reported on Thursday.

“This act of yours will be internally recorded in history and be aware that this absolutely humanitarian move to save an innocent community will be reflected around the globe,” he added.