LIVE
Thu, 02 February 2012
Praful Patel, Gafoor named in Canada graft case
Timeline Refresh
18:16 Man arrested in Chile for stealing 5 tonnes of ice from glacier
Global warming is not the only danger facing Earth's glaciers it seems. The Guardian newspaper reports that police in Chile have arrested a man on suspicion of stealing five tonnes of ice from the Jorge Montt glacier in the Patagonia region to sell as designer ice cubes in bars and restaurants. That's right, five tonnes. Read the report here.
17:58 'Scrapping 2G licences would hit foreign investor sentiment'
Shefali Anand writes in IndiaRealTime, the Wall Street Journal's blog on India, that Thursday's Supreme Court ruling cancelling 122 2G licences amid allegations of fraud in their allocation 'will penalize foreign companies not involved in any wrongdoing, and will likely further hit foreign investor sentiment toward India,' quoting telecom experts.
'At the time of their investment, foreign companies, following procedures laid down by the Indian government, had no reason to believe there were any irregularities in the granting of the licenses, say experts. Over the years, these companies have invested major sums of money into India in an effort to gain a pie of India's growing telecom market,' she writes here.
17:55 It pays to be a bit unpredictable, says RBI governor
The Wall Street Journal reports has quoted India's central bank governor as saying said that it is best to be unpredictable in tactical currency management, and reiterating the bank's policy of not disclosing details of intervention in the foreign exchange market.
"It pays to be a bit unpredictable on when you intervene, how much you intervene, how you are going to move the exchange rate," Duvvuri Subbarao said at a conference, the paper says here.
17:51 Praful Patel, Gafoor named in Canada graft case
'The Royal Canadian Mounted Police have implicated a Canadian tech executive in an alleged bribery and bid-rigging scheme that involves prominent public figures in India at a time when outrage over corruption has paralyzed its Parliament,' reports the Globe and Mail, a prominent Canadian newspaper.
Greg Mcarthur, David Montero and Stephanie Nolen write in the newspaper: 'The federal justice department is planning to prosecute businessman Nazir Karigar, an Indian-born Canadian citizen on charges that he violated the Corruption of Foreign Public Officials Act -- a law that forbids the payment of bribes abroad. The case is scheduled to be heard at Ottawa's Ontario superior court of justice in September.'
The Globe and Mail report names Indian Minister Praful Patel as the person whom Karigar allegedly told others he had paid a bribe of $250,000, and claims that former Mumbai police commissioner Hasan Gafoor allegedly conspired with Karigar to rig a contract worth $100 million with Air India for a facial recognition security system.
The newspaper also carries extensive interviews with Patel and Gafoor where they deny the charges.
For more details on the story that is bound to cause waves in India in the coming days, read here.
17:22 What's the hard way out of Afghanistan?
Writes Luke Mogelson in the New York Times Magazine: The issue has long ceased to be how we can decisively expunge the Taliban '" we can't. Instead, the question is: How can we forestall its full-fledged resurgence upon our departure?
We agree, and here's the link.
17:19 Kashmir grand mufti insists Christian clerics should leave
The Jammu and Kashmir Sharia court headed by Grand Mufti Bashiruddin has defended its decree of expulsion of five Christian missionaries, saying the issue of religious conversions was more important than any other issue.
In an apparent dig at hardline Hurriyat Conference Chairman Syed Ali Shah Geelani, the grand mufti in a statement said it was "unfortunate and intriguing" that criticism of the sharia court decision was coming from people "who profess Islam as their faith".
Geelani had questioned the sharia court's decree ordering expulsion of five Christian missionaries including pastor C M Khanna, who is accused of converting Muslim youth through allurement and immoral activities.
"I am not surprised by what is being published by some reporters because of their prejudice and proclivities. What is unfortunate and intriguing is that such statements are coming from some members of the community which professes Islam as their faith," the Grand Mufti was quoted as saying in the statement issued by the court yesterday.
17:06 Second day of I-T raids on liquor baron's premises
The premises of liquor baron and businessman Ponty Chadha were raided by the income-tax department for the second day today in Uttar Pradesh and Delhi for suspected tax evasion during which a number of documents and computer peripherals were seized.
The I-T teams, according to sources, have spread to two new locations in South Delhi for searching the premises belonging to Chadha's associates. A late night operation by a team of 20 officials armed with counting machines and gas cutters at the basement of Centrestage Mall in Noida on the outskirts of Delhi did not yield any large seizure of cash, top sources in the department said.
17:03 Devotee says he has Sai Baba's footwear from 1915
A devotee today claimed that he was in possession of saint Sai Baba's footwear which were gifted to his grandfather by the saint in the year 1915.
"My grandfather, late Krishnarao Parulkar, was also an ardent devotee of Sai Baba and he used to visit Shirdi to seek his blessings on a number of occasions when there was no modern means of transport were available," retired professor Kishore Parulkar from Harda in Madhya Pradesh said.
Parulkar said Sai Baba himself gifted his padukayen (footwear) to his grandfather in year 1915 after he came to know about the inconvenience endured by the former in visiting him for blessings.
17:01 Long-standing concerns with ISI's links with Afghan rebels
Pakistan should "cut off" ties with Taliban, the United States has said pointing out that it has "long standing concerns" over the ISI's links with the Afghan insurgent groups.
Pentagon spokesperson Navy Capt John Kirby told reporters during an off-camera briefing that the facts laid bare by the damning NATO report, which blew the lid off ISI's "manipulation" of Taliban's senior leadership, were "not a new notion" and these concerns have been raised earlier as well.
"This is not a new notion, we made those concerns clear and the Secretary has been very clear about the ongoing problem of safe havens inside Pakistan for these groups," Kirby said yesterday referring to a new NATO report on Taliban which says that the ISI continues to help the extremist group, which wants to come back to power in Afghanistan.
16:52 PIA crew held at JFK airport for smuggling phones, cigarettes
The cabin crew of a Pakistan International Airlines flight was detained for several hours at John F Kennedy Airport in New York for allegedly smuggling hundreds of cartons of cigarettes and dozens of mobile phone sets, officials said today.
Authorities at the US airport held eight members of the crew of PIA flight PK-721 yesterday after over 500 cigarette cartons and a large number of mobile sets, mostly BlackBerrys and iPhones, were found in their baggage. The items were in excess of the permissible limits, officials said.
16:50 2 top scientists come out in support of Madhavan Nair
Two top scientists today slammed the blacklisting of former ISRO chief G Madhavan Nair and three others over the Antrix-Devas deal and demanded that reports of two expert committees on the issue be made public.
"It's ridiculous in a democracy. What kind of democracy are we running," rued former ISRO chief Prof UR Rao. "If there is something wrong, please go ahead and take action (against them). You don't give them a chance to defend themselves?...Under what circumstances they agreed (for the deal) and so on. What country are we running? On what basis they have taken action," he told PTI.
Eminent nuclear scientist MR Srinivasan asked, "Are these scientists solely responsible? Are there others also? Who were the others in the decision-making loop? Has responsibility placed on them also?" the former chairman of Atomic Energy Commission said. "Why action only against the scientists and not others also?"
16:48 Fundamentalists turned away biopic directors, says Taslima
A day after the cancellation of the official release of her book at the Kolkata Book Fair following protests, controversial Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasreen today claimed that three Bengali directors who had planned films on her life and novels had now backtracked.
"The contracts were signed. But the directors have suddenly fallen silent," Taslima told PTI from New Delhi on a proposed biopic on her life and films on two novels Shodh (Revenge) and Nimontron (Invitation).
"I do not know what has happened to them. Who has asked them not to make the films?" she questioned, hinting that the directors may have withdrawn apparently under pressure from fundamentalists.
16:34 Rooney Mara is most desirable Oscar nominee
Girl With The Dragon Tattoo star Rooney Mara has emerged as the most desirable Oscar-nominated actress this year, beating fellow nominees Michelle Williams and Jessica Chastain.
The 26-year-old grabbed the third spot on AskMen's 2012 '99 Most Desirable Women' reader-generated list, reported Huffington Post.
Playing one of America's most desirable icons in history in My Week With Marilyn earned Michelle Williams a spot at No 63. Chastain, nominated for best supporting actress for her turn in The Help, was voted the 86th spot.
16:31 Sasikala's kin Ravanan to be grilled in Chennai in cheating case
Ravanan, an arrested relative of Sasikala, the estranged aide of Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa, was today taken to Chennai for interrogation in connection a cheating case, the police said.
Ravanan, lodged in the Central Prison in Coimbatore since his arrest on January 27, was remanded to the custody of a team of Chennai police by a local court after it produced a transit warrant.
He was arrested on charges of abduction for ransom, extortion and criminal conspiracy. Ravanan has been named as an accused in a Rs 1 crore cheating case by a Tirupur-based industrialist, who has filed a petition in a Chennai court, the police said.
16:30 Jayalalithaas fresh tirade against UPA govt
Continuing her tirade against the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government at Centre, Tamil Nadu Chief
Minister J Jayalalithaa today said all the state had got in return for various demands was "only disappointment."
"We receieve only disappointment despite repeated requests (for funds and grants)," she said intervening Congress member
N R Rangarajan in the Assembly during a debate to thank the Governor for his address to the House.
She said the state government "was also expecting so much from the Centre" as Rangarajan said he expected a lot from the Tamil Nadu government.
He was on the receiving end yet again on the ruling All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam hiking bus fare hikes, when Jayalalithaa quipped, "Congress (government) does short-jumps and repeatedly raises the diesel prices and so we had to do a long jump to hike bus fares."
Jayalalithaa has been consistenly blaming the Centre for not releasing funds to the tune of several thousand crore to implement various welfare projects, besides not providing electricity from central grid for the power-starved state.
16:13 BJP's jibe at Rahul's UP plans after Beni is booed
A day after Union Minister Beni Prasad Verma faced the ire of voters at a poll rally, Bharatiya Janata Party on Thursday questioned how Rahul Gandhi would fulfill the promise of changing UP in five years when Congress leaders like Verma were being booed in their own parliamentary constituencies.
"Rahul Gandhi is promising development in all his meetings throughout the state but how is it possible with his ministers of the stature of Steel Minister Beni Prasad Verma being hooted and not being allowed to speak in their own parliamentary constituencies," senior BJP leader Kalraj Misra told PTI.
"How would the Congress and Rahul Gandhi be able to fulfill such a promise," Misra said, adding that though Congress is claiming itself to be the strongest party in the state, it is its leaders who are facing the maximum opposition.
16:09 Gold loses Rs 90 on sluggish demand, silver gains Rs 400
A divergent trend was seen at the bullion market in Mumbai on Thursday, as gold declined by Rs 90 to Rs 28,530 per 10 grams on sluggish demand, while silver gained Rs 400 to Rs 56,200 per kg on fresh buying support.
Traders said gold extended loses for the second straight day, despite a firming global trend, due to sluggish demand at existing higher levels. Some investors were also seen shifting their funds to the rising equities which also reduced gold's demand.
On the other hand, silver gained on fresh buying support from jewellery and coin makers to meet the marriage season demand in tandem with increased offtake by industrial units helped, they added.
On the domestic front, gold of 99.9 and 99.5 per cent purity fell by Rs 90 each to Rs 28,530 and Rs 28,390 per 10 grams, respectively. It had lost Rs 70 yesterday.
15:41 Reforms in MGREGA likely by month-end: Ramesh
With complaints galore in the implementation of UPA's flagship rural job scheme, government is pushing forward reforms in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act, which are likely to be incorporated by the month-end.
As Congress president Sonia Gandhi stressed on the urgency to bring in the reforms, Rural Development Minister Jairam Ramesh today announced that the new measures would be announced within a month.
Stating that the shortcomings and criticism in the programme cannot be ignored, Ramesh assured Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress President Sonia Gandhi that reforms and changes will be made in MNREGA
.
"We have already discussed the issue with the states and a number of institutions. I hope what we will be able to give it a final shape and be making it public within a month," he said.
15:23 Glad that 2G matter is progressing: CVC
The Central Vigilance Commissioner Pradeep Kumar on Thursday expressed satisfaction over the progress in 2G issue and said the Commission will give a prompt response after studying the Supreme Court judgement.
"We will study that judgement. We will respect that judgement and CVC as you know has referred the matter to the CBI and we are glad that matter is progressing," Kumar told mediapersons in New Delhi.
Asked about the course of action, the CVC said, "We have to study the judgement and then to see what exactly has the Supreme Court has ordered. I have not studied the judgement as yet. The commission will study it and give its prompt response".
15:17 5 per cent increase in India's forest cover: PM
In what could bring cheers to environmentalists, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Thursday said the country's forest cover has increased by nearly five per cent between 1997 and 2007.
"I am happy to state that Indias forest cover had increased by nearly 5 per cent between 1997 and 2007 with a small decrease since then.
"We hope to see further accretion with the implementation of the Green India Mission which aims to increase the forest and tree cover by 5 million hectares and improve forest cover on another 5 million hectares," he said addressing the 12th Delhi Sustainable Development Summit.
The prime minister felt that eventually these forests will act as a sink that could absorb 50-60 million tonnes of carbon dioxide annually and offset about 6 per cent of India`s annual emissions.
15:15 Sibal must resign after SC order, demands CPI-M
The Communist Party of India-Marxist on Thursday said the Supreme Court order cancelling the 2G spectrum licences is a "strong indictment" of the government and asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to take a call on its fallout as it has exposed the "bluff" on the UPA-II's claims.
Demanding the resignation of Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal for claiming that there was no loss to the public exchequer, senior CPI-M leader Nilotpal Basu said, "The prime minister, who is known as a paragon of virtue, will have to take a call on the fallout of the judgement which has called the bluff on the government's claims on the 2G scam."
The verdict "absolutely puts the government under cloud.
The opposition and CPI-Ms charges have been upheld by the Supreme Court and earlier by the CAG, even though the prime minister's constant refrain has been that there has been absolute transparency. The court has totally rejected this, Basu added.
14:59 Govt to abide by SC 2G verdict, says Sibal
The government said on Thursday that it will abide by the Supreme Court judgement of cancellation of 122 2G licenses, Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal said on Thursday.
The prime minister and the finance minister are in no way responsible for allocation of 2G spectrum, Sibal told mediapersons on Thursday.
Thursdays Supreme Court verdict in no way indicts governments telecom policy, Sibal added.
14:54 Falak case: Woman arrested for forcing girl into flesh trade
One more person has been arrested for allegedly forcing a teenaged girl, who got a battered two-year-old admitted in AIIMS, into prostitution, police said on Thursday.
With this, a total of four persons have been taken into custody in this case, which includes the teenager's father Jitender Gupta on charges of abandoning her.
14:50 Nagpur building collapse toll mounts to 8
With five more bodies being removed from under the debris of a four-storey building that collapsed in Nagpur on Monday, the death toll in the incident has risen to eight, police said on Thursday.
The structure, housing a small scale cold storage unit, caved in on the night of January 30 in Chikhali layout in Wardhman Nagar.
Out of the five bodies extricated from under the massive rubble on Wednesday night, one was identified to be that of Pawan Badriprasad Kedia, police said, adding identity of the four others was still being established.
Earlier, bodies of two labourers were removed from the site of the incident on Tuesday while that of another worker was retrieved yesterday, police said.
14:25 I am waiting for SC judgment on 2G: Sibal
Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal on Thursday refused to comment on the Supreme Court's verdict on the 2G scam and Home Minister P Chidambaram's role in it.
"I will issue a statement once I get the judgment. I am waiting for it," said Sibal after a meeting with Chidambaram and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
14:21 Will Pak PM GIlani be indicted by SC on Feb 13?
Pakistan's Supreme Court has summoned Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani in a contempt of court case on February 13.
Prime Minister Gilani is expected to be indicted when he appears in the Supreme Court on February 13.
13:41 Sibal, PM discuss SC verdict on 2G scam
Telecom Minister Kapil Sibal today met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh shortly after the Supreme Court judgment that cancelled all 122 licenses issued in January, 2008.
He is understood to have discussed the implications of the court's order and steps to be taken.
13:39 DMDK leader Vijaykanth suspended for 10 days
Leader of the opposition in the Tamil Nadu Assembly Vijaykanth was today suspended for 10 days after the Privileges Committee went into the conduct of the DMDK leader during a heated exchange with Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa.
DMDK members, including Vijaykanth, were evicted from the House on Wednesday after a fiery verbal exchange between him and the chief minister who dubbed his conduct as "obnoxious".
He had also made some gestures at the ruling AIADMK benches during noisy scenes. Speaker D Jayakumar had referred to the Privileges Committee the behaviour of Vijaykanth.
The Speaker said Vijaykanth was being suspended for 10 days in this session as well as the next as the ongoing session ends on February 4.
13:36 Pakistan will NOT tolerate unilateral US actions: Khar
Pakistan Foreign Minister Hina Rabbani Khar has warned that Islamabad will not tolerate any further unilateral action by the United States, like the raid that killed former Al Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden in his Abbotabad hideout.
"No unilateral action at any level, of any type. Like Abbottabad. Like what happened in Salala," The News quoted Khar as saying.
A Pakistani parliamentary committee is reviewing the troubled relationship with the United States amid outrage over a NATO raid in November that mistakenly killed 24 Pakistani soldiers near the Afghan border at Salala.
"It is the parliament of Pakistan that must decide whether it is time for military action in one area or not," she said.
13:10 Romney's gaffe: Not concerned about the poor
Mitt Romney, the frontrunner in the race to bag the Republican presidential nomination, on Thursday made a gaffe by saying he does not care about the very poor and is concerned about the plight of the middle-class Americans.
The remarks by the richest Republican hopeful were considered as a blunder by the former governor of Massachusetts, who a day earlier had won the Florida primary by a huge margin. His remarks on the poor were immediately bounced upon by his rivals.
"I am not concerned about the very poor. We have a safety net there. If it needs repair, I will fix it. I am not concerned about the very rich; they are doing just fine," Romney said in an interview.
13:07 'Chidambaram has no right to look away in 2G scam'
The Communist Party of India on Thursday attacked Home Minister P Chidambaram, saying that he cannot absolve himself as it was his job to prevent irregularities in the issue.
Describing the Supreme Court orders on 2G spectrum as a "fine judgment", CPI general secretary A B Bardhan said, "It was his job as the (then) finance minister to preventirregularities. He has no right to look away. There is criminal culpability."
12:19 SC did not say anything against Chidambaram: Cong
With the Supreme Court leaving it to the trial court to decide on the probe against Home Minister P Chidambaram in 2G case, the BJP on Thursday demanded his resignation till the matter is settled.
"He (Chidambaram) is fully involved in the entire scam and he has two days' reprieve. But issue of probity in public life demands that either Chidambaram puts in his papers on his own, or if he refuses to do so, the prime minister must recommend to the President to sack him him from the government with immediate effect," BJP leader Balbir Punj said.
But the Congress dug in its heels, pointing out that the Supreme Court has not passed any remark against Chidambaram in the 2G case, but the party withheld detailed comment pending study of the apex court order.
11:23 Subaramanian Swamy hails 'BEST judgment possible'
Hailing the judgment, Janata Party chief Subaramanian Swamy said, "This is the best judgment that could be possible. The country can be justifiably proud of Supreme Court."
"2G is a big scam and it is a collective failure of the government," he said.
11:10 Decide on PCs role in 2 weeks, SC to trial court
Details of the Supreme Court's verdict are emerging gradually. The apex court has held that 122 licenses for 2G spectrum were granted in an arbitrary and unconstitutional manner.
The SC has asked the Telecom Regulatory Authority of India to make fresh recommendations on the grant of 2G licenses. Allocation of spectrum will be done through auction within four months, said the court.
The SC also asked the CBI to give a status report on the investigation to the central vigilance commissioner. The apex court also refused to direct the CBI to probe the alleged role of Chidambaram in the case.
It left it to the trial court to decide on a probe against Chidambaram in 2G case. It has asked the trial court to decide on the home minister within two weeks.
11:00 Ferry mishap: 350 feared dead off Papua New Guinea
Several people are feared dead after a ferry carrying as many as 350 passengers on board sank off the north coast of Papua New Guinea, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has said.
"There has been a boat go down in Papua New Guinea with, as we understand it, 350 people on board," Gillard said.
"This is obviously a major tragedy. There is likely to be a very high death toll," she was quoted as saying.
Rescue workers have rescued 28 people from the water so far, according to a maritime official, who said hundreds of passengers were still unaccounted for.
10:58 74 killed in soccer riots in Egypt
Seventy-four people were killed and at least 1,000 injured on Wednesday when Egyptian football fans staged a pitch invasion in the city of Port Said, the deadliest incident since the ouster of President Hosni Mubarak from power.
Angry politicians decried a lack of security at the match between Port Said team al-Masry and Cairo's Al Ahli, Egypt's most successful club, and blamed the nation's leaders for allowing -- or even causing -- the tragedy.
"Down with military rule," thousands of Egyptians chanted at the main train station Cairo where they awaited the return of fans, quickly turning the biggest disaster in the nation's football history into a political demonstration against army rule.
10:48 Plan to end Afghan mission very unfortunate: McCain
A top Republican Senator has slammed the Obama administration's plan to end the Afghanistan combat mission in 2013, saying the "very unfortunate" move is more directed towards domestic politics rather than ground realities.
"It is very unfortunate that the administration continues to provide reassurance to our enemies that the United States is more eager to leave Afghanistan than to succeed," Senator John McCain said.
"It continues the administration's misguided policy of publicly forecasting its plans to withdraw from Afghanistan. This decision reflects domestic politics in the United States, not conditions on the ground in Afghanistan," he said.
10:47 Reprieve for Chidambaram in 2G case
While pronouncing its judgment on the petitions seeking a direction for a probe into the alleged role of Home Minister P Chidambaram in the 2G spectrum scam, the apex court referred the matter to the trial court.
The judgments was pronounced by a bench comprising Justices G S Singhvi and A K Ganguly, which had reserved its verdict on the plea for probe against Chidambaram and for cancellation of licences of spectrum on October 10 and March 17 respectively last year.
The petitions on both the issues were filed by NGO Centre for Public Interest Litigation and Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy
10:42 SC cancels 122 licences in 2G scam
Good morning, let's take a look at the top headline today!
The Supreme Court has cancelled all 122 2G licences issued after 2008 by the telecom ministry.
The apex court decided to scrap the 122 radiowave licences granted during the tenure of A Raja as telecom minister.
The Supreme Court is also scheduled to pronounce its judgment on the petitions seeking a direction for a probe into the alleged role of Home Minister P Chidambaram in the 2G spectrum scam today
09:58 Stock markets open well on Thursday
Good morning and welcome to another day's Live! News As It Happens.
Thursday seems to have begun well on the stock markets. The BSE benchmark Sensex surged by nearly 172 points in early trade today on buying by funds and retail investors, driven by encouraging quarterly earnings by corporates and firming trend on the other Asian bourses.
The 30-share BSE index, which had gained over 437 points in the previous two sessions, rose by another 171.72 points, or 0.99 per cent, to 17,472.30, with all sectoral indices gaining up to 1.41 per cent.
The wide-based National Stock Exchange Nifty Index moved up by 44.75 points, or 0.85 per cent to 5,280.45 points.
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