Chidambaram to begin week long tour to Canada, US tomorrow

NEW DELHI: Finance minister P Chidambaram is embarking on a week long visit to Canada and the US tomorrow to sell India's growth story to foreign investors and participate in the World Bank/IMF spring meetings in Washington.

During his tour, he is expected to talk about the recent steps taken by the government to speed up large projects and measures to bring down fiscal deficit. With India facing high Current Account Deficit (CAD), Chidambaram has been touring major global financial hubs like Japan, Germany, Hong Kong and Singapore, to project the country as a investment destination.

As per an official statement, in the first leg of his journey, Chidambaram will address the Canadian-Indian Business Council in Toronto on Monday and hold a Round Table Meeting with Canadian Council of Chief Executives in which about 15-20 CEOs of major Canadian companies are likely to participate.

He will also meet his Canadian counterpart James Flaherty in Ottawa and Bank of Canada Governor Mark Carney. On April 16 in Boston, the finance minister will deliver an address on the theme "Rise of the East: Implications for the Global Economy" at Harvard University.

"He will also engage in open discussion with audience beside interacting with faculty and students of Harvard University," the statement said.

Thereafter, Chidambaram will address leading sovereign wealth funds, provident funds, University Endowments and insurance funds, among others, in Boston and New York. He will hold India road shows in Toronto, Ottawa, Boston and New York during his visits.

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Private sector accounts for less than half of investments attracted by Tamil Nadu: Assocham

The author has posted comments on this articleIshan Srivastava, TNN | Apr 13, 2013, 06.14PM IST

CHENNAI: Private sector accounts for just over 47% of the total outstanding investments worth over Rs 9.2 lakh crore attracted by Tamil Nadu (TN) as of December 2012, apex industry body Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry of India (Assocham) said.

With a share of about six per cent in the total investment commitments made by the domestic and foreign private sources across India, TN has attracted private sector investments worth over Rs 4.3 lakh crore as of December 2012, according to a sector specific analysis titled 'Composition of Outstanding Private Investments Across States,' released by Assocham.

"With investment proposals worth over Rs 75 lakh crore, the private sector accounts for over 62% of the total outstanding investments attracted by India worth about Rs 122 lakh crore during the aforesaid period," said D S Rawat, national secretary general of Assocham.

While the private sector accounts for about 85% of the total outstanding investments worth about Rs seven lakh crore attracted by Jharkhand, the states of Haryana, Gujarat and Chhattisgarh are other top states where private sector accounts for a share of about 70% and above in total investments attracted by the state.

Acquiring a share of about 14% in the total outstanding private sector investments worth over Rs 75 lakh crore (including both domestic and foreign private sources), Gujarat has ranked on top for attracting maximum private investments across India as of December 2012.

Of the total outstanding investments attracted by the state of Gujarat worth over Rs 14 lakh crore, the foreign and domestic private sources account for over Rs 10 lakh crore thereby registering a share of over 71%, highlights the Assocham analysis.

With a share of about 12% in the total private sector investments attracted by India, Odisha ranks second with private investment commitments worth over Rs eight lakh crore. Besides, private sources account for over 75% of the total investments worth over Rs 11 lakh crore attracted by the state.

Andhra Pradesh closely followed by Maharashtra and Karnataka rank amid top five states attracting maximum investment proposals from private sources.

With a share of about 9.4% and 9.3%, Andhra Pradesh and Maharashtra both have attracted private investments worth over Rs 7 lakh crore respectively. While, Karnataka has attracted private investments worth over Rs 6 lakh crore.

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FIR against 21 companies and persons for advertisements on magical medical remedies

LUCKNOW: An FIR was lodged at the Gomtinagar police station in against various companies and people promising magical medical remedies through advertisements on increasing sex power, managing obesity and treating diabetes among other things.

The FIR was registered on the complaint by Lucknow based IPS officer Amitabh Thakur and social activist Nutan Thakur under sections 3/5/7/9/9A Drugs and magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act 1954.

The accused include a total of 21 companies and individuals including Sri Sai Safed Daag, Capsule More Power, Sex Grow Power, Titanic K 2 Capsule, Yoko Pharmacy, Dr P K Jain Clinic, Dr A K Jain Clinic, Jolly Bawasir, Altaz Dawakhana, Paras Medico, Hashmi Dawakhana, D Fit Capsule, Sanyasi Clinic. Parashuram Ojha is the investigating officer of the case.

Amitabh and Nutan had prayed that as per section 3 of the Drugs and magic Remedies (Objectionable Advertisement) Act, no advertisement about increasing sexual pleasure, women menstrual disorder and 54 diseases including diabetes, blindness, deafness, insanity, leucoderma, obesity etc can be published, while as per section 5, all kinds of magic remedies like talisman, kavach, tantra etc is completely prohibited.

Section 7 makes their violation a cognizable offence punishable between six months to one year. The couple had earlier filed a PIL in the Lucknow bench of the Allahabad high court seeking directions for the union ministry of information and broadcasting and other agencies to ban such ads and take action against the companies.

However, the bench of Justice Uma Nath Singh and Justice Satish Chandra ordered them to avail alternative remedy of registering the FIR.

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Multi-storeyed building in Kolkata catches fire

KOLKATA: A fire broke out in a five-storeyed building at Rajabazar in north Kolkata today.

The fire started on the fourth floor of the residential-cum-commercial building, fire department sources said.

No casualty was reported, they said, adding that seven fire engines were deployed to put out the blaze.

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Four Italian journalists taken hostage in Syria freed

ROME: Four Italian journalists who had been held hostage in Syria for more than a week have been freed, Prime Minister Mario Monti said in a statement on Saturday.

The four, three freelancers and a reporter working for the Italian public broadcaster RAI, had been abducted early this month while out filming in northern Syria.

Monti's statement did not provide any details of how they were released, only thanking those involved for professionalism that "has enabled a positive outcome of this affair, which was made all the more complicated by the extreme danger of the situation."

The journalists were currently in Turkey, from where they were expected to leave for home shortly, a foreign ministry official said.

"They are in Turkey right now," a Turkish foreign ministry official told AFP on condition of anonymity. "We are in touch with the Italian authorities, we will make sure they can return home as soon as possible."

In February, an Italian citizen and two Russians kidnapped on December 12 in the west of Syria were freed as part of an exchange for militants.

Abductions for religious, political or purely financial reasons are becoming increasingly frequent in war-torn Syria.

Syria's government on April 2 offered kidnappers an amnesty deal, giving them 15 days to hand over victims or face sentences ranging from life with hard labour to execution, if their victims were murdered or sexually abused.

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Madhya Pradesh Congress furious, demands apology for editorial in BJP mouthpiece

BHOPAL: A recent editorial in the BJP mouthpiece 'Kamal Sandesh' has ruffled the Madhya Pradesh Congress' feathers. The state PCC on Friday demanded an unconditional apology from the editor of the magazine Prabhat Jha, who is also a Rajya Sabha MP and BJP national vice-president.

Jha's editorial questioned the intellectual competence of home minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and alleged that former President Pratibha Patil was a cook at AICC president Sonia Gandhi's residence. He also doubted the methods by which finance minister Chidambaram was elected to the Lok Sabha and defence minister AK Antony's clean image with more scams exposed in his ministry than any other.''

The Congress is seeing red and in uncontrolled fury, party leaders were in a total loss of words. AICC general secretary Digvijay Singh told reporters here: I don't think I should even react to that. I know Prabhat Jha, what he was and what he became.'' State Congress president asked for an unconditional apology for the baseless allegations made by Jha'' and leader of Opposition Ajay Singh said: Prabhat Jha has lost his mind.''

When Prabhat Jha was approached for his version, he explained: It was Digvijay Singh who first said that dual power centres in the Congress has not worked well. My article is precisely about that. In the Congress, cabinet ministers are appointed by the 10, Janpath - the reason why Prime Minister Manmohan Singh never got an opportunity to play his role. He doesn't get to select his team and every minister reports to the Congress president. So why blame him for all the misrule?''

Jha in his editorial argued that the AICC president appointed a former sub-inspector of police Sushil Shinde as the country's home minister who after the Hyderabad terror attacks delivers statements in Parliament like a policemen reading out a challan issues from some police station''.

My article argues that portfolios can be given to persons close to you but how will the Congress president put necessary talent into those persons to run the country. Who can forget SM Krishna reading out the wrong speech at the United Nations? In the end, it is a matter of the nation and not personal coterie that should be important. When I wrote about former President Pratibha Patil, it was to illustrate that being loyal to the high-command yields rich dividends in the Congress,'' Jha explained. The Congress may scream, curse and call me a madman. But they cannot answer the questions I have raised. Had I given any wrong information, they would have come out hammer and tongs against me by now,'' he added.

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Growth to show improvement in current fiscal: Montek Singh Ahluwalia

The author has posted comments on this articlePTI | Apr 12, 2013, 03.55PM IST

NEW DELHI: Even as he described the industrial growth figure for February as "very low", plan panel deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia took heart that it was not in the negative, and expressed confidence that India's economic growth would be higher in the current fiscal.

"I think it (IIP growth in February) is consistent to what we have been saying that 2012-13 was not a good year and (the economic growth in) 2013-14 would be a lot better...I am glad that it (IIP) is not negative but it is very low," Ahluwalia told reporters here.

According to official data released on Friday, industrial growth has slipped to 0.6 per cent in February this year due to contraction in power generation and mining output and poor performance of manufacturing sector.

Factory output, as measured by the index of industrial production (IIP), had grown by 4.3 per cent in February last year. IIP had growth at 2.4 per cent in January this year.

"Obviously the industrial growth is very low. It is due to mining sector. There are problems in mining sector which I hope will get sorted out", Ahluwalia said.

The mining output in February this year too contracted by 8.1 per cent, compared to a growth in production by 2.3 per cent in the same month of 2012.

For the April-February period, the production in the sector showed a decline of 2.5 per cent, against contraction of 2.1 per cent in the year-ago period.

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Bomb near Sunni mosque north of Baghdad kills seven

BAQUBA (Iraq): A bomb exploded near a Sunni mosque north of Baghdad today, killing seven people, a police colonel and a doctor said, the latest in an uptick in violence in the runup to elections next week.

The bomber struck after prayers at the Omar bin Abdul Aziz mosque, south of Baquba, and also wounded another 25 people the sources said.

Iraq is to hold provincial elections on April 20, its first polls since 2010.

Attacks on candidates have left at least a dozen election hopefuls dead, according to an AFP tally. That, and the fact that only 12 of Iraq's 18 provinces will vote due to a government postponement has drawn the credibility of the elections into question.

Violence killed 271 Iraqis last month, the highest monthly figure since August, according to an AFP tally.

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India's visa on arrival scheme for tourists registered 63% growth in March 2013

The author has posted comments on this articleNamrata Singh, TNN | Apr 12, 2013, 07.25PM IST

MUMBAI: The Indian government's visa on arrival scheme for foreign tourists has registered a growth of 63% during March 2013. During the month, a total number of 2,107 visas were issued on arrival as compared to 1,287 visas issued on arrival during March, 2012.

Japan topped the list with 848 nationals being issued visas on arrival during March 2013, as per information provided by the ministry of tourism. Other nationals from 11 countries in the list of visas issued on arrival during March 2013, were New Zealand (332), Indonesia (312), the Philippines (225), Singapore (214), Finland (109), Luxembourg (32), Vietnam (20), Myanmar (8), Cambodia (7) and Laos (0).

During the first three months of the current calendar year (January to March 2013), a total number of 5,744 visas were issued on arrival as compared to 3,905 during corresponding period of 2012, registering a positive growth of 47.1%, according to the ministry of tourism.

The number of visas issued on arrival during January to March 2013 were Japan (2251), New Zealand (985), Indonesia (739), the Philippines (631), Singapore (571), Finland (386), Luxembourg (61), Vietnam (53), Cambodia (42), Myanmar (22) and Laos (3).

During the period January to March 2013, the highest number of visas were issued at Delhi airport (3371) followed by Mumbai (1239), Chennai (778) and Kolkata (356).

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Transportation of animals in goods vehicles banned in Haryana

CHANDIGARH: The Haryana government has decided to ban the transport of animals to slaughter house in goods transport vehicles. The Urban Local Bodies department, Haryana has asked the Transport department to ensure compliance of the decision.

In a communication to Principal Secretary, Transport Department, Haryana on Tuesday, P Raghvendra Rao, the Principal Secretary, Urban Local Bodies, Haryana attributed the decision to the meeting of state level body on slaughter house and a Supreme Court judgment on special provisions for the transport of animals.

A copy of communication accessed by The Times of India revealed that ULB department has asked the Transport department to ensure transportation of animals on the basis of their size instead of transportation on the basis of their weight.

it is requested that necessary instructions may kindly be issued to the Regional Transport Authorities that at the time of passing /registering the goods vehicles, an undertaking may kindly be obtained from the owners that the passed vehicles will not be used to carry animals,'' the communication further read.

The decision followed the proposal by Naresh Kadyan, an animal activist and member of state level body on slaughter houses in Haryana.

There had been incidents wherein animals have died on the way to slaughter houses due to poor transportation facilities. The animals could barely stand in the vehicle they were being transported. This is the cruelty against animals. Now, the special vehicles have to be designed and the vehicle should have enough space to ensure that animal can easily sit,'' Naresh Kadyan said.

According to rule, besides having sufficient space fore movement of animal with enclosures, the transporter has to ensure sufficient fodder as well as water in the vehicle with a clause related to speed limit of the vehicle to be used for transportation, Kadyan added. .

Hundreds of animals are transported to various parts of country from Haryana for the purpose of slaughter everyday. Largely the animals are transported to the slaughter houses in UP and Punjab.

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Army jawan killed, 5 injured in accidental grenade explosion in J&K

SRINAGAR: An Army jawan was killed and five others were injured on Thursday when a grenade accidentally exploded inside their camp in Kupwara district of north Kashmir, a defence spokesman said.

The incident took place at the camp of 21 Rashtriya Rifles in Handwara, 80 kms from here, when the troops were preparing to leave for an anti-militant operation, the spokesman said.

He said a grenade, being carried by a soldier, exploded accidentally resulting in critical injuries to him and five other soldiers.

The injured jawans were rushed to nearby military hospital at Drugmulla where one of them — identified as Shyam Singh — was declared brought dead, while two others — Surender Kumar and Manmohan Singh — were referred to 92 Base hospital here for specialised treatment, the spokesman said.

Security forces have launched a massive search operation in Kupwara forests and had recovered a huge cache of arms and explosives from a militant hideout yesterday.

The operations are part of efforts by to ensure zero infiltration and smuggling of arms and explosives into the valley from across the Line of Control, officials said.

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Presidency University VC appeals to CM for serious probe into vandalism

KOLKATA: Vice-chancellor of Presidency University on Thursday said she would write to the governor about Wednesday's vandalism of various departments, and appealed to chief minister Mamata Banerjee to ensure that a serious probe was conducted to identify the attackers.

"Presidency University is not like any other educational institution. What happened yesterday was shocking. I will write (to governor) that the attackers carried TMC flags and how they ransacked and vandalised various departments of the university," Malabika Sarkar said.

"It is my responsibility. I will seek his advice. I had also apprised the governor's office of the violence yesterday," she said.

Sarkar claimed that police stood by when students were beaten up and girl students abused.

"When we asked them to act, they said they had no order. Then why were they there? Have they come as tourists? I talked to senior police officers and they assured of full protection".

She said she would join the students in their protest against the incident.

"The students are demanding that such violent incidents in the university campus should not be repeated and peace and academic atmosphere should prevail. I find these are justified and for that I will join them," she said.

She said she had also told higher education minister Bratya Basu about the violence.

Noted litterateur Mahasweta Devi also criticized the incident, saying "it is very unfortunate and this only impairs the state's image.

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India and Germany kick start inter-governmental consultations

BERLIN: India and Germany today began their 2nd round of inter-governmental consultations, during which crucial bilateral, international and regional issues like the long pending India-EU Free Trade Agreement and the situation in Afghanistan would be discussed.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, who will co-chair the consultations with German chancellor Angela Merkel, was received by her and accorded a ceremonial welcome at the Chancellery.

Singh is accompanied by External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid, Renewable Energy Minister Farooq Abdullah, Human Resource Development Minister MM Pallam Raju and Science and Technology Minister S Jaipal Reddy.

Commerce Minister Anand Sharma reached here yesterday, from Geneva.

Terming Germany as a "key partner" for India in areas like infrastructure, manufacturing, science, technology and clean and renewable energy, Prime Minister Singh had said, "We expect to sign a number of agreements and memorandums of understanding in these areas".

Germany is India's largest economic partner in Europe and one of the key global partners for trade, investment and technology.

Indo-German bilateral trade had registered an increase of 18.4 per cent and reached Euros 18.37 billion in 2011.

However, due to global economic slowdown, bilateral trade saw a dip of 5.5 percent last year.

India has already made it clear it expects a "strong political thrust" from Germany, a key member of 27-nation European block, for the inking of the Bilateral Investment and Trade Agreement (BITA).

The two sides will also discuss security, counter-terrorism and regional situation especially Afghanistan with officials maintaining that during the course of talks, the respective assessments on the war-torn country will be shared.

Afghanistan is something India has always discussed with Germans, Indian officials said, adding Germany was lead country on police training and in fact when India decided to do some training programmes for the police, they ended up cooperating in the area.

Other issues that are likely to be discussed between the two sides include Iran's contentious nuclear programme and North Korea.

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American marries Mexican on river border between countries

NUEVO LAREDO: A US citizen married her Mexican fiancee on a raft on the river border between their two countries, a unique ceremony designed to meet US immigration requirements.

Stephanie Guerra, 26, and Ruben Alfonso Fierro, 27, defied the swirling currents of the Rio Grande and boarded a Zodiac raft that took them from the Mexican border town of Nuevo Laredo to the United States yesterday.

Guerra is a US citizen, but Fierro is not. The couple have four young children, all US citizens. Fierro had been living for years in the United States but had not legally immigrated.

When he temporarily left the country, he was not allowed to return.

The fastest way for the family to reunite was to tie the knot in the United States.

Guerra and Fierro cleverly took advantage of an 1848 treaty that allows free navigation for both sides along the Rio Grande, the river that forms nearly half of the 3,200 kilometre (2,000 mile) long US border with Mexico.

Judge Hector Liendo from Laredo, Texas climbed aboard the couple's raft -- in the river but technically in US territory -- and held the ceremony that legally bound the couple until death does them apart.

US law enforcement personnel stood nearby just to make sure that none of the people aboard the raft, which included Mexican relatives, did not set foot on US soil.

While binational couples have married on bridges between the two countries for years, this is the first time that a marriage takes place on the Rio Grande river, according to the Big River Foundation, the US-based environmentalist group that sponsored the event.

Fierro told reporters that the marriage will now make it easier for him to legally immigrate to the United States and return to his family.

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Extremists kill four police officers in north Nigeria

DAMATURU, Nigeria - Police in northeast Nigeria say suspected Islamic extremists attacked a police station, killing four officers in a gun battle.

The attack early Thursday morning in Babangida, a small town in Yobe state, is part of a continuing wave violence sweeping the north.

Yobe state police commissioner Rufai Sunusi said Thursday that his officers killed five of the gunmen. Sunusi said two officers also were wounded in the attack.

After the attack, Yobe state's government announced a dusk-to-dawn curfew for citizens.

Boko Haram and other Islamic extremists have been waging a guerrilla campaign of shootings and bombings across northern Nigeria. The violence has killed at least 173 people this year alone, according to an Associated Press count.

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Govt must rehabilitate persons falsely accused of rape: Court

NEW DELHI: The government must frame a comprehensive policy for rehabilitation of persons accused and jailed on false rape charges, a fast track court has held while acquitting a man in a kidnap-cum-rape case.

Additional Sessions Judge Virender Bhat, while acquitting Haryana-resident Subhash of kidnapping and sexually assaulting a seventh grader, asked Secretaries of the home and law ministries and the chairman of law commission of India to consider his suggestion.

"The court feels that there is immense need for a rehabilitation policy for such people who had faced incarceration in jail and trial in court on false charges of rape," the ASJ said.

"The government must frame a comprehensive policy for rehabilitation of such persons so that the future of a responsible and law abiding person, who has been jailed on the false rape charges, is secured and he does not face difficulties in settling down in life, after his acquittal," the court said.

"It is the duty of the government to suitably compensate these persons in order to prevent them from taking to criminal activities," the ASJ said.

The court made the observations while acquitting Subhash who was accused of kidnapping the girl in March 2007 from outside her school and forcibly taking her to various places along with his two friends and repeatedly raping her.

Police rescued the victim was rescued from a house in Bikaner, Rajasthan and arrested the accused there.

Subhash, however, told the court that it was the girl who had pressurised him for marriage and she had threatened to commit suicide if he would not marry her.

He denied that he had raped the girl and added that she had accompanied him to Jaipur on her own volition as they were in love since January, 2007.

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US asks citizens to defer all non-essential travel to Pakistan

WASHINGTON: The US has asked its citizens to defer all non-essential travel to Pakistan, saying that the presence of several foreign and indigenous terrorist groups poses a "potential danger" to American citizens in the country.

Replacing its previous travel advisory of September 19, 2012, the US State Department said on Tuesday that threat reporting indicates terrorist groups continue to seek opportunities to attack locations where US citizens and Westerners are known to congregate or visit.

In its travel advisory, the US State Department alleged that American citizens, seeking services from the US Consulates General in Karachi and Peshawar, are subjected to questioning by local security officials.

"Citing security concerns, host-government intelligence officials frequently stop US citizens outside the Consulates and obtain their personal information before allowing them to proceed. US citizens might later be visited at their homes or offices and questioned about the nature of their business in Pakistan and the purpose of their visit to the Consulate," the travel advisory said.

The kidnapping of Pakistani citizens and other foreign nationals, usually for ransom, continues to increase nationwide. "US citizens, who feel they are in danger or their security is at risk, are strongly urged to leave Pakistan as soon as possible," it said.

According to the advisory, since the announcement that Osama bin Laden was killed in Abbottabad, Pakistan on May 2, 2011, US citizens should be aware of the possible increase in the threat level throughout the country.

"Rallies, demonstrations, and processions occur regularly throughout Pakistan on very short notice. Demonstrations might take on an anti-US or anti-Western character, and US citizens are urged to avoid large gatherings," it said.

"Anti-US protests in September 2012 attracted large crowds outside US diplomatic facilities in all major cities and caused casualties and significant property damage.

"The mission reminds US citizens that even peaceful demonstrations might become violent and advises them to avoid demonstrations. Given multiple demands for resources, local authorities may have limited capacity to respond to requests for assistance," the travel advisory added.

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Test-tube baby pioneer Robert Edwards dies aged 87

LONDON: Robert Edwards, a British Nobel prize-winning scientist known as the father of in-vitro fertilisation (IVF) for pioneering the development of "test tube babies", died on Wednesday aged 87 after a long illness, his university said.

Edwards, who won the Nobel prize for medicine in 2010, started work on fertilisation in the 1950s, and the first so-called test tube baby, Louise Brown, was born in 1978 as a result of his research.

Since then, millions of babies have been born around the world as a result of the techniques Edwards developed together with his late colleague, Patrick Steptoe.

Edwards began his work on fertilisation in 1955 and by 1968 had been able to achieve fertilization of a human egg in a laboratory. He then started to collaborate with Steptoe.

Together they founded Bourn Hall, the world's first IVF clinic, in Cambridge, eastern England, in 1980.

Mike Macnamee, chief executive of the Bourn Hall IVF clinic that Edwards co-founded, said he was "one of our greatest scientists" whose inspirational work led to a breakthrough that has enhanced the lives of millions of people worldwide.

Peter Braude, a professor of obstetrics and gynaecology at King's College London, said few biologists had been able to have such a positive and practical impact on humankind.

"Bob's boundless energy, his innovative ideas, and his resilience despite the relentless criticism by naysayers, changed the lives of millions of ordinary people who now rejoice in the gift of their own child," he said.

"He leaves the world a much better place."

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Sikh leadership welcomes reopening of Sikh riot case against Tytler

AMRITSAR: A Delhi court's order of re-investigation of allegations against Congress leader Jagdish Tytler in the 1984 anti-Sikh riots has come as a pleasant surprise for the Sikh politico-religious leadership, whose hopes of seeing the perpetrators of the most heinous crime against Sikhs behind bars have once again been rejuvenated.

"I appreciate the court's order, it did come as a slight relief but the justice has already been delayed to Sikh's in the anti-Sikh riots," said Jathedar of Akal Takht Giani Gurbachan Singh, while talking to TOI on Wednesday. He said he expects that Sikh's wouldn't have to wait much longer and justice would be delivered to them soon.

On Wednesday, a Delhi court had ordered Central Bureau of Investigations (CBI) to reopen the anti-Sikh riot case in which allegations have been made against Tytler for instigating the mob which led to the murder of three people.

Senior advocate HS Phoolka told TOI that the court had rejected CBI's closure report and directed the investigating agency to further investigate into the allegations leveled against Tytler. He said that the court had also directed CBI to record statements of witnesses who had seen Tytler leading the mob in 1984.

"It is a victory of the people of India," said Phoolka, adding that the politicians involved in such acts must understand the fact that the law would eventually catch up with them.

President of the Sikh's leading seminary, Damdami Taksal, Baba Harnam Singh Khalsa said, "Finally it has been revealed that the CBI was working under the influence of Tytler which is why it gave clean chit to him."

"The court's order has come as a succor to the family members of victims," said Khalsa, adding that he was hopeful that the law would eventually nail the culprits who were responsible for the killing of innocent Sikhs.

Additional secretary of Shiromani Gurdwara Parbandhak Committee, DS Bedi, said that the 1984 anti-Sikhs riots was a planned conspiracy against Sikhs. "We appreciate court's decision which has brought a ray of hope for the victims families fighting for justice".

He said the issue was not related to the victims' families alone but to the entire Sikh community.

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Gay activists in China hope to meet Iceland's lesbian PM

BEIJING: A Chinese group campaigning for equal rights for homosexuals in the country has invited Iceland's prime minister Johanna Sigurdardottir, the world's first openly gay premier, for an interaction during her official visit here next week.

She will be accompanied by her wife Jonina Leosdottir during her visit from April 15, on the invitation of newly-elected Chinese Prime Minister, Li Keqiang.

PFLAG (Parents, Families & Friends of Lesbians and Gays) China, a Guangzhou-based grassroots organization that supports rights of homosexuals, sent the invitation.

"Though the chance of meeting the Iceland PM appears slim, their official visit will be a real-life lesson in equal rights taught to our state leaders," A Qiang, a worker at PFLAG China said, Hong Kong based South China Morning Post reported.

Thousands of comments were made regarding the upcoming visit on 'Weibo', the Chinese version of Twitter.

"Will the wife be photographed together with Peng Liyuan (President Xi Jinping's wife)?" posted a blogger on Weibo.

"Let them demonstrate to our leaders the real meaning of 'human rights'," said another blogger.

A blogger from Chongqing, who is the mother of a lesbian, posted an open letter to the Iceland PM on her blog, praising her courage after sharing her own story.

"We were confused when our daughter told me she likes girls. We started accepting her only after she took us to help groups for gay parents. Now I am proud of my daughter and I talk to other parents who have a hard time dealing with their children's sexuality," she wrote.

"I've asked my daughter to learn from you and make a difference in the world. You have lived an exceptional and courageous life. On behalf of my family, we'd like to invite you and your wife to visit Chongqing and be guests at my house," she added.

Despite the optimism and expectations expressed online, Yu Shi, an activist at 'Les Chengdu', a Sichuan-based lesbian rights group, said the Chinese government is unlikely to grant homosexuals equal legal rights in the near future simply because of this visit.

"But it's still a good thing," she said, "At least this means our leaders are aware of the issue," he said.

China decriminalized homosexuality in 1997 and removed it from the official list of mental disorders in 2001.

But homosexuality still remains a taboo in the official media.

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600,000 'tricked and trapped' into labour in Middle East: International Labour Organisation

AMMAN: An estimated 600,000 people are "tricked and trapped" into both forced employment and sexual exploitation in the Middle East, the UN's labour agency said today.

The International Labour Organisation, issuing the findings of a two-year study based on 650 interviews, called for an overhaul of employment practices in the region, notably an end to the "kafala" system of sponsorships.

"Labour migration in this part of the world is unique in terms of its sheer scale and its exponential growth in recent years," said Beate Andrees, head of an ILO programme to combat forced labour.

"The challenge is how to put in place safeguards in both origin and destination countries to prevent the exploitation and abuse of these workers," she said at the opening of a two-day conference on the issue in Amman, Jordan.

The 150-page report entitled "Tricked and Trapped: Human Trafficking in the Middle East" was based on research carried out in Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon and the United Arab Emirates.

"Although data is scarce, the ILO estimates that there are 600,000 forced labour victims in the Middle East," it said.

The study singled out the kafala system, saying it was "inherently problematic" because it created an unequal power dynamic between employers and workers.

The system "governs the lives of most migrant workers in the Mashreq and Gulf Cooperation Councils countries".

"Reforming the kafala system would significantly improve labour migration governance in this regard," it said.

The study criticised as insufficient laws that "reinforce underlying vulnerabilities of migrant workers" and restrict their ability to terminate employment contracts and to change employers.

A lack of inspections kept domestic workers isolated and heightened their "vulnerability to exploitation," said the study, warning against "the real risks of detention and deportation for workers who are coerced into sex work".

In male-dominated economic sectors such as construction, manufacturing, seafaring and agriculture, "workers are routinely deceived with respect to living and working conditions, the type of work to be performed, or even the existence of a job at all," it said.

"Human trafficking can only be effectively tackled by addressing the systemic gaps in labour migration governance across the region," said Frank Hagemann, ILO deputy regional director for Arab states.

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Afghanistan helicopter crash kills 2 US troops

KABUL: A NATO helicopter crashed in a field in eastern Afghanistan on Tuesday, killing two American service members.

The US-led International Security Assistance Force said the cause of the crash is under investigation but initial reporting indicates there was no enemy activity in the area at the time.

It did not immediately identify the nationalities of those killed. But a senior US official confirmed they were Americans. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he wasn't authorized to release the information ahead of a formal announcement.

The deaths raised to nine the number of Americans, including three civilians, killed in Afghanistan so far this month.

A local official, Mir Baz Khan, said the helicopter crashed in an agricultural field in the Pachir Wagam district in Nangarhar province.

Shir Azam, a teacher who lives in a village near the site, said he heard a loud explosion, then saw the helicopter in flames as it plunged to the ground.

Then, he said, more helicopters came and American troops sealed off the site. He also said he heard nothing to indicate any shooting before the crash.

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Strong 6.3-magnitude earthquake hits southern Iran: USGS

WASHINGTON: A strong 6.3-magnitude earthquake has hit southern Iran, the US Geological Survey said.

The epicenter of the quake, which struck at a depth of 10 kilometers (6.2 miles), was located about 90 kilometers southeast of Bandar Bushehr, the USGS said.

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December 16 gang-rape accused seeks IGNOU's exam schedule for BA course

NEW DELHI: One of the accused in the December 16 gang-rape case today sought a direction to IGNOU from the trial court to provide him a copy of the examination schedule for the first year of BA course.

Accused Vinay Sharma, who along with four others had allegedly gang-raped a 23-year-old girl in a moving bus here, filed the plea in a fast-track court trying the case.

Vinay, in his petition, filed through his counsel A P Singh, said that he had taken admission in first year of BA programme of Indira Gandhi National Open University (IGNOU) in August last year.

The lawyer told the judge that IGNOU has not yet sent it exam schedule to Vinay and, therefore, the university should be directed to provide it to allow him to prepare for his examination.

Special Public Prosecutor Dayan Krishnan raised objection to Vinay's request, saying his parents could collect the date sheet or even his counsel could do the same.

Vinay said the university was not giving the schedule and "so it is difficult for me to prepare for my exams".

Additional Session Judge Yogesh Khanna asked the police to file its response to the plea.

Vinay has pleaded not guilt to the charge of raping the physiotherapy student and claimed trial. The charge of murder was added after the victim died in a Singapore hospital on December 29.

Vinay had earlier asked the court to provide him with a tutor and reading material to help him prepare for the Indian Air Force clerical recruitment test.

Six persons, including a juvenile, were arrested soon after the incident. On March 11, the main accused Ram Singh was found hanged in his cell in Tihar jail. The juvenile is facing trial before Juvenile Justice Board

During the proceedings, the judge today expressed unhappiness over the accused' counsel proceeding slowly and asked the prosecution to supply the court the list of witnesses, who were yet to be cross-examined by the defence.

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Car bomb explodes in central Damascus killing at least 10

DAMASCUS, SYRIA: A Syrian government official says a car bombing in central Damascus has killed at least 10 people.

The official says the bomb exploded on Monday near the Sabaa Bahrat Square, one of the capital's biggest roundabouts where the Syrian Central Bank is located.

The blast was followed by a massive cloud of smoke that is rising from the residential and commercial area.

The official spoke to The Associated Press on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to give official statements to the media.

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Stalin, 3 DMK MLAs suspended for 2 days from TN assembly

CHENNAI: Opposition DMK MLAs, including M K Stalin, the leader of the its legislature wing, were on Monday suspended for two days from the Tamil Nadu assembly for unruly behaviour in the House.

Stalin and party MLAs Govi Chezhiyan, Thangam Thennarasu and Moideen Khan had to be physically removed by Marshals after they squatted in front of the chair of speaker P Dhanapal.

At the end of a discussion on the Mullaperiyar and Cauvery disputes, DMK wanted to raise some points which the Speaker did not allow.

Agitated DMK members then trooped down to the Speaker's chair, inviting warnings from him to return to their seats.

But some of them squatted before the Speaker's chair instead, prompting him to summon the Marshals.

Noisy scenes prevailed for a while even as the DMK members were removed physically.

Later, the House adopted a resolution moved by finance minister O Panneerselvam to suspend the DMK members for two days.

DMK president M Karunanidhi, who represents the Tiruvarur constituency in the assembly, was not present in the House.

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2002 hit-and-run case: Salman Khan's appeal adjourned to April 29

MUMBAI: A court on Monday adjourned till April 29 the appeal filed by Bollywood actor Salman Khan against a magistrate's order invoking the charge of 'culpable homicide not amounting to murder' in the 2002 hit-and-run case.

The matter was adjourned as Sessions Judge U B Hejib was on leave.

The 47-year-old actor has contended that the magistrate had erred in invoking the charge of 'culpable homicide not amounting to murder' (Section 304 part II of IPC) in the hit-and-run case. The offence under this section attracts ten year jail and is triable by a sessions court.

Earlier, Khan was tried by a magistrate for lesser charge of causing death by negligence (Section 304A of IPC), that provides for a maximum punishment of two years in jail.

After examining 17 witnesses, the magistrate had come to the conclusion that culpable homicide charge could be made out against the actor and transferred the case to the sessions court for retrial.

Khan has pleaded that the magistrate's order was "erroneous, bad in law and contrary to evidence on record."

The magistrate had failed to appreciate that he (Khan) had neither the intention (to kill people) nor the knowledge that his rash and negligent driving would kill a person and cause injury to four others, he said.

One person was killed and four others injured when the Land Cruiser allegedly driven by Khan crushed a group of people sleeping on the pavement outside a bakery in suburban Bandra in the wee hours on September 28, 2002.

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Jet Airways forays into visa services, ties-up with Dubai's Dnata

The author has posted comments on this articlePTI | Apr 8, 2013, 07.59PM IST

MUMBAI: Private carrier Jet Airways today forayed into visa services and forged a partnership with the Dubai-based Dnata to offer these services to the UAE-bound travellers from the country.

"The new partnership will offer guests travelling from here to Abu Dhabi, Dubai and Sharjah the option to individually secure their visa prior to departure," Jet said in a release.

Dnata's is one of the largest suppliers of combined air services, offering ground handling, cargo, travel and flight catering services to a host of countries.

Travel specialists will assist guests through the visa process, collect all the necessary documents and submit the visa applications to the UAE government on behalf of the traveller, the release said.

The agreement also involves offering Marhaba (welcome) bookings services, by offering a wide-variety of meet and greet services at the Dubai airport including assistance at the baggage belt area and airport formalities for fast track immigration clearance and access to Marhaba lounges.

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PM Manmohan Singh condoles Thatcher's death

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today expressed "deepest sadness" over the demise of former British Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, describing her as a "transformative figure" under whom the UK registered important progress in national and international arenas.

"People of India join me in sending our sincerest condolences to the Thatcher family, the government and people of the United Kingdom," he said in his condolence message.

Singh said Thatcher was "a transformative figure under whom the United Kingdom registered important progress" in the national and international arenas.

Thatcher, Britain's first woman Prime Minister, also known as the 'Iron Lady', passed away today following a stroke at the age of

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Advani, Modi to skip BJP's first major Karnataka poll rally on Monday

BANGALORE: Karnataka's ruling BJP formally launches its campaign for the May 5 assembly poll with a rally on Monday but, contrary to announcements, senior party leader LK Advani and Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi are giving it a miss.

The Bharatiya Janata Party has not given a reason for the two not attending the rally, which the state leaders have been projecting as one that "will show the party's strength".

Though state party leaders had been saying for days that Advani and Modi would also address the rally, their names were missing from the list of speakers announced Friday in New Delhi by party general secretary and Bangalore South Lok Sabha HN Ananth Kumar.

Incidentally, Modi had also missed the first meeting of the recently re-constituted BJP parliamentary board in New Delhi Friday at which the first list of 140 candidates for the Karnataka poll was approved.

Modi has returned to the board after a gap six years.

The two misses by Modi are giving rise to speculation in political circles, including in the BJP, that he appears reluctant to closely associate with the campaign in Karnataka as the party is in a shambles due to corruption scandals, dissidence and desertions.

Strengthening the speculation was chief minister Jagadish Shettar's announcement on Saturday that Modi would campaign in five districts, whereas Karnataka has 30 districts.

Shettar did not identify the districts nor did he give the number of meetings Modi would address in the five districts.

With Modi leading the BJP to victory for the third time in the Gujarat assembly polls and a section in the party projecting him as the party's prime ministerial candidate, the Karnataka unit was hoping for an extensive campaign by him.

Former Karnataka chief minister DV Sadananda Gowda had said the state unit had requested Modi to devote about 10 days for campaigning.

Modi had campaigned for the party in the 2008 assembly polls. Though the party did manage to come to power after the polls, Modi's campaign did not seem to have had any major impact.

The party continues to lose legislators and ministers to the Karnataka Janata Party formed by its former leader BS Yeddyurappa.

On Saturday three legislators, including Tourism Minister Anand Singh, quit the party. Anand Singh and another legislator, Suresh Babu, are from Bellary district in north Karnataka.

At least one more legislator from Bellary, G. Somashekara Reddy, brother of jailed mining baron G. Janardhana Reddy, is expected to quit the party soon to join a new outfit floated by Reddy loyalist and former BJP minister B. Sriramulu.

The party has, however, managed to retain two ministers who are self-proclaimed Yeddyurappa loyalists.

The two, Housing Minister V. Somanna and Industries Minister Murugesh Nirani, added some drama to the still dull campaign scene earlier this week by publicly shedding tears that they were sorry for not joining Yeddyurappa. Both will contest the poll on the BJP ticket.

Elections are to be held for 224 seats of the 225-member assembly. One member is nominated. Nominations open April 10 and close April 17. Vote count is on May 8.

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US made secret deal with Pak on drone strikes: Report

NEW YORK: In a secret deal, Pakistan allowed American drone strikes on its soil on the condition that the unmanned aircraft would stay away from its nuclear facilities and the mountain camps where Kashmiri militants were trained for attacks in India, according to a media report.

Under secret negotiations between Pakistani intelligence agency ISI and America's CIA during 2004, the terms of the bargain were set, the New York Times reported today.

"Pakistani intelligence officials insisted that drones fly only in narrow parts of the tribal areas — ensuring that they would not venture where Islamabad did not want the Americans going: Pakistan's nuclear facilities, and the mountain camps where Kashmiri militants were trained for attacks in India," the paper said.

Pakistani officials also insisted that they be allowed to approve each drone strike, giving them tight control over the list of targets, the NYT added.

The "secret deal" over drone strikes was reached after CIA agreed to kill tribal warlord Nek Muhammad, a Pakistani ally of the Afghan Taliban who led a rebellion and was marked by Islamabad as an "enemy of the state," the NYT reported, citing an excerpt from the book 'The Way of the Knife: The CIA, a Secret Army, and a War at the Ends of the Earth'.

A CIA official had met the then ISI chief Ehsan ul Haq with the offer that if the American intelligence agency killed Muhammad, "would the ISI allow regular armed drone flights over the tribal areas," the report said.

The ISI and CIA also agreed that all drone flights in Pakistan would operate under the American agency's "covert action authority", which meant that the US would never acknowledge the missile strikes and that Pakistan would either take credit for the individual killings or remain silent.

While Pakistani officials had in the past considered drone flights a violation of sovereignty, it was Muhammad's rise to power that forced them to reconsider their line of thought and eventually allow Predator drones.

The ISI-CIA's "back-room bargain" sheds light on the beginning of the covert drone war which "began under the Bush administration, was embraced and expanded by President Obama."

The deal resulted in the CIA changing its focus from capturing terrorists to killing them, and helped "transform an agency that began as a cold war espionage service into a paramilitary organization."

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Urdu does not belong to any particular community, Markandey Katju says

HYDERABAD: P ress Council of India chairman Justice (retd) Markandey Katju today said that Urdu belonged to all and not restricted to any particular community.

"A misconception has been created that Hindi and Urdu belonged to particular communities...Urdu belonged to all," Katju said.

He was speaking at a function organised by the Urdu Journalists Association here in his felicitation.

Katju also appealed to Andhra Pradesh government to look into the problems faced by small newspapers and Urdu publications.

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US civilian adviser killed in Afghan operation that left 11 suspected Taliban militants dead

KABUL, AFGHANISTAN: Officials have confirmed an American civilian adviser was killed in a military operation in eastern Afghanistan that also left 11 suspected Taliban militants dead.

The American was one of three US civilians killed on Saturday. Two also died in a suicide bombing in the south, along with three soldiers.

Col Thomas Collins, a spokesman for US-led forces in Afghanistan, said on Sunday that the adviser was killed during fighting in Kunar province.

Provincial government spokesman Wasifullah Wasify says 11 Taliban militants also were killed, and four Afghan security forces, six civilians and 10 Taliban militants were wounded.

Afghan forces have increasingly been taking the lead in combat operations as international forces prepare to withdraw by the end of 2014. US and other foreign troops work largely in a training and advisory role.

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Pakistan a fake country, will reunite with India one day: Katju

HYDERABAD: Pakistan is "a fake country", and one day will reunite with India along with Bangladesh, Press Council of India chairperson Justice (Retd) Markandey Katju said on Sunday.

He also said that whereas today an overwhelming majority of Hindus and Muslims were "communal", it was not so a century ago.

"A fake country was created in the name of Pakistan. It is an artificially created entity by the British to make Hindus and Muslims keep fighting with each other, to stop India from becoming a powerful industrialised nation," he said, answering questions after a symposium on 'Reporting Terror: How Sensitive is the media?" here.

"Pakistan is a fake country and one day India, Pakistan and Bangladesh will reunite. It may take 15-20 years. Those who have divided us will not easily allow us to reunite. They will still want us to keep fighting. But we will reunite in the next 15-20 years under a strong secular modern-minded government," he said.

"Eighty per cent of Hindus and eighty per cent amongst Muslims are communal. This is the bitter truth," he said, adding that "in 1857, there was zero per cent communalism in the country. Though, there were differences between Hindus and Muslims."

Discrimination against minorities exists in India, Pakistan and Bangladesh, he added.

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