0815 HRS.
22nd May, 2013
THE HEADLINES:
- Chinese Premier Li Keqiang calls India and China natural co-operation
partners; emphasises on the need to increase trade and business relations
between the two countries.
- India assures its full support to Afghanistan
in the critical period of transition and nation building.
- Supreme Court directs BCCI to bring errant elements to book and restore the glory of Cricket.
- Centre extends the facility of e-filing of RTI
applications to ministries of Home Affairs and Agriculture.
- Arunima Sinha, creates history by becoming the first
Indian amputee to conquer Mount Everest.
- Chennai Super Kings enter the final of the IPL beating Mumbai Indians.
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China’s Prime Minister Li Keqiang has called India and China natural co-operation partners and emphasised the need to increase trade and business relations between the two countries. Addressing industrialists at Mumbai’s Taj Hotel yesterday, Mr. Li identified information technology, agriculture and pharmaceuticals as India's strengths and lamented low Chinese investments in the country. He said that Chinese and Indian businesses have a strong sense of morality and there was no reason why business cooperation between the two countries should suffer. He added that there is space for Chinese investments in India and also invited Indian investments into his country. A report:
Chinese Prime Minister Li Keqiang stressed on the need for raising the bilateral trade volume between India and China. In his day long visit to the Indian financial capital yesterday, Premier Li invited industrial leaders to come forward for business cooperation with China. Prime Minister Li mentioned that many Indian products have a competitive edge in China. He assured China’s readiness to facilitate communication between Indian government and industries that will increase collaboration and encourage joint ventures. In a meeting with Chief Minister of Maharashtra Prithviraj Chavan, Chinese Prime Minister discussed the prospects offered by Maharashtra in industries, infrastructure, textile and pharma sectors. With Nivedita, Devopriyo Bhattacharjee, AIR News, Mumbai.
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India has assured its full support to Afghanistan in the critical period of transition, development and nation-building. The visiting Afghanistan President Hamid Karzai called on President Pranab Mukherjee at the Rashtrpati Bhawan in New Delhi yesterday. The two leaders discussed the security situation and other issues of mutual interest. Mr. Mukherjee said India is proud of its partnership with Afghanistan in the reconstruction and development process. He stressed on the need of strengthening and deepening bilateral relations in all areas of the Strategic Partnership Agreement.
The Afghan President also met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh at his residence in New Delhi. The two leaders discussed security and infrastructure development in the war-torn country.
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The future of Afghanistan after the withdrawal of international forces next year and cooperation in counter-terrorism will be the highlights of Vice President Hamid Ansari's interaction with Uzbekistan President Islam Karimov in Tashkent today . Our Correspondent reports that strategic partners India and Uzbekistan have a Joint Working Group on terrorism.
Terrorism is the most common and pressing concern for both India and Uzbekistan which is the heart of Central Asia. Both are deeply concerned about the terrorism which comes from the epicenter between them in their neighborhood. The very fact that several elements of the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan, which are now called the Islamic Movement of Turkistan, and also the Hizb ut-Tahrir have found shelter in this region is the cause of worry for both of us. New Delhi and Tashkent have a very robust ongoing dialogue on counterterrorism issues and it becomes all the more pronounced in the run up to 2014 and the multiple scenarios which could unfold then. Mohammad Naseem, Air News Tashkent.
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The Supreme Court has pulled up the Board of Control for Cricket in India, BCCI for its lackadaisical approach in dealing with irregularities and spot-fixing in IPL . The apex court has directed it to bring errant elements to book and restore glory of the gentleman's game. A bench of justices B S Chauhan and Dipak Misra, which refused to ban IPL, however, directed the Board to take immediate step to clean up the shorter form of the game, which has been mired in the spot-fixing scandal. It has given the BCCI a 15-day deadline to conclude its investigation, which is being carried out by the board's anti-corruption unit chief Ravi Sawani. The apex court was responding to a PIL seeking a ban on IPL matches.
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Indian pacer S. Sreesanth and 10 others, involved in the IPL spot-fixing scandal case, were remanded to police custody for five more days, by a Delhi court. Metropolitan Magistrate Saumya Chauhan extended the police custody, after the Delhi Police yesterday said it needed to make more recoveries and the accused are required to be confronted with each other. The court sent four arrested bookies to jail till June the 4th. The 15th accused, former Ranji player Baburao Yadav, was arrested yesterday.
Earlier in the day, Sreesnath was taken to Jaipur as part of the probe into the spot-fixing allegations.
In a related development, the first incidence of a bollywood connection in the IPL spot fixing case came to light. Actor Vindu Dara Singh was arrested by Mumbai Police and remanded to police custody till the 24th of May. 49-year-old Vindu, son of late bollywood actor Dara Singh, was booked under various sections of the IPC related to cheating and forgery. Along with Vindu, the Mumbai Police arrested two more people yesterday.
Talking to mediapersons in New Delhi, Union Sports Minister Jitendra Singh said that his ministry along with the Law ministry are working to evolve a law to deal with the menace.
There should be a law. Strict action should be taken on incidents like this. Sports Ministry and Law Ministry will work together and try to bring a law soon.
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The Government will seek the Attorney General's opinion about having a national legislation to deal with spot fixing and related unfair practices. Talking to reporters in New Delhi yesterday, Law Minister, Kapil Sibal said that at the moment, the ministry is trying to reflect on whether there can be a national legislation on this issue because sports is under the list of state subjects and betting and gambling are also state subjects.
This is neither a betting nor gambling it is infect an activity or unfair practice that changes the outcome of a game but these are issues that are complex and legal in nature. So we have decided to put up a case for opinion to the Attorney General of India.
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In a step towards enhancing transparency, the Centre has extended the facility of e-filing of RTI applications to the ministries of Home Affairs and Agriculture. The Department of Personnel and Training (DoPT), which acts as the nodal ministry for the implementation of the Right to Information Act, has launched www.rtionline.gov.in to facilitate e-filing of applications and payment of fee. The portal, developed by NIC, is a facility for online filing of RTI applications and first appeals and also to make payment of fees for seeking information.
The government plans to extend e-filing of RTI applications to all central ministries or departments through the website. The Centre's flagship Right to Information Act, which was enacted in 2005, mandates timely response within 30 days to citizen's requests for government information.
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Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will present the Report Card of UPA-II today in which he is expected to list the schemes such as Direct Benefit Transfer and FDI in retail. Among their achievements, the Prime Minister is also expected to unveil plans related to the National Food Security Bill and the Land Acquisition Bill. Congress president Sonia Gandhi and leaders of UPA constituents and leaders of other political parties will be present at a dinner this evening in which Dr Singh will present the Report Card on the fourth anniversary of UPA-II.
In an exclusive interview to Doordarshan Minister of State for Human Resource Development Shashi Tharoor described some of the remarkable achievement during the past nine years.
It is an extra ordinary transformation in the governance of our country. From the Right to Information Act to the Right to Education Act, from Mahatma Gandhi Employment Guarantee Scheme to the National Rural Health Mission, if you look across the board, we have been trying to put the governmental money, the benefits, the revenues that have come from our increased economic growth to the services of those who are frankly in need of that kind of help.
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Arunima Sinha, a former national level volleyball player who had lost her left leg after being thrown off a moving train by some hoodlums, created history yesterday by becoming the first Indian amputee to conquer Mount Everest. A Nepal Tourism Ministry official said, 25-year-old Sinha reached the summit of the highest peak in the world at 10.55 am yesterday as a member of the Eco Everest Expedition from the Tata Group. Sinha, a resident of Ambedkar Nagar in Uttar Pradesh, was pushed out of the general compartment of the Padmawati Express for resisting a chain-snatching attempt by some criminals, while travelling from Lucknow to Delhi on April the 12th, 2011.
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Chennai Super Kings have entered the final of the IPL for the fourth straight time. In the first qualifier match of the
Sixth edition of the tournament in New Delhi last night, Chennai recorded a thumping 48-run victory over Mumbai Indians.
After posting a massive 192 for one, Chennai bowled out Mumbai Indians for 144 in 18.4 overs.
For Chennai, while Man of the Match Mike Hussey scored an unbeaten 86 off 58 balls, Suresh Raina hit an unbeaten 82 off 42 balls.
Mumbai will get another chance to qualify for the final when they meet the winner of the Eliminator encounter which will be played between Sunrisers Hyderabad and Rajasthan Royals in New Delhi at 8 tonight.
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Today is the International Day for Biological Diversity. The day is observed on the 22nd of May every year, to increase the understanding and awareness of biodiversity issues. The theme this year is, 'Water and Biodiversity'. Our correspondent reports that a number of programmes have been organised across the globe to mark the day.
The theme, 'Water and Biodiversity', has been chosen to coincide with the UN designation of 2013 as the International year of water cooperation. The theme speaks of the important role of biodiversity and ecosystems for water security, and therefore for sustainable development. Water underpins human well being and is absolutely necessary for food security, drinking and sanitation, economic activities, as well as securing eco-system services. The day also reminds us of the need to balance the needs of biodiversity conservation with those of protesting the livelihoods of millions of people across the globe. Melinda Dias, AIR News.
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NEWSPAPERS HEADLINES
IPL cricket controversies dominate the front pages of most newspapers. "Supreme Court turns down plea to ban IPL" reports the Tribune. The Times of India writes "Sahara storms out of IPL, to pull out as Team India sponsor by year end". Citing police disclosures about cricketer Sreesanth, the Indian Express says "Sree spent 1.95 lakh rupees on clothes, bought friend BlackBerry".
The BJP's Parliamentary Board meeting held yesterday is widely noticed. "At first BJP Board meet, Modi charts out roadmap for 2014 elections" reports the Hindustan Times. The Indian Express writes "BJP talks polls, silent on PM candidate".
Most papers take note of visiting Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's meeting with the family of Dr Kotnis, who went to China in 1938 to provide medical assistance to soldiers fighting the Japanese. "Dr Kotnis is a symbol of friendship says Li" writes the Hindu. The Indian Express quotes Mr Keqiang as saying that Dr Kotnis is "known as a freedom fighter in China".
The Times of India and the Hindustan Times report that the Supreme Court has asked the Center to amend the Airforce Act so that the period of detention of an under trial Airforce personnel can be subtracted from the actual sentence imposed on him if found guilty in a court martial.
The sacking of one of India's best known IT leaders from a US based outsourcing company, iGate, is widely noticed. "iGate sacks CEO Phaneesh Murthy over sexual misconduct" reports the Pioneer. Presenting Mr Murthy's point of view, the Hindu writes "I am a victim of extortion claims Phanees Murthy".
The government's efforts at ensuring better tax compliance are highlighted in all the papers. "Centre asks 70 thousand rich tax payers to disclose income" reports the Asian Age. The Tribune writes "IT department sending letters to high spenders to pay tax".
And finally, news of a special auction. The Tribune reports "Mahatma Gandhi's last will, belongings fetch over 300,000 pounds". The belongings include his prayer beads, blood sample and leather chappals.
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