Search My Campus

What is SearchMyCampus?

Simply put, SearchMyCampus is an online extension of your campus noticeboard. Right now, everyone uses the noticeboard to put up advertisements about events happening around college, about stuff they want to sell, stuff they want to buy, services they offer, services they need etc. We have put all of that and more, online on one website.

What can you do with it?

This is your space. Use it to post advertisements about anything you want to buy, anything you want to sell or an upcoming event that you want to tell people about!

Looking for accommodation? Looking for a housemate? Looking for a tutor?*

All you have to do is log on to the website and select your university on the top, and then select a category from the left to see all the advertisements in the area near you. Search by keyword and filter the results by campus area or to find relevant postings in the area near you.

Want to sell a book? Want to sell your old laptop? Need a job? Need to start a car pool?*

You can also post advertisements specifying what you need to buy or sell using the option on the right hand side of the site. Simply fill in the basic details about your service or product, and verify your e-mail address to have the advertisement posted on the site within minutes.

Want to tell people about your upcoming play? Need to publicize your college fest?*

Publicize events by selecting the ‘post an event’ option on the right hand side of the screen. Fill in the details about your event, add a description, add photographs or images and verify your e-mail address to have it added to the events calendar on the right.

*This list is only indicative and the actual list of categories is far more extensive. We could just go on and on and on and on

Promote your Ad

Advertisements can be made more prominent by paying a small fee (10 to 50 rupees) to post them as featured ads. They appear with thumbnails in a reserved column on the right hand side of the site on the relevant category page. Latest featured ads are also displayed on the home page of the site.

Who are we?

All of us at SearchMyCampus are young, passionate about our work and extremely brilliant *modest smile*. Our mantra as a team is ‘Empower Youth’. We have recently retired from student-hood and would give anything to return to those good old days. We have tried our best to use our extensive experience about students and their needs when creating this site. While our first version is almost ready, there are many more versions still to be created and we need your help for that. So check out the site and give us feedback about what you think. Or if you think we just aren’t up to the job, join the team and help us do the things we need to do!

OMCAR 2008

OMCAR 2008 is going to be the World's first online marketing careers conference. Hosted by OM Careers (a non-profit organization & an online marketing careers community) OMCAR is designed to create a confluence for the burgeoning Online Marketing Industry and the Professional talent who dream to be a part of it.

Who should attend ?

Online Marketing Professionals
Sales, Marketing & Advertising Professionals
Web Professionals
Entrepreneurs
Students (MBA, Engineer & Graduate)

To Register Visit - http://conference.omcareers.org

I never wanted to be an actress: Bipasha

Dusky beauty Bipasha Basu says she never wanted to be an actress and her stint in Bollywood came by chance.

Bipasha, whose acting in films like Corporate, Raaz and Omkara has won her rave reviews, told IANS: "I never wanted to become an actress. I was happily doing my modelling but then I got bored of it. Acting came to me just by chance.

"But yes, I'm thoroughly enjoying it now and don't think I will get bored of it, but still if I do, I'll find something else to do."

Looking gorgeous in a green dress, the Bengali beauty, who was here for an event, said she was looking forward to acting in one or two substantial projects a year that would give her satisfaction. "I'm very interested in the process of filmmaking. If I opt out of acting, I will be involved in some aspect of making movies. Either I will take up writing or assist someone."

Bipasha, who has acted in 33 films in her six years in the industry, has four films on hand - Goal, Race, Paankh and Mr. Fraud.

"Now that I have achieved something in Bollywood, I really don't want to work everyday of my life. Frankly speaking, I don't need to work for money or fame," she said.

"I have made my bit. Whatever assignments I take up now will only be for myself. It should satisfy me.

"There are many films that our industry is making but very few interesting. If you look at the cream of Bollywood, they just do one or two films a year, and I feel that is the best thing to do because then you produce quality."

Bipasha, who is reported to have been roped in for Mira Nair's ambitious project Shantaram, on the life story of a convict based on Gregory David Roberts' best selling novel of the same name, said she would always be associated with Bollywood in some way or the other, even if she gets bored with acting."Now that I have achieved something in Bollywood, I really don't want to work everyday of my life. Frankly speaking, I don't need to work for money or fame."

"I'm very interested in the process of filmmaking. If I opt out of acting, I think I will be involved in some aspect of making movies. Either I will take up writing or assist someone, but as of now I'm in love with our industry. It is a fantasy world."

The silver screen diva's personal life is under public scrutiny. From her lip lock with football sensation Cristiano Ronaldo, her romantic link up with Saif Ali Khan to her speculated break-up with long time boyfriend and Bollywood hunk John Abraham, Bipasha has made some juicy headlines.

But the actress says the probing eyes and ears of the media never affect her.

"I understand that it is everyone's job to make a story. There is too much competition to break news or write something interesting," she said. "I believe it is part of their job and I'm sure many have to do such things even though they might not feel like writing such things.

"But I'm not affected by all the speculations and scrutiny. I cannot stop it, so why bother about it. One has to be intelligent about such stories. I understand such news is being reported because it sells. For me, people around me matter, not what people are thinking about me or writing about me."

Bhansali's Sawariya features in NYT

Director Sanjay Leela Bhansali is delighted over the prominent display his latest film Sawariya, produced by Sony's international division Sony Pictures Entertainment, was given in the New York Times.

The film, starring newcomers Ranbir Kapoor, the son of Rishi Kapoor and Neetu Singh, and Sonam, daughter of Anil Kapoor, was featured in the August 8 issue of the magazine, titled 'Hollywood Starts Making Bollywood Films In India'.

The article also published the first-ever still from the film.

Sawariya is India's first film to be treated as a full-fledged international film and Sony has planned its marketing and publicity accordingly. Its pre-release publicity will cover reputed international publications.

A smiling Sanjay told IANS: "My leading man Ranbir is in the US with his father. It was he who excitedly informed me about the New York Times article from there. I think Sony Pictures are showing an exceptional amount of professionalism in putting non-Indian audiences on to Sawariya."

Not a frame of Chak De was re-shot

Shimit Amin, whose first and so far only film Ab Tak Chhappan came a good three years ago, is flummoxed by rumours that his just released Chak De India had to be re-shot.

Starring Shah Rukh Khan in the lead role, the film has opened to rave reviews.

Clearing the rumours, Amin told IANS: "Not a frame has been re-shot - any crew member can vouch for that. There was another rumour about the hard disc crashing. It didn't happen. Even if it did there was nothing to panic about. Any computer-savvy guy knows hard discs are backed up and can easily be replaced."

For Amin, the leap from the gritty cops film Ab Tak Chhappan to the world of female hockey players in Chak De India is astounding. "For me it's just the script. I react to the script. It didn't matter which genre. But yes, the thought of doing a hockey film was challenging because nobody had done it."

"For me it's just the script. I react to the script. It didn't matter which genre. But yes, the thought of doing a hockey film was challenging because nobody had done it. It gave me a chance to explore an entirely untried genre," said Amin.

"Jaideep Sahni's script was something I wanted to put on screen. I've come from the US and this film gave me a chance to connect to one new part of Indian culture," he added.

Though film has been received well at the box office, audiences responded somewhat warily to the theatrical trailer of Chak De India where all the hockey playing girls were brought on screen one after another.

"The trailer was an experiment, just as much as the film. We clearly wanted to introduce the 13 characters through the film. It was a broad canvas. Some people did like it. Others didn't. It doesn't have romance songs and the formula. My film is about characters who'll hopefully involve the audience within five minutes of playing time."

Casting for the roles of the female hockey players was a gruelling task.

"It was very difficult to cast. We had to find girls who could play hockey and speak lines that were quite complicated. We had to go to different parts of the country and find women who could play sports. We looked for girls who were firstly athletic, and then see if they could hold the hockey stick."

In the course of making the film Amin discovered how poorly hockey is treated in the country. "Though film has been received well at the box office, audiences responded somewhat warily to the theatrical trailer of Chak De India where all the hockey playing girls were brought on screen one after another."

"When I'd go out on Sunday mornings searching for female athletes, every single green patch that I passed had boys playing cricket. No hockey anywhere - forget female hockey players. I couldn't even see one female cricketer anywhere. I'd be so envious. If I had to make a cricket movie my life would be so much easier. But we loved the script so much we wanted to be true to it as much as possible."

Finally, after months of search, semi-athletic females were chosen.

"We had to choose semi-actors and train them to play hockey and to act. For three months we would wake up at 4.30 a.m. and they'd play hockey for five hours and then undergo physiotherapy.

"It was nerve-wracking. We didn't know if it'd work. But all the actors, hockey players and actors-players helped one another. They all became one community. The cast never felt it was acting. Finally, they looked convincing as a team."

Amin, who hired expert from the US to train and choreograph the team, says that the idea behind the film was to revive the sport.

Talking about Shah Rukh's suitability for the game, he said: "Shah Rukh had played hockey and his passion for the game remained. As for Shah Rukh, you'd be surprised to know how similar in attitude he is to Nana Patekar who starred in my first film.

"They both understand the cinematic medium completely. Their knowledge of the medium is astounding. Look at the varied work Shah Rukh has done... from Mani Kaul to Aziz Mirza to Aditya Chopra."

Amin and Shah Rukh's association go back a long way.

"During Asoka I worked in his company, doing promos. He knew what I am all about. As for his image, to date people consider Shah Rukh's performance in Swades among his best. And that was different. We never thought of his image or anything else.

"I was just interested the whole community of hockey, just as the whole relationship between cops and crime interested me in Ab Tak Chhappan."

He's all praise for his producers.

"Ram Gopal Varma was so supportive during Ab Tak Chappan. And now during Chak De, Mr Yash and Aditya Chopra were completely supportive. Chak De is far more complicated in terms of technical effects."

Amin is happy that sports genre is gaining popularity among filmmakers.

"I'm glad films on sports are being made in Mumbai. There's just three-four genres to explore. I've done what I wanted to do in Chak De India. What am I doing next? I wish I knew. But it has to be the story that interests me. But yes, I've a contract for three films with Yash Raj Films."

Finally, has Amin become a hockey player?

"No no... I can't play any sport."

Haier launches first fridge plant in India

Chinese consumer durables and white goods major Haier on Thursday announced that it has set up its first manufacturing facility in India as part of the company’s plans to expand operations in the country.

The new manufacturing facility is located at Ranjangoan in Pune district of Maharashtra.

Spread over 40 acres of land, the plant currently has the capacity to manufacture refrigerators, colour televisions, and washing machines.

Haier is upgrading the new facility with state-of-the-art equipment to create a Research & Development facility for refrigerators. The facility has been acquired as a part of purchase of appliances business of Anchor Daewoo Industries by Haier India.

Haier initially plans to manufacture its wide range of refrigerators at this facility in Pune.

The facility would enhance the overall capacity of Haier and would enable the company to increase its customer reach and enforce its commitment to providing advanced quality products in the India as well as in the global market.

The facility is expected to have a headcount of over 500 people (including contract workers) and the company may look at recruiting more people in various capabilities as it commissions to its full capacity, Pranay Dhabhai, Haier India's chief operating officer, said in a statement.

MTNL sees 50,000 IPTV users in 18 months

Mahanagar Telephone Nigam Ltd (MTNL) is aiming to carve a niche in pumping television content through its broadband connections with the aim of reaching 50,000 subscribers in about 18 months. It will be aided by interactivity and an advertisement model dubbed A Tube.

IPTV (Internet Protocol TV) were launched last July. Subscribers now number less than 1,000 for MTNL, but the company is hoping for a high conversion rate as broadband connections grow to a target of 500,000 each in Mumbai and Delhi, chairman and Managing director RP Sinha told Hindustan Times.

Currently, MTNL has 225,000 broadband lines out of a total of 4.5 million fixed line subscribers in the two cities.

“We have 1,000 connections getting done per day in broadband so IPTV takeoff will be faster,” Sinha said. Broadband refers to anything above a speed of 64 kbps (kilo bits per second). To enable transport of high-density video content, MTNL is using compression technologies that can zip as much as 3 megabits per second.

Currently, a subscriber has to pay a lifetime payment of Rs 3,500 for a set-top box, and a monthly rental of 120 rupees for 52 channels in Delhi. Some 100 channels are expected in a month’s time.

“In 18 months as we reach 50,000 subscribers, set-top boxes may be free and monthly subscription may undergo a change,” said Kailash Choudhary, managing director of Aksh Optifibres, the partner company that arranges the content for MTNL.

MTNL has increased the accessibility of IPTV in a 3 km radius from each telephone exchange, from the initial 800 metres each, and plans to start rolling out within eight weeks fibre optic cables that will reach 20 km from the nearest exchange.

MTNL has invested $120 per subscriber to enable the IPTV service, and is betting on instant interactivity to view desired programmes and convenience of viewing to be the distinguishing features.

गुजरात दंगों के लिए मोदी व मैं जिम्मेदार: जदाफिया

अहमदाबाद। पूर्व गृह राज्य मंत्री एवं निलंबित भाजपा विधायक गोर्धन जदाफिया ने सोमवार को कहा कि गुजरात दंगों के लिए वह और राज्य के मुख्यमंत्री नरेंद्र मोदी दोनों एक समान जिम्मेदार हैं।
जदाफिया ने भावनगर से बताया कि साबरमती एक्सप्रेस ट्रेन हमले के बाद भड़के राज्यव्यापी दंगों के दौरान वह मोदी की अध्यक्षता वाले कैबिनेट में गृह राज्य मंत्री थे। उन्होंने कहा कि बहुत सारे मुद्दों पर मोदी के साथ मेरे मतभेद के बावजूद मुझे यह कहने में झिझक नहीं है कि मैंने उस वक्त मुख्यमंत्री का समर्थन किया था क्योंकि एक मंत्री के रूप में मैं अपने संवैधानिक दायित्वों का निर्वाह कर रहा था। इस साल जुलाई में पार्टी से निलंबित जदाफिया ने कहा, इसलिए जितना दूसरे जिम्मेदार हैं, उतना ही जिम्मेदार मैं भी हूं और उसके नतीजों का सामना करने के लिए भी तैयार हूं। जदाफिया पूर्व मुख्यमंत्री एवं वरिष्ठ भाजपा नेता केशुभाई पटेल के करीबी समझे जाते हैं।

टीम इंडिया ने लहराया जीत का परचम

लंदन। भारत ने 21 साल बाद ब्रिटिश सरजमीं पर सीरीज जीतकर सोमवार को भारतीय क्रिकेट इतिहास में नया अध्याय तो जोड़ा लेकिन इंग्लैंड ने तीसरा और अंतिम टेस्ट मैच ड्रा कराकर इस जीत को चमकदार नहीं बनने दिया। इंग्लैंड के सामने 500 रन का मुश्किल लक्ष्य था और वह केविन पीटरसन के शतक और इयान बेल (67) के साहसिक प्रदर्शन से वह आखिर में छह विकेट पर 369 रन बनाकर मैच बचाने में सफल रहा। भारत ने नाटिंघम टेस्ट की सात विकेट की जीत के कारण तीन मैचों की सीरीज 1-0 से अपने नाम की।
भारत ने इस तरह से 1986 के बाद पहली बार इंग्लैंड की धरती पर टेस्ट सीरीज जीती। तब कपिल देव की टीम ने इंग्लैंड को 2-0 से हराया था। इस हार के साथ ही इंग्लैंड का 2001 के बाद अपनी धरती पर टेस्ट सीरीज न गंवाने का अभियान भी रुक गया। भारतीय टीम पहली पारी में 664 रन बनाने और इंग्लैंड को 345 रन पर समेटने के बाद इस बार भी 2-0 की जीत के करीब दिख रही थी लेकिन कप्तान राहुल द्रविड़ ने मेजबान टीम को फालोआन देने का फैसला नहीं किया। भारत ने दूसरी पारी छह विकेट पर 180 रन बनाकर समाप्त घोषित की। इससे इंग्लैंड को मैच बचाने का मौका मिल गया।
इसके अलावा भारतीय टीम इंग्लैंड पर बड़े लक्ष्य का दबाव बनाने में असफल रही जिसके बल्लेबाजों विशेषकर पीटरसन ने सतर्कता और आक्रमण का अच्छा नमूना पेश किया। भारतीय क्षेत्ररक्षकों ने भी इंग्लैंड का बचाव किया। द्रविड़ ने जहां वॉन को कुंबले की गेंद पर शुरू में ही जीवनदान दिया वहीं पाल कोलिंगवुड जब 13 रन पर थे तब सचिन तेंदुलकर की गेंद पर विकेटकीपर महेंद्र सिंह धोनी ने उनका कैच छोड़ा। श्रीसंथ ने हालांकि मैच के पांचवें दिन शाम के सत्र में नई गेंद से पीटरसन और कोलिंगवुड को पवेलियन भेजकर भारतीयों की आस जगाई थी लेकिन निचले क्रम के बल्लेबाजों ने क्रीज पर डेरा जमाए रखा। श्रीसंथ ने तीन विकेट लिए।
इंग्लैंड ने सुबह बिना किसी नुकसान के 56 रन से आगे खेलना शुरू किया तथा उसके दोनों बल्लेबाजों एंड्रयू स्ट्रास और एलिस्टर कुक ने विशाल लक्ष्य होने के कारण लंबे समय तक विकेट पर टिके रहने को ही अपना लक्ष्य बनाया। जहीर खान और एस श्रीसंथ दोनों ने बादलों से घिरे आसमान के नीचे काफी कसी हुई गेंदबाजी की लेकिन उन्हें सफलता नहीं मिली। भारत को आखिर में रुद्र प्रताप सिंह ने अपने पहले ओवर में ही सफलता दिलाई जब उनकी आउट स्विंगर पर स्ट्रास ने दूसरी स्लिप में वीवीएस लक्ष्मण को कैच दिया। स्ट्रास ने 113 गेंद का सामना करके छह चौकों की मदद से 32 रन बनाए।
इसके तीन ओवर बाद कुंबले ने कुक को पवेलियन का रास्ता दिखाया। इस लेग स्पिनर ने रफ एरिया में गेंद फेंकी जिस पर बाएं हाथ के बल्लेबाज कुक ने लेग स्लिप में लक्ष्मण को सीधा कैच थमाया। कुक ने 154 मिनट क्रीज पर रहकर 43 रन बनाए। पीटरसन ने यहीं पर क्रीज पर कदम रखा और कुंबले की फुलटास पर चौका जमाकर अपना खाता खोला लंच के बाद कप्तान माइकल वॉन भी पवेलियन लौट गए तो पीटरसन ने कोलिंगवुड के साथ मिलकर कुंबले और तेंदुलकर की टर्न लेती गेंदों का अच्छी तरह से सामना किया।
वॉन ने द्रविड़ से मिले जीवनदान का फायदा उठाते हुए पीटरसन के साथ तीसरे विकेट के लिए 26.3 ओवर में 66 रन की भागीदारी की। बीच में खराब रोशनी ने उनका ध्यान भंग किया और उन्होंने श्रीसंथ की आउट स्विंगर पर ढीला शॉट खेलकर धोनी को आसान कैच दे दिया। वान ने 95 गेंद का सामना करके पांच चौकों की मदद से 42 रन बनाए। श्रीसंथ ने चाय के विश्राम के बाद नई गेंद से कोलिंगवुड और कुछ देर बाद पीटरसन को आउट करके भारत की जीत की आस जगाई। इन दोनों ने चौथे विकेट के लिए 114 रन जोड़े थे।
श्रीसंथ ने नई गेंद लेने के बाद पहली गेंद पर ही कोलिंगवुड को पगबाधा आउट किया जिन्होंने 81 गेंद का सामना करके 40 रन की अपनी पारी में पांच चौके लगाए। इसके बावजूद पीटरसन ने अपना आक्रामक रवैया अपनाए रखा और श्रीसंथ पर ही मिडविकेट पर चौका जमाकर अपना दसवां टेस्ट शतक पूरा किया। दक्षिण अफ्रीका में जन्मे इस आक्रामक बल्लेबाज ने हालांकि इसी ओवर की अंतिम गेंद पर ढिलाई बरती और बैकफुट पर जाकर करारा ड्राइव करने के प्रयास में पहली स्लिप में खड़े दिनेश कार्तिक को आसान कैच दिया। उन्होंने अपनी शतकीय पारी के लिए 159 गेंद खेली और 18 चौके जमाए।
बेल ने इसके बाद जिस तरह से बल्लेबाजी की उससे साफ हो गया कि वह दबाव में खेलकर किसी तरह के जोखिम में नहीं पड़ना चाहते है। पीटरसन के आउट होने के तुरंत बाद उन्होंने आरपी सिंह पर दो चौके जमाए और इसी गेंदबाज के एक ओवर फिर से दो बार गेंद सीमा रेखा पार भेजी। दाएं हाथ के इस बल्लेबाज को मैट प्रायर (64 गेंद पर नाबाद 12 रन) के रूप में अच्छा साथी मिला। बेल ने टेस्ट मैचों में 13वां अर्धशतक पूरा करने के बाद कुंबले पर लगातार चार चौके जमाए। हालांकि इस गेंदबाज ने अपने अगले ओवर में उन्हें पगबाधा आउट करके बदला चुकता कर दिया। बेल ने केवल 62 गेंद खेली और 12 चौके जमाए।
स्कोर बोर्ड
तीसरा टेस्ट, पांचवां दिन
भारत पहली पारी 664 रन
इंग्लैंड पहली पारी 345 रन
भारत दूसरी पारी छह विकेट पर 180 रन [घोषित]
इंग्लैंड दूसरी पारी छह विकेट पर 369 रन
स्ट्रॉस का लक्ष्मण बो रुद्र प्रताप 32
कुक का लक्ष्मण बो कुंबले 43
वॉन का धोनी बो श्रीसंथ 42
पीटरसन का कार्तिक बो श्रीसंथ 101
कोलिंगवुड एलबीडब्ल्यू बो श्रीसंथ 40
बेल एलबीडब्ल्यू बो कुंबले 67
प्रायर नाबाद 12
साइडबाटम नाबाद 3
अतिरिक्त: 29
विकेट पतन: 1-79, 2-86, 3-152, 4-266, 5-289, 6-363।
गेंदबाजी
जहीर 20-3-59-0
श्रीसंथ 21-7-53-3
कुंबले 37-9-123-2
रुद्र प्रताप 13-2-50-1
सचिन 19-0-78-0

England save third Test, but India win series 1-0

On Monday evening, at the end of a day of murkiness, sunshine and no raindrops, England were bathing in a sense of satisfaction.

Two Englishmen went back to the dressing room with a sense of achievement, the battle lost but the war won.

The Indians would be a bit ambivalent about the result — they had declared by words (through manager Chandu Borde) that they would be happy with a 1-0 win. And they had declared by their actions (by not asking England to follow on) that they would be satisfied with the bird in hand, however nettle-free the bushes might be.

At the end, the Indians uprooted the stumps, had a huddle by the pitch and skipped lightly, their arms around each other, and expressed their joy in ecstatic shouts. They raised their arms and punched the air — they walked off in triumph, they clearly were delighted with the result, ensuring a 1-0 series victory.

Yet the satisfaction was incomplete — there was a sense that the whole business was left unfinished, even though India won the series 1-0, for only the third time in England.

The English tail and a saviour

On the final Monday, there was drama only at the end, with the hosts losing their top-order to expose their tail, but the tail wagged, for a change. Even as the Indians threw a ring of fielders around the batsmen, the Englishmen played out over after over with grim resolution, each proffered block, each run cheered lustily in the stands.

SMS just got costlier

NEW DELHI: In a rude shock to their subscribers in Delhi, Bharti Airtel and Hutch (now Vodafone Essar) have quietly raised local SMS charges for all users from Re 1 per message to Rs 1.20.

The new tariffs - which came into effect on Monday - also mean higher cost for local calls within your own network with charges raised from Re 1 a minute to Rs 1.20. The rates would, however, vary for each plan.

With STD rates having been raised two weeks ago, the operators have increased tariffs across the board without most consumers noticing the hike yet.

Unfortunately, telecom regulator Trai is unlikely to raise an eyebrow as local call, STD and SMS tariffs are ‘under forbearance' - the regulator does not intervene in these. "History has proved that forbearance is the best policy to follow," said Trai chairman Nripendra Misra.

It is felt that other GSM operators may also announce similar hikes. However, there is a hint that CDMA operators may choose to retain their tariffs. For harassed customers, the only option could be switching to more consumer-friendly operators. But this becomes inconvenient as users like to retain their unique numbers.

SBI plans biggest IPO of Rs 14,500 crore

NEW DELHI: In what may turn out to be the mother of all fund-raising, State Bank of India is planning to mop up nearly Rs 180,000 crore over the next five years, including a Rs 14,500-crore public offer — the country's biggest — later this fiscal.

While the government and the SBI management are still grappling with details, sources said the fund-raising would involve some new instruments — like issue of preference shares — and also require policy changes to facilitate steps like a rights issue, for which the government might shell out around Rs 10,000 crore.

While SBI needs funds to meet regulatory and expansion needs, for investors, the issue could be good news with fund managers saying the present share price of SBI was much below its intrinsic value. On Monday, SBI shares closed 0.4% higher on the BSE at Rs 1,613.

Despite being the largest bank, SBI has the second-highest market capitalisation of Rs 84,908 crore, compared to ICICI Bank's Rs 92,884 crore. But on most parameters, SBI is a bigger player. It has 9,700 branches, compared to ICICI Bank's 950.

SBI's deposit base was Rs 4,50,000 crore, against ICICI Bank’s Rs 2,31,000 crore, while its advances were estimated at Rs 3,44,000 crore and its private sector rival had a credit base of Rs 1,98,000 crore at the end of June 2007.

Nuke deal: Sonia may reveal her mind

NEW DELHI: Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Monday steered clear of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's tough talk of daring the Left parties to withdraw support to the UPA government over the Indo-US nuclear deal

Asked by reporters at Parliament House what she thought of Singh's remarks last weekend, Gandhi countered saying how can she reply to such a query.

She also evaded a question when asked about the possible political repercussions over the nuke agreement.

Gandhi also said the AICC reshuffle was overdue but the exercise could be linked to changes in the Union Council of Ministers about which the Prime Minister has to take a decision.

Gandhi is expected to reveal her mind on Tuesday on the latest controversy in the wake of Prime Minister's daring the Left parties to withdraw support to his government on the nuclear deal.

She will be addressing a general body meeting of the Congress Parliamentary Party, the first after the rift between the UPA and the Left broke out over the nuke deal.

While the CWC has already endorsed the deal, Singh's statement had created political ripples. The nuke deal is also set to dominate the proceedings in Parliament.

Meanwhile, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, a key trouble shooter including with the Left, on Monday said the Congress-led coalition would "explore all possibilities" to ensure that the Congress-led coalition completed its full term but would not compromise on "basic principles".

India's strategic autonomy will be retained: PM

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said there is no compromise in any manner on India's independent foreign policy on account of the civil nuclear deal with the US and the strategic autonomy will be retained.

Making a statement in Lok Sabha on the recent agreement, he said it will not hinder or otherwise interfere with India's nuclear activities, including military nuclear facilities.

"Nothing in the agreement would impinge on our strategic programme, our three-stage nuclear power programme or our ability to conduct advanced research and development," Singh said amid slogan shouting by Opposition BJP and Third Front members.

The agreement does not in any way affect India's right to undertake future nuclear tests, if it is necessary in country's national interest, Singh said in a suo motu statement.

Singh urged those who question government's committment to an independent foreign policy to display the same degree of confidence in India as others from outside do.

"Thus, there is no question that we will ever compromise, in any manner, our independent foreign policy. We shall retain our strategic autonomy," he said.

Maintaining that the agreement has been negotiated as an equal partner with the US on the principle of mutual benefit, the prime minister said the deal does not in any way affect India's right to undertake future nuclear tests, if it is necessary in India's national interest.

"Let me hence reiterate once again that a decision to undertake future nuclear test would be our sovereign decision, one that rests solely with the government.

"There is nothing in the agreement that would tie the hands of a future government or legally constrain its options to protect India's security and defence needs," he said.

The Prime Minister said India's right to pursue its three-stage nuclear programme remained undiluted.

"In the unlikely event of cessation of cooperation there is no derogation of our rights with regard to corrective measures. Our reprocessing rights are upfront are upfront and permanent in nature. Advanced R&D programmes and IPR protection are fully safeguarded," he said.

Singh said the agreement provides for full civil nuclear cooperation that will include nuclear reactors and the aspects of the associated nuclear fuel cycle, including technology transfer on industrial or commercial use.

It would also include development of strategic reserve of nuclear fuel to guard against any disruption of supply over the lifetime of Indian reactors.

'87 per cent in J-K want Independence'

As India and Pakistan mark 60 years of Independence, nothing is a more powerful symbol of the divide between the two than Kashmir, that legacy of Partition. It is, therefore, only fitting that we begin with the Kashmir issue in this first of the first-ever joint Indo-Pak poll on what people in the two nations think of each other, of the world, their future.

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What does ‘the Valley’ really want? Are opinions of the people in Kashmir shared by their counterparts in Jammu and Ladakh? Will any resolution enjoy acceptance in the rest of the country? Will hardliners in the rest of India and Pakistan veto any attempt to solve the Kashmir problem?

The first-ever Indo-Pak poll sponsored by The Indian Express, Dawn News and CNN-IBN and designed by CSDS, Delhi offers us significant clues about this question and shows that public opinion offers greater room for peaceful resolution of the Kashmir dispute than is usually believed.

The poll was carried out in the last week of July and the first week of August in the top ten cities of Pakistan (by A C Nielsen) and the top twenty cities of India (by CSDS). Besides 1010 interviews in urban Pakistan and 2030 interviews in urban India, the CSDS conducted a special straw poll by interviewing 226 persons in Srinagar and 255 persons in Jammu city. (Methodological details about the survey will be carried in the final instalment of the reports on the Indo-Pak poll)

Nuke deal to benefit both parties: PM

New Delhi, August 13: Dismissing concerns over the Indo-US nuclear deal, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday asserted in Parliament that the country retained the strategic autonomy and "sovereign" right to conduct a nuclear test, if needed.

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Amid opposition uproar and walkout by Left allies, he made a statement emphasising that India's independent foreign policy will remain unaffected by the nuclear deal, which has "mutual benefit" for the two "equal partners".

Responding to concerns raised by the Left, NDA and UNPA over various aspects of the 123 agreement, Singh said India can take "corrective measures" if the US terminates the agreement and the cessation of cooperation will take place after "elaborate multi-layered" consultations.

New Delhi has also secured the permanent upfront right for reprocessing and will be able to develop strategic reserve of nuclear fuel to ensure uninterrupted supplies to the civilian reactors for their lifetime, he told the Lok Sabha, virtually responding point-by-point to the concerns raised by Left and opposition parties.

"There is no question that we will ever compromise, in any manner, our independent foreign policy. We shall retain our strategic autonomy," Singh in midst of continuous slogan-shouting by NDA and UNPA members from the Well of the House.

The Left parties, which have rejected the deal, sat through the Prime Minister's speech and walked out just before he was to conclude. The House was adjourned for the day after Singh's statement.

"The agreement does not, in any way, affect India's right to undertake future nuclear tests, if it is necessary in India's national interest," he asserted.

Underlining that conducting of a future nuclear test would be "our sovereign decision, that rests solely with the Government (of India), the Prime Minister said, "there is nothing in the agreement that would tie the hands of a future government or legally constrain its options to protect India's security and defence needs".

The agreement would "not hinder or otherwise interfere with India's nuclear activities, including our military facilities," he said, while noting that the government has kept Parliament fully in the picture at various stages of negotiations of the agreement and even "gone far beyond any previous government".

"Nothing in the agreement would impinge on our strategic programme, our three-stage nuclear power programme or our ability to conduct advanced research and development," Singh stressed amid demands of NDA and Third Front for scrapping of the deal.

The Prime Minister, who created political ripples by daring the Left to withdraw support to his government after their rejection of the nuclear deal, said "I will let history judge... When future generations look back, they will come to acknowledge the significance of this historic deal."

Observing that the deal will "open new doors" in capitals across the world, he said "in the days to come, it will be seen that it is not just the US, but nations across the world that wish to arrive at a new equilibrium in their relations with India."

Why a PC can't be your TV!

People spend hours in front of countless PC monitors nowadays. Usually those monitors go dark when work ends. That could soon change in some households.

Monitors have other uses apart from word processing and spreadsheets. They can also show movies and soap operas. But a few problems still remain when converting your monitor into a desktop TV.

Many consumers already appreciate one of the flat screen monitor's advantages. Whether as a television or a computer, it saves space. "It's perfect for a student's room," says Dirk Lorenz of Stiftung Warentest, a Berlin-based consumer affairs organisation.

But anyone who thinks they can meet all their needs with one device is deceiving himself. Producers still face a lot of work in merging the TV and computer.

Marathon kid Budhia's trainer detained

BHUBANESWAR: Wonder marathon kid Budhia Singh's trainer Biranchi Das was on Monday detained by the police after the boy's mother lodged an FIR against him alleging "physical torture".

"The boy has been taken to the Capital hospital for a medical examination. Further action will be initiated against Das on the basis of the report", city Deputy Superintendent of Police Sarat Sahoo told a news agency here.

Budhia and his mother Sukanti Singh had alleged yesterday that Biranchi had been torturing the seven-year-old boy whose exploits at long-distance running had stunned the sporting world.

The child had entered the Limca Book of Records when he ran a distance of 65 km from Puri to Bhubaneswar on May two last year in 7.02 hours. The run also kicked-off a controversy with several organisations and the district child welfare committee objecting to such shows involving a small boy.

Sukanti had taken the boy away from the judo association hall a few days ago where he lived and trained with Biranchi.

The mother and son duo on Monday went to the Badagada police station, where Sukanti lodged the FIR against the trainer.

Sahoo said the police took the boy for medical examination as soon as his mother lodged the FIR.

The boy was provided with security as his mother alleged that she along with her son faced threat to their lives. "Biranchi has threatened me that his goons would target me and my son", Sukanti said in her complaint.

Infy, TCS most reputed corporate houses in India: Study

NEW DELHI: IT majors Infosys and Tata Consultancy Services (TCS) have emerged as the most reputed corporates in India while Tata Motors, Tata Steel and Hindustan Unilever have tied for the second place, says a corporate reputation index study.

The largest car maker in the country Maruti Udyog has got the third highest number of votes on the index, says the global consultancy firm TNS' latest Corporate Reputation Index.

The research firm said India's progress is led by IT sector followed by FMCG and Petroleum.

"Corporate reputation is assuming increasing importance in today's business, economic and social environment. As corporate behaviour is increasingly under scrutiny and corporate valuations go beyond financial performance parameters, it is considered to be a measure of confidence in the organisation and goes much beyond market capitalisation and brand equity," TNS said in a statement.

The corporate reputation index represents stakeholder expectations and experiences with the company and its services, processes, management and systems.

The study reflects views of financial community and senior and middle business managers in the industry. It also includes expectations of opinion leaders which comprise of senior bureaucrats, academicians and media personalities.

A total of 70 leading companies across various sectors were selected for the study conducted in the last quarter of previous fiscal.

While all top five companies figure in lead rankings across all stakeholder groups, the leaders in the respective stakeholder segments include some more corporate houses.

PM defends N-deal in Parliament

agreement does not in any way inhibit, restrict or curtail "our" strategic autonomy or capabilities, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in the Lok Sabha on Monday.

The agreement does not in any way affect India's right to undertake future nuclear tests, if it is necessary in country's national interest, Singh said in a statement.

His speech, however, was muffled by loud sloganeering by Opposition MPs, who stormed the well of the House. Repeated requests by Speaker Somnath Chatterjee failed to calm the MPs.

Singh urged those who question government's commitment to an independent foreign policy to display the same degree of confidence in India as others from outside do.

"Thus, there is no question that we will ever compromise, in any manner, our independent foreign policy. We shall retain our strategic autonomy," he said.

Maintaining that the agreement has been negotiated as an equal partner with the US on the principle of mutual benefit, the Prime Minister said the deal does not in any way affect India's right to undertake future nuclear tests, if it is necessary in India's national interest.

"Let me, hence, reiterate once again that a decision to undertake future nuclear test would be our sovereign decision, one that rests solely with the government.

"There is nothing in the agreement that would tie the hands of a future government or legally constrain its options to protect India's security and defence needs," he said.

The Prime Minister said the provision for separation of any fissionable materials in national facilities under IAEA safeguards protects the interest of India's three-stage nuclear programme.

Referring to the US' longstanding policy of not supplying to any country enrichment, reprocessing and heavy water production facilities, he said the current agreement provided for such transfers to India only through an amendment.

He expressed the hope that such transfers would become possible as cooperation develops and expands in the future and stressed that "no prohibition that is specifically directed against India has been included in the agreement."

Noting that the principle of reciprocity has been safeguarded, Singh said there was no change in India's position that it would accept only IAEA safeguards on its civilian nuclear facilities.

"This would also be in a phased manner and as identified for that purpose in the Separation Plan, and only when all international restrictions on nuclear trade with India have been lifted. India will not take any irreversible steps with the IAEA prior to this," he said.

Singh said the agreement confirmed that the US cooperation with India is permanent and no provision states that it would be subject to an annual certification process.

The agreement acknowledges India as a state with "advanced nuclear technology" enjoying the same advantages and benefits as other states with "advanced nuclear technology".

"This agreement makes specific references to India and the US as states possessing advanced nuclear technology, both parties having the same benefits and advantages, both committed to preventing WMD proliferation," Singh said.

On India accepting IAEA safeguards in the Separation Plan of March 2006, the Prime Minister said: "We have not consented to any provision that mandates scrutiny of our nuclear weapons programme or any unsafeguarded nuclear facilities."

He said there were explicit provisions to make it clear that the agreement did not affect India's unsafeguarded nuclear facilities and that it would not affect its right to use materials, equipment, information or technology acquired or developed independently.

Singh reiterated that the Separation Plan provided for an India-specific safeguards agreement with IAEA with assurances of uninterrupted supply of fuel to reactors that would be placed under IAEA safeguards together with India's right to take corrective measures in the event fuel supplies were interrupted.

"An important assurance given is the commitment of support for India's right to build up strategic reserves of nuclear fuel to meet the lifetime requirements of India's reactors." he said.

PM upset with Left stand on nuclear deal

Parliament will discuss the Indo-US nuclear deal on August 14 and 16 even as the Left, the BJP-NDA and the Third Front continue to stiffly oppose the agreement which, they allege, compromises the country’s foreign policy options.

But the Congress is confident that Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s statement on August 13 on the subject will address the concerns of the Left parties.

Congress sources claim that the PM is upset that Communists are making an issue of the deal when he has at every step kept the Left —and Parliament — informed. “At that time, the Left did not raise the hue and cry that they are now doing,’’ said a minister. He indicated that an UPA-Left coordination committee meeting may be held before the debate takes place.

The BJP has given notice for a debate under Rule 184, which entails voting. The Left has so far only given notice for a general discussion under Rule 193.

On Friday, though, the Left demanded a ‘sense of Parliament’ (a unanimous opinion expressed by all parties on an issue of importance) on the nuclear deal.

The Congress core committee met on Friday and discussed the issue.

NDA pledges stormy start to this session

Top NDA leaders have decided to seek suspension of the question hour in Parliament on Monday to discuss the Goa Speaker’s act of suspending three MLAs to save the Kamat government, pledging a stormy start to the monsoon session.

The NDA leaderships decision to stand by their move to seek a vote on the nuclear deal, despite the Left's stand that the pact could be discussed without going through the motion of voting, also promises to add fuel to the expectedly fiery session.

Calling from BSNL basic? You are insured

NEW DELHI: An insurance cover for as low as Re 1 per month? That is how state-owned telco BSNL plans to hold onto existing landline subscribers and attract new ones.

“The telco has tied up with SBI to provide a non-life insurance cover to its 40 million landline customers who will have to pay Re 1 extra every month (along with their monthly bill) to avail the scheme, a top communication ministry official told ET.

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In the second phase, the PSU plans to extend the offer to all its mobile customers (except those who have corporate accounts), the official added.

The PSU is confident that this Re 1 per month insurance cover (where BSNL will bear the rest of the premium), will stop customers from surrendering their landlines, and also expand its cellular subscriber base in the future. The PSU’s landline subscriber base has fallen by about two million in the last two years.

However, BSNL officials also added that the PSU had not taken a final decision on a tie-up with SBI. “We can tie up with more than one player — some other companies such as Oriental Insurance, Bajaj Allianz and ICICI Lombard are also in the running,” an executive from the PSU said.

When contacted over the issue, BSNL’s director finance S D Saxena said, “This scheme was conceptualised by telecom minister A Raja. It highlights both the minister’s and the company’s commitment to its customers, especially the poor.” He also added that the scheme would be particularly useful to BSNL’s rural subscribers.

While industry analysts estimate that BSNL will have to shell about Rs 200 per subscriber annually to offer them an insurance cover of Rs 50,000, a top BSNL executive explained that ‘this would be a unique case where the premium would be low on account of the large subscriber base’.

For instance, BSNL’s total subscriber is close to 80 million mark. BSNL executives also estimate that the company would have to shell out about Rs 15 per month towards this scheme. The PSU’s net profit in 2006-07 was a little over Rs 10,000 crore.

BSNL executives also did not rule out the possibility of the PSU venturing into a full-fledged insurance foray, in partnership with an insurance player in future.

“If this plan goes well, then we would look at providing a life insurance policy to our subscribers. The revenues from pure telecom services are declining and voice services won’t be very prof

JP set to be ICL’s Indian No 1

Friday saw a major first — JP Yadav became the first current Indian cricketer to publicly admit that he was set to join the Indian Cricket League, banned by the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) for all practical purposes.

Railways allrounder Yadav, who has also turned out for India in 12 one-day internationals, told the Hindustan Times that he was in the midst of “negotiations” with officials of the controversial “rebel” league. “It is a good initiative and I am keen on joining it,” said Yadav, adding, “In fact, negotiations are on and it’s only a matter of days before I join them. I am glad it has happened. It will only help the players.”

His comments follow Union Railway Minister Lalu Prasad’s statement supporting the ICL. The minister on Thursday had termed it a “good initiative” and offered various Railways controlled stadia in the country to the ICL for hosting matches.

And that’s not all. It is well known that a host of top Ranji players are in talks with the ICL and Yadav confirmed this, adding that several players from the Railways Ranji team were among that number. “I won’t name them now but there are about four-five others in our team who are keen on joining the ICL.”

Asked what would happen to the team if its top players joined the league, he said: “They are really going to suffer this season.” Former champions Railways are currently in the Plate division.

However, the team’s assistant coach, Abhay Sharma, was guarded. “See, we play for our department and I think it is only a statement. There is a lot of difference between a statement and a decision. But having said that, I would also add that our minister would have thought of something before coming out with such a statement. He must have had something in mind.”

Asked what action he thought the BCCI would take if the Railways officially supported the ICL, he said, “That is for the top bosses to decide. But at the moment we are affiliated to the BCCI and so also the ministry.”

Kumble's century buries England Test hopes

Anil Kumble scored a maiden Test century on Friday to spur India to 664 all out on the second day of the third and final Test and put his side within sight of their first series victory in England for 21 years.

England, trailing 1-0, were 24 for one at the close and now look certain to end an unbeaten home record stretching back to 2002. Andrew Strauss was the man to fall, caught at fine leg after top-edging a pull shot off Zaheer Khan for six.

Number eight batsman Kumble cracked an unbeaten 110 after wicketkeeper Mahendra Singh Dhoni had flayed the England bowlers for 92 from 81 balls. Sachin Tendulkar chipped in with 82 until he departed 10 minutes before lunch.

Kumble came in at the fall of Tendulkar's wicket and batted throughout the afternoon session and for most of the third session. His previous Test best was 88.

The leg-spinner from Bangalore, India's most successful Test bowler, put on 91 with Dhoni, 62 with Zaheer Khan (11) and a record 10th-wicket stand of 73 from 80 balls with last man Shanthakumaran Sreesanth, who joined in the fun with a Test best 35.

India's previous highest score against England was their 628 for eight at Headingley in 2002. The total at one stage was the highest in Test history without a century.

Kumble's innings, which took 193 balls and included 11 fours and a straight six, upstaged his more illustrious batting teammates Tendulkar and skipper Rahul Dravid.

Dhoni, whose stubborn 76 not out helped India save the Lord's Test, went to 92 in just 16 balls after reaching his half-century. He ended with nine boundaries and four sixes.

Last man Sreesanth rubbed salt into England's wounds by plundering three consecutive boundaries off James Anderson and ensured India became the first Test side in three years where all 11 batsman reached double figures.

It was India's fourth-highest total in Tests, short of their record 705 for seven against Australia three years ago.

England's problems deepened when their reliable left-arm swing bowler R

Markets on red alert across the globe

MUMBAI: Volatility has often been seen as a via media to generate better returns by traders. But the gyrations in the past few sessions have left even the more seasoned players in this game, slightly uncomfortable.

The uneasiness has resulted in the smarter traders changing their trading strategies as well as returns expectations for the time being to adjust to the ongoing volatility.

Brokers and technical analysts said several short-term traders, who have been unable to catch the sharp movement in the market in the past few days, have lost money. The smarter ones have played it safe. Instead of sticking to the stop-loss strategy, which is usually employed in a less volatile market, they have chosen to hedge their risks, despite the prospect of lower returns.

“Expert traders are hedging effectively, like they buy futures and buy put options at the same time. At the moment, this is a much better strategy than using stop-losses,” said Almondz Global Securities’ technical analyst and derivatives strategist Gurudatta Dhanokar.

Analysts said many smart investors have reduced the period between which they buy and sell a stock in view of the current volatility. For instance, in a more stable market, a trader buys a stock with an intention of holding it for 3-4 sessions and expects a return of 5-6%. Now, he would hold the stock for just a day or two and lower his expectations of returns.

The current volatility, with a negative bias, in domestic equities has been in line with the trend overseas. In the past many sessions, shares have changed directions intra-day in matter of minutes, as investors have been quick to utilise upsides to sell and downsides to cover their short positions.

“The spike in intra-day realised volatility has been sharper than usual. With intra-day volatility doubling from the preceding rally, this spike matches the one that the markets underwent in May 2006 (when realised volatility tripled from the preceding period of rise),” investment bank Morgan Stanley said in its latest strategy note.

Experts expect the current volatility in domestic equities to continue till the global market stabilises, which seems to be the big question mark at the moment. A section of the market believes that the downside could be limited from current levels, given the large creation of short positions in the futures segment. They believe a sharp fall could trigger covering of these shorts and pushing up the market.

No takers in Left for PM's challenge

The Left parties on Saturday downplayed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's challenge to withdraw their support on the Indo-US civil nuclear deal, maintaining that "we are going to oppose it" and "everything should not be linked with pulling down the government".

While senior CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury and CPI's D Raja went roundabout reacting to Singh's statement, their junior allies, RSP and Forward Bloc, were forthright saying the Left support cannot be taken for granted.

Asked whether the Left will withdraw support, Yechury, leader of the CPI(M) in Parliament, said "everything should not be linked with pulling down the government. Our concern is with the nuclear deal. Governments will come and go but the agreement will remain."

Yechury, while taking to reporters in Hyderabad, noted that the Prime Minister's statement was "not in consonance with our viewpoint", while Raja said here in New Delhi that the Left was "not in agreement" with it and "that is why we have asked the government not to operationalise the deal."

All the four parties wanted a debate in Parliament but none of them said that they wanted it under a rule which entails voting. Opposition BJP and the UNPA constituents want the debate to be held under such a rule.

The Left leaders were reacting to Singh's statement bluntly telling them that "it is not possible to renegotiate the deal. It is an honourable deal, the Cabinet has approved it, we cannot go back on it. I told them to do whatever they want to do, if they want to withdraw support, so be it...."

Blueline claims Delhi's 71st victim

NEW DELHI: Delhi's Blueline fleet claimed its 71st victim on Friday and, in another incident, almost caused a major tragedy when a bus hit a shrine outside Bhairon Mandir in Kalkaji, south Delhi, narrowly missing a group of sleeping kanwarias in the early hours of the day.

Kishan Pal, 45, was crossing the road at Lodhi Colony near Jawaharlal Nehru stadium in the afternoon when he was mowed down by a Blueline plying on route number 522. Pal, a labourer working on a CPWD project, was taken to the Safdarjung Hospital, where he succumbed to his injuries. He is survived by his wife and five young children. Elsewhere, a Delhi Police sub-inspector was hit by a Blueline in north-east Delhi.

In a potentially disastrous incident, a Blueline bus rammed a shrine head-on outside the Bhairon temple in Kalkaji at 1.30 am. The bus, plying on route number M-13, narrowly missed people who were sleeping in a kanwaria camp outside the temple.

The shrine was severely damaged though no one was seriously hurt since the place was deserted at the time. Police said the driver of the bus is absconding.

The front of the shrine was totally crushed by the force of the impact, indicating that the driver had been speeding at the time of the crash. The metal railing and iron pillars outside the shrine were in a mangled state and pieces of shattered glass were strewn all over the place.

The bus, its front smashed, was removed with the help of cranes. The idol inside the shrine, however, reportedly remains intact.

Kunal Raheja, a student who helped organise the kanvaria camp, eyewitnessed the accident. "We were all sleeping inside the camp tent when the accident happened. The bus missed hitting people who were sleeping in the tent by inches. It bus then went and hit the temple. Luckily no one was injured," he said.

Microsoft releasing nine patches

NEW DELHI: Microsoft has said that it will be releasing nine security updates coming Tuesday. The patches will fix remote code execution attack vulnerabilities in Windows, Office, Internet Explorer and Virtual PC.

Of the nine bulletins expected, six will be labeled "critical," with the remaining three ranked "important." Vulnerabilities slated to be fixed by eight of the nine updates, however, have been pegged as remote code executable, a sign that the bugs are dangerous, and if exploited, could easily allow a PC to be hijacked by hackers.

Remote code execution attacks, where hackers take advantage of vulnerabilities to attack a computer system over the Internet, have grown exponentially in the last couple of years.

All of the company's critical security updates released this year, including next week's updates, have patched vulnerabilities that allow remote execution attacks.

Microsoft Windows, including Vista, will be the focus of the updates, with one of those Vista fixes pegged critical. Other critical patches will be provided for Microsoft Office in general, Excel in particular, Visual Basic 6.0 and IE.

One of the update will prevent users from being able to elevate their access privilege level in Virtual PC or Virtual Server.

Also planned for release next week are four non-security, high-priority updates on Microsoft Update (MU) and Windows Server Update Services (WSUS).

Govt tightens noose on TDS

NEW DELHI: Models, artists, authors, players, coaches and doctors are set to face additional scrutiny from the tax department with an internal document circulated by the Central Board of Direct Taxes asking its field offices to ensure that tax is deducted at source (TDS) on all payments made to them.

An eye on these professionals comes along with instructions on routine suspects, the companies. "It is important that TDS is paid on payments to these categories since it may be difficult to trade the funds later given the unorganised nature in some of the segments," said an official.

TDS has helped the government generate substantial resources, which was estimated at Rs 70,000 crore last year, accounting for 27% of the Centre's gross tax revenue.

Travel agents, those leasing property and payment of fees by hospitals to consultant doctors are among a host of transactions that are under the lens.

In addition to the checks, the government is also going to use surveys as one of the most crucial tools to maximise its revenue collections. The exercise would also be applicable to advance tax payments.

The focus on surveys, which are a step short of searches or raids, enables the tax department to check books of accounts and inventories. Last year, surveys are estimated to have generated an additional Rs 1,500 crore revenue for the government compared to only Rs 211 crore in 2005-06.

Sources said that the tax department's action plan, which was discussed with income tax chief commissioners, last month, has for the first time laid so much emphasis on surveys in these two areas.

Officials said the idea was to enhance advance tax collections so that government had better liquidity and officials could also brace for a better mop-up through other means towards the end of the year.

CBDT has asked chief commissioners to pay special attention to companies enjoying benefits under section 10A and 10B since this fiscal onwards they have to pay MAT.

Government wants the taxman to stick to basics. So, top 100 companies of India Inc would be monitored by chief commissioners for advance tax payment.

For TDS, CBDT wants a check on loss making companies, to ensure that there is timely deposit of tax, and industry and trade are sensitised about the need to deduct tax on salaries and perks.

25 injured in J&K arms depot fire

SRINAGAR: At least 25 army jawans and fire services personnel were injured in a major fire which broke out in an military ammunition depot in Anantnag district of Jammu and Kashmir on Saturday, defence officials said.

The fire broke out in the 21 Field Ordinance Depot at Khandroo at around 9.15 AM and resulted in a series of explosions.

Two helicopter loads of injured army personnel have landed inside the Badamibagh cantonment, the headquarter of the Army's 15 Corps, defence spokesman Lt Col A K Mathur said.

He refused to give the exact number of injured in the incident saying evacuation was the top priority.

There are several security forces camps around the depot, defence sources said. A fire services official was injured when he was hit by a shell as he was trying to douse the flames, the sources said.

A portion of the blaze has been brought under control but the situation would be declared normal only after all the shells have stopped exploding, they added.

Although the exact cause of the blaze is not known yet, the sources said a few shots were heard in the area before the fire broke out. Hence, the possibility of a militant attack cannot be ruled out, they added.

The army and police have evacuated at least 2,000 villagers living inside one kilometre radius from the ordinance depot to safer areas, the sources added.

Senior army, police and civil officials have rushed to the spot. Army is likely to order a court of inquiry into the incident, they added.

Two days, three rapes in capital

NEW DELHI: Three cases of rape of minor girls, two of them below the age of four, have come to light in the national capital in the past two days, police said on Saturday.

In all the three cases, the accused were known to the victims and their families.

A two-and-half-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her teenaged neighbour in Nangloi locality of west Delhi on Friday, police said.

The accused Rajendra (18) was arrested following a complaint filed by the girl's parents in Nangloi police station, police said, adding a medical examination has confirmed rape.

In the second incident, a four-year-old girl was allegedly raped by a labourer in Sultanpuri area of north-west Delhi on Friday.

Keema was arrested following a complaint by the girl's parents on Friday.

A ten-year-old girl was allegedly raped by her mother's cousin on Thursday who is staying near her house in Shastri Nagar in north Delhi.

The accused Mahender allegedly assaulted her at his home and the incident came to light on Friday when she told her parents about it.

A medical examination has confirmed the rape and Mahender was arrested, police said.

12 Hindi-speaking people killed in Assam

DIPHU (ASSAM): In continuing attacks on Hindi-speaking people in Assam, United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) and Karbi Longri National Liberation Front (KLNLF) militants exterminated two families, comprising 11 persons and killed a child in a grenade attack on a grocery shop in two separate incidents in Karbi Anglong district.

Police said both the incidents took place late Friday night. ULFA and KLNLF extremists jointly raided Dehori village under Howraghat police station at around 9.45 pm, called out the family members, including the heads of the families and gunned them down, police said.

In another incident at Sukanjan under Bokajan, the KLNLF ultras hurled two grenades inside the grocery shop of one Ganesh Prasad, a Hindi-speaking shopkeeper and killed a two-and-half year old girl, Chitra Mech, at 8.30 pm, police said.

The injured have been hospitalised. Police said the situation was tense in the district and army operations were on.

Security forces have been put on maximum alert in the troubled district particularly in view of the Independence Day celebrations for which militants in the North East have called a boycott.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi will visit the district on Saturday particulary Bokolia area where eight Hindi-speaking people were gunned down on August 8.

One person was killed and 19 others injured in militant fire and bomb explosion at Bokajan and Diphu town in the district on Friday.

No takers in Left for PM's challenge

NEW DELHI: The Left parties on Saturday downplayed Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's challenge to withdraw their support on the Indo-US civil nuclear deal, maintaining that "we are going to oppose it" and "everything should not be linked with pulling down the government".

While senior CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury and CPI's D Raja went roundabout reacting to Singh's statement, their junior allies, RSP and Forward Bloc, were forthright saying the Left support cannot be taken for granted.

Asked whether the Left will withdraw support, Yechury, leader of the CPI (M) in Parliament, said "everything should not be linked with pulling down the government. Our concern is with the nuclear deal. Governments will come and go but the agreement will remain."

Yechury, while talking to reporters in Hyderabad, noted that the Prime Minister's statement was "not in consonance with our viewpoint", while Raja said here that the Left was "not in agreement" with it and "that is why we have asked the government not to operationalise the deal."

All the four parties wanted a debate in Parliament but none of them said that they wanted it under a rule which entails voting. Opposition BJP and the UNPA constituents want the debate to be held under such a rule.

The Left leaders were reacting to Singh's statement bluntly telling them that "it is not possible to renegotiate the deal. It is an honourable deal, the Cabinet has approved it, we cannot go back on it. I told them to do whatever they want to do, if they want to withdraw support, so be it...."

Yechury said the Left is going to oppose the nuclear deal "because of the reasons which we have given. Now, the Prime Minister and everybody else may think that those reasons are not valid, that is their opinion."

He said there was "difference of opinion" and "difference of perception" between Left and government on the deal.

There was no immediate comments from CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat, who had warned the government that it will have to pay a "heavy political price" if it went ahead with the nuclear deal.

"We will oppose the deal in Parliament. The UPA is a minority in Parliament. If the government pursues the deal, we will also go to the people and it will have to pay a heavy political price," Karat, who is in Kerala, had said earlier.

Maintaining that the Left has always been "positive and constructive in its criticism" of the government, Raja said they opposed the deal as it was bound to impact the country's foreign, security and economic policies.

"Our views are based on our assessment of the international situation, Indo-US strategic relationship and in particular the nuclear deal. The Left is not in agreement with the government's position," he said, adding "that is why the Left has asked that the government should not operationalise the deal."

Referring to the Prime Minister's statement that the Left should learn to work with the government, RSP leader Abani Roy said "these are just threats" and "that does not mean that we have to surrender everywhere."

Forward Bloc leader G Devarajan said the Left had not promised the government of its support for the entire term of five years and "our support cannot be taken for granted."

"The Prime Minister's comments is unwarranted," he added.

PM dares Left to withdraw support

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has dared the crucial allies Left to withdraw the support to his government on the Indo-US civil nuclear deal.

"I told them (Left parties) that it is not possible to renegotiate the deal. It is an honourable deal, the Cabinet has approved it, we cannot go back on it. I told them to do whatever they want to do, if they want to withdraw support, so be it...," he told a Calcutta based daily in an interview.

The Prime Minister's virtual challenge to the Left parties, whose 64 members in Lok Sabha provide a crucial make or break support to the UPA government, comes in the context of strong statements made by CPI-M leader Prakash Karat and CPI A B Bardhan. The Left leaders had warned that the government may have to pay a "heavy price" if it went ahead with the nuclear deal with the US.

The paper quoted the Prime Minister as saying he was "not angry but anguished" at the harsh tone and tenor Left's reaction and made it clear that the UPA-Left relationship could not be a one-sided affair.

"I don't get angry; I don't want to use harsh words. They are our colleagues and we have to work with them. But they also have to learn to work with us."

Singh, who had spoken to the Left leaders on Tuesday night after their rejection of the nuclear deal, said there was no immediate response by the Left leaders to what he had told them.

"They haven't thought it through." The Prime Minister felt that the Left had a flawed understanding not just of the 123 agreement but also of India's intrinsic strength and its enhanced status in the world.

Singh said the deal was an honourable one which enlarged India's development options particularly in regard to energy security and environmental protection and doesn't in any way affect our ability to pursue our nuclear weapons programme.

अब शिल्पा की बारी

लंदन का नाम सुनते ही आजकल सबसे पहले शिल्पा शेट्टी का चेहरा दिमाग में आ जाता है, क्योंकि कभी यूपी बिहार लूटने वाली शिल्पा अब लंदन गर्ल बन चुकी हैं। शो 'बिग ब्रदर' की मेहरबानी से अब उनकी चर्चा भारत से ज्यादा लंदन में होती है। इस बार भी उनके बारे में एक ऐसी खबर सुनने को मिली है, जिसका संबंध लंदन से ही है। सुनने में यह आया है कि शिल्पा भी अब उस 'तुषाद' संग्रहालय का हिस्सा बन सकती हैं, जिसमें अमिताभ बचचन, शाहरुख खान और ऐश्वर्या राय के मोम के पुतले रखे गए हैं। चर्चा यह भी है कि अब शिल्पा का भी मोम का पुतला वहां लगाया जा सकता है।
चर्चा के अनुसार, लंदन में शिल्पा के दोस्त इस मामले में एक मुहिम छेड़ने वाले हैं, जिसमें उनका पुतला लगाने पर जोर दिया जाएगा। हालांकि यहां शिल्पा के दोस्त यह नहीं मानते कि इस मुहिम को उनका समर्थन है, लेकिन यह भी कहा जाता है कि अगर शिल्पा के पास ऐसा कोई प्रस्ताव आता है, तो वे इस बारे में विचार जरूर करेंगी। अगर यह मुहिम हकीकत में बदलती है, तो शिल्पा इस बात पर गर्व कर सकती हैं कि वे इस संग्रहालय में अमिताभ बच्चन, शाहरुख खान और ऐश्वर्या राय के साथ खड़ी होंगी।

बाढ़ पीड़ितों की मदद करेगा संयुक्त राष्ट्र

संयुक्त राष्ट्र। संयुक्त राष्ट्र दक्षिण एशिया में बाढ़ पीड़ितों की सहायता करेगा। संयुक्त राष्ट्र के विश्व खाद्य कार्यक्रम (डब्ल्यूएफपी) ने कहा है कि दक्षिण एशिया में भीषण बाढ़ के कारण प्रभावित हुए लाखों लोगों के लिए दीर्घकालिक राहत कार्यक्रम चलाने की जरूरत पड़ेगी।
इस वर्ष मानसून में पिछले कुछ हफ्तों में भारी वर्षा के कारण भारत, नेपाल व बांग्लादेश के दो करोड़ से ज्यादा तथा पाकिस्तान में 20 लाख से अधिक लोग प्रभावित हुए हैं।
डब्ल्यूएफपी के कार्यकारी निदेशक जोसेट शीरान ने बृहस्पतिवार को कहा कि इन इलाकों में बाढ़ उतरने के बाद भी लोगों के फसलों, मवेशियों और कहीं-कहीं परिजनों की भी हानि के मद्देनजर लंबे समय तक राहत देने की जरूरत होगी।
उन्होंने कहा कि डब्ल्यूएफपी ने नेपाल, पाकिस्तान और भारत की सरकारों के अनुरोध मिलने पर इन देशों में आपातकालीन खाद्य सहायता उपलब्ध कराने की पूरी तैयारी कर ली है।

गुआंतानामो जेल बंद करना आसान नहीं: बुश

वाशिंगटन। क्यूबा के गुआंतानामो बे में स्थित अमेरिकी हिरासतगाह की विश्वव्यापी आलोचना के बीच अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति जार्ज डब्ल्यू बुश ने कहा है कि उसे बंद करना उतना आसान काम नहीं है जितना लोग समझते हैं।
बुश ने एक संवाददाता सम्मेलन में कहा कि यह इतना आसान विषय नहीं है जितना कुछ लोग समझते हैं। बहरहाल अमेरिकी राष्ट्रपति ने कहा कि मैं भी कहता हूं कि गुआंतानामो बंद करना राष्ट्र का लक्ष्य होना चाहिए। मैंने यह भी साफ कर दिया है कि इस विलंब का एक कारण यह है कि कुछ राष्ट्र वहां के लोगों को वापस लेने में हिचकिचा रहे हैं।

Sanjay Dutt's petition not to get precedence

NEW DELHI: Faced with protests from other Mumbai blasts convicts, Supreme Court on Thursday stressed that jailed actor Sanjay Dutt's plea against the Tada court judgment will not get precedence over similar petitions from others.

The assertion came in the wake of complaints by another blast convict, Aziz Shaikh. Counsel for Shaikh, who got five years' rigorous imprisonment under Tada for possessing a US-made carbine, told a Bench headed by Justice B N Agrawal that though his client was the first to appeal before the apex court, others' petitions got precedence. He made a specific reference to Dutt's petition to buttress the argument, leading Justice Agrawal to assure that there would be no discrimination.

The Bench told Shaikh's counsel Mustaq Ahmed that no one gets priority in the Supreme Court, stressing that everyone has to come through proper channel. The petitioner could not complain about the delay just because someone else's petition had been mentioned for an early hearing, the Bench explained.

"You could also have mentioned your matter for an early hearing," the Bench said while permitting Shaikh's petition to be included in the mentioning list on Friday.

Significantly, the court, which had made a departure from the practice on Wednesday to allow Dutt's counsel to mention his plea for interim bail before a constitution Bench for an early hearing, did not list his petition for a regular hearing on Friday.

This was enough cause for consternation among Dutt's lawyers, leading them to seek and get a clarification from Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan that the petition would indeed be included in Friday's mentioning list. As per the court procedure, the cases of those seeking urgent relief ought to feature at least on the mentioning list in order to be heard by the court.

This means that in Dutt's case, as in the one concerning Zaibunnisa Kazi, the court is most likely to issue notice to the prosecuting agency, CBI, seeking its response to Dutt's interim bail plea. In Kazi's case, the court had given CBI three weeks to file its response. However, the appeal filed by another convict Ibrahim Musa, aka Baba Chauhan, is listed on Friday for regular hearing before a Bench headed by CJI. Chauhan was among the accused who went to the actor's house to deliver the weapons.

He was convicted under Tada and sentenced to 10 years' RI. He too is seeking bail on the twin grounds that his conduct has been good throughout and that the Tada judge had not yet furnished him the reasoned judgment copy in the case.

The case of Shaikh, who protested against discrimination, is somewhat similar to that of Dutt's. He too was found guilty of possessing a single weapon. His weapon was recovered from a graveyard in Mazagon. Shaikh's defence is that the cemetry is a public place and during the riots many people would frequent it.

Sanjay Dutt's petition not to get precedence

NEW DELHI: Faced with protests from other Mumbai blasts convicts, Supreme Court on Thursday stressed that jailed actor Sanjay Dutt's plea against the Tada court judgment will not get precedence over similar petitions from others.

The assertion came in the wake of complaints by another blast convict, Aziz Shaikh. Counsel for Shaikh, who got five years' rigorous imprisonment under Tada for possessing a US-made carbine, told a Bench headed by Justice B N Agrawal that though his client was the first to appeal before the apex court, others' petitions got precedence. He made a specific reference to Dutt's petition to buttress the argument, leading Justice Agrawal to assure that there would be no discrimination.

The Bench told Shaikh's counsel Mustaq Ahmed that no one gets priority in the Supreme Court, stressing that everyone has to come through proper channel. The petitioner could not complain about the delay just because someone else's petition had been mentioned for an early hearing, the Bench explained.

"You could also have mentioned your matter for an early hearing," the Bench said while permitting Shaikh's petition to be included in the mentioning list on Friday.

Significantly, the court, which had made a departure from the practice on Wednesday to allow Dutt's counsel to mention his plea for interim bail before a constitution Bench for an early hearing, did not list his petition for a regular hearing on Friday.

This was enough cause for consternation among Dutt's lawyers, leading them to seek and get a clarification from Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan that the petition would indeed be included in Friday's mentioning list. As per the court procedure, the cases of those seeking urgent relief ought to feature at least on the mentioning list in order to be heard by the court.

This means that in Dutt's case, as in the one concerning Zaibunnisa Kazi, the court is most likely to issue notice to the prosecuting agency, CBI, seeking its response to Dutt's interim bail plea. In Kazi's case, the court had given CBI three weeks to file its response. However, the appeal filed by another convict Ibrahim Musa, aka Baba Chauhan, is listed on Friday for regular hearing before a Bench headed by CJI. Chauhan was among the accused who went to the actor's house to deliver the weapons.

He was convicted under Tada and sentenced to 10 years' RI. He too is seeking bail on the twin grounds that his conduct has been good throughout and that the Tada judge had not yet furnished him the reasoned judgment copy in the case.

The case of Shaikh, who protested against discrimination, is somewhat similar to that of Dutt's. He too was found guilty of possessing a single weapon. His weapon was recovered from a graveyard in Mazagon. Shaikh's defence is that the cemetry is a public place and during the riots many people would frequent it.

Razzano ends Sania's impressive run

LOS ANGELES, August 9: Fourth seed Nadia Petrova of Russia overwhelmed Katarina Srebotnik 6-1, 6-2 and will play France's Virginie Razzano, who ended Sania Mirza's impressive run 6-1, 7-6.

Mirza lost her temper after the chair umpire overruled an apparent winner in the second point of the tiebreaker that she finally lost 7-6.

"I have short temper, but we are all human," said Mirza, who pulled out of next week's tournament in Toronto to rest after playing four weeks in a row.

Maria Sharapova overcame a stern challenge from Michaella Krajicek to reach the Los Angeles Classic quarter-finals with a 7-6, 6-7, 6-4 victory on Thursday.

The top seed needed nearly three hours to see off the 18-year-old Dutchwoman, losing her serve nine times in the match.

Krajicek also had trouble serving into the wind and sun and Sharapova broke her 10 times.

"It felt like a break fest," Sharapova said. "Back and forth. I felt like I was going to the Death Eaters and they were going to eat me up."

Krajicek, who reached the Wimbledon quarter-finals, got up a break at 4-3 in the third set, but was immediately broken back to 4-4.

"I might have missed a few opportunities, but against a player like Maria, it's tough because she gives you just a few," Krajicek said.

Sharapova held off two break points with forehand winners and clinched the match on her third match point with a crosscourt backhand service return winner.

"It's good to be in different situations where you have to pull it out and didn't play your best," said Sharapova, who next faces holder and fellow Russian Elena Dementieva. She advanced when fifth seed Daniela Hantuchova retired with a respiratory infection trailing 6-3, 4-1.

Hantuchova became the third player to be struck by illness at the tournament, second seed Jelena Jankovic and Greece's Eleni Daniilidou suffering similar ailments.

"I didn't think I could play this morning but it's not nice for the fans when the players don't even try," Hantuchova said.

Third seed Ana Ivanovic advanced easily with a 6-2, 6-2 victory over Czech Lucie Safarova and will face Russia's Maria Kirilenko, who crushed Argentina's Gisela Dulko 6-3, 6-4.

UAE to deport top Dawood henchman

MUMBAI: Tahir Merchant alias Tahir Taklya, one of underworld don Dawood Ibrahim's closest associates who is also an accused in the 1993 serial blasts, is likely to be extradited to India from the UAE within two months, a senior police officer said. Six other Dawood men will be sent along with him.

The news comes hot on the heels of the alleged arrest of Dawood henchman Javed Chikna in Pakistan and reports about the don himself being in trouble with the Pakistani authorities.

Tahir's extradition is seen as the result of mounting pressure from the US to hand over Dawood and his associates to India. "Most of Dawood's associates are hiding in the UAE, which doesn't want to be named as a hub for those designated terrorists by the US," the officer said. The UAE has already deported 17 Dawood associates, including his brother Iqbal Kaskar, over the last four years.

Tahir (51) is one of the 29 absconding accused wanted in the 1993 serial bomb blasts against whom Interpol has issued a red corner notice. According to the CBI, he was present at the Dubai meeting where the serial blasts conspiracy was hatched. A resident of Kambekar Street in central Mumbai, Tahir grew up with Dawood and his brothers, and is the don's trusted aide.

Tahir was arrested by the Abu Dhabi police on March 27, 2004, on charges of carrying firearms. The extradition request for him has been pending with the UAE authorities ever since.

Police sources said that it was Tahir who arranged shelter in Dubai and a passage to Islamabad for the 19 blast accused who underwent weapons training in Pakistan prior to the blasts. He is also accused of smuggling weapons and collecting funds. The CBI had issued a red corner notice (A-288/5) for him in 1994. Untraceable for 12 years, the CBI finally got news about him in March 2004. A reward of Rs 5 lakh was announced for information about him. Tahir, the police say, was handling the entire finances of the Dawood gang before the serial blasts. Even before the blasts, he visited Dubai several times and received recruits sent from Mumbai to Dubai for training. After the blasts, he fled to the UAE and started printing and circulation of fake currency in India via Nepal.

Another school student kidnapped in Patna

PATNA: A boy was on Friday kidnapped by unidentified persons travelling in a car in Patna when he was on way to school, police said.

Akash, a seventh standard student was on way to the DAV school at Shastri Nagar from his house at Chanakya Puri in Raja Bazaar locality on his bicycle when three persons in a green car intercepted him, bundled him into the vehicle and sped away, police and eyewitnesses said.

The incident occurred near J D Women's college. According to eyewitness accounts, the green coloured car bore registration number BR 1M 9612.

Police, however, suspect that the number might be fake. Akash is the son of Yogendra Pandey, an employee of the Bihar Public Health Engineering Department.
Raids are being launched to apprehend the kidnappers and recover the boy, sources said, adding ransom might be the reason behind the incident.

Akash's kidnapping came barely five days after the body of Roshan, an eight standard student of Patna Central School, was found in Kankarbagh locality of the state capital on August six, three days after he was allegedly abducted by his friends.

Market depressed; metals, banks, realty take beating

MUMBAI: Indices remained subdued on across the board selling pressure. Metals were the worth hit, followed by banks, realty and oil & gas.

The trouble began Thursday when French bank BNP Paribas froze three asset-backed securities funds saying it was no longer possible to 'fairly' value their holdings.

All European and US indices ended deep in the red, spreading the contagion to Asia and India today.

At 11:45 AM, Bombay Stock Exchange's Sensex was down 440 points or 2.91% at 14,660.06 and National Stock Exchange's Nifty 135 points or 3.07% lower at 4267.85.

Biggest Sensex losers were Reliance Communications (down 3.68%), HDFC (3.65%), Tata Steel (3.63%), Tata Consultancy Services (3.62%) and NTPC (3.57%).

There were no gainers on the 30-share Sensex. Market breadth showed 985 declines and 118 advances on NSE, and 1,756 and 521 respectively on BSE.

Voting begins to elect new Vice-President

NEW DELHI: Voting for the Vice-Presidential poll began at 1000 hours on Friday to elect a successor to Bhairon Singh Shekhawat, who quit the post after losing the race for Raisina Hill last month.

The exercise, in which members of both Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha would exercise their franchise, appeared to be a mere formality with UPA-Left nominee Hamid Ansari far ahead of his two rivals in the numbers game.

While Najma Heptullah of the NDA and Rasheed Masood of the UNPA are in the fray, the number game is heavily loaded in favour of Ansari in the all-Muslim race.

The UPA-Left along with the BSP commands the support of 425 MPs of the total of 788 members in the two Houses. The NDA has the backing of 240 MPs. The Third Front, formally known as the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA), has 81 MPs.

A successful candidate needs to secure 393 votes. The Janata Dal (Secular) will abstain from voting. The party, which maintains equidistance from both Congress and BJP at the national level, has also decided not to support the Third Front candidate.

JD(S), which is sharing power with BJP in Karnataka, has four members in Parliament -- two each in the Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha.

Govt clears two Infosys SEZs

NEW DELHI: The government today gave go ahead to six SEZ proposals, including two proposal from the IT major Infosys to set up special economic zones (SEZs).

Of the six SEZ proposals, four were given in-principle approvals while two received formal clearances.

Infosys has received initial go-ahead for two IT zones to be set up near Hyderabad, while Genpact has received formal approval for an IT SEZ in Jaipur and Enfield Infrastructure was given a green signal for an IT zone at South 24 Parganas in West Bengal.

The government has so far given 364 formal approvals and 180 in-principle nods. These take the total number of clearances to approximately 550.

The proposals were cleared by the Board of Approval, which took up eight cases in its meeting here. It, however, deferred two proposals from Adarsh Prime Projects and Blue Vision Construction.

In a separate development, Commerce Ministry extended the validity of the Reliance Industries' Maha Mumbai SEZ.

"The extension to in-principle clearance to Maha SEZ was done by the ministry itself" without referring it to BoA, Commerce Secretary and BoA Chairman GK Pillai told reporters.

Another nine proposals would be taken up for clearance at the BoA' next meeting on August 30.

US dollar ends sharply dearer against rupee

MUMBAI: The rupee suffered a sharp setback against the US currency on Wednesday and ended at 40.52/53, reacting negatively to restrictions on external commercial borrowings (ECBs) imposed by the government.

In a knee jerk reaction to new ECB norms aimed at curbing excessive foreign capital inflows, the rupee opened sharply lower at 40.75/77 a dollar and touched the 40.84 level in late morning deals.

The local currency later recovered losses in highly volatile trade at the Interbank Foreign Exchange market on dollar sales by exporters and a strong rally in equity markets. The rupee moved in a wide range of 40.46 and 40.84.

The rupee, which hit a nine-year peak of 40.20 in July, suffered a setback due to the government's announcement of fresh restrictions on ECBs.

Dollar selling by exporters and a sharp rally in equity markets helped the rupee to bounce from the day's low, forex dealers said.

As per the changes, a company raising $20 million of External Commercial Borrowings (ECBs) would have to seek prior permission of RBI to remit such funds into India.

Accordingly, companies raising ECBs of more than $20 million would have to park the proceeds overseas for use as foreign currency expenditure. This modification is applicable under both automatic and approval routes.

The BSE benchmark Sensex soared by 375 points. Asian markets also ended up by one to 3.5 per cent today.

Sensex regains 15K as IT back in reckoning

MUMBAI: Renewed buying interest in IT shares, following a fall in rupee with tightening in ECB norms, saw equity indices end sharply higher Wednesday. A surge in index heavyweight Reliance Industries also aided the indices.

Bombay Stock Exchange's Sensex ended 2.51% or 375 points higher at 15,308. National Stock Exchange's Nifty rose 2.43% or 106 points to 4462.10.

Top Sensex gainers comprised Infosys Technologies (up 4.73%), Tata Consultancy Services (4.13%), ACC (3.98%), Reliance Industries (3.87%), HDFC ( 4.72%) and Wipro ( 3.69%).

Cipla (down 0.82%) and Dr Reddy's Laboratories (0.4%) were the only laggards in the index.

Market breadth on BSE showed 1,976 advances as against 696 declines.

Trains on Delhi-Howrah line delayed

KANPUR: Nearly 18 trains especially on the Delhi-Howrah line were delayed as the tracks near Juhi yard, some eight kms from here, have not been cleared after the derailment of Jodhpur-Howrah Express.

The tracks are expected to be cleared by tonight, railway officials said.

The officials said work is on to remove the derailed engines and bogies.

The delayed trains include Purshottam Express, Pushpak Express, Tufan Express, Sangam Express, Barauni Express, Gwalior Express and Shramshakti Express.

on Tuesday, 32 passengers were injured when two engines and four bogies of Express train derailed near Juhi yard.

The injured have been admitted in the Halet, Ursala and Loko railway hospitals, they said adding that while three passengers lost their limbs, the condition of seven injured remains critical.

The district administration has arranged for meals and treatment for all the passengers, they said.

No going back on N-deal, PM tells Left

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has made it clear to Left leaders that the Indo-US civil nuclear deal will not be renegotiated, shortly after the allies rejected the agreement.

Singh, however, conveyed the government's willingness to address the concerns of the Left parties when he spoke to CPI(M) General Secretary Prakash Karat and CPI leaders A B Bardhan and D Raja last night, highly placed sources said here on Wednesday.

The Prime Minister noted that the 123 Agreement, that will operationalise the nuclear deal, has been approved by the Cabinet and that there was no question of renegotiating it, the sources said.

Singh will make a statement on the issue in Parliament on Monday.

The Prime Minister's phone call to Left leaders came hours after the four Left parties rejected the agreement, saying that there were many concerns regarding it in context of the Hyde Act.

The Left parties insisted that the agreement fell short of the assurances given by the Prime Minister to Parliament.

Emergency likely to be declared in Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: All arrangements are being made to impose Emergency in Pakistan, private Geo television channel said.

According to the channel, Musharraf has decided to impose one month's Emergency.

A high level meeting reviewed the political situation, the channel added. The Emergency can be extended to three months according to Geo TV. However, there has been no official confirmation regarding imposition of Emergency.

Bikers try to throw man off flyover

New Delhi: Delhi's roads continue to seethe with rage. In an incident that brought back memories of the killing of a property dealer by motorcycle-borne men at Saket last month, angry bikers attempted to throw a Chandigarh lawyer off the Lodhi Colony flyover on Monday night after his car had hit one of them.

Vivek Bhandari (42) was beaten up by seven-eight bikers and was forced to flee, abandoning his car. The assailants made off with his two mobile phones and car stereo. The senior lawyer had come to Delhi on Friday for work and was staying at his relative's place in Alaknanda, south Delhi.

Apple unveils new iMacs

CUPERTINO: Apple Inc unveiled a line of slimmer desktop computers in a long-expected update of its iMac brand, positioning it for the back-to-school and holiday shopping seasons.

The new iMacs, which will sport thinner aluminum casings, have displays measuring 20 inches and 24 inches and will cost $1,199 to $1,799, depending on their configurations, said Apple Chief Executive Steve Jobs at a media event at Apple's headquarters in Cupertino, California.

The cost of the 24-inch iMac has been dropped by $200, and Apple has eliminated the 17-inch iMac computer, Jobs said.

The last update to the iMac line was in September 2006, when Apple introduced a model with a 24-inch screen -- its largest -- and said the entire model line would be powered by Intel chips instead of ones from International Business Machines Corp.

"Apple has grown two to three times the market for the past several quarters," said analyst Shannon Cross of Cross Research. "This product launch should position them well for the back-to-school and holiday seasons."

Apple recently launched the iPhone mobile device in a bid to build a third major product line alongside its Macintosh computers and iPod media players, but desktop and laptop sales still account for the bulk of its revenue.

In its third quarter, Apple sold 634,000 desktops for revenue of $956 million, accounting for about 18 per cent of total revenue.

"The iMac has been really successful for us and we'd like to make it even better," Jobs said. "We've managed to make it even thinner than before."

Apple laptop sales totaled $1.58 billion in its most recently reported quarter. The MacBook laptop line was not affected by Tuesday's announcement.

Sales of Macintosh computers have grown faster than the overall PC market, but Apple's share of the market by unit sales is estimated to be less than 5 per cent.

Apple has also used the iPod and, now, the iPhone as "halo" products to draw customers into stores and get them interested in its computers.

Jobs also said that the company was adding a software "button" to the iPhone that allows users to upload photos taken with the built-in camera on the iPhone to Apple's .Mac online data and Web-hosting service.

Apple shares rose $1.30 to $136.55 in afternoon trading on Nasdaq. The stock has risen 59 per cent so far this year, largely on anticipation of strong demand for the iPhone and that enthusiasm for the device will translate into stronger sales of other Apple products.

भारत जिसके साथ चाहे रिश्ते रखे: अमेरिका

वाशिंगटन। अमेरिका ने कहा है कि भारत को अन्य देशों की तरह इस बात की पूरी आजादी है कि वह दुनिया के किसी भी देश के साथ जैसे चाहे वैसे रिश्ते रखे।
अमेरिकी विदेश विभाग में उप प्रवक्ता टाम केसी ने मंगलवार को ब्रीफिंग के दौरान भारत के राजदूत रोनिन सेन के उस कथित बयान पर टिप्पणी करते हुए यह स्पष्टीकरण दिया, जिसमें सेन ने कहा था कि भारत-अमेरिका असैन्य परमाणु सहयोग समझौते को ईरान या किसी अन्य मुद्दे के साथ जोड़कर देखने के परिणाम प्रतिक्रियावादी होंगे।
केसी ने कहा कि अमेरिका की स्थिति एकदम साफ है कि हम दूसरों से इस तरह के वादे नहीं करवाने जा रहे हैं। सेन को उद्धृत करते हुए कहा गया था कि भारत जैसे विशाल और जीवंत लोकतंत्र से अपने निर्णय लेने और काम करने की आजादी छोड़ देने की उम्मीद करना एकदम बेमानी है। बहुत जल्द ही इसकी हकीकत का अंदाजा हो जाएगा।
केसी ने कहा कि ईरान के मामले में हमारे कुछ विशेष मुद्दे हैं, लेकिन हम उम्मीद करेंगे कि भारत पूर्व की तरह ही ईरान को परमाणु शस्त्र कार्यक्रम रोकने और क्षेत्र में अस्थिरता फैलाने से रोकने के लिए अंतरराष्ट्रीय प्रयासों में सहयोग देता रहेगा।