Times Chennai E-paper, March 16, 2009

VOL: 2 ISSUE 56

March 16, 2009

Jaya lashes out at MK; Mum on PMK alliance Chennai, Mar 16: The opposition All India Anna Dravida M u n n e t r a Kazhagam(AIADMK) supremo J Jayalalithaa today maintained a stoic silence on the Dr S

Ramadoss led PMK returning to its fold in an alliance for the May 13 Lok Sabha polls in Tamil Nadu. Ms Jayalalithaa who interacted with the media briefly after handing over to International Committee of Red Cross her party's relief fund of Rs 2, 11, 89, 391. 50 for the suffering Lanka Tamils at her Poes Garden residence here, shot back ''you go and ask them(PMK)'', when a newsman asked if there had been any moves on the part of PMK or AIADMK on the alliance. It may be recalled that a section of the media had, a couple of days ago, reported that the PMK had decided to desert the DMK and strike an alliance with AIADMK again and a formal announcement to this effect would be made soon by both parties. Earlier, making a statement on the newly formed Third Front Ms Jayalalithaa, retorting to DMK chief and Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi's description of the Front as ''third eye'', said the Chief Minister must realise that the ''third eye'' associated with Lord Siva (in Hindu mythology), when opened ''reduces

sinners and wrong doers to ashes''. ' ' M r Karunanidhi must realise that wrongdoers like him are safe only as long as the third eye remains shut'', she q u i p p e d , contending that she wanted to say this in reply t o M r Karunanidhi's description of the Third Front. Answering questions on the Prime Ministerial candidate for the Third Front as well as leaders like Sharad Pawar and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and BSP chief Mayawati being projected as prospective Prime Ministers, Ms Jayalalithaa said, ''There is nothing wrong in aspiring to be Prime Minister.'' She said, ''This is a question we have to see after the elections. The Congress did not project Dr Manmohan Singh as Prime Ministerial candidate when the UPA was formed in the last general elections,'' Ms Jayalalithaa pointed out. ''Only when one aspires, he or she can be a leader,'' she said but ruled herself when asked if she was also aspiring to be Prime Minister. ''Thanks for your compliment. I don't have the intention now,'' she added. Asked why the AIADMK, a part of the Third Front, was not projecting any Prime Ministerial candidate, the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister said, ''As far as the AIADMK is concerned, we are now concentrating only on the polls and how the party can win all the 40

seats in Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry.'' Answering a question on her party

representative not attending the dinner hosted for leaders of Third Front constituents

by Ms Mayawati in New Delhi yesterday, Ms Jayalalithaa said, ''Missing the dinner is not

a big issue. There was a communication gap, that's all.''

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Times Chennai E-Paper

TN Gov inaugurates multi-speciality Global Hospitals Chennai, March 16 Yet another super speciality hospital, Global

u r g e M e d i c a l Professionals to keep in view the human element

Hospitals and Health City, formally came into existence with Tamil Nadu Governor Surjit Singh Barnala inaugurating it at an impressive function here last evening. ''The status of our beloved city Chennai as the Medical Capital of India has been further strengthened with the opening of Global Hospital, a multi speciality hospital to cater to the Tertiary Healthcare segment,'' Mr Barnala said after inaugurating it. ''Hospitals are bastions of life and hope. I

in the field of medical treatment,'' he said. Mr Barnala said private healthcare sector should chalk out plans to compete globally and equip themselves, to offer high quality medical facility by forging tie-ups with global insurance and tourism companies for attracting international patients. Quoting a report by the CII and McKinsey and Company, he said the Tertiary Hospitals with a 25 per cent growth rate in revenues from foreign

patients could generate additional earnings of Rs 5,000 crore to Rs 10,000 crore by 2012. Hospital CMD Dr Ravindranath Global said Hospitals and Health City was an integral part of the Global Group and spread over a sprawling 21 acre campus. ''This 325 bed facility is equipped to offer cutting edge tertiary level healthcare services in all medical specialities. We intend to offer free treatment in ten per cent of the beds,'' he added. Once fully operational Global Hospitals and Health City would have more than 1,000 beds offering healthcare services across 25 departments. Union Minister G K Va s a n , S t a t e Ministers M R K Panneerselvam, Parithi Ilamvazhuthi, T M Anbarasan, Health Secretary V K Subburaj participated in the function. -Agencies

Justice Mukhopadhaya discharged from hospital Chennai, Mar 16 Former Acting Chief Justice and senior most Judge of the Madras High Court Mr Justice S J Mukhopadhaya, who underwent a treatment in the Apollo Hospital in the city, was discharged from the hospital yesterday evening. The Judge was admitted to the hospital following the symptoms of high blood pressure and viral fever.

However, the doctors advised him to take rest for another ten days. Meanwhile, Justice Mukhopadhaya celebrated his 59th birth day in the hospital yesterday along with his family members. Some of the officials of the Madras High Court met him in the hospital and greeted. It may be recalled that the Justice Srikrishna Commission,

appointed by the Supreme Court to probe into the police-lawyers clash inside the court campus on February 19, had submitted its report to the apex court. In its report the Commission had made certain remarks about Justice Mukhopadhaya. It was accepted by the apex court on March six. However, the Justice was admitted to the hospital on the same day evening.

Cause list of cases name advocates Chennai, Mar 16: Names of some of the advocates today figured in the cause list of cases at the Madras High Court inspite of their request to the Registrar General not to publish their names as they were to withdraw their ''Vakalats''. The bail petitions filed by lawyers were listed for hearing before the 29th court, in which Mr Justice P R Sivakumar was presiding. The names of advocates R C Paul Kanagaraj, President of Madras High Court Advocates Association, K

Balu, President of PMK Legal Wing, Rajinikanth and Ms Senkodi, are sighted in the FIR filed by the police on February 17 incident for allegedly attacking Janata Party P r e s i d e n t D r Subramanian Swamy inside the court hall before a Division Bench judges, figured in the cause lists. B o t h t h e advocates filed the bail and anticipatory bail petitions for some persons booked by the police in murder, attempt to murder and assault cases.

According to official sources of the High Court registry, these advocates in their request letter did not mention the cases, in particular in which they were appearing and sought to withdraw their names from it. ''Since they gave a common request letter, the registry is unable to delete their names in the cause list,'' sources told UNI. A s t h e s e advocates did not appear for hearing, Mr Justice P R Sivakumar posted the cases to some other day.

March 16, 2009

VCK leader hopeful of PMK coming back to DPA for LS polls Chennai, Mar 16: Viduthalai Chiruthaigal Katchi (VCK) president Thol Thirumavalavan today expressed hope that the Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) would come back to the DMK-led Democratic Progressive Alliance (DPA) for the May 13 Lok Sabha elections. In a brief chat with reporters after calling on Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK president M Karunanidhi at his Gopalapuram

residence here, Mr Thirumavalavan said the PMK leader S Ramadoss had already made it clear that his party would be in the front, where the VCK is. The Dalit leader called on the Chief Minister to thank him after the latter confirmed the continuance of the VCK in the DMK-led alliance and announcing that the DMK and the VCK had a 'natural friendship' beyond electoral alliances. He said the

DMK leader, by asserting that the two parties had no difference of opinion on issues such as socialism, eradication of caste system and the Lankan Tamils issue, has given a political recognition to the VCK. ''I came to thank the Chief Minister for this gesture,'' he said. L o c a l Administration Minister M K Stalin and former Union Minister Dayanidhi Maran were present, when Mr Thirumavalavan met the Chief Minister.

Award for herbal beauty school head Chennai, Mar 16: Ms Latha Pandiarajan, Director Ma Foi Management Consultants Ltd and Ms Mythili, Head of Mythili Herbal Beauty School and Clinic were awarded Ve l a m m a l ' s Wo m e n Business Leader for the year Award, by the Velammal College of Management and Computer Studies (VCMCS). M r M V

Muthuramalingam, Chairman of Velammal E d u c a t i o n a l Tr u s t , presented the award on the occasion of the Post Graduate College Day of the VCMCS and Velammal Engineering College, last evening. I n h i s Presidential address, Mr Muthuramalingam appreciated and acknowledged the achievements of the staff and the students of the

college. M r N Ravichandran, CEO, Lucas TVS, who was the Chief guest of the function gave the students, an insight into the present global scenario. Ms Latha and Ms Mythili in their address, stressed the imortance of entrepreneural skills and advocated the necessity to be an entrepreneur to the student community.

March 16, 2009 Times Chennai E-Paper News You Can Use

State funding of polls still a far cry New Delhi/Kolkata, March 16: The Lok Sabha elections are just a month away, but state funding of polls, regarded by many as the perfect pill to cleanse the country's electoral system of the influence of black money, remains a far cry. As many as six committees had discussed the issue for over 25 years before the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance government introduced the State Funding Of Elections To Lok Sabha And Legislative Assemblies Bill in December 2004. The bill could not be converted into law for want of a consensus among political parties since the funding was meant only for national or state parties recognised by the Election Commission. The idea of such legislation was to gradually shift the entire election expenditure to the state to lessen the burden of burgeoning election expenses on recognised political parties and their candidates and help in curbing the use of black money in elections. "Besides a lack of consensus, the feasibility of state funding would have to be seen in the context of the large number of political parties in the country," Congress spokesperson Manish Tewari said. "If it is restricted only to the national parties, the regional parties would protest. And if all have to funded by the state, what is the limit we fix on the spending?" he wondered. According to him, state financing could work if there was a two-party system. Meanwhile, expenditure on conducting elections and the money spent by political parties and individual leaders on campaigning are increasing. This year, the budgetary allocation for the Election Commission (EC) to conduct polls is Rs.850 crore, while according to estimates of political party managers, who did not wish to be identified, the combined expenditure on the campaign plus the EC expenses works out to at least six to seven times this amount. Under the present laws, for the campaign a candidate can spend Rs.10 lakh to Rs.25 lakh in a parliamentary poll and from Rs.5 lakh to Rs. 10 lakh in an assembly poll and has to submit detailed accounts for this. The amount varies in different states. The rule, however, is observed more in its breach than in practice.

Bharatiya Janata Party vice president Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told IANS: "State funding of elections will prevent black money from entering the system and promote meritorious candidates. Our party is very much for it." He said: "It is not happening because this is a coalition era where there are many r e g i o n a l a n d unregistered parties who cannot be financed. If the government starts funding everyone, it will involve a huge cost." In 1952, when the first Lok Sabha elections were held, the cost to the exchequer to hold the elections came to Rs.10.5 crore. That cost rose enormously in the 1990s - to Rs.359 crore in 1991, Rs.597 crore in 1996, Rs.666 crore in 1998 to Rs.880 crore in 1999. T h e a d m inistrative costs rose to Rs.1,300 crore in the 2004 Lok Sabha elections. While Rs.850 crore has been budgeted this year, official sources say the amount may have to be revised upwards. This does not include the cost incurred by the candidates and the parties in the campaign. Opinion on the issue of state funding of elections continues to be divided. In a nation, where it is an open secret that a significant proportion of money for contesting elections is provided by the business community - be it the local shop or the big corporates - industrialists are reticent about speaking on the subject. "I am not aware of anything like that. But some people (industrial houses) contribute to party funds voluntarily. We are not into any such a c t i v i t y, " H e m a n t Kanoria, chairman and managing director of Srei Infrastructure Finance Limited, told IANS. "As it is, we are into infrastructure building, which helps everybody," Mr. Kanoria added. C.K. Dhanuka, chairman, Federation of Indian Chambers of Commerce and Industry (FICCI) Eastern Region Council, opposed the idea of state funding. "I don't see any merit in this. I think the present system is fine." Political parties are more candid about their preferences. "State funding of elections is not viable in our system. This will lead to increase in corruption," Subrata Mukherjee, working

president of the West Bengal Congress, told IANS. "If this system comes into being, both the old one (funding by corporate houses) and parallel state funding will continue," he said. But West Bengal's principal opposition Trinamool Congress nurtures a very different view. "We are always in support of state funding of elections. The present system is too costly," Trinamool leader Saugata Roy told IANS. "State funding will reduce costs for us. For parties like ours, which are confined to specific regions, it becomes difficult to raise funds," he maintained. The Communist Party of India Marxist (CPI(M)) that leads the Left Front government in the state shares the Trinamool's views. "We have always favoured state funding of elections. This will cut down on contesting elections on black money," CPI(M) Lok Sabha MP Samik Lahiri told IANS. "Those who contest the elections are backed by money power. Have you ever seen any poor people contesting elections?" Mr. Lahiri said. -Agencies

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IAF personnel to be on first manned space mission New Delhi, March 16 When India's first manned space mission takes off, likely in 2017, it will have Indian Air Force (IAF) personnel on board. The IAF is to train two of its personnel for the mission, in collaboration with the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), said a senior IAF official. The proposed manned space mission follows India's successful lunar probe launch last year. The manned space mission will carry a two-member IAF crew - becoming the second Indians to go into space after Squadron Leader Rakesh Sharma, who was part of the joint space programme between India and Russia in 1984. Though the ISRO wanted one of its scientists on the mission along with an IAF pilot, the air force proposed that both should be IAF personnel. "The crew will consist of two members. We had a meeting with the ISRO scientists and they insisted on sending one scientist and one air force pilot, but we have proposed to depute one of our engineers also with them for training till the mission happens," a senior IAF official told IANS. Under the

ambitious $2.5 billion plan, India's space agency has proposed to put two people into space orbit at 274 km above the earth for seven days. For the Human Space Flight project, the IAF is also gearing up its infrastructure for training the astronauts. "We may have an IL-76 (Russian-built Illyushin-76 transport aircraft) modified to familiarise our crew with zero gravity situation. The mission will be unique as the spacecraft will also have an ejection capsule which would help the crew eject safely in time of emergency," the official added. If the mission takes off, India will be the fourth country - after the US, Russia and China - to send a manned space mission. India is not the only Asian country in the new space race - Iran recently announced that it will attempt a manned space flight by 2021. Dismissing the criticism of the huge costs involved in India's proposed manned mission, another senior IAF official listed its military advantages. He said the space mission will help India acquire ICBM (Inter-Continental Ballistic Missile) capability. " To p l a c e a spacecraft in orbit we will require a bigger rocket

booster. This large rocket booster will help India acquire the ICBM (InterContinental Ballistic Missile) capability," the senior official said requesting anonymity. He also said it would boost the country's reconnaisance capability. "To be in constant touch with the astronauts as they revolve around the earth, we will need to interlink our satellites, which in turn will boost our reconnaissance capability. Presently we are able to get 15 minutes' feed daily from our satellites. The space mission will give us 90 minutes' feed," the official added. The decision to send astronauts into space follows the launch last October of India's first unmanned lunar mission, Chandrayaan-1, which signalled the country's entry into an elite club of nations that have reached the moon. Chandrayaan-1 is now orbiting the moon to compile a 3-D map of its s u r fa c e a m o n g o th e r things. India is planning to launch its second unmanned lunar mission Chandrayaan-2 - in 2011. India's decision to go for a manned mission into space comes in the wake of China making great strides in its space pursuits. China completed its first space walk last year, and also shot down one of its own satellites in 2007. -Agencies

Kungfu shrine plans tourism scheme Beijing, March 16: China's Shaolin Temple, the legendary kungfu shrine, is planning a tourism project. The project is aimed to inspire confidence in people struggling in the prevailing financial crisis, through "perception of Zen's wisdom and power", said Shi Yongxin, the abbot. "The plan is to let tourists have a taste of living as followers of Zen Buddhism," said Shi, "and people can come to meditate sitting crosslegged and eat vegetables only like other monks." The financial crisis has not impacted people's spending on culture and tourism, he told a Xinhua on the sidelines of the annual session of the National People's Congress (NPC), the country's top legislative body. The number of visitors was unaffected and even increased by about 10 percent since the unfolding of the crisis, according to Shi, also an NPC deputy. The 1,500-yearold Shaolin Temple in China's central province

of Henan on average receives over two million tourists every year. "Shaolin Kong Fu can make people physically stronger, and living the life of Zen followers can lead them to the perception of Zen's wisdom," he said; "such practices are both very popular among tourists." The famed Shaolin temple has been frequently in the media spotlight, as the temple developed business ventures include kungfu shows, film production

and online selling. The latest commercial move of Shi is to open franchised "offshoot" outside Henan province, such as in southwest China's Yunnan province. Shi said the temple is also planning to open a branch in Hong Kong, in a move to promote the Shaolin Kungfu and Chinese culture globally. H i s undertakings aroused controversy among the Chinese public. Some

accused him of running Shaolin like a business, giving him the nickname of the "CEO monk". Others said it is a good way to develop Shaolin in such a brandoriented society as commercialised operation helps protect and further spread Chinese kungfu. The Shaolin temple has so far set up 28 overseas centres in Britain, France, Germany, Australia and other countries to promote Shaolin kungfu and Chinese culture.

Demand for bullet-proof vehicles soars Jalandhar. March 16: As industrialists in the country reel under the global economic downturn, at least one sector - the armouring firms - is witnessing a boom with the demand for making vehicles bullet-proof rising. The sector has registered a growth of 40 per cent in recent months, thanks to fear of terror attacks in the wake of 26/11 strikes and elections 2009. "Especially after the Mumbai attacks last

year, politicians, film stars and other celebrities are making a beeline to turn their vehicles into bulletproof ones. our business saw a substantial growth in these period," Sanchit Sobti, Director of armouring firm Sobti Group, said. W i t h o u t disclosing names of politicians, Mr.Sobti said that several prominent leaders of different political outfits from across the country have placed orders for

armouring their vehicles. "Earlier the vehicles were mainly Ambassador cars but gradually they have given way to more expensive models like Mitsubishi Pajeros, Scorpios, Monteros and Land Cruisers," Mr.Sobti said. "The demands are mostly from politicians hailing from Uttar Pradesh, B i h a r, J a m m u a n d Kashmir, Andhra Pradesh, Punjab and Chattisgarh," he said, adding the whole process is costly. -Agencies

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National

Times Chennai E-Paper

Narendra Modi is frontline leader of communal forces: Sharad Pawar Pune, March 16: On a campaign trail in western Maharashtra, NCP supremo Sharad Pawar and BJP leader Narendra

Modi derided each other, with the Maharashtra strongman describing the saffron campaigner as the "frontline leader" of communal forces in the country. Modi hit back, saying Pawar has been

hoodwinked by Congress on the issue of prime ministership. The Gujarat Chief Minister, who launched the BJP-Shiv Sena's poll drive here Sunday night, said Pawar who has spent many years in Congress failed to understand the stratagem of that party to keep him out of the race for the top post. Referring to recent statement by P a w a r t h a t a Maharashtrian should get an opportunity to become PM, Modi said by making Pratibha Patil the President, Congress employed a "shrewd ploy" to sideline the NCP president shutting doors on his prime ministerial ambitions.

The seasoned politician in Pawar, however, failed to gauge the Congress game, Modi added. In a sarcastic vein, he said, "If Pawar had any substance, he should at least see to it that a Maharashtrian becomes captain of the Indian cricket team." Continuing his marathon election meetings in neighbouring Ahmednagar district, Pawar branded Modi as a "frontline leader" of communal forces in the c o u n t r y, w h o w a s responsible for destroying lives of hundreds of people in Gujarat, maligning the image of that state. -Agencies

Karat lashes out at UPA for 'nakedly pro-rich' policies New Delhi, March 16: The United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had adopted policies that were "nakedly pro-rich", Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI(M)) general secretary Prakash Karat said here on Monday. "We want an alternative secular government in the country," Karat said while releasing his party's manifesto for the elections. " W e p l a c e t h e U PA squarely responsible for this unacceptable growing

divide between a handful of rich people and vast masses of our people," he told reporters. Referring to the public distribution system (PDS), he said the Manmohan Singh-led government had weakened it instead of strengthening it. He said the government had adopted an "attitude of hesitation and compromise" on communal issues and referred to attacks on

minorities in Kandhamal in Orissa and in Karnataka. Promising an independent foreign policy, Karat said: "The biggest betrayal has been on the foreign policy. " T h e Manmohan Singh government has turned its back on non-aligned foreign policy." -Agencies

SC seeks response from colleges on ragging incidents New Delhi, March 16: The Supreme Court on Monday sought a response from the Principal and Registrar of a Himachal Pradesh medical college as to why contempt proceedings should not be initiated against them for the death of student Aman Kachroo allegedly due to ragging. A bench of justices Arijit Pasayat and Asok Kumar Ganguly also sought a detailed report from the Andhra Pradesh government on the incident in which a girl student of Bapatla Agricultural and Engineering College had attempted suicide after she was allegedly forced to dance nude by seniors. 19-year-old Kachroo died on March 8 after he was allegedly beaten up by four of his seniors at the Rajendra Prasad Medical College in Kangra. The accused have been arrested. The Supreme

Court asked the two State governments to file their response within two weeks and posted the matter to March 30. The Court passed the directions after Additional Solicitor General Gopal Subramaniam mentioned the two incidents of

ragging before the bench. He submitted that two incidents indicated that the authorities failed to implement the earlier directions of the Supreme Court to put down ragging incidents with an iron hand. -Agencies

Marandi extends support to Third Front New Delhi, March 16: F o r m e r Jharkhand Chief Minister and MP Babulal Marandi has extended support to the Third Front. In a letter to TDP Chief Chandrababu Naidu, the prominent Jharkhand leader said he supported the Front, which was a non-UPA and non-NDA option. He said that he could not attend the Front's meeting here due

to prior poll-related commitments. "I assure you that after the Lok Sabha elections, my party's support will be with you," Jharkhand Vikas Manch chief said in a letter to Naidu on Sunday. M a r a n d i represents Koderma constituency in Jharkhand. -Agencies

March 16, 2009

Samajwadi Party workers booked for violating poll code Lucknow, March 16: T The secretary of the Samajwadi Party's Uttar Pradesh unit and about 60 of his supporters have been booked for taking out a procession in violation of the model code of conduct for the Lok Sabha polls, police said on Monday. The case against Amzad Saleem

and his supporters was filed on Sunday when they took out a procession in Bareilly district without the permission of the jurisdictional police inspector, said Deputy Superintendent of Police A.K. Singh. Saleem and his supporters even manhandled the police when it tried to stop their

procession, Singh told IANS over the phone. "We are sending a detailed report of violation of the model code of conduct to the State Election Commission," said police inspector C.P. Singh, who registered the case against Saleem and his supporters on Sunday night. -Agencies

CPI-M releases manifesto for General Elections New Delhi, March 16: The Communist Party on India (Marxist) released its manifesto for the forthcoming Lok Sabha elections on Monday. The party has called for government control in the financial sector and proposed a

complete halt on the privatisation of profitable state firms. The CPI (M) also asked for a ban on foreign investment in the retail sector and guidelines to prevent the entry of foreign firms into Indian domestic market. "The country

requires alternative policies. Pro-people economic policies, provision of social equity, consistent secularism, genuine federalism and an independent foreign p o l i c y, " t h e e l e c t i o n manifesto said. -Agencies

March 16, 2009 Times Chennai E-Paper

World

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Pakistan to restore Iftikhar Chaudhry, U.S. will stay in insecure areas: Iraq PM Baghdad March 16: likelihood of a He spoke on Nawaz Sharif calls off protest U.S. troops will resumption of attacks, condition of anonymity Islamabad, March 16: Former Pakistani Prime Minister and opposition party chief Nawaz Sharif on Monday called off the " long march"

the retirement of the incumbent Chief Justice Abdul Hameed Dogar, Mr Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry will assume the office of

demonstration after the government announced the restoration of deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry. Pakistani Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani announced restoration of deposed Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry earlier Monday in a televised address to the nation. "My countrymen, in accordance with my commitment and the commitment made by the President of Pakistan, I declare reinstatement of Mr Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry and all other deposed judges on their positions," the prime minister said. "On March 21, on

the Chief Justice," he said. Gilani said that a notification is being issued shortly. The decision came after a high-level meeting in the President House Sunday night and early Monday. A large number of political activists and lawyers rushed to the residence of the former chief justice to celebrate his restoration. T h e government's decision came the same day when Sharif is due to lead the "long march" procession towards Islamabad to press for the government to restore the deposed chief justice. Sharif, chief of

Pakistan Muslim LeagueNawaz (PML-N), spearheaded the procession from eastern city of Lahore to Islamabad after defying a detention order by t h e l o c a l administration. The lawyers and political activists kicked off their "long march" on March 12. T h e government has i m p o s e d restrictions over t h e demonstrations, arresting many lawyers and activists to stop t h e m f r o m e n t e r i n g Islamabad. Gilani has demanded in his speech the immediate release of all political activists and lawyers who have been arrested over the past few days. He also announced end to a ban on political activities. S o m e 6 0 Supreme Court and High Courts judges were sacked in November 2007 when thenPresident Pervez Musharraf declared a state of emergency. Some of them took fresh oath of office while others including sacked Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry are yet to be restored. -Agencies

DPRK reopens border for South Korean workers Seoul, March 16: South Korean officials said on Monday that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has reopened border crossing for South Korean workers. T h e D P R K agreed earlier to resume the overland trips across the inter-Korean border and would allow South

Koreans to make crossborder visits to the InterKorean Industrial Complex in DPRK's border city of Kaesong, the Unification Ministry spokesman Kim Honyoun said. The DPRK has announced to cut off all military communication channels with South Korea in protest of

ongoing joint military exercises between South Korea and the United States. Local media said scores of South Koreans were not able to return home from the industrial complex in Kaesong. The South Korean government said that there were over 600 South Koreans in DPRK. -Agencies

Chavez welcomes Russian jets, but no base Caracas, March 16: President Hugo Chavez says Russian bombers would be welcome in Venezuela, but the socialist leader denies that his country has offered Moscow its territory for a military base. Chavez was responding to a report by Interfax news agency on

Saturday quoting the chief of staff of Russia's long-range aviation as saying that some strategic bombers could be based in Venezuela. A Kremlin official said Maj Gen Anatoly Zhikharev had been speaking hypothetically. Chavez said yesterday that Venezuela

could temporarily host Russian bombers just as it did in September when Russian Tu-160 bombers visited for training flights. But Chavez said there are no plans to establish a Russian military base in Venezuelan territory. -Agencies

not be removed from areas of Iraq that are not completely secure or where there is a high probability that attacks could resume after the Americans leave, Iraq's Prime Minister said on Sunday. Nouri al-Maliki said in an interview with The Associated Press that he had told President Barack Obama and other top U.S. officials that any withdrawals "must be done with our approval" and in coordination with the Iraqi government. "I do not want any withdrawals except in areas considered 100 percent secure and under control," Mr. alMaliki said during his flight from Australia to Baghdad at the end of a five-day visit. "Any area where there is a

withdrawals from there will be postponed," he said. The U.S.-Iraq security pact that went into effect on January 1 calls for U.S. combat forces to leave the cities by the end of June in the first step of a plan to remove all American troops from Iraq by the end of 2011. M r. O b a m a wants to withdraw all combat troops by September 2010, leaving behind a residual force of up to 50,000 soldiers to train Iraqi forces and go after al-Qaeda. In Washington, a senior administration official said Mr. Obama "has talked with and consulted with the Iraqis" and has said that "obviously we want to sustain the security gains of the last year."

because he was referring to private conversations. Mr. al-Maliki did not specify areas where the removal of U.S. troops might be delayed. But those areas would likely include Mosul, the country's third largest city, and Diyala province northeast of Baghdad. The al-Qaeda and other Sunni extremist groups operate in both areas, despite repeated offensives by U.S. and Iraqi forces. An Iraqi soldier was killed on Sunday in a bombing in Mosul and a police lieutenant colonel was shot dead in another part of the city, police said. An Iraqi woman was killed on Sunday when she was caught in the crossfire during a U.S.-Iraqi raid west of Mosul, U.S. and Iraqi officials said. -Agencies

China sends large patrol boat to South China Sea Beijing, March 16: China has deployed a large fisheries patrol boat to a group of disputed islands in the South China Sea, a state newspaper said today, a week after a US Navy vessel and Chinese ships had a confrontation in those waters. The Beijing News said the vessel, China Yuzheng 311, would reach the Paracel Islands today to patrol China's exclusive economic zone and strengthen fishery

administration in the South China Sea. The ship, a converted Chinese naval rescue vessel, was deployed on Tuesday from Guangzhou in southern China, it said. Calls to China's Fisheries Administration rang unanswered on Sunday. US defense officials have accused Chinese vessels of harassing an unarmed US Navy subhunting ship last Sunday. China said the ship was operating illegally in its exclusive economic

zone. Beijing views almost the entire South China Sea as its territory. The largely uninhabited Spratly and Paracel islands and surrounding waters are believed to have large oil and natural gas reserves. They straddle busy sea lanes and are rich fishing grounds. On Wednesday, China protested a new Philippine law affirming sovereignty over parts of the Spratly islands and Scarborough Shoal. -Agencies

Last hospital in northern Sri Lanka out of supplies Colombo, March 16: The last major hospital in the LTTE-held area in Wanni region in northern Sri Lanka has alomst stopped functioning due to lack of medicines and basic supplies. S e n i o r government health official in the area Dr. Thurairaja Varatharaja said lives of thousands of injured and sick people would be in danger if the hospital is closed. "There is a severe shortage of essential medicine, which is forcing the hospital to shut down most of its operations,"

he was quoted as saying by BBC. His warning comes amid increasing concern over the fate of innocent Tamil civilians caught in the war between the Sri Lankan Army and the LTTE. The Sri Lankan Army says it is on the verge of defeating the Tamil Tigers as its forces are making rapid advances into the LTTEheld territory. The Sri Lankan government says there are around 70,000 civilians trapped in the 'war zone' in Wanni, but

aid agencies contradict the figure and say the number would be more than 200,000. Dr. Varatharaja said the situation in the hospital is so bad that bed sheets are being used as bandages. However, a senior Sri Lankan government official said some of the medicine requested by the hospital had already been sent to the nearest major town and would be delivered once the defence ministry authorised the move. -Agencies

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CPI(M) urges TN CM to resolve lawyers' strike Chennai, Mar 16: The Tamil Nadu unit of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) today urged Chief Minister M Karunanidhi to resolve the lawyers' strike by holding talks with Chief Justice of Madras High C o u r t a n d Representatives of various Advocates Associations. In a statement here, CPI(M) state secretary N Varadarajan said the Chief Minister's remarks that the lawyers' agitation has become an issue between the court and the lawyers, amounted to shirking the responsibility of the state government in resolving the issue. He said the lawyers had been agitating and boycotting the courts, demanding action against the police

officials, responsible for the lathicharge against them in the February 19 clash between them and police in the High Court complex. When the High court had said that cases would be decided on merits in the absence of lawyers, the lawyers had taken steps to file petitions and withdraw their vakalats. I n t h i s backdrop, the Chief Minister's remarks that ''it is an issue between courts and the lawyers'' could not be accepted, he said and suggested that the Chief Minister hold talks to break the impasse and ensure normalcy in High Court and other courts in the state.

March 16, 2009

Corporation bank celebrated Founder's Day

Jeevan Mukthi book released

-Agencies

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