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Enhancement of India, Russia trade ties

September 3, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Moscow, Sep 3 (ANI): President Pratibha Devisingh Patil has expressed a desire to enhance bilateral trade ties with Russia.

While addressing a gathering of expatriate Indians and some prominent Russians during the course of her five-day visit, Patil said, the only area where India-Russia relationship is lagging is in the field of bilateral economic cooperation.

“When I look at our relationship, if there is anywhere I feel we are lagging behind, it is in the field of bilateral economic cooperation. For two economies with GDP’s of this size, economic structures that only point to our strong complementarities, close political ties, at all levels of government and strong desire of political leadership of both the sides to foster closer ties, India-Russia bilateral trade and investment ties remain much too modest,” Patil added.

Acknowledging the work done by the expatriate Indian community towards enhancing ties between both the countries, Patil said, “All of you have been working in some capacity or the other with India-Russia collaborators projects. It is your work that has provided the building blocks to the India-Russia strategic partnership.”

Reportedly, Russia is keen to double the trade with India to 10 billion dollars by 2010 and cement Indo-Russian relations despite trade with India lagging far behind Moscow’s economic ties with the European Union and China.

Russia sees India, a staunch ally of the erstwhile Soviet Union during the Cold War era, as an important partner to expand Russian influence in Asia, though Moscow and New Delhi have bickered over delays in the delivery of Russian military hardware.

Russia is aiding in the setting up of two 1,000-megawatt nuclear reactors at Kudankulam as part of a deal signed in 1988. Russia agreed in 2008 to build four more reactors at the site. By Pankaj Choudhary (ANI)

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Major part of remittances into Pak illegal, admits financial Advisor

May 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Islamabad, May 20 (ANI): The Financial Advisor to Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani, Shaukat Tarin, has admitted that illegal channels majorly contribute to the inflow of remittances into the country.

Talking to media persons at the launch of the World Bank’s (WB) report on ‘Bringing finance to Pakistan’s poor’, Tarin said that a large part of the transfer of funds which takes place in the country is illegal.

Acknowledging the WB report, Tarin said the informal supply occurs through the organized hawala sector and through committees, shopkeepers, moneylenders and transfers through friends and family.

According to the WB report, unofficial estimates of remittances to Pakistan are around 16 billion dollars.

Tarin also informed that the federal budget for the 2009-10 would be tabled in the first half of June. (ANI)

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US incapable of protecting Australia anymore, says Rudd

May 3, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Sydney, May 2 (ANI): Acknowledging that the supremacy of the United States has begun to fade, Australia’s new defense plan prepares the country’s forces to be less reliant on America.

In a fundamental shift in defense plans, the Kevin Rudd Government has clearly stated that US primacy in the Asia-Pacific – the bedrock of the nation’s security since World War II – may be ending.

A 20-year defense blueprint predicts that the rise of new great powers such as China, is set to produce growing regional tensions and a “sudden deterioration” in Australia’s security.

The plan prepares for a multibillion-dollar build-up of naval and air forces to ensure that Australia can defend its northern and sea approaches.

The blueprint further says that a regional shake-up is under way, but US supremacy will not be blunted before 2030, and assesses the chances of an attack on Australia in the short term as “very remote”.

The white paper called, ‘Defending Australia In The Asia Pacific Century: Force 2030′, is the first since 2000 and outlines a range of security threats, including instability caused by the financial crisis, cyber warfare, failed states in the Pacific, Islamist terrorism, weapons of mass destruction, and climate change.

“Australia must ensure it can protect itself amid an emerging range of great powers in the region – particularly China, India and Russia – which could lead to a “miscalculation” with disturbing consequences for Australia,” the Sydney Morning Herald quoted the defense plan, as saying.

“That order is being transformed as economic changes start to bring about changes in the distribution of strategic power. Risks resulting from escalating strategic competition could emerge quite unpredictably,” it added

The Minister for Defence, Joel Fitzgibbon, said the world faced “the beginning of the end” of the unquestioned dominance of Australia’s principal ally since the Cold War. (ANI)

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Bajnai presents Hungary’s new government programme

April 21, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Budapest – Prime Minister Gordon Bajnai Sunday presented his new government’s programme of crisis measures and public spending cuts to steer Hungary out of its economic woes.

Pensions, public sector pay and welfare payments were all cut while value-added tax was increased in an effort to relieve the national budget by the equivalent of 4.4 billion euros.

Bajnai also announced tax relief for lower-income workers in an effort to counter unemployment. “This is a crisis management programme that demands sacrifice by all Hungarians,” he warned.

“The aim is to protect jobs, families and small businesses,” he said. While “painful”, the measures had no alternative. They were approved by the new parliament at what was its second session.

Bajnai was elected to his post by parliament last week in a vote which at the same time expressed no confidence in Ferenc Gyurcsany, voting the socialist premier out of office.

Bajnai, who has no party affiliation, went on to reshuffle the cabinet and bring in experts free of party affiliations to take over the key finance, economy, social welfare and energy ministries.

Acknowledging that his unpopularity had made him an obstacle to reform, Gyurcsany had said he would step aside to make way for an interim government to tackle Hungary’s deepening financial crisis.

Bajnai, a wealthy businessman, was nominated following negotiations between the Socialists and the small liberal opposition Free Democrats party.(dpa)

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China has long way to go on health reforms

April 12, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Beijing – Chinese authorities released a long-awaited health reform action plan last week, but it is only the first step in a long march towards curing endemic problems marring the country’s medical system, analysts say. Over the next three years, 850 billion yuan (124 billion dollars) will be spent on lowering the costs of medicines, building and renovating hospitals and clinics, training medical staff, and improving and expanding the current medical insurance scheme.

Acknowledging the size of the task ahead, the government has appointed vice-premier Li Keqiang to head a taskforce comprising 16 government departments to coordinate the implementation of the proposed reforms.

This shows not only the government’s commitment, but also an understanding that only a top leader can motivate and unite all departments.

Health care topped the list of Chinese citizens’ concerns in a recent survey by the National Bureau of Statistics.

Until the 1980′s, health care costs in China were largely covered by the state. When this system was dismantled, medical fees sky-rocketed as under-funded hospitals struggled to keep up with demand.

Between 1985 and 2005, the annual disposable income of Chinese residents increased 20 times, but the amount they spent on health care increased by 133 times, according to Ministry of Health figures.

But reactions to the government’s new action plan have seen hope mixed with concern, as analysts question just how certain goals will be met.

“The release of the policy is only the first step in the march towards reform,” Peking University economics professor Liu Guo’an told the German Press Agency (dpa)

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Hungarian parliament initiates vote of no confidence in PM

April 7, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Budapest – Hungary’s parliament on Tuesday initiated a constructive vote of no confidence against Socialist Prime Minister Ferenc Gyurcsany.

The motion, signed by 92 members of parliament, calls for the replacement of Gyurcsany with current Economy Minister Gordon Bajnai.

Subject to approval by a parliamentary committee, the vote should be held on April 14.

The move is in line with a plan announced by Gyurcsany himself at a party conference on March 21.

Acknowledging that his unpopularity had made him an obstacle to reform, Gyurcsany said he would step aside to make way for an interim government to tackle Hungary’s deepening financial crisis.

Bajnai, a wealthy businessman, was nominated following nine days of negotiations between the Socialists and the small liberal opposition Free Democrats party.

The Socialists, currently a few seats short of a majority, will need the support of their former coalition partner to vote in a replacement prime minister and avoid early general elections.

Bajnai has already revealed that he intends to place non-party experts in key cabinet positions if and when he is installed as prime minister on April 14.

His package of proposed crisis measures includes drastic cuts to public spending in sensitive areas such as pensions and public sector pay.

Hungary’s largest opposition group, the centre-right Fidesz party, has already labelled the proposed interim government as “illegitimate” and is calling for elections to be brought forward from spring 2010.(dpa)

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Obama, Manmohan Singh pitch for enhanced Indo-U.S ties

April 3, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

London, April 2 (ANI): The much-awaited meeting between U.S President Barack Obama and Indian Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh took place here on Thursday on the sidelines of the second Group of 20 (G-20) leaders summit, and at the end of it, both leaders pitched for improved and enhanced bilateral ties.

Both leaders met for about 45-minutes with key aides and used the occasion to highlight each other’s leadership skills and contribution to national and international developments.

President Obama told Prime Minister Singh that the United States sees India: “U.S sees India as a global power and a critical partner in helping to deal with the challenges of 21st century such as in climate change, trade, science and innovation.”

Obama further said : “Much of the growth and rise of India can be attributed to the wisdom of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.”

Acknowledging Dr. Singh’s leadership in unleashing India’s economic prowess, President Obama said: ” I express my admiration for Prime Minister Singh. I am grateful for the opportunity I had at the summit to have met the Prime Minister Singh. I hope by the time the summit is over I can call him my friend. I hope to visit India in near future”

In his response, Dr. Singh said: “Mr. Obama there is enormous admiration and respect for what you stand for. You are a ray of hope in countries such as ours and indeed the world. Under your distinguished leadership in India-U.S relationship will grow further.”

He further described the United States and India as: “We are two democracies which believe in the rule of law. We are two civil societies. There is hardly any middle class family in India that doesn’t have a son or a daughter, brother or a sister studying in the U.S. This itself is a very important link. We want to further strengthen the India-U.S relations.”

“Under your leadership, we will chart out a new path in dealing with economic issues, climate change, challenges from terror, and how to make the world safe of terror. We will work together in bi-lateral and multi-lateral fora,” Dr.Singh added.

At a personal level, Dr. Singh informed President Obama about a conversation that he had had with his daughter.

When he told his daughter that he would be meeting with Obama, his (Dr.Singh’s) daughter said: “I would cherish if you could get Mr.Obama to autograph the book.”

Dr.Singh told President Obama: “The people of India look forward to your visit to our country and a very warm welcome awaits you, yours wife and daughters.”

Among those who attended Thursday’s bilateral interaction were U.S Secretary of State Hilary Clinton, U.S National Security Advisor James Jones, U.S. Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner and from the Indian side Deputy Planning Commission Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, National Security Adviser M.K.Naryanan, Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon and others. By Smita Prakash (ANI)

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Mumbai’s Bandra Worli sea link wins IIBE National Award

March 16, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Mumbai, Mar 15 (ANI/Business Wire India): Mumbai’s new icon, the Bandra Worli sea link built by the Hindustan Construction Company, has been selected by an independent jury of bridge engineering experts from the Indian Institution of Bridge Engineers (IIBE) to win the coveted “Most Outstanding Bridge – National Award”.

Acknowledging the distinction, Vinayak Deshpande, President and COO – HCC (EPC and Construction) said, “We are privileged to receive this honor for the very first cable-stayed bridge built in open sea in India. HCC has a long experience in infrastructure development, yet building this sea link offered complex engineering and environmental challenges that motivated us to be innovative and do our best.”

Established in 1989, IIBE is the only professional institution totally dedicated to the art and science of bridge engineering, with 161 institutional and 5000 individual members spread across the country. This will be the 10th award ceremony organized by the IIBE. The award will be collected by officials of MSRDC and HCC.

Often referred to as an ‘engineering marvel’, the 8-lane, 4.7 km long Bandra Worli Sea Link that connects the island city of Mumbai with its western suburbs is expected to be completed in the month of May this year. This is the first cable-stayed bridge built on the open sea in India and this project will be of immense value and utility to Mumbai.

HCC remains at the forefront of India’s engineering construction industry with global management practices which include acquiring international ISO certifications for management systems in Quality, Occupational Health and Safety and Environment.

In all, HCC has built 321 Bridges, 43 Dams and Barrages, 15 Hydel Power Plants and 11 Nuclear Reactors, 60 km of Tunneling and 2,227 km of Roads and Expressways. HCC’s overseas performance in the construction of bridges has also been impressive, with over 34 bridges built in Iraq alone. (ANI)

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Anna Hutchison would bare it all again after controversial ‘Underbelly’ scene

March 2, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Melbourne, Feb 28 (ANI): Actress Anna Hutchison has revealed that she would dare to bare it all again, despite her role in the Underbelly prequel leading to a controversy.

Hutchison, 23, stripped naked for more than 2.5 million people in her raunchy role, and some viewers and family groups have condemned her steamy sex scenes with Matthew Newton and frequent breast exposure as soft porn.

Acknowledging the attention and backlash as “controversy the producers will be loving”, the New Zealand actress said that she dared to bare and would do it again.

“A lot of women’s roles you are up for call for nudity and it is just up to . . . whether you think the role needs it, and this one did,” the Daily Telegraph quoted her as saying.

“Sometimes in maybe a comedy or something like that you might think, ‘Yes, I’ve got funny-looking boobs so that would work’. It didn’t worry me, but it’s not the only thing I am capable of.

“I knew at the beginning there was nudity involved. I liked the real passion (Allison Dine) had.

“You want something that will challenge you and this has. I’m lucky the roles I’ve had since I was 16 have been totally different to how I am,” she added. (ANI)

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Anna Hutchison would bare it all again after controversial ‘Underbelly’ scene

March 2, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Melbourne, Feb 28 (ANI): Actress Anna Hutchison has revealed that she would dare to bare it all again, despite her role in the Underbelly prequel leading to a controversy.

Acknowledging the attention and backlash as “controversy the producers will be loving”, the New Zealand actress said that she dared to bare and would do it again.

“A lot of women’s roles you are up for call for nudity and it is just up to . . . whether you think the role needs it, and this one did,” the Daily Telegraph quoted her as saying.

“I knew at the beginning there was nudity involved. I liked the real passion (Allison Dine) had.

“You want something that will challenge you and this has. I’m lucky the roles I’ve had since I was 16 have been totally different to how I am,” she added. (ANI)

German Chancellor hopes for close cooperation with President Obama

January 20, 2009 By admin Leave a Comment

Berlin – German Chancellor Angela Merkel is hoping for improved US-German relations under the Obama presidency, she said in a television interview on Tuesday.

“I hope that our cooperation is shaped by listening to one another, and making decisions on the basis that one country alone cannot solve the world’s problems,” Merkel said Tuesday on German state broadcaster ARD.

“This is the spirit in which I will encounter him,” the chancellor added.

Merkel said Obama was taking office at a time marred by problems, “for one thing, the economic situation in the world and also in the United States of America, but also many international conflicts”

The chancellor expects a stronger multilateral approach to the financial crisis. “This means that, when dealing with international agreements, the United States of America will also need to offer up some of its own sovereignty to international organisations.”

As well as talking about long-term economic goals, Merkel said, “this means engaging with international rules for the financial markets.”

Acknowledging that this is a tall order, she added, “it will be necessary to talk and argue about these things.” (dpa)

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Enhancement of India, Russia trade ties

Major part of remittances into Pak illegal, admits financial Advisor

US incapable of protecting Australia anymore, says Rudd

Mumbai’s Bandra Worli sea link wins IIBE National Award

Anna Hutchison would bare it all again after controversial ‘Underbelly’ scene

Anna Hutchison would bare it all again after controversial ‘Underbelly’ scene

German Chancellor hopes for close cooperation with President Obama

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