Majority of Greeks say austerity steps unfair-poll

ATHENS, April 2 (Reuters) – Three quarters of Greeks think that government plans to cut the debt-ridden country’s budget deficit are “socially unfair” because they are aimed at lower earners, a poll showed on Friday.

Nearly as many — 72.2 percent — believed the direction of developments were “bad” or “very bad”, according to the survey taken by agency MRB and published in the Realnews weekly.

The poll also showed an almost dead even split of 46.2 percent to 46.3 between those who thought the measures aimed at cutting the deficit by a third this year went far enough and those who thought they did not. (Reporting by Lefteris Papadamis; writing by Michael Winfrey)

China Web filter rules risky for providers: USTR

(Reuters) – China’s comprehensive Internet filtering regime for political, social or religious content is complex and opaque — creating precarious conditions for providers, the U.S. Trade Representative’s official said in its annual report to the U.S. Congress on Wednesday.

In a report compiled before Google Corp. moved its Chinese search portal to Hong Kong from China this month in a censorship dispute, the USTR said: “changes to Internet filtering can occur without warning or public explanation.”

“Chinese government authorities may issue lists of banned search terms or banned sites weekly, with little justification or means of appeal, putting Internet-enabled services in a precarious position, caught between complying with the law and implementing apparently arbitrary restrictions,” it said.

(Editing by Sandra Maler)

Turkish withholding tax draft due next week-sources

ANKARA, April 2 (Reuters) – A draft proposal for a revised withholding tax on investments is ready and will be presented to Turkey’s Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan next week, state economy sources said on Friday.

The proposals suggest a withholding tax of either nil or 10 percent on bonds for local and foreign investors, with a tax rate of 10 percent the preferred option. The draft also envisages scrapping withholding tax on equity-based A-type funds.

Turkey’s Constitutional Court ruled last year in favour of making the tax on bonds, shares and mutual funds equal for domestic and foreign investors after the government removed the tax for foreigners in 2006.

(Reporting by Orhan Coskun)

Kashmir is the jugular vein of Pakistan: Gilani

Islamabad, Sep.20 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Yosuf Raza Gilani is back to singing his ‘K-tune’ by describing Kashmir as Pakistan’s jugular vein.

Interacting with a group of political leaders during an Iftaar party at the PM House here, Gilani said Islamabad’s policy on Kashmir was based on Mohammad Ali Jinnah’s stance that “Kashmir was the jugular vein of Pakistan.”

Referring to the government’s recent decision to grant internal autonomy to Gilgit-Baltistan, Gilani said Pakistan’s stand on Kashmir would remain unchanged.

“I want to express in clear and unequivocal terms that this decision of the government will not bring any change in Pakistan’s principled stand on Kashmir,” Gilani said.

Gilani blamed India of neglecting the long pending Kashmir issue and said that Pakistan wants a peaceful resolution to the dispute.

“We want to resolve the Kashmir dispute peacefully and have invited India for negotiations, despite it repeatedly ignoring them,” The Daily times quoted Gilani, as saying.

Gilani said he had categorically told Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh during their meeting at the margins of the NAM summit in Sharm-el-Sheikh earlier this year that resolving the issue was very important for establishing peace in the region.

“There could be no peace in the region until the Kashmir dispute was resolved according to the aspirations of its people,” he added. (ANI)

Rashtriya Janata Dal celebrates good show in Bihar by-polls

Patna, Sept 20 (ANI): The activists of the Rashtriya Janata Dal (RJD) here celebrated the party’s good show in the by-election for 18 legislative assembly seats.

The RJD-Lok Janshakti Party (LJP) won eight seats in the by-election for 18 legislative assembly seats, a major set back to ruling Janata Dal-United (JD-U).

The JD (U) bagged three seats while its ally the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) won two seats.

The activists burst crackers and distributed sweets to celebrate the win at the party office.

RJD leader Lalu Prasad termed the results as referendum on the ruling government.

“It is not possible for the Bihar Government-led by Nitish Kumar to return. The RJD alliance will return to power. The people of Bihar have welcomed us with open arms,” said Yadav.

The RJD failed poorly in Lok Sabha election in April-May this year, winning just four seats out of the total 40 in Bihar. (ANI)

Pak’s ambivalence in cracking down on Saeed clear : NYT

New York, Sep.19 (ANI) : Pakistani authorities may have filed cases against Lashkar -e-Taiba (LeT) chief Hafeez Mohammad Saeed, the alleged mastermind of the November 2008 Mumbai terror attacks, but Islamabad’s actions are being considered as a mere ‘hogwash’.

The New York Times, while reporting the actions taken against Saeed, said the ambivalence of Pakistani authorities in cracking down on the LeT’s fouder leader was clear.

The newspaper highlighted that the Pakistan government has never been serious regarding putting a check on Saeed and his covert terror activities being run under the LeT’s charity organization Jamaat-ud-Dawa (JuD).

“Even after he was placed under house arrest in December, the government took steps to soften the blow, allowing him, for instance, to hold a defiant news conference before his confinement began,” it said.

While the Pakistan government has been maintaining that it is seriously carrying out the probe regarding the 26/11 massacre, and tried to show the same to the international community especially the US by booking Saeed under the anti-terrorism act, its ‘bluff’ was laid bare when Saeed’s lawyer disclosed that the case registered against his client were ‘very weak’.

“I have gone through both the FIRs against Saeed thoroughly. The charges against my client are very weak. He has expressed his views like any other Pakistani,” Saeed’s lawyer AK Dongar told a private television channel.

Pakistani authorities also revealed that they have not received any instructions for arresting Saeed despite the registration of two cases against him. (ANI)

Musharraf ‘shedding crocodile tears’, says ex- Pak SCBA chief

Islamabad, Sep.19 (ANI): Pakistan Supreme Court Bar Association’s former President Aitzaz Ahsan has said that former President General Pervez Musharraf is ‘shedding crocodile tears’ while admitting that removing Chief Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry from office in 2007 was a mistake.

Referring to Musharraf’s speech at Trinity University in Saint Antonio, Texas, where the former general admitted that he had committed a mistake while sacking the then Chief Justice of Pakistan (CJP) from office, Ahsan said Musharraf had committed not only one but two mistakes by removing the higher judiciary and imposing an emergency in the country on November 3, 2007.

Talking to a private television channel, Ahsan said the government and the ‘independent’ judiciary should play their role in trying Musharraf under high treason charges.

He said it was not the right time for lawyers to take their struggle to roads, as they did previously while demanding restoration of the judiciary, The News reports.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Muslim League-Quaid (PML-Q) has denied that Musharraf had taken the cabinet into his confidence before promulgating the Provisional Constitutional Ordinance (PCO) and imposing the emergency rule in 2007.

Interacting with media persons during an Iftaar party hosted by PML-Q President Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, several party leaders rejected the notion regarding Musharraf consulting the cabinet before taking the illegal and extra-judicial actions. (ANI)

Obama identified with Hitler, Stalin

Washington, Sep.19 (ANI): Even as thousands of people packed the streets of Washington on Friday to protest against government spending, some of the agitators likened President Barack Obama to Nazi dictator Adolf Hitler.

According to a CBS report, most of those would have called themselves “patriots” arguing that their government was betraying traditional principles.

Steve Butler, a physician from Indiana was handing out copies of the Constitution. “If you read the quotes of Thomas Jefferson, these guys were conservatives and they said that the control should be with the people and not with the big government.”

There were plenty of signs identifying Obama with Hitler, or Stalin, that questions his citizenship, that seems to celebrate the death of a famous liberal.

But perhaps what most united these protesters was a broader discontent: a sense that they are not being heard, that their interests, and the national interests, are in the hands of a few. (ANI)

Veraval riots: Nanavati Commission not to issue notice against Modi

Ahmedabad, Sep.19 (ANI): In a major reprieve for Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, the Justice Girish Thakorlal Nanavati Commission on Saturday confirmed that it would not be issuing any notice to him in connection with the communal riots in Veraval.

However, the commission has asked the State Government to give it transcripts of the conversations that took place prior to the riots, during the riots and in its aftermath.

The commission has so far given a clean chit to Modi in the post-Godhra events. The Nanavati Commission said there was no evidence to show there was lapse in Modi’s or his ministers’ role in providing protection, relief and rehabilitation to the victims of communal riots or in the matter of not complying with the recommendations and direction given by the National Human Rights Commission.

Communal attacks on Muslims took place in Gujarat between February and May 2002.

The riots occurred after the burning of the Sabarmati Express. According to official figures tabled in the parliament, more than a thousand people were killed (790 Muslims and 254 Hindus) in the violence after the train incident. More than two hundred and fifty thousand people were displaced (about 200,000 Muslims and 40,000 Hindus).

Organizations such as Human Rights Watch criticized the Indian government for failure to address the resulting humanitarian condition of people, “overwhelming majority of them Muslim,” who fled their homes for relief camps in the aftermath of the events.

Many of the investigations and prosecution of those accused of violence during the riots have been opened for reinvestigation and prosecution. According to an official estimate, 1044 people were killed in the violence, including those killed in the Godhra train fire. Another 223 people were reported missing, 2,548 injured, 919 women widowed and 606 children orphaned. About 100,000 Muslims and 40,000 Hindus were in relief camps. (ANI)

Gilani rejects inking safe passage deal for Musharraf

Islamabad, Sep.19 (ANI): Pakistan Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani has denied inking any ‘safe exit’ deal to facilitate former President General Pervez Musharraf’s safe passage from the country after he stepped down from the Presidency.

In an interview to a private television channel, Gilani said: “If there had been such a deal, it would have surfaced by now, as the media is very vibrant today.”

Gilani also said would be wrong to say that Musharraf has been ‘pardoned’, as neither he has been convicted by the court of law nor been ‘indemnified by parliament’.

When asked whether there is any possibility of invoking the Article Six of the Constitution against Musharraf, Gilani reiterated that he was willing to do it if parliament passed a unanimous resolution.

“I am for it. We must create history. But at the same time, we should not rock the boat. If there is a unanimous resolution, the whole nation would be together,” The Daily Times quoted Gilani, as saying.

Commenting on the Baloch issue, he said the government is preparing a package for the insurgency hit province which would include constitutional, administrative and economic reforms. (ANI)

Gandhians in Ahmedabad laud government’s austerity drive

Ahmedabad, Sep 18(ANI): In contrast to leaders of some political parties, who are criticising the austerity measures mooted by the government as mere ‘tokenism’, Gandhians associated with the Sabarmati Ashram at Ahmedabad have lauded the initiative.

The Gandhains, who themselves live a life of extreme simplicity, following the teachings of Mahatma Gandhi, said that if politicians lead a simple life, people would certainly follow in tune with the adage: Follow the leader.

Amrut Modi, the managing trustee Sabarmati Gandhi Ashram, a staunch Gandhian himself, is a firm believer in Gandhi’s teaching of ‘doing one’s work by oneself’, and professes it religiously.

Appreciating the austerity drive of the government, he said that politicians through such measures inspire people towards leading a simple life, as the Mahatma did.

“If simplicity is acquired, it can lead to change. Gandhiji himself had brought about change in the country. He prepared the people for independence and self-rule. The principle of simplicity is included in his teachings. He inspired the common man, through his simple life. Even today if our politicians adopt simplicity, then people will take inspiration from them,” Modi said.

Several other believers of Gandhi’s teaching also said that simplicity could help the nation develop, and also set an example in front of the whole world.

“The ministers should adopt Gandhiji’s principles and teachings pertaining to simplicity. This will help in the development of the country financially and otherwise and they can also send the message to the world, that how beneficial it can be to walk on Gandhiji’s principles,” said Dhimant Badiya, another Gandhian. (ANI)

Himachal Pradesh Govt. moves to produce IT friendly business landscape

New Delhi, Sep.18 (ANI): Recognizing the enormous potential of Information Technology in acting as a catalyst for the Tier – II growth of Suburban India, The Government of Himachal Pradesh (GoHP) is moving to produce an IT friendly business landscape.

To close the technological gap and nab the marquee, various initiatives are being put in place by the GoHP. Tax Breaks, Exemption from various duties and levies and imports are certain defined benefits for the industry to set base at Himachal Pradesh.

The IT Park cum Township falls will come up in Solan District of Solan, about 20 kilometres from Shimla.

The total area of the project is 64.73 acres. The site is located at a distance of four kilometers from Kiarighat. Kiarighat is on Chandigarh – Shimla highway (NH-22) on midway between Solan and Shimla at an approximately equal distance of 23 kilometres.

Conceptualized as an Integrated Development – offering both residential and commercial options, the project’s developmental contours will include built-up IT space of 1.1 million square feet. Built to suit plots for IT in 9.5 acres of land, a township for of 1.31 million square feet, a project cost of 408 crore rupees.

Commercially structured on the Public Private Partnership format. The developer shall be responsible for designing,financing, constructing, operating, maintaining and development of the IT Park cum Township at Waknaghat.

The implementing agency will be the Department of Information Technology, Government of Himachal Pradesh.

To promote the project and the township, an investor Meet will be held in Delhi on September 23. A visit to the site will be organised on September 30, while a pre-bid meeting will be held on October 3, 2009.

The last date for submission of proposal is October 26. (ANI)

SC extends stay on Kanshi Ram memorial construction

New Delhi, Sep. 18 (ANI): Expressing dissatisfaction over the Mayawati Government’s plea, the Supreme Court on Friday extended the stay order on its earlier ruling for stoppage of work at Kanshi Ram Memorial Sthal in Lucknow.

“The affidavit is not satisfactory. The question here has many, many burning issues,” it observed during a brief hearing in the case,” a Bench comprising Justices B N Agrawal and Aftab Alam noted.t said the question was whether one could spend so much of money from the state or public exchequer for the purpose.

“Suppose today the legislature decides that 80 per cent of budgetary allocation should be spent on such works of memorials and statues…is it not justiciable,” the Bench asked.

“Serious questions arise in this petition…the cabinet and the legislature have to act under the Constitution,” the Bench added.

The next hearing in the case is on October 5th, and the parties are asked to file their responses to the affidavit by September 29th.

In a detailed affidavit filed in response to the show cause notice issued on September 11, the state government had claimed it had the highest regard for the apex court and that it believed in carrying out its directions in “letter and spirit.”

On September 8, the apex court had ruled that no further construction activities should take place at the memorials which have cost the exchequer 2,600 crore rupees.

However, media reports said construction activities were going on in full swing despite the court’s directive, following which the bench had issued a show cause notice. (ANI)

Will Sarabjeet be spared the gallows under Pak Govt.’s plans to commute death sentences?

Islamabad, Sep.17 (ANI): The Pakistan government is considering commuting death sentences, but such a step may not help the cause of Sarabjeet Singh, the Indian inmate who has been awarded a death sentence by a Lahore anti-terrorism court in October 1991.

Interior Advisor Rehman Malik said the government has sent a draft to the law division seeking legal opinion on the proposal to commute death sentences.

Rehman, however, said that even if the proposal is accepted there would be no mercy for terrorists.

“They (terrorists) will have to face the death penalty,” The Dawn quoted Malik, as saying.

According to an estimate there are 7000 death inmates in Pakistan at present.

Pakistan security agencies have maintained that Singh had admitted that he was sent to Pakistan to carry out serial bomb blasts in Lahore, Faislabad, and Kasur, and was trained by the Indian Army, and the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

Singh was awarded the death sentence by a Lahore anti-terrorism court in October 1991.

He challenged the verdict in the Supreme Court, however, the apex court quashed his appeal in September, 2005, saying that the review petition was not filed within the time period as mentioned in the law.

In March 2006, a two member Supreme Court bench dismissed Singh’s petition against his conviction in the Lahore’s Yakki Gate bomb blast in 1990.

Singh has been languishing in Pakistan jails for the last 28 years, as Pakistan has stonewalled release even on humanitarian grounds, despite continuous efforts by Indian diplomatic channels. (ANI)

US Ambassador meets Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Update- US Ambassador)

New Delhi, Sept 18 (ANI): The United States Ambassador to India, Timothy J Roemer, today met Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh at his residence.

The meeting took place after Roemer met Union Home Minister P. hidambaram.

Speaking to reporters, after a meeting with Chidambaram, Roemer said bringing the culprits to justice and going after Saeed were important to both India and the United States.

“Swift and mighty punishment for the six Mumbai suspects in Islamabad, is important for United States and is important for India. And going after Saeed is very important and dismantling the infrastructure of LeT in that region is extremely important to the United States and to India,” said Roemer.

The meeting took after reports of two FIR’s against Saeed came late last night.

He has been charged under Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act for making anti-state speeches where he urged activists of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, the frontline organisation for LeT that he heads, to wage a ‘jehad’.

Saeed has also been charged for heading a charity collection drive during the Ramazan month according to the police.

Earlier, Roemer had called on Pakistan to take action against Saeed.

“There are five, probably six, suspects currently being held in Islamabad in connection with the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. It is extremely important that these six people be brought to justice and put behind bars and receive sentences commensurate with their crimes against India, US and the world,” a news channel quoted Roemer, as saying

“I hope that in future the action on 26/11 includes people like Hafiz Saeed. Recently he was put into an Interpol red flag list,” he added.

The remarks follows Chidambaram’s visit to US, where he had briefed several ministers under the Barack Obama administration about Islamabad’s inaction against perpetrators of the Mumbai carnage.

The attacks, which drew widespread condemnation across the world, began on 26 November 2008 and lasted until 29 November, killing at least 173 people and wounding at least 308. Among the dead were 28 foreign nationals from 10 countries.

Ajmal Amir Kasab, the only attacker who was captured alive, has disclosed that the attackers were members of LeT, which is considered a terrorist organization by the Government of India, the United States, and the United Kingdom, among others.

Interpol has also issued a Red Corner Notice against Saeed, and Zaki -ur- Rehman Lakhvi (another mastermind of the 26/11 attacks). The notice was issued after a Mumbai court issued non-bailable warrants against both terrorists. (ANI)

US Ambassador Roemer calls for action against Hafiz Saeed

New Delhi, Sept 18 (ANI): Pressurising Pakistan, the United States said it wanted swift and mighty punishment against the perpetrators of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks.

Speaking to reporters, after a meeting with Union Home Minister, P. Chidambaram, the United States Ambassador to India Timothy J Roemer said, bringing the culprits to justice and going after Saeed were important to both India and the United States.

“Swift and mighty punishment for the six Mumbai suspects in Islamabad, is important for United States and is important for India. And going after Saeed is very important and dismantling the infrastructure of LeT in that region is extremely important to the United States and to India,” said Roemer.

The meeting took after reports of two FIR’s against Saeed came late last night.

He has been charged under Pakistan’s Anti-Terrorism Act for making anti-state speeches where he urged activists of the Jamaat-ud-Dawa, the frontline organisation for LeT that he heads, to wage a ‘jehad’.

Saeed has also been charged for heading a charity collection drive during the Ramazan month according to the police.

Earlier, Roemer had called on Pakistan to take action against Saeed.

“There are five, probably six, suspects currently being held in Islamabad in connection with the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. It is extremely important that these six people be brought to justice and put behind bars and receive sentences commensurate with their crimes against India, US and the world,” a news channel quoted Roemer, as saying

“I hope that in future the action on 26/11 includes people like Hafiz Saeed. Recently he was put into an Interpol red flag list,” he added.

The remarks follows Chidambaram’s visit to US, where he had briefed several ministers under the Barack Obama administration about Islamabad’s inaction against perpetrators of the Mumbai carnage.

The attacks, which drew widespread condemnation across the world, began on 26 November 2008 and lasted until 29 November, killing at least 173 people and wounding at least 308. Among the dead were 28 foreign nationals from 10 countries.

Ajmal Amir Kasab, the only attacker who was captured alive, has disclosed that the attackers were members of LeT, which is considered a terrorist organization by the Government of India, the United States, and the United Kingdom, among others.

Interpol has also issued a Red Corner Notice against Saeed, and Zaki -ur- Rehman Lakhvi (another mastermind of the 26/11 attacks). The notice was issued after a Mumbai court issued non-bailable warrants against both terrorists. (ANI)

Missing Hindu nurse’s parents’ pleas in Pak falling on deaf ears

Karachi, Sep.18 (ANI): Family members of the Hindu nurse, Bano, who disappeared from Karachi last month under mysterious circumstances, have urged the government to step into the issue and direct the concerned authorities to pursue the matter seriously to find out her whereabouts.

Bano’s uncle and the head of the Hindu Maheshwari community, Narain Das feared that her niece could have been killed or forced to convert her religion.

“The incidents of kidnapping our community girls’ have recently increased alarmingly and despite our repeated protests and approaches to the higher authorities, nothing has so far been done to protect the community members. Kidnappers have recently kidnapped several girls as young as thirteen and fourteen years old,” Das said.

The police has arrested Gulzar, who worked with Bano in the hospital, but failed to gather any substantial report regarding her whereabouts.

Gulzar has told officials that Bano has accepted Islam and married her boyfriend Jaffer, but Bano’s parents fear she has been murdered.

When enquired about the issue, Provincial Minister for Minority Affairs Dr Mohan Lal said he would look into matter and issue guidelines to concerned authorities.

“I would personally talk to the police authorities and will ensure her release as soon as possible,” The Daily Times quoted Lal, as saying. (ANI)

Sharad Pawar says end of season rains will help winter crops

New Delhi, Sep 18 (ANI): Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar has said that late end-season rains will help India’s winter crops.

Talking to reporters here on Thursday, Pawar said, “It’s true that because paddy area transplantation has been dropped, but the late rains are very helpful particularly for Punjab, Haryana, Orissa and Chhattisgarh.”

“There would not be any pressure on food grains supply, as the stock position was good,” Pawar added.

Meteorological Department has said that since June 1, monsoon rains have been 20 percent below normal and heavy showers in the past week have reduced the total seasonal deficit by three percentage points.

Met department said the country can expect heavy rains for at least another week, but the withdrawal of the monsoon, which usually begins to wind down in early September, would be delayed.

A surge in food prices unexpectedly pushed the annual change in India’s wholesale price index into positive for the first time since late May, putting pressure on the central bank to bring forward an exit from its easy monetary policy.

The annualised wholesale price index rose by an unexpected 0.12 percent in the year to September 5, compared with the previous week’s 0.12 percent fall and analysts’ forecast of a 0.08 percent decline.

The food articles sub-index rose an annual 15.4 percent, up from the previous week’s 14.8 percent rise, as a dry spell hit nearly half of India’s districts, hurting summer crops and prompting the government to take steps to raise supplies. (ANI)

Malaysia gives RM1 million grant for Malay Indian tuition centre

Kuala Lumpur, Sep 18 (ANI): The Malaysian Government has allocated RM1 million to the Sri Murugan Centre to help poor and deserving Indian students excel in their education.

The centre’s director and founder, M. Thambirajah, informed about the grant after receiving the cheque from Prime Minister Najib Tun Razak in Putrajaya on Wednesday.

The centre was established in 1982 to focus on education. It provides tuition for UPSR, PMR, SPM and STPM students. It has 103 branches throughout the country, The Star reports.

Thambirajah said that over the years the centre had produced 16,000 graduates, and added that the funds would be used to open new centres with better facilities.

Youth and Sports Minister Ahmad Shabery Cheek said the National Youth Skill Training Institute’s courses would be revised to be more relevant to the job market.

He said his ministry was seeking the assistance of the private sector to identify the areas of demand so that courses could be tailored accordingly. (ANI)