Mani Ratnam's 'Ok Kanmani' trailer to be unveiled Sunday (With Image)

Chennai, Feb 28 (IANS) The much awaited trailer of ace filmmaker Mani Ratnam's Tamil romantic-drama "Ok Kanmani", which features Dulquer Salmaan and Nithya Menen in the lead, will be unveiled online Sunday.


 "The trailer will be launched March 1. The film will hit the screens in April. The team is currently busy with the post-production work," a source from the film's unit told IANS.

 Said to be a campus love story laced with comedy, the film will mark Ratnam's grand comeback to the romance genre after a decade. His last romantic outing was R. Madhavan-starrer "Alaipayuthey", which was later remade in Hindi as "Saathiya".

 Ratnam is planning to release "Ok Kanmani" April 14, which marks 15 years since the release of "Alaipayuthey".

 "While it was decided right at the beginning that the film will release in April, it was recently that Mani realized if released April 14, it will be the perfect tribute to one of his biggest hits 'Alaipayuthey'," the source said.

 The film has music by A.R. Rahman and also marks the reunion of Ratnam with lensman P.C. Sreeram after a decade. It's touted to be Mani's quickest projects and is said to have been completed in about two months.

 Some crucial portion of the film was shot in Mumbai, IIM Ahmedabad campus as well as CPET University. Nithya plays an architect in the film and renowned Indian architect B.V. Doshi plays her professor.

Budget Highlights - 3

*  Need well-targeted system for subsidies.

*  Direct transfer of subsidy to LPG consumers




 *  Appeal to well-off consumers to surrender subsidised LPG connections

 *  Organic farm schemes of agriculture ministry to be supported

 *  'Per drop More crop' scheme for better irrigation

 *  Three achievements - Jan Dhan Yojna, coal auctions, Swachh Bharat

 *  Two more gamechanging reforms: Goods and Services Tax, JAM trinity (Jan Dhan Yojna, Aadhar, Mobile number) to ensure transparency

 * Our achievement to conquer inflation, CPI inflation at five percent by year-end

 * GDP growth at 7.4 percent in 2014-15 and at 8-8.5 percent in 2015-16; double-digit growth feasible

 * We are in an economic environment far more positive than in the recent past
 
 * Undertaken several significant steps to energise the Indian economy in last nine months
 
 * India's chance to fly
 
 * Budget proposals lay down roadmap for economic growth.

80,000 secondary schools to be upgraded

New Delhi, Feb 28 (IANS) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Saturday said the government was committed to providing quality education and planned to upgrade 80,000 secondary schools in the country.


 He also said in his budget speech that the government wanted to provide medical facilities in each village and city.

Budget Highlights - 4

* Main challenges: increasing agricultural production; increasing investment in infrastructure; with manufacturing declining, Make in India will create jobs; cooperative federalism


 * Agriculture credit targetted at Rs.8.5 lakh crore

 * Rural jobs scheme to get Rs.34,699 crore; Every poor will get a job

 * To work with NITI Aayog for creating a National Agricultural Market

 *  Need well-targeted system for subsidies.

 *  Direct transfer of subsidy to LPG consumers

 *  Appeal to well-off consumers to surrender subsidised LPG connections

 *  Organic farm schemes of agriculture ministry to be supported

 *  'Per drop More crop' scheme for better irrigation

 *  Three achievements - Jan Dhan Yojna, coal auctions, Swachh Bharat

 *  Two more gamechanging reforms: Goods and Services Tax, JAM trinity (Jan Dhan Yojna, Aadhar, Mobile number) to ensure transparency

 * Our achievement to conquer inflation, CPI inflation at five percent by year-end

 * GDP growth at 7.4 percent in 2014-15 and at 8-8.5 percent in 2015-16; double-digit growth feasible

 * We are in an economic environment far more positive than in the recent past
 
 * Undertaken several significant steps to energise the Indian economy in last nine months
 
 * India's chance to fly
 
 * Budget proposals lay down roadmap for economic growth.

Fugitive prince: Is there a rift between Sonia and Rahul? (Comment: Special to IANS)

There may be a deeper and more unsettling reason for Rahul Gandhi's present farewell to active politics than the explanation that he has gone away to mull over the factors which led to the Congress's recent electoral reverses.



 Even the reticent and reclusive heir apparent cannot be unaware that a spell far away from the madding crowd will not be long enough for him, or anyone else, to understand why the party is facing an "existential" crisis, to quote one of the 44-year-old prince's acolytes, Jairam Ramesh.

 Arguably, Rahul Gandhi may want to pore over the various points which he imbibed during his prolonged sessions with party functionaries from the time of the party's crushing defeat in last year's general election.

 An atmosphere of peace and quiet is undoubtedly necessary to sort out the many inputs. Even then, what the sabbatical implies is a mentality which is not typical of politicians, who are all invariably extroverts and revel in an environment of bustling activity. Only thinkers seek solitude.

 However, there has been nothing to show in the period when Rahul Gandhi has been in active politics that he is of an introspective bent of mind.

 This is borne out of the fact that there is nothing out of the ordinary in the idea of organizational elections that he favours for a revamp of the 130-year-old party. Nor in his castigation of the fact that most parties, including his own, are run by closed coteries.

 If Rahul Gandhi really wants to do away with such self-serving groups - his father called them "power brokers" - he should have begun by not accepting the vice president's post.

 It is possible, therefore, that in addition to the instincts of a haughty loner which is the result of a privileged upbringing, Rahul Gandhi is chafing against the curbs he is apparently facing in the implementation of his ideas.

 A hint of his approach was available from the observations of the Congress general secretary, Digvijay Singh, when he said that Rahul Gandhi wanted to "run a Kejriwal-type campaign: open the party up, allow people to come in, put a greater emphasis on mass contact, but unfortunately he was not allowed to give a new direction by the establishment".

 It is not easy to make out who Digvijay Singh referred to as the "establishment". To outsiders, the Congress establishment or high command comprises Sonia and Rahul Gandhi. It is their word which is law.

 Or is this assessment an over-simplification ? Do the "power brokers" still exist? Have differences arisen as a result between the mother and the son over the running of the organization?

 Ironically, there have been suggestions, notably by Congress MP Kamal Nath, about a replay of the Sonia Gandhi-Manmohan Singh diarchy in a new form involving the party president and vice president.

 It is necessary to remember that ever since the Aam Admi Party's (AAP) success in December 2013, Rahul Gandhi has spoken of learning from the fledging party.

 The AAP "involved a lot of non-traditional people", he said, "and we will learn from that and will better it in a way you cannot imagine". Was he thinking of opening up the party?

 The point, however, is whether his shock tactics will bring the Congress into line with his views or whether his escapism will discredit the dauphin more than the royal family.

 The answer will lie in his favour if he can come out with a clear formulation not only for breathing new life into the party but also in giving it an ideological direction in sync with the present-day world.

 As of now, the Congress is seemingly leaning towards a return to Nehruvian socialism. If it wants to do so, the party must be forthright about it and not hedge its bets by an occasional reference, as by Digvijaya Singh, to the needs of the "aspirational" generation along with the pursuit of a Left-of-centre line.

 Clarity of vision is the hallmark of a leader. But it also has to be of the right kind. Otherwise, it can lead the party to the edge of a precipice, as in 1977 and again at present.

 Doubts may arise over Rahul Gandhi's outlook not only because of his Left-leaning ideas but even more so because one of his heroines is Indira Gandhi. A combination of his grandmother's Leftism - her ideology was derisively called Left-of-self-interest - with her authoritarianism will be a fatal mix.

 It is not only the Congress which will wait eagerly to hear Rahul Gandhi's articulation of his vision when he comes out of his hideout to become the party president. The country, too, will be equally interested in knowing whether he has finally grown up - or remains the dilettante that he appears to be.

We turned cleanliness into a movement: Jaitley

New Delhi, Feb 28 (IANS) Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Saturday said that the NDA government has been able to convert cleanliness into a movement and `Swachh Bharat' was among the key achievements.


 Presenting the union budget in the Lok Sabha, Jaitley said that success of Pradhan Mantri Jan Dhan Yojana, coal auctions and Swatch Bharat were among key achievements of the work done by the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government since it came to office in May last year.

 "We have been able to convert it (Swachh Bharat) into a movement," Jaitley said.

Budget Highlights - 5

*  Government committed to increasing access of people to the banking system


 *  Universal social security system for all Indians, especially poor and disadvantaged sections

 *  Atal Pension Yojna for economically disadvantaged

 *  PPF and EPF corpus to be utilised for senior citizens' welfare fund

 *  Physical aids and assisting devices for physically challenged senior citizens

 * Main challenges: increasing agricultural production; increasing investment in infrastructure; with manufacturing declining, Make in India will create jobs; cooperative federalism

 * Agriculture credit targetted at Rs.8.5 lakh crore

 * Rural jobs scheme to get Rs.34,699 crore; Every poor to get a job

 * To work with NITI Aayog for creating a National Agricultural Market

 *  Need well-targeted system for subsidies.

 *  Direct transfer of subsidy to LPG consumers

 *  Appeal to well-off consumers to surrender subsidised LPG connections

 *  Organic farm schemes of agriculture ministry to be supported

 *  'Per drop More crop' scheme for better irrigation

 *  Three achievements - Jan Dhan Yojna, coal auctions, Swachh Bharat

 *  Two more gamechanging reforms: Goods and Services Tax, JAM trinity (Jan Dhan Yojna, Aadhar, Mobile number) to ensure transparency

 * Our achievement to conquer inflation, CPI inflation at five percent by year-end

 * GDP growth at 7.4 percent in 2014-15 and at 8-8.5 percent in 2015-16; double-digit growth feasible

 * We are in an economic environment far more positive than in the recent past
 
 * Undertaken several significant steps to energise the Indian economy in last nine months
 
 * India's chance to fly
 
 * Budget proposals lay down roadmap for economic growth.

GST planned from April 2016: Jaitley

New Delhi, Feb 28 (IANS) Displaying the government's intent on implementing a new indirect tax regime for India, Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Saturday announced that the proposed Goods and Services Tax (GST) Bill will be implemented from April next year.


 "We are committed to implementing a state of the art indirect tax system, the Goods and Services Tax, from April 1, 2016," Jaitley told the Lok Sabha while presenting the NDA government's first full budget.
 
 The GST, by subsuming a large number of central and state taxes into a single tax, would mitigate cascading, or double, taxation in a major way and pave the way for a common national market.

Scientists are India's pride: Modi (Lead)

New Delhi, Feb 28 (IANS) Referring to them as India's pride, Prime Minister Narendra Modi used the National Science Day Saturday to praise their dedication and determination.


 "National Science Day is an occasion to remember the dedication, determination and untiring efforts of our scientists. They are India's pride," the prime minister said on Twitter.

 Modi said the government was fully committed to encouraging research, innovation and excellence in science, particularly among young minds.

 "Science and technology will determine India's future, just as it has played a crucial role in bringing our nation to where we are today."

 The prime minister also hailed Nobel Prize winner C.V. Raman.

 "We salute the brilliance and long-lasting contribution of Sir C.V. Raman to the field of science," Modi said.

Budget Highlights - 6

* Integrated education and livelihood scheme to be launched

* "The Everlasting Flame" exhibition on Parsis to be launched




 * National investment and infrastructure fund to be launched with corpus of Rs.20,000 crore to generate more funds

 * Innovation initiative to be launched in NITI Aayog in the name of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee

 *  Government committed to increasing access of people to the banking system

 *  Universal social security system for all Indians, especially poor and disadvantaged sections

 *  Atal Pension Yojna for economically disadvantaged

 *  PPF and EPF corpus to be utilised for senior citizens' welfare fund

 *  Physical aids and assisting devices for physically challenged senior citizens

 * Main challenges: increasing agricultural production; increasing investment in infrastructure; with manufacturing declining, Make in India will create jobs; cooperative federalism

 * Agriculture credit targetted at Rs.8.5 lakh crore

 * Rural jobs scheme to get Rs.34,699 crore; Every poor to get a job

 * To work with NITI Aayog for creating a National Agricultural Market

 *  Need well-targeted system for subsidies.

 *  Direct transfer of subsidy to LPG consumers

 *  Appeal to well-off consumers to surrender subsidised LPG connections

 *  Organic farm schemes of agriculture ministry to be supported

 *  'Per drop More crop' scheme for better irrigation

 *  Three achievements - Jan Dhan Yojna, coal auctions, Swachh Bharat

 *  Two more gamechanging reforms: Goods and Services Tax, JAM trinity (Jan Dhan Yojna, Aadhar, Mobile number) to ensure transparency

 * Our achievement to conquer inflation, CPI inflation at five percent by year-end

 * GDP growth at 7.4 percent in 2014-15 and at 8-8.5 percent in 2015-16; double-digit growth feasible

 * We are in an economic environment far more positive than in the recent past
 
 * Undertaken several significant steps to energise the Indian economy in last nine months
 
 * India's chance to fly
 
 * Budget proposals lay down roadmap for economic growth.

New round of Iran n-talks to be held next week

Geneva, Feb 28 (IANS) The talks between six world powers and Iran over its nuclear programme will resume in Switzerland's Montreux on March 5, a press release from the EU delegation to Geneva said on Friday.


 The talks, to be chaired by EU Political Director Helga Schmid, will be preceded by a series of bilateral meetings between Iran and the P5+1 group, namely the US, Britain, France, Russia, China and Germany, starting on Monday.

 "The EU is making every effort to facilitate the negotiations, we cannot miss the opportunity of a good agreement," Xinhua cited EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini as saying.

 The last round of Iran nuke talks was held February 21-23 in Geneva, which described by Chinese representative Wang Qun as "intensive, pragmatic and held in good atmosphere".

 It has been over a year since Iran and the world powers agreed to come back to the negotiating table for the Iranian nuclear programme in 2013. Under an interim deal between Iran and the P5+1 inked in November, 2013, Iran said it would suspend critical nuclear activities in return for limited ease of sanctions, with all sides seeking a comprehensive deal.

 After missing twice self-imposed deadlines, the negotiators agreed in November 2014 to extend the deadline for another seven months and aimed to reach a political framework deal by the end of March.  

Syrian army captures key town in southern regio

Damascus, Feb 28 (IANS) The Syrian troops on Friday recaptured a key town in the southern province of Daraa, moving closer to a key hilltop in that province, a source said.


 The Syrian government forces wrested back control over the village of Habariyeh, killing many fighters of the Al Qaeda-linked Nusra Front, Xinhua quoted the source as saying on condition of anonymity.

 The Syrian troops have also moved closer to strategic hilltop of Tal al-Hara, where a Syrian military observatory was stormed by the rebels late last year, the source added.

 Friday's achievement was part of the pre-emptive offensive the Syrian troops have recently waged in a strategic triangle in southern Syria, more specifically in the countryside of Damascus, Daraa and the province of Al Qunaitera.

 Meanwhile, the state news agency SANA said the Syrian troops on Friday eliminated the "last remaining gatherings" of the rebels in the town of Tal Majda in the countryside of the southern province of Swaida near the Jordanian borders.

 Controlling Tal Majda will enable the Syrian army to expose the rebels' supply lines via Jordan, said SANA, adding that the borderline between Jordan and Syria is witnessing assorted infiltration attempts by foreign jihadis, who are aiming to sneak into Syria to join the rebel groups.  

US denounces killing of Bangladeshi-American writer

Washington, Feb 28 (IANS) The US Friday slammed the killing of a Bangladeshi-American writer, offering help in the investigation.


 "The United States condemns in the strongest terms the brutal murder of Avijit Roy, which was horrific in its brutality and cowardice," State Department spokesperson Jennifer Psaki told reporters at a daily news briefing, Xinhua reported.

 "Avijit was a journalist, a humanist, a husband, and a friend, and we extend our condolences to his family and friends," she said, adding the US is ready to assist in the investigation, if asked.

 Roy, 42, was hacked to death by two attackers wielding machetes in Bangladesh's capital Dhaka Thursday evening, when he was leaving a book fair with his wife, who was also wounded seriously in the attack, said media reports.

 Roy was an engineer by profession, but had reportedly received death threats from Islamists for his articles advocating secularism.

German Bundesliga standings

Berlin, Feb 28 (IANS) Following are the German Bundesliga standings after Friday's matches (tabulated under matches played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, points), reported Xinhua.


 Bayern Munich         23  18  4  1  63 10   58

 VfL Wolfsburg         22  14  5  3  48 24   47

 Bor. Moenchengladbach 22  10  7  5  29 18   37

 Schalke 04            22  10  5  7  32 24   35

 Augsburg              22  11  2  9  32 29   35

 Bayer Leverkusen      22   8  9  5  36 29   33

 Hoffenheim            22   8  6  8  34 35   30

 Werder Bremen         22   8  6  8  36 44   30

 Eintracht Frankfurt   22   7  7  8  40 44   28

 Hanover 96            22   7  5 10  25 33   26

 Mainz 05              22   5 10  7  30 31   25

 Borussia Dortmund     22   7  4 11  28 31   25

 Cologne               23   6  7 10  21 29   25

 Hamburg               22   6  6 10  15 31   24

 Paderborn             22   5  8  9  23 41   23

 Freiburg              22   4 10  8  24 31   22

 Hertha Berlin         22   6  3 13  27 42   21

 VfB Stuttgart         22   4  6 12  23 40   18

Goa CM implores against communally sensitive comment

Panaji, Feb 28 (IANS) No one should make statements which can disturb the communal harmony in Goa said Chief Minister Laxmikant Parsekar, even as the VHP Friday commented that it would make efforts to re-convert Goan Christians to Hinduism.


 Parsekar, however, said that no action could be taken against the Vishwa Hindu Parishad spokesperson because free speech was a fundamental right.

 "I feel as chief minister that nobody should make any statement that would disturb or affect the communal harmony?" Parsekar told IANS late Friday.

 Earlier, ahead of VHP's golden jubilee function in the state, Dada Bedak, secretary in-charge of the Satsang (spiritual discourse) division, had told IANS that the senior leaders would discuss issues like re-conversion and love jihad and how to approach them in next 50 years.

 "Thousands of our brothers were converted to Christianity due to Portuguese oppression. We will, of course, make efforts to bring them back to the Hindu fold once we strengthen our organisation here. Our aim is straight and clean," Vedak said.

 He added that the VHP would reach out to Christians, converted during the Portuguese regime, with "love and affection".

 "We have freedom of speech, freedom to write and therefore I cannot come against their fundamental right," Parsekar said.

Ex-Argentina striker Lopez joins Brazil's Internacional

Rio De Janeiro, Feb 28 (IANS) Former Argentina international striker Lisandro Lopez signed a four-month contract with Brazil's Internacional, the outfit announced.


 The 31-year-old joins the club for an undisclosed fee from Qatar's Al-Gharafa, Xinhua reported Friday.

 The signing is understood to have been a special request from Internacional coach Diego Aguirre, Lopez's manager at Al-Gharafa last year.

 "I came here because it's one of the biggest clubs in Brazil and I wanted to play in this league," Lopez said during a press conference.

 The deal will reinforce Internacional's attack for their current Copa Libertadores campaign as they bid to win South America's top club trophy for a third time.

 It includes the option of a two-year extension, should the player and club agree.

 The former Porto and Lyon forward said he was willing to play anywhere on the pitch for his new team.

 "I've played in all positions from midfield to attack. My best position is centre-forward with freedom to move around. But it comes down to what the manager wants."

 Internacional are currently second in their Copa Libertadores group with three points from their first two matches.

US lawmakers laud progress in US-India partnership

Washington, Feb 28 (IANS) Both Republican and Democratic co-chairs of the Congressional Caucus on India and Indian Americans have lauded the tremendous progress made in advancing the US-India partnership with President Barack Obama's recent India visit.



 Ami Bera, the only Indian American in Congress, and George Holding, Democratic and Republican co-chairs of the caucus, respectively highlighted the progress in India-US ties at a luncheon discussion on Capitol Hill Thursday.

 Jointly organised by the Embassy of India and the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) the event "India-US Partnership: Shared Effort-Progress for All", brought together key stakeholders on Capitol Hill.

 The session focused on the sea change in the US-India relationship, particularly given President Obama's recent substantive visit to India, and the shared path forward between the two countries, according to a media release.

 In his opening remarks, Holding highlighted the important role that Indian companies are playing through their significant investment and creation of jobs in the US, a lesser-known but equally critical side of the India-US bilateral partnership.

 Reflecting on his recent trip to India with Obama, Bera reiterated the strategic values and compatibility that India and the US share.

 In the last eight months, the conversation surrounding the relationship has grown to one of optimism and endless opportunities, he said.

 "To take advantage of the momentum and move forward especially in our economic partnership, we need to harness the energy and success of the Indian American community and recognize the increasing significance of investments by Indian companies in the US," Bera said.

 India's Charge d'affaires Taranjit Singh Sandhu relayed the primary deliverables of Obama's visit to India, commenting that the "relations between India and the US have never been as strong".

 "Our long standing strategic relationship has been upgraded with Delhi Declaration of Friendship committing both nations to elevate the Strategic Dialogue to a Strategic and Commercial Dialogue to advance mutual prosperity," he said.

 Reiterating Prime Minister Narendra Modi's commitment to be open for business and deepen ties with the US, Sandhu discussed the positive developments between India and the US in sectors such as defence, renewable energy and education.

 He also noted the significant contribution of Indian and US companies to advancing this relationship.

 Vivek Sharma, Chairman, CII-India Business Forum and CEO, Piramal Healthcare Ltd., speaking on behalf of Indian industry, welcomed the change in tone and tenor of the India-US relationship from just last year.

 Stating that Obama's visit to India "marks an inflection point in the US-India bilateral strategic relationship", Sharma underscored some of the challenges being faced by Indian companies in the US.

 These included the lapsing of the Generalized System of Preferences (GSP), market access barriers in the pharmaceutical and financial services sectors as well as issues related to the mobility of high-skilled labour.

 The session was the first interaction organised under the aegis of the House India Caucus and helped highlight the vast progress that has been made as well as the momentous scope for even greater cooperation between India and the US.

Cuba reaffirms call to be taken off 'terror' list

Havana, Feb 28 (IANS) Cuba reaffirmed its call to be taken off the United States' list of "state sponsors of terrorism", to pave the way for progress on normalising bilateral ties.


 During the second round of Cuba-US talks held in Washington, "the Cuban representatives reiterated the importance of solving a series of issues... in particular, Cuba's removal from the list of 'state sponsors of international terrorism, before resuming diplomatic relations and opening embassies in both capitals," Xinhua reported, citing a press release issued by the the Cuban delegation Friday.

 The second key issue for Cuba is "the provision of financial services to the Cuban interests section in Washington which, for more than one year, has been unable to find a bank willing to handle its financial transactions due to the blockade laws and Cuba's designation as a country that sponsors international terrorism," the delegation said.

 Cuba also stressed "the need to ensure compliance with the principles of International Law and the Vienna Conventions on Diplomatic and Consular Relations, which should be the basis of our future diplomatic relations and the work of our respective embassies," the delegation added.

 The two sides also worked out the details of upcoming bilateral technical meetings over the next few weeks on issues such as human trafficking, civil aviation, telecommunications, human rights, protected marine areas, prevention of migration fraud, said the Cuban delegation, which was headed by Josefina Vidal Ferreiro, Director General of US affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

 Roberta S. Jacobson, US Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, led the US delegation.

 Cuba and the US announced in December that they agreed to restore diplomatic ties after more than half a century.

Sensex surges over 200 points; Nifty reclaims 8,900 mark

Mumbai, Feb 28 (IANS) A benchmark index of Indian equities markets, the 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex), Saturday surged 213.71 points or 0.73 percent in the early session ahead of the Union Budget.


 The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) was also trading 56.85 points or 0.64 percent up at 8,901.45 points.

 The Sensex of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 29,411.33 points, was trading at 29,433.83 points (at 9.15 a.m.) in the early session, up 213.71 points or 0.73 percent from the previous day's close at 29,220.12 points.

 The Sensex touched a high of 29,437.59 points and a low of 29,406.10 points in the trade so far.

 All the sectors were trading in green. The rally was led by banking, capital goods and consumer durables sectors.

Christians in Syria form militia to fight IS

Beirut, Feb 28 (IANS/EFE) Christians, threatened by Islamic State (IS) jihadis in Syria, have organised themselves into a militia to fight the militants, with the help of the Kurdish forces, according to a media report.



 The Syrian Military Council (MFS) is the main Christian rebel faction in the al-Hasakah province in north-east Syria, composed of three battalions of 300 to 400 fighters each, EFE reported Friday, citing one of the Christian rebel commanders, Kino Gabriel.

 Since its launch in January 2013, MFS forces have battled pro-regime troops and the Al-Nusra Front - a subsidiary of the Al Qaeda in Syria - and are now fighting the IS.

 Gabriel said there were other Christian armed groups in the Syrian provinces of Hama and Idleb, but explained that they were not very large.

 It is uncommon to find such Christian militias in Syria, where Christians account for 9 percent of the population.

 Since the beginning of the Syrian conflict almost four years ago, the Christian community has been predominantly supportive of President Bashar al-Assad's regime and opposed to the armed opposition dominated by Sunni rebels.

 Most members of the MFS are Assyrian Christians, an ethnic group mainly living in the al-Hasakah province, although Gabriel stressed that there were also some Kurds and Arabs in the region.

 At least 90 Syrian Christians of the Assyrian minority were confirmed kidnapped by the IS militants from two Assyrian towns in northern Syria, media reported, citing the monitoring group, Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) Tuesday.

 According to figures given by the Christian rebel commander, the number of Assyrians held hostage by the militants range from 250 to 400, which would make it the biggest case of mass kidnapping of Christians by the militants and the second-largest of any minority group, after the capture of 400 to 1,000 Yazidis in Iraq last August.

 According to Gabriel, the kidnapping of Assyrians may have been in retaliation to several clashes and attacks launched by the Christian militia against the IS near the Khabur river.

 "Our main problem now is the inability to cross the Khabur river to attack them (the militants)," said the Christian militia leader.

 Gabriel is confident that the Kurds and the MFS can defeat the IS: "We will be able to overcome our enemy."

 According to the Christian group, it is essential to receive military support from the international community, as well as obtaining heavy weaponry, to emerge victorious in the war against the IS.

20,000 dealers in Bengal to exit VAT ambit following revision

Kolkata, Feb 27 (IANS) More than 20,000 firms in West Bengal will go out of the purview of the value added tax (VAT) with the state government raising the threshold from Rs.5 lakh to Rs.10 lakh, Finance Minister Amit Mitra said Friday.


 "I propose to increase the (annual) threshold from Rs. 5 lakhs to Rs. 10 lakhs. Due to this measure, more than 20,000 dealers who are at present required to pay VAT will now go out of the ambit of VAT," Mitra said while presenting the state budget for 2015-16 in the assembly.

 He also proposed to introduce an amnesty scheme to exempt any penalties on previous accumulated tax for companies registering for the tax.

 "Despite our past initiatives to bring big unregistered dealers under the tax fold, some dealers still remain outside the VAT network owing to penal provision and burden of past tax liabilities. I propose to introduce an attractive amnesty scheme for unregistered dealers," he said.

 Under the initiative, companies will be able to register for the ad valorem tax based on their self-declared turnovers.

 "The scheme will be open from April 1, 2015 to July 31, 2015," he said.

 While the state may lose 20,000 VAT payers by implementing the revision, it may bring in new companies within the fold of the state tax.

 West Bengal is also doing away with the compulsory audit certificate from the small scale industries previously required.

 "The dealers with annual turnover of less than Rs.5 crore are required to file a self-audit statement. I now propose to do away with filing of self-audit statement by dealers with an annual turnover of less than Rs.10 crore," said Mitra.

 The minister also said his government will grant new VAT registration within 24 hours for all online application made using a digital signature.

 Furthermore, companies generating electricity from renewable sources of energy for a period of 10 years will get a 100 percent VAT refund on its entire capital investments.

Himachal administrative tribunal chief assumes charge

Shimla, Feb 27 (IANS) Justice V.K. Sharma, a former judge of the Himachal Pradesh High Court, Friday took charge as the chairman of the state administrative tribunal that the  government has revived.


 Chief Secretary P. Mitra read out the appointment order issued by the president.

 Chief Minister Virbhadra Singh told reporters that the government has been successful in setting up the administrative tribunal, which would enable the employees to get their grievances redressed.

 He said the state government had pursued the matter for setting up the administrative tribunal with the central government.

 "Since there are many service cases pending in the high court, the tribunal would not only provide much relief to the court but will also act as an alternative source for grievance redressal," he added.

Economic Survey pitches for pan-India GST

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) Introduction of the goods and services tax (GST) would make Indian products competitive in domestic and international markets, the Economic Survey of 2014-15 said, adding that studies have shown that it would instantly spur economic growth.


 "The introduction of the GST would be a significant step in the field of indirect tax reforms in India. By subsuming a large number of central and state taxes into a single tax, it would mitigate cascading or double taxation in a major way and pave the way for a common national market," the survey said.

 The survey was tabled in the Lok Sabha by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley Friday.

 "From the consumer's point of view, the biggest advantage would be in terms of a reduction in the overall tax burden on goods, which is currently estimated at 25-30 percent," it said.

 The broad features of the proposed GST model are:

 ** GST would be applicable on supply of goods or services as against the present concept of tax on the manufacture or on sale of goods or on provision of services

 ** GST would be destination-based tax as against the present concept of origin-based tax

 ** It would be dual GST with the centre and the states simultaneously levying it on a common base. The GST to be levied by the centre would be called central GST (CGST) and that to be levied by the states would be called state GST (SGST)

 ** An integrated GST (IGST) would be levied on inter-state supply (including stock transfers) of goods or services. This would be collected by the centre so that the credit chain is not disrupted

 ** Import of goods or services would be treated as inter-state supplies and would be subject to IGST in addition to the applicable custom duties

 ** A non-vatable additional tax, not exceeding 1 percent on inter-state supply of goods would be levied by the centre and retained by the originating state at least for a period of two years

 ** CGST, SGST and IGST would be levied at rates to be recommended by the GST Council, which will be chaired by the union finance minister and will have finance ministers of states as its members

 ** Exports would be zero-rated

 ** The list of exempted goods and services would be kept to a minimum and it would be harmonised for the centre and states as far as possible

 ** GST would apply to all goods and services except alcohol for human consumption

 ** GST on petroleum products would be applicable from a date to be recommended by the GST Council

Ghaziabad Metro line's cost won't increase

Ghaziabad, Feb 27 (IANS) The Ghaziabad Development Authority Friday said the project cost of 9.41 km Dilshad Garden-New Bus Stand Ghaziabad Metro extension line would not escalate due to delay on account of court litigation.


 The litigation has been filed by one of the bidders in the project, said Santosh Kumar Yadav, vice chairman of the Ghaziabad Development Authority.

 Earlier, Gammon India Limited, one of the bidders for the project, filed a writ petition in the Supreme Court for which the apex court asked the Delhi High Court to hear the petition.

 Gammon India Limited claimed that it had been unfairly barred from the project and its financial bid, in the tender process, was not considered despite being the lowest.

 It also claimed that the contract was awarded to a joint venture of Tata Projects Limited and Guangdong Yauntian Engineering Company of China for the proposed 9.71-km Metro extension from Dilshad Garden to New bus-stand in Ghaziabad.

 "The case is scheduled for March 4, 2015 and we hope the court will decide it on the same day since the project is of immense importance," Yadav said.

 "About a month delay would not have any impact on the project which could not be heard since the judge was on holiday on last hearing."

 "The line, which will cater to more than 87,000 commuters over an elevated section on G.T. road, will provide improved connectivity to Delhi for the residents of Shalimar Garden, Lajpat Nagar, Rajendra Nagar, Raj Nagar Extension and Mohan Nagar so the court would definitely consider the importance," he added. 

Srinivasan offers unconditional apology to Supreme Court (Lead)

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) Sidelined president N. Srinivasan Friday offered an unconditional apology for presiding over the Feb 8 Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) Working Committee meeting in breach of the January 2015 Supreme Court order.


 Srinivasan told the court that it was due to bonafide misunderstanding of the court's order which led him to chair the meet. "I am offering an unqualified apology. We looked at the letter of the order and not the spirit," the court was told.

 Accepting the apology, the court said that the matter stands closed. The bench of Justice T.S. Thakur and Justice Fakkir Mohamed Ibrahim Kalifulla permitted Srinivasan to cast vote to elect office bearers on behalf the Tamil Nadu Cricket Association (TNCA) at the Annual General Body (AGM) meeting of the BCCI March 2.

 The court made it clear that Srinivasan would be exercising the vote on behalf of TNCA as a representative and not as its president, only if TNCA formally authorises him to do so. The court also made it clear that apart from voting, Srinivasan would not be participating in the AGM when it takes up other issues on its agenda and that TNCA would be represented by another person.

 Srinivasan offered the apology in the wake of a contempt petition by the Cricket Association Bihar (CAB) which had said that Srinivasan had committed a contempt of court by presiding over the meeting, in breach of the Jan 22 apex court verdict.

 The apex court Jan 22 had said that Srinivasan cannot contest elections for BCCI presidency as long as he is involved in "conflict of interest" as an owner of Indian Premier League (IPL) franchise Chennai Super Kings (CSK).

 "...no one who has any commercial interest in BCCI events shall be eligible for contesting the elections for any post whatsoever," the court had said while holding void and ineffective the amendment of BCCI rules permitting its office bearers to have commercial interest in events like IPL and Champions Trophy.

 Senior counsel Kapil Sibal, appearing for Srinivasan, offered the apology. Senior counsel Nalini Chidambram, appearing for CAB, told the court that Srinivasan could not even participate in the proceedings of the AGM.

 As court said "we leave it you" to take a call on the submission by Chidambram, Sibal urged the court to make the position clear as he does not want to fall foul of the court again.

 "I don't want to fall foul of the court. Let us be clear. Don't put him in jeopardy. He is entitled to vote who should be next president. What is the conflict of interest in voting," Sibal said.

 Sibal told the court that "in election no executive decisions are taken. There is just a vote and there is no conflict of interest. My conflict of interest arises as BCCI president. My franchise can't be taken away. I have given up. I have transferred my shares".

 Having said this, Sibal added that even politicians who fall foul with law are allowed to vote. As Sibal was told that the disqualification was not issue based, he urged the court to pass an order: "I don't want to be hauled up for contempt."

Metro to run on single line between Sarita Vihar, Badarpur

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) The Delhi Metro Friday said train services between Sarita Vihar and Badarpur stations will run on single line for a few hours over the weekend due to construction work.


 Train services between the two stations, which fall on Line 6, operating from Mandi House to Badarpur, would run on single line Feb 28 and March 1, a statement said.

 On Feb 28, trains would run on single line from 11 p.m. till the last revenue service, while on March 1, the trains would run on single line from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m., it said.

 The frequency during this period would be approximately 16 minutes "which is more or less similar to a normal day schedule, with no major impact on passenger movement from one end to another end of the line", the statement said.

 "This is necessitated due to OHE (Over Head Electricity) interlinking work planned by the DMRC (Delhi Metro Rail Corporation) on these days between Badarpur end of Line 6 with upcoming extension of Line 6 towards Faridabad side," it said.

 Two stations - Mohan Estate and Tughlakabad - fall between the Sarita Vihar and Badarpur stations.

Ranji: Maharashtra trail Tamil Nadu by 439

Kolkata, Feb 27 (IANS) A half-century from opener Swapnil Gugale (56 not out) helped Maharashtra post 110/1 at stumps on Day 3 of the Ranji Trophy semi-final after Tamil Nadu ended their first innings at 549 at the Eden Gardens here Friday.


 Adding on their overnight score of 426/5, Tamil Nadu were were reduced to 444/7, losing both their settled batsmen Ramaswamy Prasanna (72) and Baba Indrajith (69) in quick succession to pacer Anupam Sanklecha.

 Malolan Rangarajan (67) then piled on the agony for the Maharashtra bowlers with the help of lower-order bat Aswin Crist (30) to notch up a partnership of 57 runs. Rangarajan remained not out while Crist was picked up by left-arm seamer Samad Fallah.

 The tail-enders wagged around a little longer and were eventually bowled out for a formidable 549.

 In reply, Maharashtra were jolted at the very beginning of their innings as veteran medium-pacer Lakshmipathy Balaji clean bowled Harshad Khadiwale (14) with the score reading 20/1.

 But Chirag Khurana (36) and Gugale with their choice of shot selection and judgement made sure they were not pegged back again, as the latter hit 11 fours en route.

 Brief scores: Tamil Nadu 549 all out (Dinesh Karthik 113, Vijay Shankar 91, Ramaswamy Prasanna 72; Anupam Sanklecha 3/115, Chirag Khurana 2/80) vs Maharashtra 110/1 (Swapnil Gugale not out 56, Chirag Khurana 36; Lakshmipathy Balaji 1/35).

Sahara AMC not 'fit and proper' to act as portfolio manager: SEBI

Chennai, Feb 27 (IANS) Terming Sahara Asset Management Company Private Ltd (Sahara AMC) as not "fit and proper person", India's markets regulator Friday rejected its application for renewal of certificate of registration as a portfolio manager.


 The order was passed by S.Raman, whole time member of Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI).

 Sahara AMC had submitted the renewal application July 6, 2012.

 On July 11, 2014, the SEBI informed Sahara AMC that prima facie it was not a "fit and proper person" eligible for renewal of certificate of registration and also asked why its application should not be rejected.

 In its reply dated July 28, 2014, Sahara AMC contended that SEBI is proceeding on a completely incorrect/erroneous basis since it considered the orders and action initiated or pending against the directors, promoters and the associate entities while determining the "fit and proper person" criteria.

 In its final order, SEBI said it has to has to take into account the financial integrity, honesty, good reputation and character of the applicant.

 "The role of the portfolio manager as a market intermediary is indeed very crucial, especially as a portfolio manager handles money kept with him in fiduciary capacity. As a regulator of the securities market, SEBI indeed has to take into consideration important facts such as prosecution proceedings, detention order, etc. pending against the persons ultimately controlling or influencing Sahara AMC, while considering its eligibility as a portfolio manager," the order said.

 "Keeping Sahara AMC in the mainstream market after considering the antecedents of Subrata Roy Sahara and some other companies of the Sahara group, may cause prejudice to the interests of investors and the safety and integrity of the securities market. I am, therefore, of the firm opinion that the applicant is not a 'fit and proper person' to act as a portfolio manager in the Indian securities market," Raman ruled.

 According to the order, Sahara AMC shall, within 30 days from the date of cancellation of certificate of registration as a portfolio manager, transfer its business to another SEBI registered portfolio manager.

 Sahara AMC should also allow the client to withdraw the securities and funds in its custody at the option of the client, and in either case, without any additional cost to the client. The option shall be granted to each client separately, the order said.

Modi urged to look into pension issues

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) Social groups working for the elderly and other vulnerable people in the country Friday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to look into the issues concerning old-age pension, including increment in the amount and lowering age of the beneficiaries.


 In a letter to Modi, Pension Parishad, a conglomerate of many groups working in the social sector, said the elderly poor in India live in a state of perpetual crisis and must be looked after well.

 Pension amounts continue to be "criminally low and completely insufficient". In many states, in the absence of contributions by states, the people continue to receive a paltry sum of Rs.200 a month, they said in the letter.

 In Assam, the monthly pension amount is Rs.250. In West Bengal and Gujarat it is Rs.400 a month.

 In Rajasthan and Kerala, social old age pensioners are paid Rs.500 while in Haryana, it is Rs.1,000 per month.

 Recently, the government of Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have revised their monthly pension from Rs.200 to Rs.1,000, they said in the letter.

 Pension must be indexed to inflation, they demanded.

 Although some states have increased their pensions from time to time, no state has yet indexed it to inflation. It is only rational, reasonable and humane to index pensions to inflation and to revise the amounts at least once a year, they added.

 They also demanded that applying for the pension be made simple. Applying for a pension was extremely cumbersome and time-consuming, the letter said.

 Also, there there was an urgent need to revamp the entire payment process as best practices from different states could be brought together to ensure a payment platform that is transparent, timely, corruption-free and efficient, it said.

 The social groups also urged the prime minister to revise eligibility criteria for the pension.

 In some states like Andhra Pradesh, the age for eligibility for pensions is as high as 65 years.

 This should be brought down across the country to 55 years of age - at least for women, they said.

Bangladesh opposition calls another 72-hour strike

Dhaka, Feb 27 (IANS) Demanding fresh elections under a non-party caretaker government system, Bangladesh's main opposition alliance Friday called another round of nationwide strike from Sunday morning.


 The strike will start at 6 a.m. Sunday and will continue till 6 a.m. Wednesday, Xinhua news agency reported citing a statement issued by Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) spokesperson Salahuddin Ahmed in a statement.

 The strike announcement came just a day after it observed a five-day countrywide strike from Feb 22 morning amid violent clashes, vandalism, arson and crude bomb attacks.

 BNP and its allies has declared the 72-hour road, rail and waterway strike from Sunday morning amid its ongoing blockade campaign that entered the 46th day Friday.

 Bangladesh has been gripped by political violence since January this year and the opposition BNP and its allies -- who boycotted the general elections held Jan 5 last year -- have enforced a non-stop nationwide blockade since Jan 5 this year, demanding fresh parliamentary polls under a non-party caretaker government system.

 Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has said the non-stop agitation and blockade has resulted in a loss of over taka 1.2 trillion (nearly $15.5 billion) to the nation.

 According to her, the protest movement by the opposition was, being waged for the personal gains of BNP chairperson and former prime minister Khaleda Zia.

Rishi Kapoor back on Twitter, gets warm welcome

Mumbai, Feb 27 (IANS) Veteran actor Rishi Kapoor, who rejoined micro-blogging website Twitter after almost five years, was warmly welcomed on the online platform by celebrities like Anupan Kher, Abhishek Bachchan and Karan Johar.


 Abhishek was the first to welcome his "Chintu Uncle" on board. He tweeted Thursday: "Crew show some major love to one of my all time favourites @chintskap Rishi Kapoor. Welcome to the chaos Chintu Uncle.Awesome to have u here (sic)"

 The 62-year-old actor responded: "Thank you @juniorbachchan for the welcome. Happy to be here."

 Here's what other celebrities shared through their Twitter handles:

 Anupam Kher: "Welcome to the joy of Twitter @chintskap (Mr. Rishi Kapoor). Have fun Sir. Jai Ho.:)"

 Karan Johar: "My most favourite actor and someone I have had the huge honor to work with...RISHI KAPOOR joins the Twitter family.... @chintskap"

 Aditi Rao Hydari: "OMGOMGOMG... The most most amazing Rishi kapoor is on twitter!!! @chintskap...."

 Kunal Kohli: "@chintskap welcome to Twitter sir. Tweeple Pls welcome my most fav actor & human being Mr. Rishi Kapoor to Twitter."

 The "Bobby" and "Karz" star was recently seen in "Do Dooni Chaar" and "Student of the Year"

Uncertainty dogs 35,000 tribal refugees in Tripura

Agartala/Aizawl, Feb 27 (IANS) Despite fresh initiatives by the central and Tripura governments, the repatriation to Mizoram of about 35,000 tribal refugees sheltered in Tripura for over 17 years still hangs in balance.



 Refugee leaders told Home Minister Rajnath Singh and his deputy Kiren Rijiju recently that they were willing to return to their homes in Mizoram if their 10 demands, including security and rehabilitation, were met.

 The Mizoram government remains ambiguous on the refugees' demands, including free supply of food grain for two years and allotment of land to them. The demands have also run into objections from Mizos.

 Tripura and Mizoram share a 109-km border.

 The immigrants live in small thatched homes made of bamboo and hemp in seven transitory relief camps in Kanchanpur in northern Tripura, adjoining Mizoram. Most adult men and women sit idle through the day.

 After meeting the refugee leaders at Kanchanpur in northern Tripura, the central ministers and officials met Tripura Chief Minister Manik Sarkar in Agartala.

 The meeting remained inconclusive as Mizoram Chief Minister Lal Thanhawla did not attend it.

 About 35,000 Reang tribals, who call themselves "Bru", have lived in seven camps in Tripura since October 1997 after fleeing western Mizoram after the killing of a Mizo forest officer triggered ethnic troubles.

 Reangs are officially categorised a primitive tribe.

 The Mizoram Bru Displaced People's Forum submitted a six-page memorandum to the central ministers accusing the Mizoram government of discriminating against them.

 "We are ready to go back to our homes in Mizoram. But before that the Mizoram and central governments must implement our demands," its general secretary Bruno Msha told IANS.

 Rajnath Singh said in Tripura that he had requested the refugees to go back to Mizoram, saying they would be provided all assistance.

 "I believe they are ready to go back to their homes," he added. "I believe the Mizoram government will extend all help and assistance to the refugees."

 When IANS reminded Rajnath Singh about the many inconclusive efforts aimed at resolving the refugee issue, the minister sounded confident: "The problem will be resolved."

 A Mizoram home department official told IANS in Aizawl that Chief Lal Thanhawla felt that those refugees who have refused to return to Mizoram despite concerted efforts should be settled in Tripura.

 Home ministry officials met officers from Tripura and Mizoram in New Delhi Jan 30 and finalised a roadmap to repatriate the refugees by June 2015.

 "The Tripura government will provide all logistical help if Mizoram takes back the refugees," Tripura Relief and Rehabilitation Department Additional Secretary Karnamani Das told IANS. Das represented Tripura in New Delhi.

 Mizoram Home Minister R. Lalzirliana has warned that refugees who refuse to return following the next repatriation attempts would be disfranchised as Mizoram voters.

 "The decision was taken in New Delhi recently," Lalzirliana said.

 The central government took the initiative to repatriate the refugees in view of the Supreme Court directions Jan 16.

 Following a Tripura High Court order, the union home ministry last year set up a seven-member panel headed by Rajiv Gauba, an additional secretary, to oversee the condition of the refugees in the Tripura camps.

 The central team submitted its report to the Tripura High Court.

 The refugees say they should be treated like Kashmiri pundits.

 But the Mizo Students Federation argues that the Reang tribals were not refugees in the first place and so can never be compared with the Kashmiri Pundits.

 "We have documentary evidence that they migrated en masse to Tripura because of their political aspirations," said a Mizo leader, Lalhmachhuana.

 The Young Mizo Association, the largest Mizo youth organisation, has taken a dim view of the refugees' demands.

 Some NGOs in Mizoram want that the names of the tribals who refuse to return home should be deleted from electoral lists.

 Tripura Revenue and Relief Minister Badal Choudhury said: "A serious socio-economic problem has cropped up due to the long stay of the refugees in Tripura."

 "The refugees have damaged vast areas in forests in Kanchanpur causing serious environmental problems.

 "Some refugees are involved in terrorism activities. The refugees also work for cheap wages, creating an awkward situation for local labourers," Choudhury told IANS.

Rejection hurts depressed people for long

New York, Feb 27 (IANS) Rejected by someone you like? While that might work for many people, it may not be so easy for those with untreated depression, finds a new study.


 The pain of social rejection lasts longer for them -- and their brain cells release less of a natural pain and stress-reducing chemical called natural opioids, researchers report.

 A team from the University of Michigan Medical School, Stony Brook University and the University of Illinois at Chicago worked together on the study which builds on previous work about social rejection in non-depressed people.

 "Our findings suggest that a depressed person's ability to regulate emotions during these interactions is compromised, potentially because of an altered opioid system. This may be one reason for depression's tendency to linger or return, especially in a negative social environment," explained lead author David Hsu from Stony Brook.

 This builds on our growing understanding that "the brain's opioid system may help an individual feel better after negative social interactions, and sustain good feelings after positive social interactions," he continued.

 On the flip side, when someone they are interested in likes them back, depressed people do feel relatively better - but only momentarily.

 For the study, the team focused on the mu-opioid receptor system in the brain - the same system that they have studied for years in relation to response to physical pain.

 During physical pain, our brains release opioids to dampen pain signals.

 The findings were made in depressed and non-depressed people using specialised brain-scanning technology and a simulated online dating scenario.

 "The research sheds new light on how the brain's pain-response mechanism, called the opioid system, differs in people with depression," the authors wrote.

 Further research could lead to a better understanding of how to boost the opioid response in depressed individuals to reduce the exaggerated effect of social stress, and to increase the benefits of positive social interactions, the team concluded.

 The study appeared in the journal Molecular Psychiatry.

Russia appreciates India's stand against sanctions

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) Amid Western threats to impose tougher sanctions on Russia over Ukraine, Moscow Friday appreciated Indiaís stand and said both countries stood for ìnon-interference in the domestic affairsî of other nations.


 Sergey Naryshkin, Speaker of the Russian parliament, told an event here hosted by the Observer Research Foundation (ORF) that Russia ìappreciates Indiaís position that it is unacceptable to impose sanctionsî.

 Naryshkin also slammed the US for the sanctions, which he said were a ìkind of economic pressureî.

 He said the US was trying to blame Russia for the continuing violence in Ukraine when the ìresponsibility of the US is significant and evident to everyoneî.

 India has stated clearly ìthat it cannot be a party to any economic sanctions against Russiaî. This was stated ahead of Russian President Vladimir Putinís visit to India in December last year.

 Naryshkin also termed ties between India and Russia as ìunique and characterised by friendship, mutual trustî.

 Speaking later at the Russian Cultural Centre, he said -- in obvious reference to the US -- that India and Russia were for international law which is ìnot being accepted due to unipolarity, which is damaging to the international security systemî.

 He said both countries were for ìnon-interference in the domestic affairs of other countriesî.

 He said following Putinís visit to India, the levels of cooperation between the two sides had risen at all levels

 He said Russia supported Indiaís full-fledged membership to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO).

 The next SCO summit will be held in the Russian city Ufa on July 9-10, 2015 along with the 7th BRICS Summit.

 Russia will chair both SCO and BRICS groups of nations. Ufa is the capital of the Republic of Bashkortostan, and the industrial, economic, scientific and cultural center of Russia.

 The West, led by the US, has threatened tougher sanctions on Russia over the unrest in eastern Ukraine, alleging Moscow was actively supporting the pro-Russian rebels. Russia has denied the charge.

 Naryshkin is here to attend the third session of the Russian-Indian parliamentary commission.

Modi's Arunachal visit could complicate border disputes: Chinese daily

Beijing, Feb 27 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi's visit to Arunachal Pradesh earlier this month could add fuel to the territorial disputes between India and China, a leading Chinese daily has said.


 Any visit by an Indian prime minister to ìthe disputed border regionî would "undoubtedly step on China's toes and influence bilateral relationsî, the Global Times, known for its sharp views on India, said in an op-ed piece headlined ìModi border visit an unhelpful irritantî.

 The article is based on an interview with Hu Shisheng, director of the Institute of South and Southeast Asian and Oceania Studies, China Institutes of Contemporary International Relations.    

 The visit, coming weeks after Minister of External Affairs Susham Swaraj advocated an "out-of-box" solution to Sino-Indian border disputes,"has triggered strong dissatisfaction and opposition from China".

 Modi visited Arunachal Pradesh Feb 20 to attend its 23rd State Foundation Day.

 During the course of the visit, he flagged off the Naharlagun-New Delhi Express while expressing the hope that the boost in communications through the railways would propel growth and development in Arunachal Pradesh and other parts of the northeast.

 "There might be plenty of reasons for Modi to attend the celebration in the disputed zone, including boosting his Bharatiya Janata Party's (BJP) political influence and winning more support from this area, especially since the Congress party has long dominated India's northeast," the article stated.

 "However, he has more reasons not to go, among which the major concern is that a visit could add fuel to the long-standing territorial disputes between China and India, making it difficult to achieve a resolution and irritating bilateral ties."

 According to Hu, India's previous coalition governments had weak decision-making ability, leaving them unable to push forward with innovative proposals on the border issue.

 "As the new Indian government settles in, now is the best time to bring the border disputes to an end, because a solution requires not only strong will, but also strong political implementation capacity," the expert on strategic studies said.

 According to the article, New Delhi and Beijing should apply the principle of mutual understanding and accommodation in solving such disputes.

 Stating that the border dispute comes from colonial days, it stated that "identifying the lines of control on each side will be a key step to facilitating the long-stalled process of bringing the disputes to a peaceful resolution".  

 "As with every other relationship around the world, cooperation and confrontation coexist all the time in Sino-India relations," Hu said.

 "This relationship between two rapidly emerging powers is all about how to get on well with one another despite all the controversies and conflicts."

 The article pointed out that Modi's government, which is focusing on development and improving people's livelihood, "realises that it must maintain a good relationship with China from which India could derive the markets, technologies and financial support to substantially boost the country's economy".

 "In an atmosphere of cooperation, with strong leaders on both sides, the two countries should seize the strategic opportunity to solve their border disputes," it concluded.

Kanye West apologises to Beck

Los Angeles, Feb 27 (IANS) Nearly three weeks after he almost crashed Beck's acceptance speech at the Grammy Awards, rapper Kanye West has apologised to the singer.


 West almost recreated the 2009 MTV VMAs incident involving Taylor Swift at the Grammys earlier this month. This time, he suddenly jumped on the stage after Beck's "Morning Phase" was announced as the winner in the coveted Album of the Year category.
 
 West took to Twitter Thursday to publicly apologise for his stunt at the 57th Annual Grammy Awards Feb 8, reports aceshowbiz.com.

 ìI would like to publicly apologise to Beck, I'm sorry Beck,î he wrote.

 In another post, West apologised to Mars because he used to dislike the ìTreasureî hitmaker.

 He wrote: ìI also want to publicly apologise to Bruno Mars, I used to hate on him but I really respect what he does as an artist.î

 West even publicly asked Mars to work on a track with him.

 ìI also would love for Bruno to sing this hook on this song 88 Keys/ Puff and I produced,î he added. 

Turkish police detain suicide bomber near US consulate

Istanbul, Feb 27 (IANS) Turkish police detained a man threatening to detonate a suicide bomb in front of the US consulate in Istanbul Friday, media reported.


 The police have been deployed to the Sariyer district where the US consulate is located, Xinhua news agency reported citing the Dogan news service, adding that Istanbul has been put on high alert.

 The suspect, reportedly mentally unstable, said he was going to blow himself up while the special operation teams neutralised him.

 The US consulate building, known as US Castle, is considered the best guarded consulate in Istanbul.

OPEC daily basket price closes over two dollars higher

Vienna, Feb 27 (IANS/WAM) The basket of 12 crude oils of the Organisation of Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC) closed at $56.07 a barrel Thursday, compared with $53.81 Wednesday, the OPEC secretariat said.


 The OPEC Reference Basket of Crudes is made up of the following: Murban (UAE), Saharan Blend (Algeria), Girassol (Angola), Oriente (Ecuador), Iran Heavy (Islamic Republic of Iran), Basra Light (Iraq), Kuwait Export (Kuwait), Es Sider (Libya), Bonny Light (Nigeria), Qatar Marine (Qatar), Arab Light (Saudi Arabia) and Merey (Venezuela).

Sensex closes 472 points up; capital goods stocks zoom (Third Lead)

Mumbai, Feb 27 (IANS) A day ahead of the union budget, a benchmark index of Indian equities markets, the 30-scrip Sensitive Index (Sensex), provisionally closed Friday's trade up 472 points or 1.64 percent.


 Bullish sentiments prevailed as the day's biggest trigger - the Economic Survey -- was tabled in the Lok Sabha by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley.

 The survey projected India's economic growth at more than 8 percent for the next fiscal.

 The annual report card on the state of the country's economy said the growth should rise further and double digit expansion was a possibility.

 The wider 50-scrip Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) also made healthy gains during the day's trade. It provisionally closed 160.75 points or 1.85 percent up at 8,844.60 points.

 The Sensex of the S&P Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 28,865.12 points, closed at 29,218.53 points (3.30 p.m.), up 471.88 points or 1.64 percent from the previous day's close at 28,746.65 points.

 The Sensex had touched a high of 29,254.02 points and a low of 28,837.06 points in intra-day trade.

 On Friday, healthy buying was observed in all sector-based indices of the BSE except fast moving consumer goods (FMCG).

 The S&P BSE capital goods index surged 678.67 points, followed by bank index which rose  595.40 points, automobile index rocketed 351.20 points, metal index went up by 290.98 points.

 Healthy buying was also observed in consumer durables index which increased 225.05  points, healthcare index which was up 150.22 points and oil and gas index which augmented by 146.01 points.

'Bright spot' on dwarf planet has dimmer companion

Washington, Feb 27 (IANS) Dwarf planet Ceres continues to puzzle scientists as a new image from NASA's Dawn spacecraft reveals that a bright spot that stands out in previous images lies close to yet another bright area.


 Taken 46,000 kms from the dwarf planet, the "bright spot" can now be seen to have a companion of lesser brightness, but apparently in the same basin.

 "This may be pointing to a volcano-like origin of the spots, but we will have to wait for better resolution before we can make such geologic interpretations," said Chris Russell, principal investigator for the Dawn mission based at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA).

 Dawn is set to enter orbit around Ceres March 6.

 The brightest spot continues to be too small to resolve with our camera, "but despite its size it is brighter than anything else on Ceres. This is truly unexpected and still a mystery to us," added Andreas Nathues, lead investigator from the Max Planck Institute for Solar System Research, Gottingen, Germany.

 As scientists receive better and better views of the dwarf planet over the next 16 months, they hope to gain a deeper understanding of its origin and evolution by studying its surface.

 Dawn visited the giant asteroid Vesta from 2011 to 2012, delivering more than 30,000 images of the body along with many other measurements, and providing insights about its composition and geological history.

 Vesta has an average diameter of 525 kms while Ceres has an average diameter of 950 kms.

 Vesta and Ceres are the two most massive bodies in the asteroid belt, located between Mars and Jupiter.

Economic Survey Highlights - 5

* Government remains committed to fiscal consolidation, enhanced revenue generation a priority


 * India needs to create additional fiscal space

 * Male literacy at 80.9 percent, female literacy at 64.6 percent

 * Need for balance between Make in India and Skilling India; skill development and employment are major challenges

 * Food subsidy bill at Rs.1,07,823.75 crore during 2014-15 (upto January), an increase of 20 percent over previous year

 * Rationalisation of subsidies and better targeting of beneficiaries will release resources for public investment in agriculture

 * Create National Common Market for agricultural commodities

 * Revive public investment to improve investment climate

 * Inflation showed declining trend during  April-December 2014-15, average WPI inflation declined to 3.4 percent against average of six percent during the previous year, WPI food inflation fell to 4.8 percent after high of 9.4 percent in 2013-14, CPI inflation touched all-time low of 5 percent after remaining high at 9-10 percent for last two years
 
 * Government measures to control food inflation and persistent decline in crude prices resulted in declining trend in inflation

 * Foodgrain production in 2014-15 estimated at 257.07 million tonnes; will exceed average foodgrain production of last five years by 8.5 million tonnes

  * Agriculture and allied sectors contributed 18 percent to GDP

 * Fourteenth Finance Commission will enhance fiscal federalism

 * Hyper-growth in tech startups

 * Rural penetration of IT services to drive Make in India mission

 * Electronic visa gives fillip to tourism sector

 * Growth rate of over eight percent expected in 2015-16

 * Double-digit economic growth trajectory now a possibility

 * Political mandate for reform and benign external environment

 * Scope for big bang reforms

EC to connect voter identity cards with Aadhar

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) The Election Commission (EC) will connect voter identity cards with Aadhar, Law Minister D.V. Sadananda Gowda said Friday.


 Replying to a question in the Rajya Sabha, the minister said the process will take some time as Aadhar numbers have not yet been given to all citizens.

 "The Election Commission is trying to link the EPIC (Electronic Privacy Information Centre) card with Aadhar. Of course as far as Aadhar is concerned, it is not completed all over the country, but still step-by-step this will be taken into consideration," said Gowda.

Economic Survey Highlights - 6

* Reforms recommended of Indian Railways' structure, commercial practices, technology


 * Greater public investment in railways to boost growth and manufacturing in India

 * Infrastructure growth of eight core industries higher than industrial growth since 2011-12

 * Number of macro level and sectoral initiatives undertaken to improve industrial growth

 * Government remains committed to fiscal consolidation, enhanced revenue generation a priority

 * India needs to create additional fiscal space

 * Male literacy at 80.9 percent, female literacy at 64.6 percent

 * Need for balance between Make in India and Skilling India; skill development and employment are major challenges

 * Food subsidy bill at Rs.1,07,823.75 crore during 2014-15 (upto January), an increase of 20 percent over previous year

 * Rationalisation of subsidies and better targeting of beneficiaries will release resources for public investment in agriculture

 * Create National Common Market for agricultural commodities

 * Revive public investment to improve investment climate

 * Inflation showed declining trend during  April-December 2014-15, average WPI inflation declined to 3.4 percent against average of six percent during the previous year, WPI food inflation fell to 4.8 percent after high of 9.4 percent in 2013-14, CPI inflation touched all-time low of 5 percent after remaining high at 9-10 percent for last two years
 
 * Government measures to control food inflation and persistent decline in crude prices resulted in declining trend in inflation

 * Foodgrain production in 2014-15 estimated at 257.07 million tonnes; will exceed average foodgrain production of last five years by 8.5 million tonnes

  * Agriculture and allied sectors contributed 18 percent to GDP

 * Fourteenth Finance Commission will enhance fiscal federalism

 * Hyper-growth in tech startups

 * Rural penetration of IT services to drive Make in India mission

 * Electronic visa gives fillip to tourism sector

 * Growth rate of over eight percent expected in 2015-16

 * Double-digit economic growth trajectory now a possibility

 * Political mandate for reform and benign external environment

 * Scope for big bang reforms 

No film with Saif as of now: Kunal Kohli

Mumbai, Feb 27 (IANS) Filmmaker Kunal Kohli has denied rumours that he has signed actor-producer Saif Ali Khan for his upcoming production.


 Kunal, who is making his acting debut in ìPhir Seî with TV star Jennifer Winget, took to Twitter Friday to shoot down the rumours.

 ìReg rumors. While I would LOVE to direct, produce or act in a film with Saif, as of now there isn't one, in the near future hopefully,î Kunal, whose "Phir Se" is scheduled to release in May, tweeted.

 The duo previously worked together in the highly acclaimed 2004 romantic comedy film ìHum Tumî for which Saif received the National Film Award for Best Actor.

Resident doctors protest over security issues

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) Resident doctors working in government hospitals Friday staged a protest following the delay in improving security conditions in hospitals here.


 As a part of the protest, they have also decided to refrain from any kind of clinical work in the hospitals they work in.

 "We are no more going to wait for the government's reply. It has been proved that they consider our problem too tiny to be taken seriously. This is shameful," said Balwinder Singh, president, Federation Of Resident Doctors Association (FORDA).

 The FORDA in a letter dated Feb 12 had urged union Health Minister J.P Nadda to improve the security conditions, availability of life saving drugs, surgical equipment and surgical consumables in government hospitals.

 Doctors said if the government doesn't pay heed to the letter, they will call for an indefinite strike.

 In the letter, the association stated that the lack of security in the hospitals has left the doctors open to assaults from patients' attendants.

 "The situation in the government hospitals has turned so bad that even pickpockets and thieves are roaming in the hospitals stealing patients' belongings and cash," Balwinder told IANS.

One killed, three hurt in Bengal explosion

Kolkata, Feb 27 (IANS) One person was killed and three grievously injured in an explosion in West Bengal's Birbhum district, police said Friday.


 The incident took place Thursday night in the Ilambazar police station area in the district.

 "One man has been killed and three others seriously injured in an explosion. According to preliminary reports, the explosion occurred while they were making crude bombs," an officer of Ilambazar police station said.

 No arrest has been made in this connection so far.

Altering brain's food sense may achieve healthy ageing

New York, Feb 27 (IANS) Tweaking the brain in order to alter the perception of feeding state and achieve low-calorie intake may promote healthy ageing, finds an interesting study.


 According to researchers from Harvard University's school of public health, manipulating the energy-sensing pathway in the central nervous system can cause organisms to perceive their cells to be in a low-energy state, even if they are eating normally and energy levels are high.

 The study led by Kristopher Burkewitz and senior author William Mair focused on a molecule called "AMP-activated protein kinase" (AMPK).

 It acts as a molecular fuel gauge to detect energy levels.

 The researchers found that AMPK inhibited the activity of a protein called CRTC-1 in neurons.

 This process, in turn, controlled the behaviour of mitochondria - the cell's powerhouse where energy is generated - throughout the organism, by altering production of a neurotransmitter.

 The researchers were struck by the fact that altering the AMPK pathway in just a limited set of neurons was sufficient to override its effects on metabolism and longevity in other tissues.

 Ageing was influenced more by what the animals perceived they were eating than what they actually ate.

 "Drugs targeting the cells' energy-sensors in this way could potentially address age-related diseases, including cancer and neurodegeneration, and may offer an alternative to caloric restriction," the authors noted.

 The study was published in the journal Cell.

Economic Survey Highlights - 7 last

* Major reform initiatives undertaken in banking, insurance and financial sectors


 * National Solar Mission being scaled up five-fold to 100,000 MW

 * Clean Energy Cess doubled to Rs.100 per tonne to mop up Rs. 17,000 crore

 * Action-oriented policies to bring rapid development to people while purposefully addressing climate change

 * Services sector clocks double digit growth of 10.6 percent

 * External sector returning to path of strength and resilience

 * Reforms recommended of Indian Railways' structure, commercial practices, technology

 * Greater public investment in railways to boost growth and manufacturing in India

 * Infrastructure growth of eight core industries higher than industrial growth since 2011-12

 * Number of macro level and sectoral initiatives undertaken to improve industrial growth

 * Government remains committed to fiscal consolidation, enhanced revenue generation a priority

 * India needs to create additional fiscal space

 * Male literacy at 80.9 percent, female literacy at 64.6 percent

 * Need for balance between Make in India and Skilling India; skill development and employment are major challenges

 * Food subsidy bill at Rs.1,07,823.75 crore during 2014-15 (upto January), an increase of 20 percent over previous year

 * Rationalisation of subsidies and better targeting of beneficiaries will release resources for public investment in agriculture

 * Create National Common Market for agricultural commodities

 * Revive public investment to improve investment climate

 * Inflation showed declining trend during  April-December 2014-15, average WPI inflation declined to 3.4 percent against average of six percent during the previous year, WPI food inflation fell to 4.8 percent after high of 9.4 percent in 2013-14, CPI inflation touched all-time low of 5 percent after remaining high at 9-10 percent for last two years
 
 * Government measures to control food inflation and persistent decline in crude prices resulted in declining trend in inflation

 * Foodgrain production in 2014-15 estimated at 257.07 million tonnes; will exceed average foodgrain production of last five years by 8.5 million tonnes

  * Agriculture and allied sectors contributed 18 percent to GDP

 * Fourteenth Finance Commission will enhance fiscal federalism

 * Hyper-growth in tech startups

 * Rural penetration of IT services to drive Make in India mission

 * Electronic visa gives fillip to tourism sector

 * Growth rate of over eight percent expected in 2015-16

 * Double-digit economic growth trajectory now a possibility

 * Political mandate for reform and benign external environment

 * Scope for big bang reforms 

Subsidies aren't best weapon to tackle poverty: Economic Survey

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) Price subsidies did not have a transformative effect on the living standards of the poor, though they helped poor households to weather inflation and price volatility, the Economic Survey for 2014-15 revealed here Friday.


 "A close look at price subsidies, which are estimated to be about Rs.378,000 crore, about 4.24 percent of GDP (gross domestic product), reveal that they may not be the government's best weapon for fighting poverty," the survey, which was tabled by Finance Minister Arun Jaitley in parliament, said.

 Dwelling upon various subsidies to the poor, the survey even stated that these are often regressive.

 "An analysis of the current subsidy scheme indicates that rich households benefit more from the subsidy than a poor household," it said.

 Among various examples that it had dwelt upon, the survey said subsidy on electricity can only benefit the relatively rich.

 The survey, however, concluded that eliminating or phasing down subsidies is neither feasible nor desirable. "By adopting what it called the JAM Number Trinity - Jan Dhan Yojana, Aadhaar and mobile numbers - would allow the state to deliver the subsidies to poor in a targeted and less distorted manner," it added.

 "Rationalisation of subsidies, better targeting of beneficiaries will release funds for public investment in agriculture," the survey said.

 "Converting all subsidies into direct benefit transfers is a laudable goal of government policy," it added.

Leonor Varela welcomes second child

Los Angeles, Feb 27 (IANS) Actress Leonor Varela has welcomed her second child, a daughter, with husband and producer Lucas Akoskin.


 The 42-year-old gave birth to her daughter Wednesday in Santa Monica, California. The couple has named the newborn Luna Mae Akosin, reports people.com.

 ìWe are deeply grateful for the arrival of our daughter, Luna Mae Akosin, to our family. Her 8 lbs, 11 oz of pure love have made us very proud parents for the second time,î Varela said.

 ìFeeling so blessed this angel just landed in our arms. Welcome to the family Luna Mae,î Varela announced on Instagram, sharing a black-and-white snapshot of the two snuggling.

 Varela, who is known for her role in ìDallasî, and Akoskin are also parents to 2-year-old son Matteo.

Backpackers Cafe: Chandigarh's 'The Place' (Foodie Trail) (With Images)

Chandigarh, Feb 27 (IANS) If Chandigarh's upscale Sector 9 inner market has turned out to be the most happening place for the city's elite and youth in recent years, an important reason is the existence of the Backpackers Cafe.



 It has  built up a reputation of being "The Place" in Chandigarh's social circuit,  especially for those who relish good non-Indian cuisine and want to wear it on their sleeve.

 The Cafe, started in 2007, was almost a pioneer in its category to offer English-style breakfast.  Chandigarh, which was used to only a few fine dining restaurants, dhabas in and around the city and the uphill drive to the nearby Kasauli hills,  was quick to lap up the concept.

 "We wanted to start a  good breakfast place and that is how Backpackers Cafe came into being. As for the  name, the idea was to have a travel-based cafe where people on the  move could sit down and have a good meal," the cafe's owner, Abhay Jagat, who  runs a chain of popular food enterprises in Chandigarh with his wife Priya  Grewal, told IANS.

 The All-Day Breakfast  menu offers quite a range from farm-fresh eggs with bacon, cinnamon and raisin  pancake stack, BBQ chicken, bangers and mash (grilled sausages), country potato wedges and sauted veggies.

 Customers can go in for custom-made choices like Spanish omelette, Indian masala omelette, sauted onion and ham or pepperoni and the like.

 From nicoise salad, "the  forever young French recipe", to Skillet meals, country-style cheese raclette  and cheese fondue to regulars like grilled meals, sandwiches, burgers, ultra  thin-crust pizzas and small eats like tremetzini (Italian finger-shaped  sandwiches), aranchini (basil flavoured risotto balls stuffed with jalepenos,  mozzarella and black pepper) and saffron chicken brochettes - there is much to choose from.

 "Cafes the world over are a  habit. People want to go there often to enjoy their cup of coffee with a meal.  At Backpackers, we have a small kitchen providing good khana (food). The response has been very encouraging," Jagat pointed out, adding that customers can also get the listed meals custom-made.

 To water down the meals, besides a range of coffees, the cafe offers smoothies (including fresh fruit  and yoghurt), shakes, fizzes, fruit and vegetable blends, among others.

 Backpackers now has two  outlets, the popular one in Sector 9 and a bigger one in the courtyard of Elante Mall, the city's biggest.

 The outlets, usually  brimming with people, have a western rustic look with live  kitchens.

 "Backpackers now has a  distinct identity in Chandigarh's food culture. Here, you can walk-in in any  mood or attire and bump into friends and acquaintances. The food here is always  amazing," Harkirat Singh, a horticulturist-cum-entrepreneur, who is a regular at  the cafe, told IANS.

 The cafe's unique menu is in the shape of a tabloid newspaper on thick art paper with a lot of  entertaining information. For instance: "Welcome to Backpackers, Chandigarh's own  Travel Cafe. We aspire to provide a safe haven for adventurers, rebels and  pirates alike, with no prejudice in mind. We don't judge you and want you to  explore new places, meet new people....and if you are thinking about it.....you  are more welcome to do so....while cherishing our delectable  cuisine."

 With such tempting  invitation and food - it's time to be at Backpackers!

 FAQs:

 * Location:  Sector 9-D (Inner Market) and Elante Mall courtyard.

 * Meal for two with soft beveragse: Rs.600 to Rs.1,500

 * Timings: 8.30 a.m. to midnight.

 (Jaideep Sarin's visit was at the invitation of Backpackers Cafe. He can be contacted at jaideep.s@ians.in <mailto:jaideep.s@ians.in>)

BJP refuses to comment on Gadkari's French cruise

New Delhi, Feb 27 (IANS) The BJP Friday refused to react to a media report about Road Transport Minister Nitin Gadkari taking a French cruise along with his family, which was sponsored by a top corporate house.


 "This kind of news keeps coming every day. We don't need to react to this," BJP leader Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi told the media.

 According to a report published in the Indian Express, Essar Group sponsored a trip on a foreign yacht for Gadkari and his family.

 The report goes on to mention how the group cultivated individuals in positions of power and influence, showered them with gifts and favours to push its business interests.

 Gadkari, however, said: "I will not do so now that I am a minister...But then I wasn't, neither an MP nor BJP president".

 The Indian Express report also said that former minister Sriprakash Jaiswal, Congress leaders Digvijaya Singh and Motilal Vora and BJP's Varun Gandhi referred candidates for jobs in Essar.

Genes behind back pain and depression link: Study

Sydney, Feb 27 (IANS) The commonly found association between low back pain and depression is actually due to certain genetic factors, suggests a large study of twins.


 Genes affecting levels of neurotransmitters - such as serotonin and norepinephrine - might affect the risk of both back pain and depression, the researchers added.

 Neurotransmitters are chemicals that transmit signals from one neuron to another 'target' neuron.

 Thus the commonly found association between these health conditions is probably not a "true" relationship, as there are other factors influencing it, the study noted.

 "Genetic factors affecting both conditions may be involved in the association between back pain and depression," said Marina Pinheiro from the University of Sydney, Australia.

 For the study, the researchers analysed data from an established database (Murcia Twin Registry) of nearly 2,150 Spanish twins.

 Twin studies provide a unique opportunity to elucidate the association between health conditions, by eliminating the genetic and environmental factors contributing to them.

 On analysis of monozygotic twins -- who are genetically identical -- the researchers found that the commonly found association between symptoms of depression and low back pain disappeared.

 This suggested that the strong association found in non-identical twins resulted from the "confounding" effects of common genetic factors influencing both conditions, the researchers noted.

 Previous studies have shown a "consistent relationship" between back pain and depression -- a combination that may complicate diagnosis and treatment.

 The new study is the first to examine the relationship between depression and low back pain using twin data to control for genetic and familial factors, the researchers pointed out.

 The study appeared in the journal PAIN.