Archive for: July 7, 2010

Indian cricket captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni celebrates his 29th birthday today, three days after his surprise marriage to childhood friend Sakshi Singh Rawat.

Earlier in the day, hundreds of cricket fans celebrated Dhoni’s birthday by cutting cake at the Mecon Stadium near his residence in Ranchi, and wished him success and more explosive knocks.

Dhoni’s supporters plan to burst firecrackers and distribute sweets through the day to mark the occasion.

Neighbours of the Indian cricketer are eagerly awaiting his arrival with his newly-wed bride, saying they are ready with folk songs and other activities to welcome …

Economists expect the Reserve Bank to hike its key short-term lending and borrowing rates on July 27 to tame rising inflation, which is already in double-digits.

The Opposition has mounted pressure on the government to rollback fuel prices and curb inflation, but economists said the RBI’s expected move will not be guided by the NDA and Left-sponsored Bharat Bandh yesterday.

They, in fact, favoured the government’s move to hike petroleum prices.

“The idea is to moderate economic growth by raising interest rates and thereby control inflationary expectations.

I don’t think that due to the protests by the Opposition, RBI …

Days after Pakistan said it would raise the alleged human rights situation in Jammu and Kashmir in upcoming Indo-Pak talks, India on Tuesday made it clear that law and order cannot be questioned in the name of rights and that terrorism will be the focus of the parleys.

“Throughout the country human rights are protected, human rights are sacred to India and that has been ensured by the judiciary,” External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna told reporters accompanying him on way home from a tour of Mauritius, Mozambique and Seychelles.

“If …

The Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE) benchmark Sensex on Wednesday opened 55 points lower as funds and retail investors preferred to book profits after Tuesday’s rally.

The 30-share index, which had gained 173.04 points in the previous session, shed 55.84 points, or 0.32 per cent, to 17,558.64 points.

Banking, metal and IT stocks came under selling pressure and were trading in the negative territory with moderate losses up to 0.37 per cent.

The wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty fell by 21.20, or 0.40 per cent, to 5,267.85 points.

Brokers said besides profit-booking by funds as well as retail …

A United Nations report has paved the way for the Government to take a stronger stance against asylum seekers.

The report, from the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, describes “greatly improved” security in Sri Lanka, and says it should not be presumed that Tamils need asylum.

It says some women and children, as well as people with links to the Tamil Tigers, still face the risk of persecution even though the situation in the country has improved.

The Federal Cabinet met late yesterday to consider a decision on whether to …

With four civilians killed in the past 24 hours and 70 others injured as the police opened fire to quell demonstrations in different parts of Srinagar, the Jammu and Kashmir government on Tuesday sought the Army’s help in tamping down mass protests that have not abated despite several days of curfew.

The push to seek deployment of the Army in Srinagar in assistance of civil authority was made late on Tuesday night by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, but sources say Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram and the Central government are reluctant to draw the …

AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa today alleged that Tamil Nadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi’s remarks on slain LTTE chief V Prabhakaran was an open acknowledgement that he condoned the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi and asked the Congress to realise the “true mindset” of its alliance partner.

“Karunanidhi faults me for piloting a resolution in the Assembly urging Sri Lankan Government to arrest Prabhakaran and hand him over to India to face trial in the Rajiv Gandhi Assassination case. I am not surprised,” she said.

Jayalalithaa’s hard-hitting statement came in response to Karunanidhi’s charge that she was …