|
India asks its students in Australia not to retaliate to attacks
New Delhi: External
Affairs Minister S M Krishna on Tuesday urged Indian students studying in Australia
to concentrate on their studies and exercise restraint rather than retaliate.
Krishna said, the government had got assurance from the Australian authorities
that full care will be taken about safety of Indian students on its soil. "I would
like our Indian students to be patient, they should be restrained. They have gone
there to pursue higher studies. They should concentrate on that rather than retaliate.
We have the fullest assurance from the Australian Government that care will be
taken about the Indian students' safety. In the light of that assurance, I would
like them to concentrate on their studies," Krishna said. Adding to the series
of ongoing 'racist' attacks, a 23-year-old Indian student Kamaljit was beaten
up for the second time in a fortnight by a group of youths in Melbourne . The
latest attack makes Kamaljit the 11th person of Indian community to have suffered
assault in last one month in Australia . On Sunday, an Indian student in western
suburb of the city found Kamaljit lying unconscious and bleeding. The latest attack
on Kamaljit was second in less than two weeks. The Australian Government had last
week announced setting up of a Task Force headed by the National Security Adviser
to deal with such violence. According to reports, Indian students have formed
groups to patrol troubled areas in Melbourne to protest against the attacks. They
were asked by the Australian police to stop the practice and let them do their
jobs. PM confident
of 8-9 per cent growth Top New
Delhi: Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday expressed confidence that
the country can achieve eight to nine per cent growth rate in the coming two to
three years and the government will be working to achieve it. "I cannot promise
that international developments (economic slowdown) will not affect India, but
we can still achieve eight-nine per cent growth rate. This year we will maintain
at least seven per cent growth rate. In the short-run, we cannot do better but
this is not good enough," said Manmohan Singh, replying to a marathon debate on
the Motion of Thanks on the President's Address in both Houses of Parliament on
Tuesday. PM emphasized that though the fiscal deficit is high, there is a need
to rapidly expand economy, create jobs and resources for spending on flagship
programmes on education, health, rural development and scope for expansion in
infrastructure development. He was also hopeful that this would be reflected in
the forthcoming budget for this year. "In the present situation, there is considerable
scope to increase public expenditure particularly on infrastructure projects and
that would not lead to inflation", Singh said. Responding to demands by several
members, the PM assured both the houses that the backward areas will obtain priority
attention. PM also asserted that the Centre, states and Panchayatiraj institutions
must work in tandem to have all round growth. Sensex
up 461 points after PM's growth projection remarks Top Mumbai:
Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex on Tuesday recorded a surge of over
461 points on aggressive buying by funds and regained 15,000-level, which it lost
during Monday's steep fall. Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's comments on economic
growth triggered hefty buying interest on bourses. Singh, while winding up a debate
in Parliament on Tuesday, said that the economy could grow by 8-9 per cent rate
despite global slowdown. With funds turning aggressive buyers, the barometer,
which opened remarkably lower, shot up 461.08 points to close close at 15,127.00.
Wider National Stock Exchange index Nifty also spurted by 121.05 points at 4,550.95.
Sena activists
rampage Reliance office over high power tariff Top Mumbai:
Rampaging activists of the Shiv Sena on Monday damaged the office of Reliance
Infrastructure Limited and set a truck on fire in Mumbai against an alleged hiking
of power tariff by the company. At least 500 protesters pelted stones on the power
company's office and broke the windowpanes and also clashed with the police. The
protest broke out in the afternoon and continued for at least two hours. Police
resorted to lobbing tear gas shells and baton charged the mob. The police baton
charged the protesters, injuring many women among them. Setting the truck on fire
on the Western Express Highway led to traffic jam. Police arrested a few protesters
and the situation was brought under control after the Shiv Sena called off the
protest. Right-wing Shiv Sena is known for its violent demonstrations against
various issue ranging form Valentine's Day to migrants living in Maharashtra.
Sri Lanka turns
down suspicious aid from British Tamil ship Top
London: A ship carrying aid from British Tamils
has been rejected by the Sri Lankan authorities, who suspected it to contain logistical
equipment for the Tamil Tigers. Sri Lankan military has ordered Syrian-registered
ship, The Captain Ali, to leave the island without distributing its cargo. "The
ship had tried to enter Sri Lankan waters without following the proper procedure,"
The Telegraph quoted a military official, as saying in Colombo. The spokesman
said that the ship neither had permission to land in Sri Lanka, nor did the crew
possess visas for the country, and so it has been escorted out of Sri Lankan waters.
As the Captain Ali ship entered Sri Lankan waters on June 4, country's navy seized
it, detaining its 13-crew members and 2 passengers - including one Briton - for
questioning. The ship set sail from Ipswich on April 20. The organizers of the
ship, Mercy Mission to Vanni, said it was carrying nearly 900 tons of food, medicine
and other aid donated by British Tamils. The campaign was supported by British
pop star M.I.A., who is of Sri Lankan Tamil origin. "We are extremely disappointed
that the Sri Lankan government has turned away this mercy mission that was only
carrying aid," said Arjunan Ethirveerasingam a spokesperson for Mercey Mission.
"There are 300,000 people in internment camps in the north of the island who desperately
need this aid," he added. The ship is currently headed westerly away from Colombo.
When it reaches international waters, the mission will decide how they can get
the food and aid into Sri Lanka. "Whether we take it to another country and ship
it in containers or work with a partner organisation, we will have to decide,
but we will find a way of getting the food to the people who need it," Ethirveerasingam
said. Indo-Nepal
boundary map being finalised Top Kathmandu:
Indian Ambassador to Nepal Rakesh Sood said on Tuesday that a joint committee
is working towards finalisation of a boundary map between India and Nepal to resolve
the border issue that has long been in contention. "The technical-level committee
is working towards finalisation of the map," Rakesh Sood said. The joint committee,
headed by Surveyor General of India and Director General of Nepal's Department
of Survey, has been working in a coordinated manner towards demarcating and managing
the border. Sood also emphasized that nearly 98 per cent of the border between
Nepal and India has been demarcated. The decision is being taken up as Nepal has
been accusing India of encroachment along the Indo-Nepal border. Earlier on June
8, Rakesh Sood had a meeting with Nepalese Foreign Secretary Gyan Chandra Acharya.
"We are waiting for Nepal Government's nod to sign the boundary map. We have been
waiting for over a year to sign the agreement," Sood had said after his meeting
with Nepalese Foreign Secretary. Neighbours'
nod compulsory to own a dog in China Top New
Delhi: From now on, residents in China 's Luwan District of Shanghai, who
wish to keep a pet dog, will have to attend a hearing with their neighbours for
their approval. According to the Shanghai Daily, the district's public security
bureau director said that the program has been launched in a bid to avoid neighbourhood
disputes caused by dogs. Households that fail to get the nod from all five neighbours
will be refused a dog license, and unlicensed pets will be confiscated. The trial
is taking place at Ruijin No.2 Road police station, reports the China Daily. When
a resident will apply for a dog license, the neighbourhood committee will arrange
a hearing between the applicant and their five nearest neighbours, who will then
vote on the issue after the applicant gives a statement. "It is a good way to
reduce future conflicts caused by pet dogs," said Chen Mingjun, director of the
Luwan District branch of the Shanghai Public Security Bureau. Currently, a dog
owner can receive a license after gathering five signatures from neighbours. Now,
Luwan District is giving the neighbours an opportunity to sit together, discuss
and vote to approve or reject a license application. |
