LOS ANGELES, May 9: A second unidentified masseur has joined a 2 million dollars lawsuit against John Travolta claiming the actor sexually assaulted the men in two separate incidents during private massages, according to amended court documents filed yesterday. The second unnamed man, a resident of Georgia referred to as John Doe No 2 in court papers obtained by Reuters, claimed that Travolta rubbed his legs, touched his genitals and tried to initiate sex at a private appointment at the actor’s room inside an Atlanta hotel on January 28. (agencies)
US bill prohibits aid to Pak till it cooperates on terror war
WASHINGTON, May 9: A Congressional Committee in its budgetary proposals for the year 2013 has prohibited economic and security assistance to Pakistan till it co-operates with the US in the fight against terrorism and takes action against groups like Haqqani Network, Taliban, al-Qaeda, LeT and JeM.
“The legislation prohibits economic and security assistance unless the Government of Pakistan is cooperating with the US on counterterrorism efforts and other issues,” the House Appropriations Committee said in a statement as it released the 2013 State and Foreign Operations Appropriations Bill.
The bill totals USD 40.1 billion in regular discretionary funding, which is USD two billion or five per cent below last year’s level. The bill running into 208 pages will be considered by a Congressional sub-committee later today.
Among other things, the bill includes USD 8.2 billion in Overseas Contingency Operations/Global War on Terror funding, which will adequately provide for continued US involvement in front-line countries and other war-related efforts.
In total, including war funding, the bill is USD five billion – or nine per cent– below fiscal year 2012, the House Committee said in a statement.
“It is more important than ever that taxpayer dollars be used in the most efficient, frugal, and common-sense way to balance our international responsibilities with the very real economic and financial challenges we face here at home. This bill meets our commitment to providing essential security, diplomatic, and humanitarian assistance abroad, while reducing funding for lower-priority programs and providing a keen eye towards the oversight of every tax dollar,” Appropriations Chairman Hal Rogers said in a statement.
The legislation also withholds operating funds until a transition plan is submitted and withholds assistance until certifications that proper security is in place for civilian aid workers can be made.
According to the bill, none of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act to Pakistan may be made available unless the Secretary of State certifies that Pakistan is cooperating with US on counterterrorism efforts against the Haqqani Network, the Taliban, Lashkar e-Tayyiba, Jaish-e-Mohammed, Al-Qaeda and other terror groups, including taking steps to end support for such groups and prevent them from basing and operating in Pakistan and carrying out cross border attacks into neighboring countries.
Other conditions include Pakistan taking strong action against IEDs, which is said to be responsible for most American casualties in Afghanistan.
The bill also seeks a set of benchmarks for Pakistan from the Government and if these benchmarks are not met, the US aid to Pakistan would be suspended. (PTI)
Explosive device being studied to prevent future Attempts
WASHINGTON, May 9: The would-be suicide bomber in a plot by al Qaeda’s Yemeni affiliate was planted in the group by an allied intelligence agency or turned into an informant early in the conspiracy, US officials said.
The CIA and its foreign partners tracked the plot for several weeks and then managed to get the informant to deliver the bomb outside Yemen, possibly to Saudi Arabia or the United Arab Emirates, sources said yesterday.
US intelligence officials wanted to keep a lid on details of how the plot was uncovered to make sure the informant and the family was safe. Sources said the informant was believed to be connected to a foreign intelligence agency allied with the CIA.
The New York Times reported the would-be suicide bomber was an intelligence agent for Saudi Arabia who volunteered for the mission to detonate the bomb aboard a U.S.-bound airliner.
The plot was publicly revealed on Monday.
US and allied intelligence agencies in the last 10 days seized an explosive device that was an improved version of the “underwear bomb” in a failed Christmas Day 2009 airline bombing attempt over Detroit, American officials said
The plot to introduce the bomb aboard an aircraft was the work of Yemen-based Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula, or AQAP, considered the group’s most dangerous offshoot, U.S. Officials said.
The latest device appeared to be similar to the work of fugitive Saudi militant Ibrahim Hassan al-Asiri, who U.S. Sources believe is a bomb-maker working with AQAP. The FBI was studying the device to help prevent any future bombing attempts.
“The FBI has possession of the device and is analyzing it, which is a considerable intelligence benefit,” said Senator Susan Collins, senior Republican on the Homeland Security Committee.
The Transportation Security Administration “also will be able to examine the device to test whether or not it would have been detected, and make adjustments to improve the chances that similar devices would be detected,” she said in an email.
NON-METALLIC DETECTION
US security measures could detect a non-metallic bomb like the one in the latest plot, but technology such as body scanners is not deployed at all US airports, Obama administration officials said.
There was no immediate sign the administration was ordering changes in aviation security procedures. The plot never came close to fruition and no aircraft was in danger, officials said.
The Department of Homeland Security emphasized the importance of security measures to air carriers and foreign government partners in guidance that reiterated and updated existing security guidelines and encouraged continued vigilance, a DHS official said.
Security steps taken since the failed 2009 attempt, in which a similar device was carried onto a plane by Nigerian militant, Umar Farouk Abdulmutallab, “would have been able to prevent this device from bringing down an airplane,” the official said.
Senator Saxby Chambliss, the senior Republican on the intelligence committee, said the plot was a reminder of how committed AQAP was to attacking Americans. “Once again we’ve seen they think we are vulnerable through the airways. That’s why we give such emphasis to the screening process,” he said.
Other US officials said airport metal detectors probably would have trouble spotting a device that had no metal parts.
But airport body scanners, which use light doses of radiation to scan through a passenger’s clothes, ought to be able to detect “anomalies” which could then be further examined in a hands-on, pat down search, they said.
According to the Transportation Security Administration, about 700 full-body scanners have been deployed at more than 180 airports in the United States since 2007. However, there are about 450 airports that have federal security, according to the TSA. (agencies)
India can become innovation hub for bio-pharma: BCG
WASHINGTON, May 9: Emerging markets will drive 70 per cent of growth in the pharma industry and India will require supportive policies to leverage the BioPharma opportunity to become an innovation hub for the sector, says a BCG report.
Noting that for India to become an innovation hub, supportive policies is required, the position paper on India’s BioPharma sector has sought to leverage the country’s unique capabilities in genomic databases, translational research and nanotechnology.
A supportive environment is vital for India in particular as the commercial landscape in the country does not create enough pull to drive these opportunities by themselves, it argued.
“The Indian government has declared 2010 through 2020 as the ‘Decade of Innovation’. Innovation in life sciences will be essential to make this happen,” said Karun Rishi, president of USA-India Chamber of Commerce, giving a preview of the report to be released later this week during the US-India BioPharma and Healthcare Summit in Boston.
The findings of the position paper, prepared by Boston Consulting Group for the chamber, are part of interviews conducted with over 50 global thought leaders drawn from the industry, academia and policy makers.
Rishi said achieving the promise of spending two per cent of GDP on R&D by 2017 will require a considerable jump from the current spend of approximately one per cent.
“From in-depth interviews in oncology, three areas emerge where India can be leveraged: capturing economic advantage through building and maintaining unique assets such as a genetic information database; creating process efficiencies, such as translational research hubs; and capitalising on technological advantage to drive more applied research in emerging areas like nano-technology centres of excellence,” Rishi said.
The report has noted that all of this is not possible without a supportive environment, as it learnt from its clinical research deep dive.
“We believe that an advocacy platform to co-ordinate efforts across stakeholders must be established and that policymakers need to focus on setting guidelines, streamlining processes, building capacity in the administration, and finally encouraging infrastructure investments,” it said.
According to the report, emerging markets will drive 70 per cent of the growth in the pharma industry.
While there is a significant commercial opportunity, the link to R&D investments will need to be tailor-made for each country based on local capabilities present, it said. (PTI)
US disappointed with China over journalist’s expulsion
WASHINGTON, May 9: The US has expressed its disappointment over expulsion of Al-Jazeera’s correspondent Melissa Chan from China, as a result of which the Qatar-based news channel closed its English bureau in Beijing.
“We have been closely following Melissa Chan’s case, and I would just say that we’re disappointed in how the Chinese Government decided not to renew her accreditation,” State Department spokesman Mark Toner said.
“To our knowledge, she operated and reported in accordance with Chinese law, including regulations that permit foreign journalists to operate freely in China,” Toner said.
Responding to a question, Toner said he believes that the US has raised the issue with the Chinese authorities.
Chan, a US citizen who has been working in China since 2007, had to leave China following the denial of visa to her.
She has filed nearly 400 reports during her five years in the country, the channel said.
However, the channel said its Arabic bureau will continue to function without interruption.
Terming the move appalling, the Foreign Correspondents’ Club of China, (FCC), an informal body not recognised by Chinese government said Chan was being punished for a documentary aired by the channel even though she has no part in it.
“Chinese officials had expressed anger at a documentary the channel aired last November.
“Melissa Chan did not even play a part in making that documentary. They have also expressed unhappiness with the general editorial content on Al Jazeera English and accused Chan of violating rules and regulations that they have not specified,” it said in a statement.
“This is the most extreme example of a recent pattern of using journalist visas in an attempt to censor and intimidate foreign correspondents in China”, it said.
Declining to provide the reasons why Chan was expelled, Chinese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hong Lei yesterday said that there is a open and free environment for the foreign media to report from China.
“At the same time foreign journalists have to follow law and regulations and follow professional ethics”, he said.
“We have been dealing with relevant media and foreign journalists in accordance with relevant laws and regulations as well as actual performance of the journalists”, he said. (PTI)
Major fire at M&M plant; no casualties reported
NASHIK, May 9: A major fire broke out at Mahindra and Mahindra (M&M) auto plant in Satpur MIDC near here early this morning but it has been brought under control, fire brigade officials said.
“A major fire broke out at the logistics department of the company early this morning. After receiving a call at 5.45 am, informing us about the incident, fire tenders were rushed to the spot and the fire was soon brought under control,” Chief Fire Officer of the Nashik Municipal Corporation Anil Mahajan told.
Nobody was injured in the incident, he said, adding that around 25 fire tenders, both belonging to the local civic body as well as the company’s own firefighting unit, were roped in to douse the flames.
“We do not know the reason behind the fire as yet. We are also yet to estimate the exact amount of losses,” Nachiket Kulkarni, Head of M&M’s automobile plant, told reporters.
Senior General Manager (Personnel) Udaykumar Vaidya said that spare parts of the company’s popular SUV—Scorpio and of other vehicles were kept at the logistics department, besides some cardboard and plastic material.
“The company is finding out the reason behind the incident,” Vaidya said. (PTI)
PNB Q4 net jumps 18.6 pc at Rs 1,424 cr
NEW DELHI, May 9: State-owned Punjab National Bank (PNB) today reported 18.58 per cent rise in net profit at Rs 1,424.06 crore for the quarter ended March 31.
The bank had posted a net profit of Rs 1,200.9 crore in the same period last year, PNB said in a statement.
Total income of the lender increased to Rs 10,955.73 crore in the January-March quarter from Rs 8,585.65 crore in the same period last fiscal.
The Board of Directors of the bank has recommended an annual dividend of Rs 22 per equity share for FY’12, subject to declaration in the ensuing annual general meeting, it said. (PTI)
Agrochemicals mkt to cross Rs 25K cr by 2015: Assocham
NEW DELHI, May 9: India’s agrochemicals market is likely to be over Rs 25,000 crore by 2015 as increasing awareness about their positive impact and benefits on agri- produce is fuelling growth of the sector, Assocham said today.
Currently, the market size is over Rs 16,000 crore.
“Growing awareness about the positive impact and benefits of agrochemicals on the agri-produce and the need for crop protection and thriving domestic horticulture and floriculture industries are fuelling the growth and increased usage of agrochemicals in India,” the chamber said in a release.
It said that there is a huge growth potential for foreign investments in the sector.
“The (market size of) agrochemicals sector in India is likely to cross Rs 25,000 crore mark by 2015,” it said.
Considering the big growth prospects of agrochemicals, Assocham said there is an urgent need to inform farmers about its usage and application.
It also said that abundance of low-cost agrochemical products from China and counterfeit products are some of the key problems faced by India’s highly-fragmented agrochemicals market.
In terms of production, India ranks fourth in the world after the UA, Japan and China.
The global agrochemicals industry is growing at about 12 per cent and is likely to cross Rs 13 lakh crore mark from the current level of about Rs 8.5 lakh crore in the near future, it added.
“As per an estimate, crops worth about USD 20 billion is lost due to lower usage of pesticides each year,” it said. (PTI)
HPCL may sign crude import agreement with SOCAR
HYDERABAD, May 9: Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited (HPCL) may consider signing crude import agreement with the State Oil Company of Azerbaijan Republic (SOCAR), a top official of HPCL said.
K Murali, director, refineries, HPCL said the Azerbaijani company has come forward to supply crude and the proposal will be taken up with the HPCL Board.
“We are already in touch with them. We will take their offer to the board and take its approval. If everything goes well, we will start importing crude from this year itself in small quantities to start with,” Murali told without indicating when the Board will take up the issue.
HPCL’s move to import crude from the CIS nation indicates the oil PSU’s intention to diversify its sources of crude oil imports and to reduce its dependence on any particular region, particularly in the wake of sanctions imposed by the US and EU on Iran, an industry analyst said.
Murali said the initial quantities from Azerbaijan will be in the range of 0.5 million tons.
If everything goes well we can increase the quantity, he added.
“The Azeri crude is also economical for us. Rate is also competitive. That is the reason we may prefer,” he explained.
Another state-owned oil company, Indian Oil Corporation has also started importing from Azerbaijan from January this year.
Sources in IOCL said currently the imports from Azerbaijan are in the range of 20,000 barrels a day (equivalent to 2800 tons).
Though India has not said publicly that it was aiming to cut back on oil imports from Iran, the country’s top oil importers have been pushed to reduce the Iranian oil imports by 15-20 per cent.
Crude imports from Iran fell to 18.5 million tons in 2010-11 from 21.2 million tons in 2009-10. Iranian oil imports dropped to less than 16 million tons in the last fiscal. This year, they may further come down to 14 million tons, according to reports.
Replying to query, exports to Pakistan from HPCL-Mittal Energy’s Bhatinda plant, Murali said it is up to the neighboring country to decide whether to accept imports from India or not.
The 9 million ton a year (180,000 barrels per day) Guru Gobind Singh Refinery at Phullokari, Bathinda has become fully operational and started commercial production of fuel in March.
“Pakistani Government representatives have approached us . They discussed with us also. Now it has to be carried forward. We told them that we will give them good deal. They will have to make up their mind and then we go for nitty-gritty,” Murali said. (PTI)
IOB hikes foreign currency NRI deposit rates by up to 175 bps
CHENNAI, May 9: Public sector Indian Overseas Bank (IOB) has increased interest rates in foreign currency non-resident (Banking) accounts by 175 basis points for deposits of three to five years.
For deposits between one year and up to three years, it has been increased by 75 basis points with immediate effect, an IOB press release said here today.
The present interest rates for USD ranges from 2.56 to 4.11 per cent, for GBP (Great Britain Pound) 3.38 to 4.70 per cent and for the euro it ranges from 2.95 to 4.45 per cent maturities.
IOB said the initiative follows RBI’s guidelines issued recently.
To attract inflows in view of falling rupee, the Reserve Bank of India has raised the interest rate ceiling on NRI deposits in foreign currencies by up to 3 per cent.
Following the new norms, Indian banks are now able to offer higher interest rates on NRI deposits in foreign currency.
The bank had already hiked the non-resident (External) deposit interest rates at 9.25 per cent for deposits ranging from one year but less than five years, the release said. (PTI)