TOP STORY OF THE DAY |
|
|
| India ranks 47th in list of corrupt countries: WB | | | |
Singapore, September 15
China and India must move to curb corruption or else their booming economies will likely falter, a senior World Bank official said on Friday.
The giant Asian neighbours are growing at annual rates of 10 per cent and 8 per cent respectively, the fastest among the world's major economies, but both score poorly on controlling corruption, according to a World Bank study on quality of governance across countries.
The report used six indicators, including the ability to control corruption, to rank quality of governance in more than 200 countries. China was placed at 31, while India ranked 47 in the list of most corrupt countries. Both countries also have a poor record of enforcing the rule of law, the report said.
"They are not in the right zone," said Daniel Kaufmann, director of global governance at the World Bank's research arm. To sustain their rapid economic growth and graduate to the next level of development, China and India must "pay priority to these issues," Kaufmann said.
Economies of both China and India have grown briskly over th... | |
|
 |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
FRONT PAGE STORIES |
|
|
| Americans without sheen and shine | | | | B L KAK
World’s superpower, USA, is in a throes of confusion. The level of confusion has registered a phenomenal increase in recent times, with the “do-or-die” battle waged in Iraq by the Muslim rebels and anti-US revolutionaries. And these rebels and revolutionaries are sufficiently armed and enjoying the support of several Islamic extremist organizations.
Most Americans, according to a survey, are of the opinion that US troops should be withdrawn from Iraq. There are differences on the degree of the pull-out. While some would like a partial withdrawal, a record 33 per cent want to see all US troops withdrawn from Iraq. Taken together, those who believe some or all American troops shoul... | |
| | | | CONG LEGISLATORS SULKING IN ISOLATION | | HIGH COMMAND NOT WILLING TO GIVE AUDIENCE | | |
Jammu,September 15 :- Despite a wait for over 15 days the AICC President, Sonia Gandhi,has not so far given time for meeting more than eight congress legislators from Jammu and Kashmir who wanted to convey their displeasure over the style of functioning of the Chief Minister,Mr Ghulam Nabi Azad.
These legislators had been told to stay put in Jammu and do not leave for Delhi unless Sonia clears their meeting date. However,Thakur Puran Singh,who had won the 2002 Assembly poll from Darhal constituency as an independent candidate and later joined the congress,had reached Delhi on his own.However,he waited for a week but his dream of meeting Ms Gandhi could not materialize. He returned to ... | |
| | | | MUFTI’S UN VISIT | | BAIG BURNs MIDNIGHT OIL, preparing SELF RULE DOCUMENT | | |
Jammu, September 15 :- The dethroned PDP leader,Mr Muzaffar Hussain Baig,is back to shoulder sensitive matters of the party and the party patron,Mufti Mohd.Sayeed,has again reposed trust in him by giving him the assignment of preparing a detailed document on the idea of self-rule which could form the basis for the settlement of the Kashmir issue.
Party sources have disclosed that Baig has been asked to burn the midnight oil and get the document prepared so that the same could be presented to UN members on the sidelines of the session.
It is irony of fate that the same Baig who had castigated the Muftis on misleading the people by the slogan of self-rule has been entrusted the ... | |
| | | | CRPF's UN peacekeeper force shoots into prominence | | | | B L KAK
NEW DELHI, SEPT. 15: The United Nations has for the first time deployed an all-female unit for peacekeeping operations in Liberia. As many as 125 policewomen drawn from India's Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) will leave next month for a tour of duty in Monrovia, capital of the west African nation just emerging from years of savage civil war.
Significantly, many of the policewomen have served in Jammu and Kashmir, where Islamic guerrillas have been, since 1989, fighting Indian security forces. Quite a few of these CRPF female fighters have served in the insurgency-torn northeast region of India. But UN peacekeeping operations will present new challenges to the policewomen.
... | |
| | | | Terror to figure in parleys with Musharraf: PM | | | |
On Board PM's Special Flight, Sept 15:
Ahead of his crucial meeting here with Pervez Musharraf, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today refused to be drawn into a discussion on Pakistan President's reported comments that Islamabad would not offer any more "concessions" to New Delhi without a reciprocal pledge.
He, however, made it clear that all issues relating to control of terrorism will figure in his parleys with Musharraf on the sidelines of the NAM summit.
Singh did not rule out a joint statement at the end of the meeting.
Apparently seeeking to douse too much expectations from the meeting, the first between them after the July Mumbai blasts that had brought in sudden chill i... | |
| | | | Action against army men stayed in Patheribal case | | | |
Srinagar, Sep 15 Staying the proceedings against the army personnel allegedly involved in the killing of five youths at Patheribal in south Kashmir, a court here has directed the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) to file objections within two weeks.
Hearing the appeal of the army personnel, an Additional Sessions Judge, Srinagar, has fixed the next date of hearing for October 3 after staying the
August 24 order of the Chief Judicial Magistrate.
In his order, the CJM had, on August 24, rejected the objections
filed by the army in the case and had directed the army authorities
to exercise their option whether it will go for court martial or the
case is shifted to a sessions cou... | |
| | | | Militants ambush army convoy, 8 jawans injured | | | |
Srinagar, Sep 15 : At least eight army personnel were injured, some of them critically, when a group of militants ambushed an army convoy in Kupwara district of North Kashmir, this afternoon.
Official sources told News Agency of Kashmir that militants targeted the army convoy when it was on its way to Srinagar near Thokarpora Khralgund, Handwara.
Details of the incident revealed that a convoy of 32 Rashtriya Rifles was taken to surprise when a group of militants opened indiscriminate firing on it from two directions. Militants, who were armed with sophisticated weapons, reportedly targeted the last two vehicles inflicting serious injuries to eight jawans.
Though the army personnel al... | |
| | | | Lingam controversy takes new turn, Mahant Giri resigns | | | |
Srinagar, Sep 15 The Shiv Lingam controversy today took a new turn as the custodian of Shiva’s mace, Chahari Mubarak, Mahant Deependra Giri resigned from the post and disassociated himself from Shri Amarnath Shrine Board.
Mahant Giri, who also heads Dashnami Akhara, was the first persons within the Shrine Board who had expressed doubts over the creation of artificial lingam. Though the Mahant claimed that he is disassociating himself from the Board, sources disclosed that Mahant took the step after receiving a notice served by ex-officio chairman SASB chairman and governor Jammu and Kashmir SK Sinha.
It was reliably learnt that through the show cause notice the Board had asked Mahant Gi... | |
| | | | PM to meet Musharraf tomorrow; terror to top agenda of meeting | | | |
Havana, Sep 15 Despite the current chill in bilateral ties, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will meet Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf tomorrow on the margins of the NAM Summit during which he will firmly convey to the military ruler India's concerns over continuing cross-border terrorism.
According to senior Indian officials, the Prime Minister would do some plain-speaking at the crucial meeting and tell Gen Musharraf in unequivocal terms that it would be difficult for New Delhi to resume the peace process if Pakistan did not stop promoting cross-border terrorism.
This will be the first meeting between the two leaders after the recent spurt in terrorist activities in India, due t... | |
| | |
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|