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Breaking News
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RAJYA SABHA PASSES WOMEN’S BILL
RS DISCUSSES WOMEN'S BILL, 7 MPS SUSPENDED, EVICTED
TRINAMOOL CONGRESS NOT TO VOTE ON WOMEN'S BILL
WOMEN'S RESERVATION WILL MEAN MORE SENSITIVE POLITICS: BRINDA
STRINGENT STEPS HELPS PUNJAB TO IMPROVE SEX RATIO
MAN ACCUSED OF KILLING TODDLER FACES COURT IN AUSTRALIA
RAISE FITNESS LEVELS OR PERISH: HOCKEY EXPERTS TO INDIA
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Punjab News
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Chandigarh March 9:
As a result of strict enforcement of the PNDT Act and the awarenes generation activities undertaken in Punjab there is a sense of fear amongst the ultrasonologists indulging in wrong practices and there has been an improvement in sex-ratio in the state as per SRS data.
In the age group of 0-4 years, sex ratio in Punjab in the year 2006=07 had increased by 42 points to 838 from 796 in the year 2001, Health and Family Welfare minister Laxmi Kanta Chawla told the state assembly during question hour here today.
Replying to a querry by Makhan Singh (Cong), the minister said that as per data of deliveries conducted in the government health institutions during the calender year 2009, the sex ratio at birth had improved to 894 girls to every 1000 baby boys and this signified a considerable improvement in the sex ratio which was 787 as per last census.
She told the House that there was provision of awarding outstanding panchayats that acheive sex-ratio (0-6 yrs) of 1000 or more through local initiatives. A sum of Rs 1.5 lakh was given to each panchayat in the current financial year as prize money, he added while pointing out that 60 outstanding panchayats had already been awarded the prize during this year. As many as 22 outstanding panchayats were awarded Rs 1.5 lack each for the year 2008-09, she added.
Refering to the steps taken to check sex determination tests, Ms Chawla said that sting operations had been initiated to unearth ultrasound centres allegedly indulging in sex-determination tests as there was usually no complainant in such matters. this scheme step had been publicised and any agency or individual who-so-ever conducts a sting operation and provides video or audio evidecne (CD) for launching prosecution against the erring centre would be paid Rs 25,000 immediately and another Rs 25,000 would be paid to the individual or the agency giving evidence in the court of law, she informed the House.
"This provision has helped increating a fear psychosis in the minds of violators of the PNDT Act", she added. Ms Chawla further stated that there was a provision of awarding informers at the rate of 20,000 each if they provide information and evidecne of sex-determination tests being conducted at any centre. This provision also helps in creating fear psychosis in the minds of violators of the PNDT Act, she said. The Minister further said there was a provision of giving incentive to decoy patients. This amount was Rs 10,000 per case and it helps the health deaprtment in nabbing those indulging into sex-determination selection.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 9,20
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Chandigarh March 9:
In order to check the growing stray dog population and their menace, the Punjab Government has decided to launch a sterilisation campaign in the state.
As a pilot project, this programme is proposed to be implemented by the Local Bodies department with the assistance of the Animal Welfare Board of India in Moga, Ferozepur, Jalandhar, Amritsar and Ludhiana cities, Animal Husbandry minister Gulzar Singh Ranike told the state Vidhan Sabha during question hour here today.
Replying to a querry by Inderbir Singh Bularia (SAD), the Minister said that for this pilot project, 50 per cent of the funds would be provided by the Animal Welfare Board and the remaining would be borne by the Municipal Corporations/Committees where it would be launched. He made it clear that the project could be extended to other towns or even the villages and the fund sharing would be in the same proportion.
Mr Ranike said that as per 'Animal Birth Control (Dogs), Rules, 2001, the Local Bodies department in cities and the Rural Development and Panchayats department in the villages are responsible to control the population of stray dogs by sterilisation. Animal husbandry department is providing technical services for sterilisation of stray dogs, he added. As and when these institutions plan for sterilisation, the veterinary doctors of the department provide services for this campaign, he told the House.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 9,20
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Chandigarh March 9:
The internal politics of Congress, the strife-torn days of terrorism, attack on Harmandar Sahib and anti- Sikh riots dominated the Akali Dal's reply on the motion of thanks on Governor's address on Monday in the Vidhan Sabha.
After moving the motion of thanks on Governor's address, SAD MLA Bikram Singh Majithia dwelt at length on these controversial issues. The Congress was quick to launch the counter-offensive, remind- ing the first-time MLA and urg- ing the Speaker to ask the MLA to restrict himself to the Governor's address.
"If we have to discuss the black days, then we should do so from the beginning, includ- ing who was responsible for allowing arms inside Sikh shrines," Makhan Singh of Congress said. Following this, Majithia in his one-hour speech took the Opposition head-on on the issue of price rise and the Centre allegedly discriminating against Punjab and farmers.
Majithia asked the Congress to support SAD-BJP so Punjab could put a proper case before the Centre for the transfer of Chandigarh and Punjabi-speak- ing areas of the border state. He demanded that the Centre punish those guilty for the 1984 anti-Sikh riots. On the other hand, the Congress took pot shots at the Parkash Singh Badal regime by equating it with actor Aamir Khan's latest flick song "all is well".
Speaking against the motion, Congress MLA Sunil Kumar Jakhar said there was nothing worthwhile done by the pres- ent regime and it could only be said that "all is well". He said Sukhbir's only inter- est was to promote his trans- port company in the state. "In the name of administra- tive reforms, the Akalis last year thrashed a revenue offi- cial at Ludhiana," he said.
He alleged that the Government had been misusing the BPL scheme by misrepresenting facts and only benefiting its workers in the name of Atta Dal scheme. Earlier, Surjit Singh Jayani (BJP) and Ripjeet Singh Brar (Congress) also spoke for and against the motion.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 9,20
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Jalandhar March 9:
Congress Legislature Party leader Rajinder Kaur Bhattal claimed on Monday that a number of "disgruntled Shiromani Akali Dal MLAs" were in touch with her party.
In reply to a query on media reports that 16 SAD MLAs were in touch with the Congress to topple the government, Bhattal said, "The number of disgrun- tled SAD MLAs is high and yes they are in touch with the Congress. Let us wait, every- thing will happen in front of the people of Punjab."
On the Congress strategy in the state budget session, she said the party would take up 22 issues, including the plight of teachers. "During the last ses- sion, we were not allowed to take up issues, but this time we have already approached the Speaker with our list of ques- tions to be raised in the Assembly," she said.
The Congress would protest against implementing the Sukhbir Singh Badal- Manoranjan Kalia report through which the state gov- ernment introduced taxes well before the budget. Regarding the Bill for hiking salaries of MLAs, Bhattal said, "We are of the view that before hiking the salaries of legisla- tors, the government should disburse pensions of employ- ees and freedom fighters."
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 9,20
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Chandigarh March 9:
The Punjab Government has already approached the Central Government with the request for terminating the special industrial concessions being granted to the neighbouring states.
"The state government is pursuing the matter with the Centre for granting similar concessions to industrial units in Punjab as have been granted to the industrial units in the neighbouring states and also not to extend the package beyond March 31 this year", Industry Minister Manoranjan Kalia told the Vidhan Sabha while replying to a querry from Ripjeet Singh Brar (Cong) during question hour today.
In a written reply the Minister said that a letter on this subject was also written by the Chief Minister to the Prime Minister as early as March 16, 2007. A resolution to this effect was passed by the state Cabinet in its meeting held on January 22 last and this too had been sent to the Prime Minister, he added.
Mr Kalia in his reply informed the House that the state government had filed a civil suit to this effect in the Supreme Court and the notice had been issued by the Court to the Government of India and the concerened states. The Minister also informed the House that the government implemented the One Time Settlement Scheme for the loanees of State Financial Institutions--PSIDC, PFC and PAIC on March 2 last year to help the industrial units tide over their losses as a result of the extension in tax exemptions as granted to some of the neighbouring states.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 9,20
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India News
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New Delhi March 9:
The Women’s Reservation Bill was passed in the Rajya Sabha on Tuesday. Amidst a lot furore created by RJD, JD(U) and BSP MPs, 186 members voted in favour while 1 voted against the motion.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Tuesday said, “Women's Reservation Bill is not anti-Scheduled Caste. It is a historic and giant step towards empowering women and a celebration of their rights. It is a celebration of our regard and respect for our culture.”
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 9,20
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New Delhi March 9:
Accusing the government of trying to to bulldoze the Women's Reservation Bill in the Rajya Sabha, UPA ally Trinamool Congress today said its members will not participate in the voting as it was not intimated about it.
Union Minister of State for Health Dinesh Trivedi and Trinamool's Chief Whip in the Lok Sabha Sudip Bandopadhyay told reporters outside Parliament that the two members from their party were not present in the Rajya Sabha as they had no idea that the Bill would come up for voting today.
"The way the women's reservation bill was brought up for voting in the Rajya Sabha today, we are shocked to see the procedure adopted on the floor of the House," Bandopadhyay said here. "We don't want to see that the parliamentary democracy is being more or less bulldozed.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 9,20
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New Delhi March 9:
Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday took a dig at RJD chief Lalu Prasad telling him in a lighter vein that he needed to be on the side of the Women's Reservation Bill since he had seven daughters.
"He has seven daughters. I was telling him that within his family there are seven for the Bill," Gandhi told reporters when asked about her informal interaction with Prasad and SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav in the Lok Sabha. Asked what was Prasad's reaction, she said "he just laughed".
Gandhi expressed hope that "our former partners remained with us on the Bill." Prasad and Yadav have been the most prominent opponents of the Women's Reservation Bill and they had a nearly 20-minute interaction with Gandhi in the House when it was adjourned.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 9,20
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New Delhi March 9:
The Rajya Sabha today began discussion on the Women's Reservation Bill a day after it was moved in the House for consideration but could not be taken up because of unruly scenes with some members even trying to attack Chairman Hamid Ansari.
After three adjournments and suspension and eviction of seven disruptive members, the House took up the debate at 3 PM amid vociferous protests from members of SP and RJD, who were opposing the historic bill and demanding withdrawal of the suspension order.
Before the discussion began, the House witnessed an unusual development wherein the Chairman put the Constitution (108th Amendment) Bill, granting 33 per cent reservation to women in Lok Sabha and state assemblies, to voice vote but later called for a debate on it.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 9,20
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Melbourne March 9:
The 23-year-old Indian accused in the death of toddler Gurshan Singh Channa today faced court here.
Gursewak Dhillon did not apply for bail on a charge of manslaughter by criminal negligence, according to media reports. Dhillon sat quietly in the prisoners dock during the appearance at the Melbourne Magistrates' Court.
He nodded when asked by Magistrate Jelena Popovic if he understood the case was being adjourned and that he could apply for bail at any time, the report said adding the hearing lasted less than a minute and was adjourned until June 29 with the prosecution asking extra time to prepare the brief of evidence against Dhillon. Dhillon has been accused of placing the child in the boot of his car and driving around for three hours before disposing of the body in a field five days ago.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 9,20
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Sports News
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New Delhi March 9:
After India failed yet again to finish in the top bracket at the Hockey World Cup, the experts have a simple panacea: Raise fitness levels or perish. They feel only a fit side that can play total hockey can survive internationally.
Master coaches Horst Wein, Roelant Oltmans and March Lammers and Olympian Ashok Kumar agree that the eight-time Olympic champions have a long way to go before they can match top teams Australia, Germany and the Netherlands. They all accept that Indians are skillful, but to play on synthetic turf, they feel, the players need more than skills to succeed.
India's chief hockey coach Jose Brasa, who led the Spanish women's team to gold in the 1992 Barcelona Olympics, has conceded that India are not in the league of of world's top teams yet. "We are not yet ready to take on world's top teams. For us to rise to their level, we need to raise our fitness and then play them frequently," said Brasa.
Since taking over as chief coach last May, Brasa has tried to make the team adapt to the European style of play and to do that, Dutch drag-flicker Taeke Taekema feels, fitness is the key as only a fit team can play total hockey. "Today European hockey means total hockey, there is no positional play there. A defender should also be able to go up and score goals. That is how the European teams have been confusing the Asians," said the Dutch star.
"If fitness levels are high, it is easy to swap positions quickly. When we play India or Pakistan, we know their positions and it is easy for us," he said. Dutch legend Oltmans says a European coach with an Indian to assist can work wonders for Indian hockey. "Brasa is a good coach and he should stay here till the next Olympics with a competent Indian assisting him. Brasa is well aware of how things work in the European structure and given time, I am confident that he can surely improve the fitness levels of his players," he said.
German hockey and football guru Wein wants India to concentrate on a system that develops the youngsters mentally at the grassroots level. "Modern hockey is no more a physical game. Today teams have different plans for a given situation. Hockey is now a thinking game," he added. Ashok, son of legendary Dhyan Chand, thinks that Indian players should practice 8-10 hours daily on synthetic turf to improve their fitness. "We need more synthetic turfs in the country, if Indian hockey has to develop to be truly international," he said.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 9,20
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Kuala Lumpur March 9:
Aiming to make a second successive appearance at the British Open, young Indian golfer Gaganjeet Bhullar will join 72 players vying for four tickets to the prestigious event in the two-day International Final Qualifying (Asia) starting here tomorrow.
The winner of the season-opening Asian Tour International in Bangkok, made his Major debut last July and subsequently won his first Asian Tour title in Indonesia in the following week.
"The British Open is one of the most prestigious Majors in the history of golf and I definitely want to play in it again. I won the IFQ last year (in Singapore), so I have a lot of good memories and I'm very hopeful this week," he said.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 9,20
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New Delhi March 9:
A posse of gun-wielding policemen kept a tight vigil outside while over 40 pugilists exchanged blows inside.
This was the scene at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium where Indian boxers began the final stage of their preparation for the Commonwealth Championships starting March 12. In a session lasting over two hours, the 10 chosen boxers along with their sparring partners sweated it out at the newly-built dome-shaped arena, which will also be the main boxing venue for the Commonwealth Games this October.
Olympic and World Championship bronze medallist Vijender Singh (75kg) exercised a while before slugging it out inside the ring for an extended sparring session. "I am maintaining weight for now. Have to be in shape. Did some light exercises and some sparring," the world number one, in his category, said.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 9,20
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New Delhi March 8:
Olympic silver medallist Spain continued their domination over England in the Hockey World Cup, defeating the European Champions 2-0 in their last pool match at the 12th edition of the mega-event here on Monday.
With this win, Spain registered their fifth victory over England out of seven World Cup matches the two teams have played so far. The Englishmen finished on the winning side only once while one game ended without result.
Pau Quemada (35th minute) and Eduard Tubau (64th) scored the goals for Spain at the Major Dhyan Chand National Stadium and almost sealed their third position in the Pool B with nine points. The victory, however, came too late for Spain as it did very little to brighten their semi-final hopes.
England were already through to the last-four stage of the tournament prior to the match with four wins out of their five matches. Favourites Australia will join them as they have a better goal average than the Spaniards and also a game in hand. The victory, however, assured Spain a place in the fifth-sixth play-off match on Friday unless Pakistan beat Australia by a margin of 13 goals, which is highly unlikely.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 8,20
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New Delhi March 8:
Out of contention for a top-five finish after three consecutive defeats, India would be desperate to end their losing streak when they take on lowly but spirited South Africa in their last pool B match of the hockey World Cup on Monday.
A win against South Africa will not only give the ardent hockey fans something to cheer about but also secure India's place in the seventh-eighth place play-off match, which would definitely be a considerable improvement from their 11th place finish in the 2006 World Cup in Monchengladbach, Germany.
However, achieving it won't be a cake-walk as South Africa are on a high after registering their first-ever victory in the World Cup. After stunning Pakistan 4-3 in their last match, the Proteas would be looking for another upset and going by their performance in the last encounter, the possibility is not a distant dream. The Indians don't seem to have learnt from their past mistakes as for the third consecutive match, the home team committed the same blunders in the tournament.
The Indian defence yet again crumbled under pressure and on more than one occasion found itself in a hole. Like in the earlier two games, the home team was on the back-foot from the beginning after conceding early soft goals. The Indians left plenty of open spaces in the field, man-to-man marking seemed to have gone for a toss. To add to it, horrible trapping, mindless passing and unnecessary dribbling continued unabated. And if they continue the same, a rude shock may await them on Monday in the form of South Africa.
"We did not learn from the past mistakes against Spain. The first goal we conceded was similar to the one Spain scored against us. If you commit these kind of mistakes at the top level competitions you have to pay for it. "But all these cannot be changed in a short time. We need many more matches at the top level to rectify all these mistakes. We did not have that in the build-up to the World Cup. Seven months is too short to sort out those things and without playing international matches," India coach Jose Brasa had said.
However, there are some positives that India can draw from the England encounter. The Indian mid-field yet again dished out a fine performance with Gurbaz Singh being outstanding on the right and giving him due support were Arjun Halappa and Sardar Singh. The forward-line also picked up their pieces and looked menacing against the English but what they lacked was finishing. But the most notable thing, which the Indians have earned in this tournament, is their fighting spirit. "We are improving with every match. In every match, the boys fought till the last breath," Brasa said.
On the other hand, by virtue of their victory over Pakistan, South Africa on Saturday proved that they are not here just to add up the numbers. With the win against Pakistan, the South Africans have already achieved what they aimed for in this tournament. They have nothing to lose and only to gain from the India encounter, which would definitely be more than enough motivation for them to come out full throttle against the Indians.
India coach Brasa too admitted that the Proteas would be a tough team to compete against. "South Africa is a very good side. They played very well against Pakistan, Spain and England. It will not be an easy match for us against them," he said.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 8,20
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Cricket Special
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New Delhi March 9:
Two new franchises are set to be added next season but despite the increased number of matches, the Indian Premier League will not run beyond seven weeks as extending it would "hurt other forms of cricket", says IPL chairman Lalit Modi.
"We are going to have the current limitation (in the IPL's duration), and we are happy to live with that. Then (if we make it a longer tournament) you are going to starting to hurt the other forms of the game," Modi said.
"We chose the window specifically to be off-season in India, April-May are typically off season in India ... I don't think we are going to be able to change that," he added. The IPL will have 94 matches in the 2011 season but Modi said the tournament will only be 51 days long.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 9,20
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Dubai March 9:
Legendary all-rounder Kapil Dev, who led India to their only ODI World Cup triumph in 1983, was today inducted into the International Cricket Council's Hall of Fame here.
A commemorative cap was presented to Kapil by ICC President David Morgan, in front of fellow Hall of Famer Clive Lloyd, as well as an audience of ICC officials and other invited guests at the governing body's headquarters here.
The Hall of Fame, run in association with the Federation of International Cricketers' Associations (FICA), recognises some of the legends of the game. "I am proud and happy to have been inducted into the ICC Cricket Hall of Fame and it's amazing to think that I have been picked as one of the greats of Indian cricket," Kapil said.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 9,20
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Hyderabad March 9:
Australian Adam Gilchrist was "excited" to lead the defending champions Deccan Chargers in third edition of Indian Premier League, but at the same time a bit worried over unavailability of several team members.
"The mood is really fantastic. But it is a bit frustrating that we have not been able to assemble or work together for a consecutive number of days," the former stumper told reporters ahead of an exhibition match among the Deccan players here today. Although the tournament is less than a week away, several players of the franchise have not joined the team yet due to different reasons.
"We are just going to make most of the opportunity now. The mood is terrific, I am really excited and looking forward to the tournament," Gilchrist said. The cash-awash tournament is commencing from March 12 and Deccan Chargers will take on Kolkata Knight Riders in the opening match in Mumbai.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 9,20
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Mumbai March 9:
Batting maestro Sachin Tendulkar said he was still receiving congratulatory messages for becoming first batsman in the history of one-day cricket to score a double hundred and he was enjoying the good time.
"It has taken many years for a batsman to get a double-hundred (in ODIs). I am still getting great feedback. It feels terrific," he said. Asked when his fans would get to see a triple century from him in Test cricket, the master blaster said, "whenever it comes. It will be never late, I don't make big statements."
"I wanted to play cricket whole-heartedly for the country. I am living my dream and have played with two-three generations. I wanted to be a special member of the team and I have done it," he added.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 9,20
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New Delhi March 8:
Rajasthan Royals all-rounder Ravindra Jadeja's slender hopes of playing the Indian Premier League went up in smoke after the IPL governing council turned down his appeal against a one-year ban for violating the Twenty20 event's terms and conditions.
Jadeja was banned for negotiating outside his contract with the Rajasthan Royals. In his appeal, the all-rounder claimed that he had taken the BCCI's permission to look for other teams after the Royals gave no indication of renewing his contract which ended in December last year.
According to 'Cricinfo', IPL vice-chairman Niranjan Shah raised the issue of reducing the ban on Jadeja with BCCI President Shashank Manohar during yesterday's tender meeting in Mumbai but his appeal was turned down. "He (Manohar) did not want to set a wrong precedent, so he dismissed the request. So Jadeja now cannot play in the IPL (this year)," an IPL official said.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 8,20
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Business News
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New Delhi March 8:
The government on Monday sought parliamentary approval to cut its stake in the country’s largest lender State Bank of India to 51 percent from 55 percent, seeking to raise $1.2 billion at current market prices from the key reform move.
The government had earlier said it would move to cut its holdings in state-run banks while retaining majority control, but has faced political and union opposition. The government owns 59.41 percent of State Bank of India (SBI) and already has lawmakers' approval to trim it to 55 percent.
On Monday, Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee introduced in parliament a bill seeking approval for SBI to raise capital by a public issue or private placement of shares or through a rights issue. SBI shares were up 2.5 percent at 2,096 rupees by 1:12 p.m. (0742 GMT), outpacing the 1 percent rise in the broader market and the 1.25 percent rise in the bank index.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 8,20
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Mumbai March 8:
A benchmark index for Indian equities closed 108 points higher on Monday, shedding some of its intra-day gains.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,034.92 points, closed at 17,102.6 points - 108.11 points or 0.64% higher than its previous close at 16,994.49 points.
At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty was ruling at 5,124 points against the previous close at 5,088.7 points, a gain of 0.69% or 35.3 points. Broader markets also saw gains with the BSE midcap index closing 0.71% higher and the BSE small cap index 1.09% up.
Auto and banking stocks generated buying interest, while realty stocks came under selling pressure. The market breadth was positive, with 1,761 stocks advancing, compared to 1,097 scrips on the decline, while 88 remained unchanged. Among the gainers on the 30-scrip Sensex were M&M, up 4.33% at Rs.1,122.40; Hero Honda, up 3.09% at Rs.1,913.45; ITC, up 2.43% at Rs.250.50; and ICICI Bank, up 2.32% at Rs.922.75.
Top losers included Bharti Airtel, down 2.13% at Rs.292.20; Hindustan Unilever, down 1.59% at Rs.238.80; Reliance Infra, down 1.52% at Rs.1,019.25; and Hindalco, down 1.1% at Rs.166.30. According to data available with the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI), foreign institutional investors bought scrips worth $410.46 million. Most other Asian markets did better than their Indian peers.
The benchmark Japanese index, Nikkei, ended 2.09% higher at 10,585.92 points, while the South Korean Kospi moved up 1.56% at 1,660.04 points. Hong Kong's Hang Seng closed in the green too at 21,196.87 points, up 1.97%, while the Chinese Shanghai composite index gained 0.73% at 3,053.23 points. European markets were slack around closing bell here.
The FTSE 100, the benchmark index of the London Stock Exchange, was ruling 0.28% lower at 5,584.17 points, while its German peer DAX was trading flat at 5,873.38 points, down 0.07%. The French CAC 40 index was also in a slump at 3,906.92, down 0.09%.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 8,20
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New Delhi March 8:
The Planning Commission today said food prices will come down in the next two months easing the overall inflation, which is currently at over 8.5 per cent.
"The trend is that food price will come down in the next two months. I am sure that the trend down on food prices will bring down the overall inflation in the next two months," Planning Commission Deputy Chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia told reporters.
The wholesale price inflation (WPI) rose to 8.56 per cent in January, the highest in over 13 months, shooting past the RBI's forecast of 8.5 per cent for this fiscal end. The WPI hike was mainly because of a surge in prices of food items such as sugar, potatoes and pulses. Overall inflation in December was 7.31 per cent. In January, sugar prices rose by 58.96 per cent year-on-year while potatoes turned costlier by 53.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 8,20
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New Delhi March 8:
The Ministry of Food Processing Industries has asked states to set up separate departments for the sector to help develop it, the Rajya Sabha was informed today.
"MFPI, with the intention to make concerted efforts for development and growth of food processing sector, has requested the states to set up dedicated departments for food processing in their respective states," Food Processing Industries Minister Subodh Kant Sahai said in a written reply.
This will help the states to create congenial environment for strengthening rural infrastructure, raise level of processing and generate farm-level employment keeping in view distinct agro-climatic scenario of the respective states, Sahai said.
Answering a separate question, the minister said, formulation of food processing policy is the subject matter of the state and the ministry has urged to frame suitable policies for their specific needs.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 8,20
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New Delhi March 7:
Items like type writers and VCRs would soon be moving out making way for mobile phones and LCD TVs to be included in the new wholesale price-based index for measuring inflation which would be rolled out from May 14.
The new index, with 2004-05 as the base year, will have 250 new items and is expected to provide a more realistic picture of price rise and its impact on people. "As per the calendar, April data would be release on May 14 with the new base year," a senior official said.
The new series would have about 680-685 items that include mobile phones, LCD TV among others, the official said adding close to 25 items would be knocked off from the new inflation series. "Existing series has some obsolete items like type- writers. They will not figure in the new series," the official said.
With the addition of new items, data reporting would be more representative and give a better picture of the price situation, the official added. The Wholesale Price Inflation (WPI) is at present calculated with 1993-94 as the base year. Asked if there would be any variations in the inflation when it will switch to the new base year, the official said, "it would be insignificant and the variation would be less than 1 per cent."
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 7,20
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Health News
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London March 9:
We all know that egg is one of the most nutrient-dense foods, but now a new study claims eating one egg daily can help fight obesity.
The British study, which analysed 71 research papers on the nutritional composition of eggs and their role in diet, found that eggs are packed with vitamin D, vitamin B12, selenium and choline that could also play a significant role in dieting and weight loss.
According to the researchers, a medium-sized egg has fewer than 80 calories and provides more than 20 per cent of the recommended daily allowance. Dr Carrie Ruxton, an independent dietitian and lead author of the report, said: "There are clear nutritional benefits to eating eggs on a regular basis. Emerging evidence suggests that eggs may be beneficial for satiety, weight control and eye health.
"With previous limits on egg consumption lifted, most people would benefit from a return to the days of going to work on an egg." The study confirmed that eggs contain the richest mix of essential amino acids -- crucial for children, adolescents and young adults since a balance of them is required for proper growth and repair, the Daily Mail reported. It also claimed that the high levels of antioxidants found in eggs could even help prevent age-related muscular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness.
The research team highlighted data from studies in the US which found that people who ate eggs had higher intakes of nearly all nutrients compared with non-egg eaters. Low levels of vitamin D have been linked with a host of medical conditions including poor bone health, cancer, heart disease, multiple sclerosis, immune disorders and mental health problems.
The study, which will appear in the June issue of journal Nutrition and Food Science, identified specific groups which could benefit from eating more eggs, including the young, heavy meat-eaters and those who shun milk. Dr Ruxton added: "The health benefits of eggs would appear to be so great that it's perhaps no exaggeration to call them a superfood -- they are one of the most nutrient-dense foods available.
"Eggs are not only low in calories but are packed with nutrients that are essential to healthy living. They are an ideal food at every stage of life, as well as being easy to cook and enjoyable to eat."
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 9,20
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London March 9:
Women who drink a couple of glasses of red wine, beer or spirits a day are better at keeping the pounds off than tea-total women, according to a study.
Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital in Boston asked more than 19,000, normal-weight US women aged 39 or older how many alcoholic beverages they typically drank in a day, and then tracked the women for around 13 years.
The largest single group – 7,346 women or just over 38 per cent – said they didn't drink a drop, the study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine , a publication of the American Medical Association, shows. The second biggest group – 6,312 women or nearly a third of those surveyed – reported drinking the equivalent of around a third of a five-ounce glass of wine or a third of a 12-ounce beer. They did not explain how they managed to do so.
Twenty per cent of the women said they drank the equivalent of up to a glass of wine, a 12-ounce beer, or a single-shot drink made with 80-proof spirits, while six per cent said they had up to two drinks a day and three per cent had more than two. Over the 13-year follow-up period, the women who did not drink at all gained the most weight, and the women who had the equivalent of two drinks a day were the least likely to pack on pounds.
The best drink for keeping the pounds off was red wine, but all four types of tipple included in the study – red or white wine, beer and spirits – showed the same "inverse association between alcohol intake and risk of becoming overweight or obese," the study found. The authors cautioned, however, against making recommendations on alcohol use as a tool against obesity, given the potential medical and psycho-social problems associated with drinking.
The women's alcohol intake was recorded in grams of alcohol. A five-ounce (150 ml) glass of wine, 12-ounce beer or one mixed drink made with a single, 1.5-ounce shot of 80-proof alcohol all contain around 14 grams of pure alcohol and are considered "standard drink sizes" in the United States, according to the National Institutes of Health (NIH).
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 9,20
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London March 9:
The British Lung Foundation (BLF) has come up with tips for those having breathing problems to help them boost their sex lives.
Dr Noemi Eiser, the BLF's medical director, said people suffering from lung conditions did not have to “compromise on intimacy”. "It is important that you talk to your partner about any worries and are open-minded and understanding. Creating a comfortable and trusting environment will prevent stress and shortness of breath," The Telegraph quoted her as saying.
The leaflet Sex and Breathlessness recommended the following advice on sexual positions. "Have sex when you feel rested and your breathing is at its best." "Try coughing up phlegm before sex or avoid having sex in the morning when it's likely you will be producing more phlegm." "Avoid sex after a heavy meal or alcohol. Your breathing may be more difficult if you have a full stomach and feel bloated."
"If you become very short of breath during intercourse, try pausing to take a few slow, deep breaths from your diaphragm rather than stopping altogether." "Don't forget that all intimacy should be for fun and your enjoyment. Laugh and talk over any difficulties." It continued: "This is the same for everyone, but for those living with lung conditions it can stop them from enjoying the experience. Enjoying a fulfilling sex life should not be comprised if people are living with a lung condition."
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 9,20
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Toronto March 8:
Vitamin D deficiency could be an unwitting invitation to obesity, weight gain or stunted growth among girls, says a new study.
The ground-breaking research by McGill University Health Centre (MUHC) found an astonishing 59 percent of those who were studied had too little Vitamin D in their blood. Nearly a quarter had more serious deficiencies of the vitamin.
"Vitamin D insufficiency is a risk factor for other diseases," explained principal investigator and study author Richard Kremer, co-director of the Musculoskeletal Axis of the Research Institute of MUHC. "Because it is linked to increased body fat, it may affect many different parts of the body. Abnormal levels of Vitamin D are associated with cancer, osteoporosis and diabetes as well as cardiovascular and autoimmune disorders."
The study by Kremer and co-investigator Vincente Gilsanz, head of musculoskeletal imaging at the Children's Hospital in Los Angeles, is the first to show a clear link between Vitamin D levels and the accumulation of fat in muscle tissue - a factor in muscle strength and overall health.
The study results are especially surprising because study subjects - all healthy young women living in California - could logically be expected to benefit from a good diet, outdoor activities and ample exposure to sunshine - the trigger that causes the body to produce Vitamin D. The results extend those of an earlier study by Kremer and Gilsanz, which linked low levels of Vitamin D to increased visceral fat in a young population, said an MUHC release.
"In the present study, we found an inverse relationship between Vitamin D and muscle fat," Kremer says. "The lower the levels of Vitamin D the more fat in subjects' muscles." These findings were published in the March Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 8,20
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Boston March 8:
Want to shed your baby fat? Wait, don't do it just yet, for a new study has revealed that such a fat is good - as long as it is calorie-burning ''brown fat''.
Brown fat burns off calories and generates heat in babies and small mammals. Most of the body fat is white fat, which also provides insulation but stores calories. It becomes "bad" fat when an individual have too much. The "good" fat-brown fat-was considered essentially nonexistent in human adults. The new study has found that adults have much more of this type of fat than previously believed.
"We now know that it is present and functional in adults," said the study's lead author, Dr Aaron Cypess, MMSc, of the Joslin Diabetes Centre in Boston. "Three ounces of brown fat can burn several hundred calories a day," he added. In the new study involving 1,970 study participants, researchers measured the patches of brown adipose tissue-brown fat-in people with the help of high-tech imaging method that combines positron emission tomography and computed tomography, called PET/CT.
By evaluating biopsy tissue of what appeared to be brown fat, the authors confirmed that they were, indeed, looking at stores of brown fat. The researchers found that brown fat was located in an area extending from the front of the neck to the chest. Of the subjects who had detectable brown fat, about 6 percent had 3 ounces or more of the fat.
"We believe that this percentage greatly underestimates the number of adults in the population who have a large amount of brown fat," said Cypess. They also discovered that brown fat is most abundant in young women and least frequent in older, overweight men. In fact, women were more than twice as likely as men to have substantial amounts of brown fat.
"One theory for this is that women may have less muscle mass overall, so they need more brown fat to generate heat and keep warm," Cypess said. The study appears in New England Journal of Medicine.
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Source :
Punjab Mail Online
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News Date :
March 8,20
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