Indian economy may grow by around 9% in 2010-11: India Inc

India's economy grew at its fastest clip in nearly three years in the quarter through June on strong manufacturing growth and farm output that may keep the Reserve Bank on its policy tightening path.

The 8.8% expansion compares with a median forecast of an annual rise of 8.7% in a Reuters' poll and an 8.6% expansion in the previous quarter.

While a CNBC-TV18 poll had seen gross domestic product (GDP) growth at 8.9%.

The data underscores continued growth momentum in Asia's third-largest economy amid growing uncertainty over global recovery. The strong growth may allow the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) to focus more on containing near double-digit inflation.

The RBI has raised interest rates four times since mid-March to stamp down inflationary pressures and has said it may have to give precedence to containing inflation over other policy objectives.

The RBI is widely expected to raise policy rates by another 50 basis points by end-2010, and some bond dealers expect a 25-basis points hike in key rates as early as in its Sept. 16 policy review.

India's 10 year benchmark bond yield fell 2 basis points to 7.95% after the data. It had closed at 7.99% in the previous session.

Government spending is expected to pick up after the June-September monsoon rains, the deputy chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia said.

India's domestic-demand driven economy is benefiting from a buoyant consumer demand that is pushing up car sales and making factories produce to their optimum capacity.

Annual car sales in India rose 38% in July.

June quarter manufacturing output jumped 12.4% on year compared with an annual rise of 3.4% in the year ago period.

Its farm sector expanded 2.8% and is expected to see robust growth on good monsoon rains, which is likely to further boost consumer demand by lifting rural income.

The economy is expected to grow 8.5% in the current fiscal year to end-March 2011, after expanding an annual 7.4% in the previous year.

But, a strong economic growth has also raised the spectre of capacity constraints, which analysts hold partly responsible for a persistently high headline inflation, which stood at 9.97% last month.

Although India's wholesale price index in July rose at its slowest pace in six months, underlying price pressures remain.

The ruling Congress party has said that controlling prices must top the government's agenda in the face of popular discontent with price rises affecting hundreds of millions of people who live on under USD 1.25 a day.

RBI Governor Duvvuri Subbarao last week said inflationary pressures were easing, but analysts say this is unlikely to deter him from raising rates again to slow down headline inflation to 6% by March 2011.

Mumbai: Rs. 25 lakh looted from bank in Borivali

In a daring daylight robbery, three armed robbers on Monday looted Rs. 25 lakh from a bank in Borivali after threatening employees at knife point.

Three masked robbers armed with choppers and knives entered the HDFC bank in suburban Borivali at 0930 hours and decamped with the cash, police said.

"There was one security guard outside the bank who was given a slip by the robbers. There were very few employees present in the bank at that time. The trio threatened them at knife point and managed to flee away with Rs. 25 lakh," they said.

The police is trying to retrieve the CCTV footage of the bank to gather more information regarding the robbers.

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A mother says her 'Shaurya Chakra' son was murdered by Armymen

Veena Kohli, mother of Shaurya Chakra awardee Captain Sumit Kohli who died under mysterious circumstances in 2006, Saturday met Defence Minister A K Antony and demanded an independent probe into her son's death.

Kohli, who was accompanied by her daughter Namrata and her advocate Major Guneep Chaudhary, appealed to Antony to provide justice to the family as she believes her son was murdered at the Army residential complex in Jammu and Kashmir by his fellow officers.

Accusing the Army of tarnishing her son's image by claiming that he committed suicide due to personal reasons, Kohli demanded that the honour of her son, who was a gallantry medal winner, be restored.

Namrata said Antony had assured the family, which hails from Chandigarh, that they would get the case re-investigated independently and get back to the family there after.

"We met the Defence Minister for about 15-20 minutes and sought an independent inquiry into my brother's death and he has assured us of an independent probe," Namrata said.

Captain Kohli, who was serving with the 18 Rashtriya Rifles, was found dead with gunshot wounds in his room in the military barracks in Lolab on April 30, 2006 just two months after being decorated with Shaurya Chakra, the third highest peace time gallantry medal.

His father, who suffered a stroke after hearing of his son's death, died a day after Captain Kohli's cremation.

Since then Veena Kohli had made several attempts to seek information and documents such as post-mortem report relating to the young captain's death.

Her efforts to get the Army to part with information through the Right to Information Act too failed after the Army headquarters took the plea that the freedom to information law did not apply in Jammu and Kashmir. She then moved the Delhi High Court which ordered the Army to supply related documents.

Her advocate said on perusal of the documents there was suspicion about the circumstances of Captain Kohli's death including contradiction in the autopsy and medical reports.

"We have submitted copy of these documents also to the Defence Minister, who heard us patiently and assured to get re-investigated the death of the young officer," Chaudhary said.

This Chinese musician plays piano with his toes

Skillful musician Liu Wei has proved a big hit on a leading talent show in China, by playing the piano with his toes.

Liu's arms were amputated from the shoulders at the age 10 after he was electrocuted while playing hide-and-seek with his friends.

"Music has become a habit for me. It is just like breathing air," Liu said during an interview with the Associated Press while he was visiting Shanghai.

Liu, a tall, slender man who peers shyly from behind his dark-rimmed glasses, was thrust into the limelight after performing earlier this month in the show "China's Got Talent".

The program, which has featured acts by disabled modern dancers and break-dancing migrant workers, is drawing attention to the hopes and challenges of ordinary and often disadvantaged Chinese.

Since it began in July, the program has gathered a wide audience, despite scepticism among some viewers over whether all the participants' stories are genuine.

But there was no doubting Liu's ability.

In his first "Got Talent" performance, he smoothly played "Mariage D'amour," by Richard Clayderman.

He won a standing ovation from the audience, many of whom were moved to tears.

Liu only began playing the piano in his late teens, when he decided that instead of attending university he would rather make music.

He uses his feet to navigate online, eat, dress and brush his teeth. However, he laughed when asked about the female fans his newfound fame has won him, saying he was too busy to think about getting a girlfriend.

Prosthetic limbs do not interest Liu, who says he has no need for special support.

However he does admit that he has often faced discrimination in China where disabled people, despite efforts to improve conditions, are all too often forced into begging on the sidewalks.

Liu said his aim was to be recognised for the quality of his music, rather than his unusual style of playing the piano.

"Right now, everyone looks at me and says, 'Oh, Liu Wei has no arms and it's very difficult for him to play the piano.' In the future, I want them to say, 'Oh he's good.' To first notice the work is great, and then say, 'Liu Wei did it.' he said.

Liu will stay in Shanghai to prepare for the next round of "China's Got Talent" show, in about a week's time and hopes to go on to make the final.

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/world/this-chinese-musician-plays-piano-with-his-toes-47508?cp

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Maoist attack police station in Giridih, torch trucks

Maoists fired indiscriminately at a police station in Giridih, blew up a building and set on fire trucks on the Grand Trunk road in the wee hours on Thursday to protest the arrest of their two associates. A group of armed Maoists attacked the Pirtand Police station around 1 am and started firing at random, Superintendent of Police, A V Homker, said.

The security forces returned the fire, he said, adding there was no casualty. A couple of blasts were also heard nearby as Maoists destroyed a government building near the police station, he said. Later, the ultras torched some trucks on the G T Road on the Dhanbad-Giridih border. Police said the Maoists were protesting the arrests of two of their hardcore associates, Muktar Ansari and Dasrath Manjhi in Giridih yesterday. In stepped up anti-Naxal operations, police have apprehended several Maoists across the state while about ten ultras have surrendered since July.

Rain in Delhi stops traffic all over city

Rains continued to lash the national capital for the seventh consecutive day, causing widespread waterlogging and serpentine traffic jams in many areas.

The rain gauges measured 9.3 mm of showers for a period of 24 hours ending 8:30 am on Wednesday.

The rains once again brought with it traffic snarls, waterlogging and vehicle breakdowns. Traffic jams were reported from Mathura Road, Ring Road, Munirka, Laxmi Nagar, Ashram, Mehrauli Road.

Traffic was also moving slowly on NH 8 which connects Delhi and Gurgaon and DND flyover which connects the capital with Noida.

Vehicular movement was also slow in areas like ITO, Vikas Marg, Connaught Place and AIIMS, South Extension, Nizamuddin, Laxmi Nagar, Saket, Safdurjung and Kalkaji.

Widespread waterlogging has also affected movement of traffic in several areas. The minimum temperature was recorded at 25.3 degree Celsius.

Meanwhile, water level of Yamuna continued to flow above the danger level. Authorities evacuated more people in low-lying areas in East Delhi today.

The river had crossed the danger level of 204.83 metres on Friday evening following rains and since then it has been flowing above that mark.

The city government has already set up over 160 relief camps to provide shelter to people living on the bank of the river.

Met office said the city will continue to receive rains for the next 24 hours.

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Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/cities/rain-in-delhi-stops-traffic-all-over-city-47076?cp

Mexican woman crowned Miss Universe

A 22-year-old Mexican woman won the Miss Universe pageant Monday night after donning a flowing red gown and telling an audience it's important to teach kids family values.

Jimena Navarrete of Guadalajara was first to answer an interview question Monday night and the last of 83 contestants standing in the headline-grabbing pageant on the Las Vegas Strip.

“I want to give my parents a big hug,” she said at a news conference after the pageant. “There was a lot of effort and a lot of sacrifice.”

The train of her single-strap dress floated behind her like a sheet as she walked during the evening gown competition. Before that, she smiled in a violet bikini as she confidently strutted across the stage.

Asked by Olympic gold-medal figure skater Evan Lysacek how she felt about unsupervised Internet use, Ms. Navarrete said the Internet is important but parents need to be careful and watch over their kids.

“I do believe that Internet is an indispensable, necessary tool for the present time,” she said through an interpreter. “We must be sure to teach them the values that we learned as a family.”

First runner-up was Miss Jamaica Yendi Phillipps, while second runner-up was Miss Australia Jesinta Campbell.

Ms. Navarrete said she didn't expect to win.

“I did feel surprised,” she said. “I was like in a state of shock.”

Ms. Navarrete – who's been modeling since she was 15 – is Mexico's second Miss Universe. Lupita Jones of Mexico won the title in 1991. Ms. Navarrete replaces Miss Universe 2009 Stefania Fernandez of Venezuela.

Ms. Navarrete's win thwarted Miss Venezuela Marelisa Gibson from giving the South American country a third consecutive victory. Ms. Gibson did not make it into the top 15 finalists.

Ms. Navarrete was immediately congratulated on Twitter by Mexican President Felipe Calderon and his wife, Margarita Zavala.

“Congratulations to Jimena Navarrete for her deserved victory as Miss Universe,” Mr. Calderon said. “This will serve Mexico, (and) our image as a country.”

Sensex ends flat, consumer durables gain

A benchmark index for Indian equities ended flat in a day of volatile trading on Monday.

FMCG stocks weighed the markets down, while consumer durables shot up handsomely and PSU scrips made robust gains.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 18,400.33 points, closed at 18,398.91 points, almost unchanged from its previous close at 18,401.82 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share S&P CNX Nifty shut shop 0.19 percent higher at 5,540.9 points.

Broader markets indices, however, performed better, with the BSE midcap index closing 0.75 percent up and the BSE smallcap index ending 0.92 percent higher.

Why aren't people giving to Pakistan?

The images of flooding coming out of Pakistan are devastating and so are reports that millions of people are homeless and about a fifth of the country is under water. But the United Nations reports that it has only collected half of the $460 million it needs for emergency aid in the area – compare that to the $13 billion raised after the 7.0 magnitude quake hit Haiti.

Aid workers and analysts told CNN there were several possible reasons that donors aren't giving:

1) The relatively low death (about 1,500 people) total hides the severity of the crisis

2) Donor fatigue

3) Concerns that aid won't get to people who need it because of government corruption

4) Fear that their aid money will go to terrorist groups.

Here at CNN, we’ve been following this angle with great interest, particularly since many of the reasons above reflect the sentiments of many of the thousands of user comments we’ve received. Here's a sampling of what people had to say. (Some of the responses have been edited for length and clarity.)

bkallday

I agree half the aid we give them will be mismanaged and most of it will end up somewhere is the Pakistani military, I say NO aid to Pakistan until they finally choose a side: aid the U.S. or help the insurgents who one day plan to overthrow your country.

robertopp200

The only positive to have emerged from WikiLeaks is that it made people realize the treacherous nature of the two-headed snake that is Pakistan. Right now, the snake is injured. The international community is foolish enough to tend to it. When the snake heals, it will bite America, India and Europe again. Leave the snake alone!

Noble9

Most of the people in Pakistan are friendly and generous. This is the time to extend a helping hand...you never know, you might make a new friend.

WhittyG

I feel bad for the Pakistani citizens suffering. It's so unfortunate that their leaders are corrupt -- they need help, but I understand the hesitation of just handing over money.

PurePhoenix1

Even though the world wants to help, it's the corrupt politicians and the military that has the last say. Aid may get there, but might be reserved for military leaders, politicians, and terrorists. Someone should just take over that country and make things right for innocent people. But hey, this world has enough war and death for that. I just pray and hope something is done to help those people in need.

JoeISP

You don't have to be close to the situation to know that Pakistan hates America and shelters Bin Laden and Al Qaeda. Nine years ago I was in lower Manhattan so I was pretty close to THAT situation, and I have no desire to send a nickel of help to the people who protect the animals that murdered 3000 of my countrymen. So take off, eh.

venurao

Don't send cash. Send food, clothing, medicine etc. My sympathies are with common people. Politicians, ISI, military, domestic and international terrorist groups have absolutely nothing to do with flood and common people. One can't change old dog's habit. Just don't get deceived again by their tricks.

We’d like to hear from you. Why do you think donors aren't giving as much money to Pakistan? Share your thoughts in the comments below. And to find out ways to help, visit CNN's Impact Your World.

Psychic croc Dirty Harry picks Gillard for poll win

A saltwater crocodile called Dirty Harry has used his supposed psychic powers to predict that Julia Gillard will win Saturday's tight general election in Australia. The reportedly clairvoyant reptile made his decision in his pen in Darwin.Spurning the raw chicken dangling below a picture of opposition leader Tony Abbott, Harry went for the snack under PM Julia Gillard's image.

The huge reptile has a good track record, his keepers say. The 5m (16ft) crocodile took several minutes to make up his mind, before lunging out of the water at his target. "Harry's come over to the area, he's lifted his head in the air and he's just nailed Gillard as clean as you want," crocodile handler Nigel Palmer told AFP news agency. Harry reportedly predicted that Spain would win the World Cup - as did the now world-famous and allegedly psychic octopus, Paul, in Germany. Another crocodile at the wildlife park in Darwin called Bert also has a similar talent, keepers say.

He correctly chose the recent winner of the city's biggest horse race a few weeks ago. Australians should know by tomorrow whether Harry is right. Polls close at 1800 (0800GMT) and the result should be known later that night.

We will be present in full strength for India, say tennis stars

After reports of top Indian tennis players keeping away from CWG made headlines on Friday, Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, Rohan Bopanna and Somdev Devvarman have jointly issued a press statement clearing the air. The trio said that they will play in full strength for India in the upcoming Games.

They also added that they want to end all speculations and hence decided to come up with this statement. "It is true that we wrote a letter to the AITA to voice some concerns we had about expenses that we were promised over the last year and a half, We have all submitted bills to various people at the AITA over this period, and now that the AITA has nominated us to represent India we requested them to make sure that the promises made are kept, we would like to put all speculation to rest and confirm we will be present in full strength to represent India against Brazil in Chennai in September, As for the CWG..."

On the payments retrieval issue, the players said that the CWG has promised to make payments on time. The news of players boycotting the Games came on Friday, after top male tennis players of the country said that their payments were due since long. Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, Somdev Devvarman and Rohan Bopanna had threatened to pull out unless the Sports Ministry clears their dues of a total of about 2 crore that have been pending for the past two years. The players had written to the All India Tennis Association saying they don't have the time to run around and are therefore authorising the AITA to deal on their behalf.

The letter said, "we unfortunately have no time to run around and speak to authorities & are therefore reaching out to you. We give you full authority to mention at your meetings that unless there is some traction to what has been promised to us within the next month, none of us will be available to play in Delhi in the CWG in October".

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U.S. on Target to Remove Combat Troops From Iraq by Month's End

U.S. military officials are hustling to reduce the number of troops in Iraq to 50,000 to meet President Obama's Aug. 31 deadline for an end to U.S. combat operations, but as troops leave, the administration reportedly is planning to double the number of private security guards in the country. A senior military official in Iraq said the Defense Department will meet the deadline for exiting combat troops. "We are sitting around 55k and will be down to 50k by 1 September," the official wrote in an e-mail to Fox News.

The bulk of the 4th Stryker Brigade from the 2nd Infantry Division left the country on Thursday. Approximately 100 members of the brigade remain in Iraq to handle various administrative and supply issues. They will be out of the country within days.After Aug. 31, the mission in Iraq will no longer be known as Operation Iraqi Freedom and will instead be known as Operation New Dawn.

Obama, who had imposed an end-of-the-month deadline for the pullout in February 2009, called it a milestone in the war though the remaining 50,000 support troops will stay in Iraq until the end of next year to train Iraqi forces. The U.S. still has "a significant amount of influence" in Iraq, and the mission will be to provide support and help the country grow and "give economic development" assistance, said Maj. Gen. Stephen Lanza, a spokesman for Gen. Ray Odierno, the top U.S. commander in Iraq.

When the last of the military troops leave at the end of 2011, the Obama administration is planning to more than double the number of private security guards it has in Iraq -- up to 7,000 -- The New York Times reported late Wednesday, citing unnamed administration officials.The U.S. State Department move is aimed at protecting civilians still exposed to Al Qaeda-linked insurgents and Iranian-backed militias. At the same time, Afghanistan is asking the United States to remove a bulk of its 45,000 private contractors from the country.

Contractors employed by the State Department will train the Iraqi police and U.S. diplomats in two new $100 million outposts will be left to defuse sectarian tensions in northern Iraq.The security contractors, defending five fortified compounds around the country, will operate radars to warn of enemy rocket attacks, search for roadside bombs, fly reconnaissance drones and staff quick reaction forces to help civilians in distress, the officials told the Times.As the exit of the troops was shown live on TV in the U.S. Wednesday, U.S. State Department spokesman Philip Crowley described the end of combat operations as a "historic moment," but vowed that America's long-term commitment was unwavering.

"The last thing that we want to see is an occasion where we have to send troops back into Iraq yet again so we are ending the combat phase of our involvement in Iraq for a second time," he said."We're not ending our involvement in Iraq. We will have important work to do. This is a transition. This is not the end of something. It's a transition to something different. We have a long-term commitment to Iraq."Crowley said that after spending $1 trillion in Iraq and with 4,400 lives lost, the conflict had come "at high expense."

"We've invested heavily in Iraq and have to do everything we can to preserve that investment to integrate Iraq, along with the neighborhood, into a much more peaceful situation that serves their interests as well as ours. But this is a historic moment."Obama said the events were the beginning of the pullout he promised when he became president."As we mark this milestone in the Iraq war and our troops continue to move out of Iraq, I hope you'll join me in thanking them, and all of our troops and military families, for their service," Obama said.

"My administration will continue to do our part to support the brave men and women in uniform that have sacrificed so much. But supporting our troops and their families is not just the job of the federal government; it's the responsibility of all Americans."Shortly after taking office, I put forward a plan to end the war in Iraq responsibly. Today, I'm pleased to report that -- thanks to the extraordinary service of our troops and civilians in Iraq -- our combat mission will end this month, and we will complete a substantial drawdown of our troops."Consistent with our agreement with the Iraqi government, all of our troops will be out of Iraq by the end of next year. Meanwhile, we will continue to build a strong partnership with the Iraqi people with an increased civilian commitment and diplomatic effort."

Accept Indian aid, no role for politics in disaster: US to Pak

Asserting that there is no role for politics in disaster response, the Obama Administration has said it expects Pakistan to accept the USD 5 million aid offer from India for its flood relief work. "In terms of responding to a disaster, politics should play no role. You have a country (India) that's willing to help (Pakistan), and... we expect that Pakistan will accept," State Department spokesman P J Crowley said.

Last week, Minister of External Affairs S M Krishna had called on his Pakistani counterpart Shah Mehmood Qureshi and offered USD 5 million in aid for flood relief work. Pakistan, so far, had not accepted the offer while at the same time its leaders have been sending SOS to the international community for more and more aid so as to meet the immediate needs of its millions of flood-affected people. Nearly one-fifth of Pakistan is now reported to be badly hit by the devastating flood; the worst for the country in 80 years.

Crowley, given the changed circumstance, said the US has began to think about what it would do with that long-term security assistance provided under Kerry-Lugar-Berman Bill and that could require the US shifting it from what it thought was a priority three weeks ago to what is a priority today. "I think what we'll have to wait and see is what are the mid- to long-term economic needs of Pakistan that we could use that funding to address. I guess we would also consider more immediate needs as they arise," he said.

Frank Ruggiero, Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan also asked Pakistan to accept India's aid. "I think the priority is to use offers of assistance to help the Pakistani people, so we would encourage Government of Pakistan to accept that (Indian) offer," he said. Ruggiero said that the US would continue to call on the international community to provide the people of Pakistan with the support it needs at this dire time, as the scale of this flood was so dramatic.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's Foreign Minister has arrived in New York to attend the special meeting of UN General Assembly on the flood relief work, where he is expected to ask the member states to help Pakistan with more international aid. The US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton would also address the UNGA's special session on Pakistan.She is expected to announce more US aid for Pakistan. The US so far has provided USD 90 million worth of aid.

Mark Ward, Acting Director for USAID's Office of Foreign Disaster Assistance said Pakistan floods was one of the greatest challenges as 17 million Pakistani people were affected; six million of those needing urgent attention. Acknowledging that donor fatigue was an issue and has reflected in the international response to the disaster assistance for the flood relief work, Assistant Secretary of State Eric Schwartz said "but I think it's not an issue for the US.I think other governments around the world continue to make relief response a very high priority."

"The international community will need to provide even more additional assistance, that the need is extreme at this point, and that the international community and the United States will have to provide support to the Pakistani Government to deal with it," said Ruggiero.

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/accept-indian-aid-no-role-for-politics-in-disaster-us-to-pak-45537?cp

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/accept-indian-aid-no-role-for-politics-in-disaster-us-to-pak-45537?cp

Mandela charity trustee resigns over Campbell diamonds

The former head of the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund, Jeremy Ractliffe, has resigned from the charity's board after admitting he secretly kept diamonds received from the model Naomi Campbell. Mr Ractliffe admitted he had the gems only when Ms Campbell mentioned him at the war crimes trial of former Liberian leader Charles Taylor two weeks ago. Prosecutors say she received the diamonds from Mr Taylor in 1997. Mr Ractliffe had apologised for his secrecy, the charity's board said.

The former chief executive handed the diamonds over to South African police after Campbell testified that she had given three stones to Ractliffe because she wanted them to go to charity. Mr Ractliffe said he had kept the stones, which could link him to illegal "blood diamonds", because he wanted to protect the reputation of Mr Mandela and his charity. Stepping down from his role as trustee, Mr Ractliffe apologised for causing "possible reputational risk" to the charity by not informing his colleagues of his receipt of the diamonds, the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund said in a statement.

At the trial, Ms Campbell said she was given some "dirty-looking stones" after a 1997 charity dinner hosted by South Africa's former President Nelson Mandela where Mr Taylor was also a guest. She said two unidentified men appeared at her room and gave her the stones. She told the court she did not have proof they came from Mr Taylor and had given them to Mr Ractliffe because she wanted the stones to go to charity. "Naomi suggested they could be of some benefit to the Nelson Mandela Children's Fund - but I told her I would not involve the NMCF in anything that could possibly be illegal," Mr Ractliffe said in a statement two weeks ago.

He said he took the diamonds as he thought it might be illegal for her to take them out of the country. "In the end I decided I should just keep them," he added. Mr Taylor is accused of using illegally mined diamonds to secure weapons for Sierra Leone's RUF rebels during the 1991-2001 civil war - a charge he denies. Prosecutors say that from his seat of power in Liberia, Mr Taylor also trained and commanded the rebels. The rebels were notoriously brutal, frequently hacking off the hands and legs of civilians.

Bus plunges into 100-foot ravine, killing 40

MANILA, Philippines — A packed passenger bus negotiating a downhill curve plunged off a Philippine mountain highway into a 100-foot ravine Wednesday, killing 40 people in one of the country's worst recent accidents, police said.

Ten people, including a 10-year-old boy, survived and nine were taken to hospitals, said police chief Wilben Mayor of Benguet province north of Manila.

Mayor said most of the victims were pinned to death while others were thrown out as the bus tumbled down.

He said 39 bodies were recovered from the twisted wreckage. Emergency workers were trying to extricate another body that remained pinned near the bus engine more than six hours later, he said.

The victims' remains, including a toddler's, were put in body bags on the highway.

The bus zoomed between a tree and a house and plunged into the ravine, Mayor said. The driver, who survived with a broken leg, would be investigated, he said.

Conductor John Patrick Flores told The Associated Press by telephone that the brakes on the bus failed as the driver was negotiating a downhill curve.

He said the driver was aiming to hit a lamppost to stop the bus from falling but missed and it jumped over a foot-high road barrier.

Survivor 'jumped off the bus' in narrow escape

"I jumped off the bus to the side of the road before the bus plunged into the ravine," Flores said. He suffered only minor bruises.

He said he was the first person to reach the bus and carried the 10-year-old boy with a broken leg up the ravine. Local residents helped rescue other passengers, six of whom were brought to hospital in Baguio.

The bus was carrying about 50 people from the northern mountain city of Baguio when it crashed in Sablan township, about eight miles away.

Flores said the bus was not speeding as it had just dropped off a passenger and picked up another a short distance away from where the vehicle plunged.

Accidents in the area are common because of poorly maintained vehicles. The weather was fine and the highway is in good condition.

Last month, 15 people died when their bus slammed into a concrete barrier in the central Philippines. A month earlier, a bus rented by Iranian medical students fell into a ravine near central Cebu city, killing 21 people.

Suicide attack kills Iraqi army recruits in Baghdad

At least 51 people have been killed in a suicide attack on an army recruitment centre in Baghdad, officials say. More than 100 were reported to have been injured in the bombing, in the centre of the Iraqi capital.The attack comes as the US prepares to end combat operations in Iraq by the end of this month.

It also comes a day after one of the two main contenders in Iraq's March election suspended talks on forming a coalition. Violence in Iraq is down from its peak in 2006-2007, though the number of civilian deaths rose sharply in July. Almost daily attacks on Iraqi forces and traffic police in Baghdad and Anbar province, west of the capital, killed some 30 people in the first two weeks of August.

Ex-defence ministry

The BBC's Hugh Sykes reports from Baghdad that a suicide bomber walked up to the army recruitment centre where hundreds of people had been queuing for hours - some since Monday evening. Unemployment in Iraq stands at about 60% and people are desperate for jobs. The attack happened in a busy area close to one of the city's main bus stations, our correspondent says, adding that the streets are full of people early in the morning, making it easy for a suicide bomber to pass unnoticed.

Severed limbs could be seen in the street, which troops cordoned off as Iraqis turned up to look for relatives. The site of the attack used to be the defence ministry under former leader Saddam Hussein. It was converted into an army base and recruitment centre following the US-led invasion of Iraq in 2003. Some soldiers were reported to be among the victims of Tuesday's attack. Three men were injured when two small bombs exploded last week at the same site.The recruitment centre takes in about 250 recruits every week as the Iraqi authorities try to boost their armed forces.

The US is to reduce its forces in Iraq to 50,000 at the end of this month, and plans to withdraw all troops from the country by the end of 2011. Iraq's top army officer recently questioned the timing of the pull-out, saying the Iraqi military might not be ready to take control for another decade.

Obama to sign bill approving $600 million for border security

President Obama will sign a bill Friday that provides $600 million in emergency funding to help secure the U.S.-Mexico border.

A day earlier, two senators -- Democrats Charles Schumer of New York and Ben Cardin of Maryland -- returned from their August recess to give the chamber's approval for the bill.

The House of Representatives had already approved the measure.

In the Senate, the bill passed by unanimous consent -- a parliamentary term for a voice vote that doesn't require the return of the entire Senate chamber. GOP leaders had agreed to the maneuver.

Among other things, the bill provides for roughly 1,500 new law enforcement agents, new unmanned aerial vehicles, new forwarding operating bases and $14 million in new communications equipment.

The measure has attracted strong Democratic and Republican support.

Obama praised the plan after the Senate passed it, saying that congressional passage "answers my call to bolster the essential work of federal law enforcement officials and improve their ability to partner with state, local and tribal law enforcement."

Obama argued that the new law would facilitate cooperation along the border between the U.S. and Mexican governments, and asserted that it would make "an important difference" in the push for comprehensive immigration reform.

The bill is funded in part by imposing higher fees on personnel companies that bring foreign workers into the United States.

National disease centre to meet today on superbug alert

Government on Thursday expressed surprise at scientists in the United Kingdom linking a new superbug resistant to antibiotics to India and said that it was drafting a reply to an alert issued by Britain in this regard.

The National Centre for Disease Control (NCDC), a nodal agency under the Health Ministry, is meeting on Thursday and “we would soon draft a reply to this,” Secretary, Health Research, V.M. Katoch told PTI.

He said the Ministry will examine the issue in detail but it was “unfortunate that this new bug, which is an environmental thing, has been attached to a particular country which is India in this case.”

“I am surprised,” he said, adding that, “this (the bug) is present in nature. It is a random event and cannot be transmitted.”

Mr. Katoch said that he was surprised that a research paper linked it with India as they should know it was a biological phenomenon.

According to a paper published in scientific journal Lancet, the new superbug, which is said to be resistant even to most powerful antibiotics, has entered U.K. hospitals and is travelling with patients who had gone to countries like India and Pakistan for surgical treatments.

Bacteria that make an enzyme called NDM-1 or New Delhi-Metallo-1, have travelled back with NHS patients who went abroad to countries like India and Pakistan for treatments such as cosmetic surgery, it said.

Although there have only been about 50 cases identified in the U.K. so far, scientists fear it will go global.

NDM-1 can exist inside different bacteria, like Ecoli, and it makes them resistant to one of the most powerful groups of antibiotics — carbapenems.

These are generally reserved for use in emergencies and to combat hard-to-treat infections caused by other multi-resistant bacteria.

At least one of the NDM-1 infections the researchers analysed was resistant to all known antibiotics.

Similar infections have been seen in the U.S., Canada, Australia and the Netherlands and international researchers say that NDM-1 could become a major global health problem.

Infections have already been passed from patient to patient in U.K. hospitals.

Dr David Livermore, one of the researchers and who works for the UK’s Health Protection Agency (HPA), said, “There have been a number of small clusters within the UK, but far and away the greater number of cases appear to be associated with travel and hospital treatment in the Indian subcontinent.”

The Department of Health has already put out an alert on the issue, he said.

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US jobs will not go to India: Obama

US President Barack Obama has said that America had returned to robust competitiveness and the danger of jobs and industries fleeing to countries like China, India or Germany was over.

"When I took office, we put in place a new economic plan that rewards hard work instead of greed; a plan that rewards responsibility instead of reckless; a plan that focused on our middle class, (and) making them more secure," Obama said at a Democratic Fund Raiser in Austin, Texas.

The US President said that the US "was competitive over the long run so the jobs and industries of the future weren't going to China or India or Germany, but were going to the United States of America, right here."

Gradually entering into an election mode with the mid-term elections less than three months ago, the US President has been frequently in his public speeches claiming how his policies are aimed towards stopping outsourcing of jobs and manufacturing.

Instead of spending money on special interest tax loopholes that don't create American jobs, we said we're going to make smart investments in education and innovation and clean energy that will benefit all people and our entire economy, he said.

"Instead of giving special interests free rein to write their own regulations, we demanded new accountability from Washington to Wall Street so that big corporations had to play by the same rules as small companies and by individuals.

That's only fair," Obama said.

Observing that it took nearly a decade to enter the current phase of the economic mess he inherited, Obama said it's going to take some more time to "dig our way out" of that hole.

"The devastation that has touched so many of our families, so many of our communities, that is going to take some time to heal. And I hear those stories firsthand wherever I travel.

I hear about them in the letters that I receive every night that I read from people who are doing their best to keep on striving towards that American Dream, but keep on hitting a bunch of road blocks and are looking for help.

So the road to recovery is long and it's filled with challenges. And I'm under no illusion that we've gotten there yet. We've got a lot more work to do," he said.

Continuing with his critic of the Republican policies, Obama said: "We've got a choice between a forward-looking agenda that is rebuilding the structure of this economy so it's working for all Americans, or just going back to the same stuff that got us into this mess."

Mamata bashing unites BJP, Left in Lok Sabha

At a massive rally in Lalgarh on Monday, Union minister and Trinamool chief Mamata Banerjee had questioned the manner in which Maoist leader Cherukuri Rajkumar or Azad was killed in Adilabad, Andhra Pradesh on July 2. She had said: "I believe Azad had been murdered. It was unjust. But peace talks should be started... I pay my respect and tribute to Azad.”

She had also issued a “peace” message to the Maoists and combined it with her pressing need to make inroads in the Naxal heartland, a CPM bastion where her Trinamool Congress has had little electoral success so far.

She urged the Maoists: “Tell me what you demand. Give a time. Tell me the place and I am ready to initiate the peace process.”

She asked Maoists and tribals in Lalgarh to spell out clearly what they wanted. If they wanted schools, colleges, hospitals, roads, she said, that would be ensured. “Just wait for a few more months and the Marxists will be out of power. I promise to bring development here. If you want jobs, I can set up a railway factory in Lalgarh to provide jobs to the unemployed.”

Pakistan floods threaten key barrage in southern Sindh

Waters have exceeded the danger level at a key flood barrier in Pakistan's southern province of Sindh.

The Sukkur Barrage overflow means Sindh faces as much devastation as that seen further north in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab provinces, say experts.

Enraged survivors have been physically attacking government officials in flood-hit areas, amid widespread anger at the pace of the relief effort.

At least 1,600 people have died in the region's worst deluge in 80 years. With more than 14 million people already affected, the monsoon rains show little sign of abating.

Flood waters have roared down from the north to the agricultural heartland of Punjab and on to southern Sindh along a trail more than 1,000km (600 miles) long. In the early hours of Monday morning, the water flow coming down Sindh's Sukkur Barrage was recorded at up to 1.4m cusecs (cubic feet per second). It can only withstand 900,000 cusecs.

Upper Sindh is already under water, and rescuers are continuing to evacuate thousands of families from the province, where the banks of the swollen Indus river are at risk of bursting.

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani said on Sunday the country had gone back years as he visited Sindh, where hundreds of thousands of people have already been displaced.

With roads, bridges and railway tracks washed away, and deadly landslides increasing the isolation of many of the worst-hit areas, aid workers are having to use donkeys to deliver relief.

The entire Swat valley was cut off at the weekend, with even helicopters unable to reach it because of the poor weather.

"It's hard to get supplies there. I would like to emphasise we are moving by foot or donkey. We are unable to get in to most places of Swat Valley," Maurizio Giuliano, spokesman for the UN Office for the Co-ordination of Humanitarian Affairs, told news agency Reuters.

In the far north of the country, dozens of people were killed when two villages were buried in mud and rocks. Nearly 30 bodies were recovered from rubble after Saturday's landslides in Gilgit-Baltistan province.

The UN has said that Pakistan will need billions of dollars in aid to recover.

More rain lashes Pakistan, deepening flood crisis

More rain soaked flood-ravaged Pakistan on Saturday and even heavier downpours were forecast for coming days, deepening a crisis in which hard-line Islamists have rushed to fill gaps in the government's patchy response.

Pakistani officials estimate as many as 13 million people throughout the South Asian nation have been affected by the rising waters. About 1,500 people have died, most of them in the northwest, the hardest-hit region. Mass evacuations are under way in the southern province of Sindh after the Indus River rose there.

The intense flooding that began about two weeks ago has washed away roads, bridges and many communications lines, hampering rescue efforts. Incessant monsoon rains have grounded many helicopters trying to rescue people and ferry aid, including six choppers manned by U.S. troops on loan from Afghanistan.

The national government's response has appeared chaotic at times, and confidence in its ability to cope has been shaken by the decision of President Asif Ali Zardari to visit France and England amid the crisis.

Floodwaters receded somewhat Friday in the northwest, but downpours in the evening and early Saturday again swelled rivers and streams. Pakistani meteorologist Farooq Dar said heavy rains in Afghanistan were expected to make things even worse over the next 36 hours as the bloated Kabul River surged into Pakistan's northwest.

That will likely mean more woes for Punjab and Sindh provinces as well, as new river torrents flow east and south.

Authorities have given varying tolls for the number of people among Pakistan's 175 million impacted by the floods.

The United Nations said 4 million people had been affected, including 1.5 million severely, meaning their homes had been damaged or destroyed. But Pakistani officials have put the figure much higher.

In the northwest and Punjab, floods have displaced 12 million people, said Amal Masud, an official with the National Disaster Management Authority. In Sindh province, about 1 million people have been evacuated or are currently being helped out of their homes, said Jam Saifullah, the provincial irrigation minister.

An Associated Press reporter saw many people walking on foot and using trucks to migrate to safer places in Sindh. Some, however, refused to leave their lands, crops and homes.

"Let the flood come. We will live and die here," said Dur Mohammed, 75, who lives in a mud brick home in Dadli village.

Mohammed was one of 250 people in Dadli resisting evacuation, even though floodwaters have already began touching the embankments of the Indus River less than one mile (two kilometers) away. Many feared that if they left and the floods never came, their household items would be stolen.

The United Nations said the disaster was "on a par" with the 2005 Kashmir earthquake — which killed about 73,000 people — in terms of the numbers of people needing assistance and damage to infrastructure.

Some 30,000 Pakistani soldiers are rebuilding bridges, delivering food and setting up relief camps in the northwest, which is the main battleground in the fight against al-Qaida and the Taliban. Foreign countries and the United Nations have donated millions of dollars.

The U.S. has tapped soldiers from its war effort in Afghanistan to operate four Chinook and two Black Hawk helicopters to evacuate people from the northwest's Swat Valley and carry aid there. Around 85 U.S. soldiers are involved, though the rain has limited their flights.

Also helping in the relief effort are Islamist charities, including the Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation, which Western officials believe is linked to Lashkar-e-Taiba. Lashkar is the militant group blamed for the 2008 attacks in Mumbai, the financial capital of India, Pakistan's regional archrival.

The Falah-e-Insaniat Foundation says it is running 12 medical facilities, providing cooked food for 100,000 people every day, and plans to open shelters soon.

"The magnitude of this tragedy is so severe, and the area affected is so vast, that the government alone cannot meet the needs of such a large number of affectees," said Atique Chauhan, a spokesman for the foundation. "The U.S. efforts for rescue and relief are good, and we will appreciate help from all of humanity, whether it is the U.S. or even India."

Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani appealed for national unity during the crisis.

"I request that all the political parties be united and work together to help the flood victims," he told reporters on Saturday, adding that the government is doing everything it can to move people to safer ground.

"The next two days are very critical in this regard," Gilani said. "Our top priority is to rescue people, to save their lives. But we will also provide them all facilities, and we will work for their rehabilitation."

Wyclef Jean says he is running for president of Haiti

Hip-hop artist Wyclef Jean told CNN's "Larry King Live" on Thursday he is running for president of Haiti.

Jean was one of the first, and most visible, celebrities to offer aid after a devastating earthquake hit Haiti in January. He has also been an outspoken proponent of the nation through his Yele Haiti Foundation, which has come under some scrutiny for how it spends its money.

"Yes, it's my first time announcing it live -- that today I went in, and I signed, and I am running to be the president of Haiti," said Jean, in his first television interview about his decision to run.

Whoever is elected in November, the new president will face the monumental task of rebuilding the country that was ravaged by a January 12 earthquake that killed more than 220,000 people, destroyed 60 percent of government infrastructure and left more than 180,000 homes uninhabitable.

Whoever steps in will also oversee the billions of dollars in international aid that has been promised to the country since the quake.

"Now that our country has toppled, it's a chance to rebuild from the bottom on up," said Jean, adding he will be the voice of Haiti's youth.

Jean shot to fame in the mid-1990s as a member of the Fugees, a U.S.-based hip-hop and reggae group. He performs now as a solo artist.

Jean was born in Haiti, and moved to the United States as a young boy. He recently resigned as chairman of the Yele Haiti Foundation.

Jean, dressed in a gray suit and a red-, black- and white-striped tie, stressed the need for Haiti to improve education, as well as its agriculture, security, and health care. He also said job creation would be a central part of his campaign going forward.

Jean was in Haiti to submit the paperwork necessary for his run.

While little is known about his political agenda, lyrics from his song "President" may provide a sneak peek. In the song, Jean fantasized about what it would be like to lead a country.

"Instead of spending billions on the war. I can use that money, to feed the poor," he sung.

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The Z313 speaker system is compatible with computers with Windows XP, Windows Vista, Mac OS X 10.3.9, or later operating systems.

Chidambaram appeals for peace in Kashmir, deploys additional forces

Home Minister P Chidambaram has made a statement in Parliament on the Kashmir situation.

He appealed for peace, saying that he deeply regrets the civilian deaths in the valley. There have been 39 deaths in protests in Kashmir since June 11. Chidambaram also appealed to all Kashmiris to ensure that children do not join then protests.

The Home minister says armed militants mingled with the protesters, and appealed to all Kashmiris to end this "cycle of violence".

The Home Minister said the government has always favoured a dialogue - and told protesters that damaging public property would not get them anywhere.

He added that over 1200 security personnel have been injured in protests in the past 2 months.

The government has sent a delegation of ministers to the affected areas of the valley.

21 more CRPF companies have been deployed in the valley, and the Home Minister today assured Parliament that Kashmir has adequate forces to deal with any situation.

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/chidambaram-appeals-for-peace-in-kashmir-deploys-additional-forces-42007?cp

Read more at: http://www.ndtv.com/article/india/chidambaram-appeals-for-peace-in-kashmir-deploys-additional-forces-42007?cp