India ready to help overcome global economic crisis: PM

Leaving for Russia on his first foreign visit after assuming office for a second term, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said India is ready to play its part in coordinating global efforts to overcome the economic slowdown. "India is among the fastest growing BRIC economies, and we are ready to play our part in coordinating international efforts to overcome the ongoing financial and economic slowdown," he said in statement before his three-day visit to Russia during which he will meet several leaders including Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari.

Singh, who will be attending the Brazil-Russia-India- China (BRIC) and Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) Summits, said the BRIC grouping has the potential to lead global economic growth.

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Taliban could spread into India, Persian Gulf: Pakistan

Pakistan has warned that the Taliban could spread beyond its borders to neighbouring India and as far as the Persian Gulf, unless it receives international aid to help battle militancy on its soil, the Online news agency reported on Monday.

Pakistan would need up to USD 2.5 billion in emergency aid and for long-term reconstruction of the Swat Valley and the neighbouring region, once the fighting between government troops and militants, now in its final stage, ended, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi said in an interview with the Financial Times. Pakistan has earmarked Rs 50 billion (USD 625 million) in its annual budget to help the displaced people in Swat.

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Punjab BSP chief, incharge roughed up by party workers

Simmering differences within the Punjab unit of the BSP popped up in a dramatic manner when a group of agitated BSP workers roughed up state president and a national leaer incharge of Punjab at a meeting here Sunday.

Certain senior leaders jumped onto the stage and pushed the BSP’s Punjab President Avtar Singh Karimpuri and BSP’s Incharge Punjab Affairs Narinder Kashyap from the stage forcing the police to rescue the two leaders and take them away at an introspection meeting held here Sunday.

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Sell-off in RIL pulls Sensex below 15K

The key benchmark indices extended losses in afternoon trade led by a sharp sell-off in Reliance Industries after the Bombay High Court upheld the maintainability of RNRL plea against RIL. The court asked RIL to supply 28 mmscmd gas to RNRL at $2.34/unit for 17 years. The Sensex plunged 289 points to 14,948. The Nifty was at 4,522, down 1.3 per cent.

RIL took a hit while ADAG pack of stocks gained. RNRL vaulted 26 per cent today. RIL fell 6.6 per cent and was one of the biggest losers in the Sensex group. Reliance Infra led the gainers in the group. The stock rose 4 per cent today. On the sectoral front, the BSE oil & gas index slumped 3.5 per cent and the capital goods index fell 2.9 per cent. The BSE auto index also shed 2.2 per cent.

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BCCI stands by Dhoni despite T20 debacle

A day after India lost to England in their must win clash resulting in their shocking ouster from the T20 World Cup, the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) came out in support of skipper Dhoni.

Talking to reporters, BCCI’s Media and Finance Committee Chairman Rajiv Shukla said that though it is a big loss yet all is not lost and that the upcoming tour of the West Indies should now be the priority. “We must concentrate on the upcoming West Indies series,” said Shukla.

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