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Pope's first girlfriend reveals their relationship

     London: Pope John Paul II's childhood sweetheart Halina Kwiatkowska has revealed that she shared a wonderful relationship with him and how the two were reunited after he became Holy Father. Halina Kwiatkowska, 83, was just 12 when she met Karol Wojtyla, 13, at their school in Wadowice near Krakow in southern Poland. "We called him Lolek and although his hobby was football, he was different from the other boys. He was always reading difficult philosophical books," Halina was quoted by the Sun as saying. She also revealed that they talked about becoming actors together and both applied to the same university. However, she became an actress as she had dreamed, but Karol joined the priesthood. Halina further recalled that when she met him years later when he became the Pope she did not know how to react. "My body trembled. To this day I don't know how I addressed him - Lolek? Holy Father? But he laughed, took my hand and said, Calm down Halina Antigone'," she said.

China, Pak sign treaty of friendship (Go To Top)

     Islamabad: Chinese Prime Minister Wen Jiabao has called for a new era in Sino-Pak ties with the two countries resolving to safeguard each other's unity, sovereignty and territorial integrity. The two countries signed 22 agreements and memorandums of understanding (MoUs) to enhance bilateral cooperation in defence, trade, development, diplomacy, education and research. The highlight of all the agreements was a "Treaty of Friendship" and a pact on combating terrorism and separatism. Wen told reporters after talks with Pakistani premier Aziz, "the agreements we signed just now mark a new stage in the China- Pakistan friendship." Pakistani Prime Minister called the treaty historic and said that it was special because the two countries did not have such a treaty or agreement with any other country. He further said that China and Pakistan have been all-weather friend and have common mindset. "Pakistan and China have identical views on major world issues. We have a shared approach; we have shared values and we are committed to peace in the region and in the world," Aziz said.

     Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao began a tour of South Asia with Pakistan as his first stop during a week-long tour. He arrived in Islamabad on Tuesday afternoon with a 70-strong delegation of business people and officials and met Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz in the evening. Wen will travel to Lahore on Thursday before heading to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India. Analysts said China and Pakistan have reaffirmed their long- standing close political ties but China's economic concerns dominated Wen's agenda as 15 of the agreements on Tuesday were on trade and investment. Asked about prospects for trade, Wen said there was a "huge potential." According to the Pakistani officials, the agreements between the two countries involved Chinese investment of about 350 million U.S. dollars. Apart from talking business, the two countries concretised some defence deals also.

     China has been Pakistan's main source of arms and on the eve of Wen's visit, the navy signed contracts for four Chinese frigates. They are also producing a fighter aircraft together. China has also provided Pakistan with hundreds of millions of dollars in development financing. Pakistan is building a 300- megawatt nuclear power plant worth 874 million U.S. dollars with Chinese help and China also bankrolled 80 percent of a new 248 million U.S. dollar deep-water port at Gawadar on the Arabian Sea. Pakistani officials have rejected suggestions the port would also serve as a Chinese navy listening post, monitoring vital Middle Eastern oil shipping lanes nearby. Bilateral trade was about 2.5 billion U.S. dollars in last fiscal year. Pakistan's exports to China were worth about a billion dollars while imports from China were 1.5 billion dollars in the same period. But China has taken a pragmatic approach while dealing with its neighbours and its ties with India are witnessing a new high. Experts say that with economics setting the agenda, Pakistan can no longer take a special relationship with China for granted. Pakistan is Wen's first leg of a four-nation South Asian tour, which will also take him to Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and India through April 12. He will arrive in India on April 9.

Mumbai traders on strike against VAT (Go To Top)

     Mumbai: The traders of Mumbai have called for a trade bandh today in protest against the Value Added Tax (VAT). The bandh will be followed by a demonstration against the state government at the Azad Maidan. Shops across the city were shut to protest against VAT. Even after strong resistance from traders against VAT, government has successfully implemented the new tax regime in twenty states. The traders have threatened to go on an indefinite strike if the government does not look into their demands. "This bandh is all over Maharashtra in which retailers, semi retailers, transporters and hoteliers are participating. There will be a demonstration also in this regard", said Kishore Kharawala, General Secretary, Bhartiya Udyog Vyappar Mandal, Maharashtra. "If the government does not consider our demands till 14th then we will start an indefinite strike in Maharashtra from the 15th. Indefinite strike has already begun in some states and after 15th there will be an indefinite strike all over India", added Kharawala.

      "There is no clear picture that how much tax should be levied on which goods. How much tax will a consumer pay to us? Even the Charted Accountants are not able to tell us the whole story. That is why we have stopped all the activity from April 1.If the taxes levied upon the customers are different, then it would be a liability for us. That government has not made any clarifications as yet", added Kharawala. Levied on the value by manufacturers and retailers, VAT adds to the goods at each sale point in the chain. It is due to replace a web of sales taxes in all the states that has led to duplicate taxation. The tax aims to create a uniform system, curb rampant tax evasion and increase revenue for the state governments. The tax which will cover 550 goods; have two basic rates - 4 percent and 12.5 percent - and a special rate of 1.0 percent for gold and silver ornaments.

Central Sales Tax will be phased out: Ramesh Chandra (Go To Top)

     New Delhi: In a significant move towards persuading the BJP ruled states to implement VAT the government today said it would phase out Central Sales Tax by April 2007. Eighteen states have implemented the Value Added Tax regime from April 1 and Assam and Meghalaya will be joining from Friday. Five BJP- ruled states Rajasthan, Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, Chattisgarh and Jharkhand have refused to implement VAT. They are demanding a clear roadmap to phase out the Central Sales Tax. This move may lead these states to reconsider their decision of not implementing Value Added Tax. VAT panel secretary Ramesh Chandra today said in a CII seminar here, "CST is a barrier and Empowered Committee of State Finance Ministers is working to remove it. We have determined that the rate of CST will come down to two per cent from April 1, 2006, before being ultimately phased out from April 2007."

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