Full marks to Pranab: Swraj Paul

October 4th, 2009 LONDON - Indian-origin industrialist Swraj Paul said Sunday he had done nothing wrong after a newspaper disclosed he had claimed 110,000 pounds in expenses as a member of Britain's upper chamber of parliament. The Sunday Times said steel tycoon Paul had claimed the money despite being one of the wealthiest members of the House of Lords and owning a residential property with 25 luxury flats close to the houses of parliament in London.

August 2nd, 2009 LONDON - A new law to curb British party political funding by wealthy individuals who are registered as 'non-domiciled' for tax purposes will not be enforced immediately, Indian origin industrialist Swraj Paul said Sunday. The effective date of enforcement has to be decided, Paul, chairman of the Caparo Group of industries and a major donor for Britain's ruling Labour Party, told IANS.

July 20th, 2009 LONDON - Steel magnate Lord Swraj Paul Monday clarified that he will continue to support Britain's ruling Labour party despite government-backed legislation that would stop him from funding the party. I have no doubt that Gordon Brown is the best prime minister and Labour the best party for the UK.

July 19th, 2009 LONDON - Indian-born steel tycoon Lord Swraj Paul, a high-profile supporter of Labour, says he will stop bankrolling Britain's ruling party if he is forced to give up his non-domicile tax status under a proposed legislation. Billionaire Paul, founder and chairman of the Caparo Group of industries, is a long-standing Labour backer, and had promised to bankroll the cash-starved party at the coming general elections due by June 3, 2010.

July 19th, 2009 LONDON - Steel tycoon Lord Swraj Paul and Curry King Sir Ghulam Noon, two high-profile Indian-born supporters of Labour, say they will stop bankrolling Britain's ruling party if a proposed draft legislation goes through parliament. The British ruling party has signalled its support to a bill to be introduced in parliament Monday that seeks to ban Britons who have non-domicile (non-dom) tax status from funding political parties.

July 19th, 2009 LONDON - Indian-born steel tycoon Lord Swraj Paul, a high-profile supporter of Labour, says he will stop bankrolling Britain's ruling party if he is forced to give up his non-domicile tax status under a proposed legislation. He is supported by other high-profile Indian-origin businessmen like Sir Ghulam Noon.

July 6th, 2009 NEW DELHI - Union Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee will present the first general budget at 11am today in Lok Sabha. This is the first general budget of the UPA government after coming to power for second term.

June 23rd, 2009 LONDON - Industrialist Swraj Paul has become the first Indian to be appointed to the Queen's Privy Council - an elite chamber of advisers to the British monarch. I feel honoured, privileged and grateful, Lord Paul, founder and chairman of the Caparo group of industries, told IANS Tuesday.

June 3rd, 2009 KOLKATA - Leading industrialist Jit Paul, the patriarch of the Rs.20 billion Apeejay Surrendra Group and brother of NRI industrialist Swraj Paul, died here Wednesday following old-age complications. He was 86. Paul led a vast business empire that included shipping, hotels, tea, retail estate and book retail.

May 17th, 2009 LONDON - Major donors of Britain's ruling Labour Party say they will withdraw their financial support over a deepening parliamentary expenses scandal, a newspaper reported. Only Indian-born industrialist Lord Swraj Paul pledged to continue donating, the Observer newspaper said.

May 16th, 2009 LONDON - Indian-born industrialist Swraj Paul said Saturday the strong electoral verdict in favour of the Congress was a tribute to Manmohan Singh's handling of the Indian economy. 'This was a vote for stability, integrity and for economic competence,' the steel magnate said.

March 13th, 2009 LONDON - The sleepy town of Devon in South West England has once again been spooked, after an elderly lady discovered what are said to be the Devil's footprints. Jill Wade, a pensioner, found the hoof-like marks in the snow in her back garden in Woolsery, and they were a repetition of the first marks recorded in 1855.

February 15th, 2009 NEW DELHI - External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee began presenting the interim budget for the next fiscal amid expectations that measures will be announced to cushion the impact of global meltdown on the Indian economy, and help revive consumer demand. The exercise began with Mukherjee reading out his budget speech in the Lok Sabha, during which he will also seek an approval to finance the government's expenditure, till such time the regular budget is presented by a new government after elections, and passed by parliament.

January 26th, 2009 LONDON - Actress Lindsay Lohan has lost an astonishing amount of weight in just a short while after her break-up with girlfriend Samantha Ronson and her friends are now concerned for her because she has got scratch marks on her body. Mirror.co.uk reports that Lohan has been spotted with mysterious scratch marks all over her arm.

January 4th, 2009 LONDON - Indian-born industrialist Swraj Paul said Monday that India's economic growth rate may fall below five percent, with grave implications for its poor. 'My view is that we may not even see five, five-and-a-half percent.