BJP-RSS want Kalam for president; he may decide today - Hindustan Times
Kalam's decision can change the whole political equation, as if in case he agrees to contest for the poll, NDA may decide to support him.
NDA ally JD (U) on Monday remained non-committal on their decision to back BJP candidate. "NDA is trying to create consensus. we have time till June 30. We have time, we'll take it and decide", said party leader and Bihar chief minister Nitish Kumar.
On Friday before UPA announced its presidential candidate, Kalam had said that he will take reight decision at right time.
"It is a good idea, will take right decision at right time," APJ Abdul Kalam told reporters on his name being suggested for President.
TV news channels report, Kalam is being pressurised by several political parties to contest polls.
After being snubbed by the UPA, TMC chief Mamata Banerjee is still keen on Kalam's name for presidential poll.
After UPA announced its decision to back Pranab, Mamata Banerjee said the game is not over yet. She even launched a facebook page seeking support to back Kalam.
"I have said. I won't say anything more. In my life, I do what I say and if someone thinks the game is over, it's not that", she told reporters.
Mamata is expected to formally announce party's candidate for presidential polls. Mamata has issued specific diktat to ensure no cross-voting. A formal announcement will be made on Monday evening.
BJP led NDA on the other hand is still divided on whom to support. On Sunday, BJP sought to bring around their NDA allies to support former Lok Sabha speaker PA Sangma as a common non-Congress candidate against the UPA’s Pranab Mukherjee in the presidential elections, but failed to overcome the differences.
While the Shiv Sena skipped the meeting, Janata Dal (United) leader Shivanand Tiwari said a contest against Mukherjee was best avoided. But party chief and NDA convenor Sharad Yadav said Advani should get time to work on a consensus over Sangma.
Whole scenario now depends on Kalam's decision as Sangma emerged as BJP's choice only after APJ Abdul Kalam remained non-committal.
KEY DEVELOPMENTS:
* Senior BJP leader Advani calls up former President APJ Abdul Kalam
* BJP sends Sudheendra Kulkarni to Kalam's residence to persuade him to contest poll
* JD(U) remains non-committal
* SAD declares support for nominee selected by the BJP
Europe shale push shaken by Exxon's Poland pullout - Reuters
* Exxon quits Poland shale gas exploration
* Comes days after govt shelved draft shale law publication
* Europe's biggest shale plans, 112 exploration licences issued
* Poland's reserve estimates slashed by 90 pct in March
By Maciej Onoszko
WARSAW, June 18 (Reuters) - Europe's most ambitious shale gas plans were in disarray on Monday after U.S. major ExxonMobil announced it would pull out of exploration projects in Poland.
Poland's lucrative reserves had spurred hopes of transforming Europe the way a shale boom has left the United States brimming with supplies, potentially turning the Poles into net gas exporters.
That was until March, when a government report revealed the country's likely reserves were about one-tenth the size of previous estimates.
At the weekend, Exxon, which earlier this year cautioned that commercial production of Polish shale was at least five years away, said it would not go forward with exploration.
"The move is not surprising given that Poland's shale potential is still unclear," JBC Energy analysts said in a note on Monday.
A spokesman for Exxon in Poland said the company has not decided yet what it would do with its exploration licences. It controls four and jointly holds two with France's Total .
Poland has granted 112 shale exploration licences to ExxonMobil, Chevron and other firms, even as some countries, including France and Bulgaria, have banned shale exploration pending further environmental studies.
The Poles are keen to wean themselves off their heavy reliance on coal and imported Russian gas, partly due to environmental commitments they face as a European Union member nation.
"Exxon realised that commercial extraction was not possible with currently available technology. This is a general problem in Poland that shale rocks are too tight to allow extraction," an industry source said, asking not to be identified.
Abundant shale gas production in Poland poses a potential threat to Russia's supremacy in Europe, where it supplies a quarter of the gas used in the EU.
Yet Russian gas export monopoly Gazprom has repeatedly played down the threat and on Monday Sergei Komlev, head of contract structuring and price formation at Gazprom Export, told a conference in London that Polish gas would struggle to achieve the low prices of U.S. shale rivals.
"In Poland the price for shale gas will be above $15 per million British thermal units, over three times than in the U.S. where prices will rise to $5-10 (from a current $2.50) once they export gas," Komlev said.
LEGAL FRAMEWORK
Last Wednesday, the government abruptly called off a presentation of a legal framework for the development of shale gas resources, disappointing industry players eager for more clarity before committing further to investing in the sector.
"If this draft was published and Exxon later declared it was leaving the country, it would most likely have been a disaster in terms of the country's image," said Piotr Spaczynski, partner at law firm Spaczynski, Szczepaniak & Wspolnicy, w hi ch advises foreign oil companies investing in Polish shale.
The government now plans to unveil the draft law by the end of the month, and has said it will cover exploration and extraction of oil and gas from both conventional and unconventional sources, including taxation, licensing and environmental issues.
"If I were the government, I would scrap all drafts and let companies work, or publish a draft supporting exploration and not one directed at excessive taxation," Spaczynski said.
Poland had high hopes for shale after a study by the U.S. Energy Information Association in 2011 estimated Polish reserves at 5.3 trillion cubic metres, enough to cover domestic demand for some 300 years.
The government's study in March slashed estimates for recoverable shale gas reserves at 346 to 768 billion cubic metres.
Despite Exxon, the world's most valuable energy company, to deciding to scrap exploration, other firms said they remained committed.
"(Our company) continues to remain extremely optimistic about the outlook for Polish shale gas," said John Buggenhaggen, exploration director at UK-listed San Leon Energy Plc.
England look to Rooney for last eight berth - Football
Published: 18 Jun 2012 - 11:48:25
England hope the entrance of Wayne Rooney will seal the exit of Ukraine as Roy Hodgson's side aim to wrap up qualification for the Euro 2012 quarter-finals on Tuesday.
A 3-2 victory over Sweden on Friday has sent confidence coursing through English ranks, with goals scored by Andy Carroll, Theo Walcott and Danny Welbeck suddenly giving Hodgson a range of options in attack.
But it is the return of Rooney from suspension that will give England an extra jolt of optimism as they seek the point they need to clinch a place in the last eight at Donetsk's Donbass Arena.
A fully-fit Rooney is champing at the bit to enter the fray after serving his two-match ban for being sent off in England's final qualifier last year.
"Obviously I'm delighted to be back part of the team and the squad and to be involved again," the Manchester United star said Sunday.
"The lads have done great to put us in the position we are in now and hopefully I'll get a chance to play and try and shine and help us get through the group."
Rooney has ruled out England playing for a draw despite the fact that a point would be enough to secure their passage to the last eight.
"The same as the first two games, we'll go into the game wanting to win and wanting the three points," he said.
"If we have to take a point then we'll happily do that, but we're going into the game trying to get the three points."
Rooney is also convinced England have the ability to mount a successful challenge at the Euros.
"I think we're good enough (to win it)," Rooney said.
"We've got the players to. I know, obviously, everyone doesn't want us to build up expectations but I firmly believe that we've got the players.
"Obviously, you need a bit of luck as well but I believe we've got a good opportunity. We've always believed."
England's preparations suffered a setback late Sunday after it emerged that Walcott, who had been strongly tipped to replace James Milner in the starting line-up, had pulled up in training with a hamstring problem.
"Unfortunately Theo had a slight setback in training, and that's the major concern with him," Hodgson said.
"He felt the hamstring that, of course, kept him out for so long at the end of last season and we were slightly concerned about that when he came to us. But we've been lucky that nothing occurred with that (since then)."
Hodgson meanwhile is confident his team will be able to cope with an intimidating atmosphere in Donetsk.
Hodgson believes England will benefit from the experience of last Friday in Kiev, where an estimated 20,000 Swedish fans drowned out England's smaller band of around 4,000 supporters to create a hostile atmosphere.
"We're getting used to playing away from home," Hodgson said. "We've already played in an away game, we have to prepare for another away game.
"That's what happens -- when you get drawn into a pool with the host nation you have to accept you're literally playing away from home."
Ukraine captain Andrei Shevchenko meanwhile said the hosts would have to raise their game after the bubble of euphoria created by their opening win over Sweden was punctured so clinically in last Friday's 2-0 defeat to France.
"We knew it was a very difficult game and the French played really well, especially in the second half. But we still have a chance," Shevchenko said.
"We know that if we can beat England we'll qualify for the knockout stage. (But) we'll have to play much better than we did against France if we want to beat England. They are definitely one of the most dangerous teams here.
"They had a good result against France and they beat Sweden, so they've had a great start. Home advantage helps us a lot."
Shevchenko, who faces a late fitness test on Monday after damaging a knee in training, also warned his side against focusing excessively on the threat posed by the returning Rooney.
"I know he's a very good player and someone who can change the team," Shevchenko said.
"But the whole England team is very good. They are most dangerous from set-pieces, corners and free-kicks. We will have to watch that."
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