Current Affairs For IAS

2008-10-27T11:40:00.000+05:30

* Ana Ivanovic wins Linz Open
Ana Ivanovic claimed her first title since she lifted the French Open trophy in June, beating second-seeded Vera Zvonareva of Russia 6-2, 6-1 on Sunday to win the Linz Open.
It was the top-seeded Serbian’s third title this year.

2008-10-27T11:24:00.000+05:30

* Daljit bags bronze in Asian Beach Games
India’s Daljit Singh bagged the 60kg bodybuilding bronze medal in the first Asian Beach Games that concluded in Bali.
Daljit finished third behind gold medallist Asrelawandi of Indonesia and silver medallist Pham Mach of Vietnam.

2008-10-27T10:40:00.000+05:30

* Baxi wins the 'Asian of the Year Award' 2008
NRI entrepreneur Ranjit Singh Baxi, founder of a recycling firm that has emerged as one of the top companies in Europe, has won the prestigious 'Asian of the Year Award'.

Baxi, Chairman of J and H Sales (International) Ltd, the company he founded, received the award at a glittering ceremony organised by 'Asian Who's Who International', a publication about leading Asians in the UK, at the Dorchester Hotel in London.

Matthew Amroliwala and Riz Lateef, the BBC News presentation team, handed over the award to 56-year-old Baxi, who is also President of the European Division of the World Punjabi Organisation.

Lord Swraj Paul, NRI industrialist and winner of the first Asian of the Year Award in 1987-88 who was the Chief Guest at the event.

According to the citation, Baxi's company has grown to become one of Europe's leading fibre recycling exporters, operating across the USA, Europe and the Far East.

In 2001, the company received the Queen's Award for Enterprise (International Trade).

Baxi was recently appointed President of the Paper Division of the Bureau of International Recycling in Bruxelles, a trade federation representing the recycling industry in over 70 countries.

Teji Singh, founder of international communications agency Sterling Media, bagged the Asian Leadership in Harmony Award while Kamel Hothi, Asian Marketing Director - Corporate Markets, Lloyds TSB Group, received the Asian Leadership in Diversity Award.

2008-10-27T10:39:00.000+05:30

* Western Command crowned overall champions in Navy yatching
Western Naval Command won the overall championship in the Indian Navy Yachting Championship in Kochi.

A total of sixty races in four classes of boats were held with about 250 participants from various Naval commands in the meet.

2008-10-27T10:37:00.000+05:30

* Bopanna, Mirnyi finish runners-up in St Petersburg
Rohan Rohan Bopanna and his Belarussian partner Max Mirnyi went down to Travis Parrott of the US and Filip Polasek of Slovakia in the doubles final of the St Petersburg Open.

2008-10-27T10:36:00.000+05:30

* Bhupathi-Knowles lift Swiss Indoor title
India's Mahesh Bhupathi and partner Mark Knowles of the Bahamas defeated Christopher Kas and Philipp Kohlschreiber of Germany in straight sets to lift the ATP Swiss Indoor doubles title in Basel, Switzerland

2008-10-27T10:34:00.000+05:30

* ONGC wins Fourth All India Chief Minister's Gold Cup Trophy
ONGC, Mumbai won the Fourth All India Chief Ministers Gold Cup Football Tournament by crushing Kanchandzonga Football Academy, Darjeeling by 3-1 in the final at Baichung Stadium in south Sikkim

2008-10-27T09:15:00.000+05:30

* Par panel for formation of authority to curb illegal clinics
a parliamentary committee has recommended formation of a special authority to find out clinics and nursing homes running without registration.

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Health, headed by Rajya Sabha MP Amar Singh, in its report sought immediate temporary suspension of registration which can be applied by the appropriate authority under grave situations in public interest, without following due procedure.

Along with a penalty of Rs 50,000 at first conviction, a time limit of one fortnight may be provided to the establishment to apply for registration under the 'Clinical Establishments (Registration and Regulation) Bill 2007'
It recommended that the procedure for appeal should also be made available for penalties arising out of the provisions.

In order to have transparency in the system, the committee sought that the period of preferring an appeal should be one month from the date of order of refusal to grant, renew or revoke certificate of registration to a healthcare establishment.

Further the appeals filed with the state registrar should be disposed of within a period of two months from the date of such filing.

The panel strongly recommended that the state registrar should be a multi-member body having appellate powers and all appeals should be made in the state registrar in place of the state government.

Besides this, patients and their caretakers may also be allowed to have the right to appeal in case of medical negligence on the part of any clinical establishment.

2008-10-27T08:59:00.000+05:30

* TCS's Ramadorai gets International CEO of the Year Award
India's largest software exporter Tata Consultancy Services' chief S Ramadoraihas been awarded the International CEO of the Year Award by Latin Trade, a leading global business magazine focusing on South America.

Other winners of the 14th annual Latin Trade Bravo Business Awards, given to honour government and business leaders for their contributions to progress in South America and the Caribbean, included President of Colombia Alvaro Uribe Vlez (Leader of the Year), Governor of Central Bank of Brazil Henrique de Campos Meirelles (Financier of the Year) and CEO of LAN Airlines Enrique Cueto Plaza (CEO of the Year).

Over 1,60,000 Latin Trade readers worldwide nominate business, political and social leaders to be recognised for their outstanding achievement.

In consultation with leading international experts, Latin Trade editors select winners in nine categories to be honoured at the prestigious Latin Trade Bravo Business Award ceremony.

Mike Zellner - - Editorial Director of Latin Trade.

2008-10-24T17:41:00.000+05:30

* Companies Bill, 2008 Introduced in Lok Sabha

The much-awaited Companies Bill, 2008 has been introduced in the Lok Sabha. Minister of Corporate Affairs, Shri Prem Chand Gupta introduce the Bill to consolidate and amend the law relating to companies. Two days ago, i.e., on 21.10.2008 Shri Gupta had withdrawn the Companies (Amendment) BIll, 2003 which was introduced in the Rajya Sabha on 7.5.2003 as the said Bill was not in tune with the present day requirements of corporates in India.

The Companies Bill, 2008 is intended to modernize the structure for corporate regulation in India and represents a major reform statement by the Government to promote the development of the Indian corporate sector through enlightened regulation.

2008-10-24T16:53:00.000+05:30

* Australian scientists have created the world's most efficient solar cells
Australian scientists at the University of New South Wales say they have become the first to achieve 25 percent efficiency in a silicon solar cell.

The university's Australian Research Council Photovoltaic Center of Excellence also held the previous world record of 24.7 percent silicon solar cell efficiency. A revision of the international standard by which solar cells are measured resulted in the new record being achieved by a team led by Professors Martin Green and Stuart Wenham.

Green said the jump in performance resulted from new knowledge about the composition of sunlight.

Since the weights of the colors in sunlight change during the day, solar cells are measured under a standard color spectrum defined under typical operational meteorological conditions, he said. Improvements in understanding atmospheric effects upon the color content of sunlight led to a revision of the standard spectrum in April. The new spectrum has a higher energy content both down the blue end of the spectrum and at the opposite red end with, dare I say it, relatively less green.

The researchers said the university's world-leading silicon cell is now six percent more efficient than the next-best technology.

2008-10-24T16:49:00.001+05:30

* Ashok Chawla appointed as India's Alternate Governor in World Bank
The government announced appointment of Economic Affairs Secretary Ashok Chawla as India's Alternate Governor on the World Bank board.

Chawla has been appointed India's Alternate Governor in the World Bank Board with immediate effect.

Chawla replaces Subba Rao as the latter moved on to become the Reserve Bank of India Governor.

The World Bank's member countries are represented by a Board of Governors. Each member country appoints one Governor and one Alternate Governor, in accordance with the Bank's Articles of Agreement.

Finance Minister P Chidambaram is India's Governor on the World Bank board.

The Governor and Alternate each serve a five-year term and may be re-appointed.

2008-10-24T16:49:00.000+05:30

* Govt introduces amended Unorganised Sectors' bill in RS
Minister for Labour and Employment Oscar Fernandes today introduced the amended Unorganised Sector Workers' Social Security Bill in Rajya Sabha.

The Bill aims to provide social security to workers by introducing various schemes for their welfare.

Mr Fernandes said the amendments had been suggested by the Standing Committee of the ministry of Labour and Employment keeping in view recommendations stated earlier by the Arjun Sengupta-led National Commission For Enterprises In The Unorganised Sector (NCEUS).

Two major recommendations by the NCEUS pertaining to separate social security bills for farmers and industrial workers and to creating a National Social Security and Welfare Fund were not accepted by the government.

Ten social security schemes relating to old age pension, welfare schemes for artisans and handloom weavers, general insurance and health insurance, maternity insurance have also been incorporated in the amended Bill. Rajya Sabha Members criticised the Bill introduced, saying it excluded a large number of workers in the informal sector.

There was also a demand for separate legislation for agricultural labourers.

2008-10-24T16:46:00.000+05:30

* First dhaba gets ISO certificate
Dhaba (wayside eatery) on the Bhopal-Indore road has been accorded the status of India's first ISO-certified dhaba for its cleanliness and quality of food and water.

'Dondi Highway Treat', in Sehore district's Dondi, also boasts of an air-conditioned family room and is owned by the Madhya Pradesh State Tourism Development Corporation (MPSTDC). Despite its attractions, the dhaba is inexpensive and tourists may reinvigorate themselves with a cup of tea costing Rs five and Malwa's mouthwatering 'poha' at Rs 10 a plate.

The International Organisation for Standardisation is responsible for the ISO 9000, ISO 14000, ISO 27000, ISO 22000 and other international management standards.

2008-10-24T16:21:00.000+05:30

* Delhi bags best E Governed state of India award
Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit received the best e-Governed State of India award for making Delhi the Best e-Governed State by setting up a series of citizen-centric services.

Delhi topped nine of the 14 parameters in this category according to a survey conducted by IDC India for Dataquest.

Ms Dikshit, who recieved the award from Chief Information Commissioner Wajahat Habibullah, dedicated this award to Delhiites, who were instrumental in decision-making process in governance.

Delhi spent Rs 10,982/- for every citizen on building its IT infrastructure and maintaining citizen-centric IT applications. Speaking on the occasion, Ms Dikshit expressed satisfaction over the all-round development in Delhi. She said there has been a sea change of Delhi's scenario during last 10 years.

The Bhagidari initiative of the Delhi Government provided direct interaction with citizens.

Various e-governance projects of different departments of Delhi Government have been implemented like Registrar Co-operative Societies, Employees. Information System of Education Department, Tender Notice Information System, Computerisation of Sub-registrar Office, Web-based Blood Banks Information System, Web-based Information on Pension Disbursement, Computerization of Hospitals, Web-based Booking of Community Halls, Delhi State Wide Area Network and Transport.

It may be recalled that Govt. of Delhi has already bagged two prestigious awards for E-governance. The awards were presented in Bhopal in February last year during the tenth National Conference of E-Government organized jointly by Union Ministry of Information Technology and Department of Administrative Reforms.

2008-10-24T16:18:00.000+05:30

* Jack Clarke becomes CA Chairman
South Australian solicitor Jack Clarke has been elected as Cricket Australia (CA) Chairman, following of Creagh O'Connor's retirement.

O'Connor, also from South Australia, retired as Chairman and from the Board after three years as CA Chairman, and 11 years on CA's Board.

Clarke, a CA director since 1999, has been Deputy Chairman since last year.

2008-10-24T16:10:00.000+05:30

* Hasan Sardar appointed as chief hockey selector in Pakistan
In a fresh reshuffle made in the Pakistan Hockey Federation (PHF), former Olympian Hasan Sardar was appointed as the selection committee chairman, while Brig (rtd) Manzoor Hussain Atif was named as the advisor to president Qasim Zia.

Hasan, former captain of the Pakistan's hockey team, will head the five-member selection committee that includes Farhat Khan, Rana Mujahid, Mohammad Shafique and Khalid Bashir.

2008-10-24T16:05:00.000+05:30

* General Assembly elects India as UN ECOSOC member
India, Japan, Germany and France were among 18 nations elected by the United Nations General Assembly to serve on the 54-member Economic and SocialCouncil (ECOSOC) for a period of three years beginning from 2009.

Cote d'Ivoire, Guatemala, Guinea-Bissau, Estonia, Greece, Lichtenstein, Mauritius, Morocco, Namibia, Peru, Portugal, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saudi Arabia and Venezuela were the other elected countries.

The 18 outgoing members were Angola, Austria, Benin, Cuba, Czech Republic, France, Greece, Guinea-Bissau, Guyana, Haiti, Japan, Lichtenstein, Madagascar, Mauritania, Paraguay, Portugal, Saudi Arabia and Sri Lanka.

Ahead of the election, the Assembly approved a request from Iceland to relinquish its Council seat for the Group of Western European and Other States at the end of 2008, for the remainder of its term in favour of Norway.
Norway was then elected to the Council for a one-year term of office beginning 1st January next.

As of January one, the remaining members of the Council will be Algeria, Barbados, Belarus, Bolivia, Brazil, Britain Canada, Cameroon, Cape Verde, China, Congo, El Salvador, Indonesia, Iraq, Kazakhstan, Luxembourg, Malawi, Malaysia, Mozambique, Netherlands, New Zealand, Niger, Norway, Pakistan, Philippines, Poland, Republic of Korea, Republic of Moldova, Romania, Russian Federation, Saint Lucia, Somalia, Sudan, Sweden, United States and Uruguay.

Eighteen of the 54 members of the Council retire each year and the retiring members are eligible for re-election.

India, Saudi Arabia and Japan were elected from the Asian group. Of the 184 valid votes polled, Saudi Arabia got 180, India 179 and Japan 177. There were no other candidates from the group.

2008-10-24T16:04:00.000+05:30

* Lok Sabha passes national waterways bills
The Lok Sabha on Thursday passed two bills to declare water stretches in five states, including West Bengal and Tamil Nadu, as national waterways paving way for development of some rivers for shipping and navigation.

The National Waterways (Talcher-Dhamra stretch of rivers Geonkhali-Charbatia stretch of East Coast Canal, Charbatia- Dhamra stretch of Matai river and Mahanadi delta rivers) Bill, 2006 and National Waterway (Kakinada-Pondicherry stretch of canals and the Kaluvelly tank, Bhadrachalam-Rajahmundry stretch of river Godavari and Wazirabad-Vijayawada stretch of river Krishna) Bill, 2006 were passed by voice votes.

While thanking the members of the House for their support to the Bills, Union Shipping Minister T R Baalu said the first Bill will provide for declaration of the Talcher-Dhamra stretch of Brahmani-Kharsua-Dharma rivers, Geonkhali-Charbatia stretch of East Coast canal, Charbatia-Dhamra stretch of Matai river and Mahanadi delta rivers between Mangalgadi and Paradip in West Bengal and Orissa as national waterways.

It will also facilitate the regulation and development of the said stretch of the rivers and the canals for purpose of shipping and navigation on the said waterways.

While moving the second Bill, Baalu said it will provide for the declaration of the Kakinada-Pondicherry stretch of canals comprising of Kakinada canal, Eluru canal, Commamur canal, Buchingham canal and the Kaluvelly tank, Bhadrachalam- Rajahmundry stretch of rivers Godavari and Wazirabad-Vijayawada stretch of river Krishna in Andhra Pradesh and Tamil Nadu and Pondicherry as national waterways.

The Bill will also provide for the regulation and development of the said stretch of the rivers and the canals for the purpose of shipping and navigation on the said waterways.

2008-10-24T13:58:00.000+05:30

* new airport inaugurated in Meghalaya's Tura
Prez Pratibha Devisingh Patil inaugurated the second Airport in Meghalaya at Baljek, Tura in West Garo Hills district.
She said it will encourage tourism, greater intra-regional movement and business, reinforcing the development of the NE region as a whole.

Patil is the second President to visit the Garo Hills. Dr Rajendra Prasad had visited it 56 years ago in 1952

2008-10-24T13:40:00.000+05:30

* Roca bags Family Business Award

Roca, world leaders in bathroom brands, won the Family Business Award. The award was given by the Swiss business school IMD and Lombard Odier Darier Hentesch. The award function was held at the Family Business Network World Summit in New Delhi on October 22.

2008-10-24T13:39:00.000+05:30

* India ranks 48th in global IT competitive index
India ranked 48th in the world in the 2008 IT industry competitiveness index, a study has said.

India has an overall score of 28.9 on the IT competitive index as per the study conducted by the Economist Intelligence Unin its second year, assesses and compares the IT industry environments of 66 countries to determine the extent to which they enable IT sector competitiveness.

Although the 20 economies remained the same compared to a year ago, three new countries moved to the top five slot — Taiwan, Sweden and Denmark. In terms of ranking in Asia Pacific, Taiwan is leading the table followed by Australia, South Korea, Singapore and Japan.

The key attributes of a country in analysing its environment for the IT sector was ample supply of skills, innovation friendly culture, world class technology and infrastructure, protection and enforcement of IPRS, open comeptitive economy and government support.

The study revealed that India performed best in business environment and support for IT industry development with a score of 59.3 per cent and 54 per cent. Areas of improvement include IT infrastructure and R and D environment in the country which are relatively low in the IT industry competitive index.

2008-10-24T13:16:00.000+05:30

* Islamic clerics in Malaysia rule to ban tomboys
Malaysia's main body of Islamic clerics has issued an edict banning tomboys in the Muslim-majority country, ruling that girls who act like boys violate the tenets of Islam.

Harussani Idris Zakaria, the mufti of northern Perak state said an increasing number of Malaysian girls behave like tomboys, and that some of them engage in homosexuality. Homosexuality is not explicitly banned in Malaysia, but it is effectively illegal under a law that prohibits sex acts "against the order of nature."

Muslims make up some 60 percent of Malaysia's 27 million people, and are subject to Islamic laws and the council's edicts, even if the rulings have not been enshrined in national or Shariah law. It was not immediately clear what kind of punishment awaited those who violate the tomboy edict, or "fatwa." Malays generally follow the council's "fatwas" out of deference, but violators rarely get into trouble unless the edict is incorporated into national or Shariah law.

2008-10-24T13:13:00.000+05:30

* Central Universities Bill introduced
The Government introduced the Central Universities Bill, 2008 in the Lok Sabha.

The umbrella legislation seeks to establish 12 new Central Universities and upgrade four existing State universities as Central university.

New varsities

The 12 new universities will be established in Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Karnataka, Gujarat, Rajasthan, Himachal Pradesh, Punjab, Jammu & Kashmir, Jharkhand, Bihar, Orissa and Haryana.

The existing State Universities that will be upgraded are Guru Ghasidas University, Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh; Hari Singh Gaur University, Sagar, Madhya Pradesh; Hemwati Nandan Bahuguna University, Uttarakhand and Goa University, Goa.

2008-10-24T12:55:00.000+05:30

* Prabhat Patnaik in U.N. task force
Noted economist and Kerala State Planning Board Vice-Chairman Prabhat Patnaik has been included in a four-member high-power task force of the United Nations (U.N.) to recommend reforms of the global financial system. The task force is to be headed by Nobel Prize-winning economist Joseph Stiglitz.

Professor Patnaik, a trenchant critic of neo-liberalism, is the only Asian economist to figure in the panel constituted by U.N. General Assembly president Miguel d’Escoto Brockmann.

The other members are Belgian sociologist Francois Houtart and Ecuador’s Minister for Economic Policy Pedro Paez. The task force will meet in the U.N. on October 30.

On the current financial turmoil, he said though there was this widely held view that the world was experiencing a global financial crisis, in reality it was a recession which could not be tackled by merely injecting liquidity into the system.

Professor Patnaik said the governments must be proactive and adopt expansionary fiscal policies with sufficient capital controls to take care of fears about flight of capital. He was of the firm view that there was tremendous scope in the Third World for governments to adopt aggressive fiscal policies to augment the infrastructural and other shortfalls, increase welfare expenditure and inject demand into the system.

2008-10-23T13:24:00.001+05:30

* Health Management and Research Institute (HMRI) recieved award
The Health Management and Research Institute (HMRI) has been awarded the prestigious ''The Manthan South Asia 2008 Award'' for the best e-content for development under 104 health services in Andhra Pradesh.

CEO, HMRI (104) -- Balaji Utla

Advisor, HMRI -- A P Ranga Rao

2008-10-23T13:21:00.000+05:30

* Army Digital Mapping Centre opened in Bangalore
Chief of the Army Staff, General Deepak Kapoor, today inaugurated the Administrative and Technical Building of Army Digital Mapping Center (ADMC) here in Banglore.

The Centre was equipped with state-of-art Digital Mapping System to meet the requirements of the Army.

Gen Kapoor said the hardware and the software were designed to meet the requirements of Military Survey for creation, maintenance and dissemination of digital Topographic Data Base (DTDB) and digital Cartographic Data Base.

2008-10-23T13:11:00.000+05:30

* Renowned painter Paritosh Sen dies
Eminent painter Paritosh Sen died at B M Birla the Heart Research Centre after a protracted illness. He was 90.

Born in 1918 in Dhaka, now in Bangladesh, Sen has a Diploma in Fine Arts from the Government College of Arts and Crafts, Chennai. In 1942, he moved to Kolkata, where he and a group of friends formed the Calcutta Group, an association of artists that sought to incorporate contemporary values in Indian art. In 1949, he left for Paris to study further, attending, among other institutes, the Ecole des Beaux Arts. He received a Fellowship for 1970-'71 from the John D Rockefeller III Fund.

A prolific writer, Sen had published many works in both Bengali and in English, including a series of autobiographical vignettes titled 'Jindabahar Lane'. His works had been exhibited in India and internationally, in Paris, London, Germany, Tokyo and in the US.

2008-10-22T22:43:00.001+05:30

* Destination Moon: India's First Lunar Mission "Chandrayaan I" launched successfully
October 22, 2008 - India made history in space science today by joining the elite club of countries that have sent space missions to moon. India's dream moon mission, Chandrayaan I was lifted off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota today at 6.22 AM (IST). This is the first time India has sent an unmanned mission to moon. Chandrayaan I was launched on schedule without any glitch. Scientists confirmed that launch of Chandrayaan I was completely successful and it is heading in a right direction.

Not only over a billion people in the country, but also millions across the world witnessed India's entry into the elite club today. Chandrayaan 1 will take 11 days to reach the moon and it will spend around two years there. People of India rejoiced at the live telecast of India's first-ever moon mission 'Chandrayaan I'. Everyone was looking for Chandrayaan live. Scientists at ISRO jumped off their seat after the successful launch of Chandrayaan I. Chandrayaan 1 was put into orbit within 18 minutes of its launch. Chandrayaan launch became a big milestone in Indian history.

The 1,380 kg (1.38 tonne) spacecraft, Chandrayaan 1 was put into orbit by India's home-grown rocket PSLV-C11. It was PSLV's 13 success in a row, as it already had launched 12 spacecrafts before the Chandrayaan launch.

The Chandrayaan I is shaped like a cuboid or rectangular prism. Chandrayaan I carries 11 payloads - five from India and others from foreign countries. India became the third Asian country after Japan and China and sixth nation in the world to send a unmanned lunar mission to moon. ISRO (Indian Speace Research Organization) has already planned the Chandrayaan 2 mission in 2011. Besides India, the USA, Russia, the European Space Agency, Japan and China have already sent missions to moon.

India's mission to the moon is the world's 68th. Of them, 64 have been launched by the US and the former USSR. China and Japan launched their respective moon missions Chang'e and Kaguya in September and October 2007, while the ESA undertook such a mission from November 2004 to September 2006 with SMART (Small Missions for Advanced Research in Technology).

According to ISRO sources, India is planning a manned space mission in 2014 and a manner moon mission in 2020. Interestingly, China has planned a manned moon mission for 2024. The Chandrayaan -1 mission was built at a budget of $86 million (Rs. 386 cr). President Dr. Pratibha Patil, PM Dr. Manmohan Singh and many other top leaders have congratulated the scientists at ISRO and countrymen on the successful launch of Chandrayaan I. There is no doubt that ISRO (Indian Space Research Organization) made the country proud.

2008-10-22T22:42:00.000+05:30

* Maharashtra Govt brings Ordinance against Hooligans
The Maharashtra Cabinet approved an ordinance, which will ensure that hooligans destroying public property would be forced to compensate for the loss. The ordinance comes in the wake of ongoing violence by MNS chief Raj Thackeray and his supporters across Maharashtra.

According to Deputy Chief Minister of Maharashtra (who is also in charge of Home Ministry) RR Patil, the ordinance will have provisions under which destruction of public property will be subject a to a hefty fine up to Rs. 25,000 and jail up to five years. The ordinance has been approved by the State Cabinet and will be sent to the Governor for ratification.

2008-10-22T22:35:00.000+05:30

* No Orderlies (Batmen) for Army Officers, recommends Parliamentary Committee
After the pay shock from the Union Government, the Army Officers got another jolt, as the Parliamentary Standing Committee on Defence has recommended the abolition of batmen or orderlies for them, terming the system as a "shameful practice". The committee urged the defence ministry to abolish the orderly or sahayak system with immediate effect. It was a practice, which existed since the colonial era.

The committee said that jawans are recruited for serving the nation and not to serve the family members of officers in household work. The Parliamentary Committee termed this as demeaning and humiliating. The report of the Parliamentary Committee was tabled in the Parliament on Tuesday.

The committee believed that orderlies or sahayaks were misused by many officers and were forced to do lowly work such as taking kids to schools, washing clothes and taking the dogs to walk.

2008-10-22T22:33:00.000+05:30

* Anup Sankar Bhattacharya Takes charge as Indian Bank ED
Anup Sankar Bhattacharya has assumed charge as Executive Director of Indian Bank . A degree holder in Agricultural Science, he has worked in various capacities in West Bengal, Jharkhand and Delhi before becoming the General Manager in Head Office, United Bank of India .

2008-10-22T22:28:00.000+05:30

* M. P. Purushothaman Elected President of Hotel Association
Empee group Chairman, M. P. Purushothaman took over as President of the Federation of Hotel and Restaurant Association of India (FHRAI) for 2008-09 at the 44th annual convention of the federation held recently at Shanghai in China. Earlier, he was unanimously re-elected as President, South India Hotels and Restaurants Association (SIHRA).

2008-10-22T22:26:00.000+05:30

*India, Afghanistan review progress on water projects
India and Afghanistan on Wednesday reviewed progress on various irrigation and water resources projects being implemented by India in the war-ravaged country.

Afghan Minister for Water and Energy Mohammed Ismail Khan and Union Water Resources Minister Saif-ud-din Soz discussed the various irrigation and water-related projects taken up in that country by India.

The two ministers also reviewed the progress on the ongoing Salma Dam Project in Afghanistan.

Water and Power Consultative Services (WAPCOS), a 'mini ratna' working under the Water Resources Ministry has renovated two irrigation projects -- Qargah Irrigation Project, Kabul and Amir Ghazl Project -- and has installed six deep tube wells in war-ravaged Afghanistan.

2008-10-22T22:03:00.000+05:30

* HDFC Bank opens its first overseas branch in Bahrain
Private sector HDFC Bank, has opened its first overseas full-fledged branch in Bahrain with a 25-member strong staff.

The branch would offer cash management and trade finance solutions to corporate clients and wealth management services for NRIs

2008-10-22T21:54:00.000+05:30

* India, Nepal to Strengthen Economic Ties
India-Nepal Inter Governmental Committee on Trade, Transit and Cooperation to Control Unauthorized Trade, met here on 19-20 October, 2008. Shri G.K. Pillai, Commerce Secretary, and Mr. Purushottam Ojha, Secretary, Ministry of Commerce & Supplies, Government of Nepal, led the respective delegations. The two sides have agreed to work towards further strengthening of economic ties between the two countries and to help generate employment opportunities and enhance industrialization in Nepal. Reiterating India’s commitment to continue to provide preferential access to Nepalese goods and products to the Indian market, Shri Pillai urged Nepal to work towards creating an investor-friendly and enabling business environment with a view to attract Indian investments. Towards this end, both sides agreed to conclude Bilateral Investment Promotion and Protection Agreement, Motor Vehicles Agreement and revised Double Taxation Avoidance Agreement at an early date.

India also agreed to support a project for technical capacity building of Nepalese labs so that they can conform to Indian standards and certification requirements, in respect to major products of their export interest. India also agreed to exempt Nepal from export restrictions up to 10000 Ton of wheat and 15000 Ton of non-basmati rice. Both sides made considerable progress on the modification and revision of the India-Nepal Treaty of Trade so as to make it a more effective instrument of bilateral trade between the two countries. The two sides will again meet at Joint Secretary level within three months to finalize the modifications. The meeting took place as a follow up to the decision taken during the visit of the Prime Minister of Nepal to India in September, 2008.

2008-10-22T21:53:00.000+05:30

* Shri Anand Sharma assumes charge of I&B Ministry
Shri Anand Sharma, the Minister of State in the Ministry of External Affairs has assumed the charge of Minister of State in the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting with effect from October 18, 2008. He will continue to hold the charge of the office of Minister of State in the Ministry External Affairs.

2008-10-21T18:54:00.000+05:30

* N M Borah appointed as new CMD of Oil India
Oil India Ltd (OIL) Director (operations) N M Borah has been appointed as its Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) for a period of five years.

OIL, a large natural gas and petroleum company in the country, is engaged in the business of exploration, development and production of crude oil and natural gas, transportation of crude oil and production of liquid petroleum gas.

2008-10-21T18:51:00.000+05:30

* India, Russia to sign n-deal in December
Russia lauded India's 'impeccable' non-proliferation credentials, setting the stage for the two countries to sign a civil nuclear pact during Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's visit to New Delhi in December.

External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee and his Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov held talks ahead of the first official visit of Medvedev to India.

The two ministers also laid the necessary groundwork for the signing of the nuclear pact that envisages Russia building four more atomic reactors in the southern state of Tamil Nadu.

The pact, agreed on during a visit by former Russian president Vladimir Putin in January 2007 and initialled early this year, will follow similar pacts signed with the US and France.

It will be the third bilateral nuclear pact India will ink after the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group lifted a global atomic embargo against New Delhi Sep 6.

Medvedev will come on his first official visit to India Dec 3-5.

Lavrov, who is here on a day-long visit, and Mukherjee held talks on a wide range of bilateral, regional and global issues, including the UN reforms, the global financial crisis, terrorism and civil nuclear cooperation.

The two ministers also signed a protocol on holding regular consultations between the foreign ministries of the two countries that seeks to expand the scope of diplomatic and strategic dialogue between them.

2008-10-21T18:49:00.000+05:30

* Veteran Tamil director Sridhar dies
Veteran Tamil director C.V. Sridhar passed away after a brief illness. He was 76.

Sridhar entered filmdom in the 1950s as a dialogue writer - his play 'Raththa Pasam' was converted into a movie.

He debuted as a director with 'Kalyaana Parisu' ('Marriage Gift') - the film was commercially and critically a success and since then he never looked back.

In 1961, Sridhar floated production house Chitralaya that launched several new faces including Jayalalitha, who became a rage in south Indian films and also went on to become Tamil Nadu's chief minister.

Some of his hit movies include 'Nenjil Or Aalayam' (remade in Hindi as 'Dil Ek Mandir') and 'Kaadilikka Neramillai' (made as 'Pyaar Kiye Jaa' in Hindi).

Sridhar also has the distinction of having introduced Tamil films to shooting locales in Kashmir with Gemini Ganeshan-Vyjayanthimala starrer 'Then Nilavu'.

Sridhar's films were a combination of emotion, humour, drama, comedy and soulful music.

Apart from Tamil, Sridhar directed movies in Kannada and Telugu as well as Hindi.

2008-10-21T18:47:00.000+05:30

* Profile of a young genius from Tripura "Tapan Pal"
The saying 'Labour never goes in vain,' explains the achievement of Tapan Pal. He made his first miniature clay craft at the age of seven and today Tapan is a maestro.

Hailing from a poor family of western Tripura, Tapan is making micro-clay-images, which is unique. Tapan has become an inspiration for many youngsters in the state, who want to create a niche for themselves in the world.

Using clay as the main component for his work, Tapan uses seeds, glasses and paints to make his creations more attractive.

It is my hobby and I started this work when I was just seven years old. I have a passion for painting so I learnt it, but gradually I moved to the art of making dolls and idols. Every year, during the festival season I have tried to give people a gift, which is totally new in itself. I don't care what I get in return, said Tapan Paul, the artist from Tripura.

When he was very small he used to take tuition in painting but idol making is his own effort. Now our family runs on his income. People like his idols and buy them. We want him to become a renowned painter but due to our poor financial condition we are unable to help him, said Laxmi Paul, Tapan's mother.

Recently, on the eve of Tripura's biggest festival, Tapan made the miniature idols of Hindu deity, Durga, which were in great demand among the locals. People like Tapan are the torchbearers and inspirational figures in a state like Tripura, which was a breeding ground for militancy not long ago, having limited resources and opportunities that are few and far apart.

2008-10-21T18:46:00.000+05:30

* Manipur trying to revive traditional martial arts
Indigenous games and martial art forms are an integral part of Manipur's culture that is well known through out the northeastern region. Some of the oldest art forms are still popular. Among them is Cheibi, an ancient martial art.

Recently, the All Manipur Cheibi Association of Manipur organized the 9th State Level Cheibi Championship 2008 at the Khuman Lampak Main indoor stadium of Imphal.

The championship, which was organized to further popularize and promote the martial art, had about 180 participants from 21 clubs of Manipur.

Cheiba is one of Manipur's ancient martial art forms. Earlier, it used to be practiced with a sword and a shield, which has now been replaced by a stick encased in soft leather and a shield made of leather. The contestants duel and the one who scores the maximum points is declared the winner.

Cheibi is a game that we look up to in Manipur. There is a lot of discipline involved in the game. It has now been organized at the national level and I believe that once it reaches the international level, Cheibi will take Manipur forward, said Kamalkumar Singh, a Cheibi player of Manipur. Daina Devi, another Cheibi player, said, Cheibi is an indigenous game that was played by our forefathers. We play it as we like it and playing the game that our forefathers played motivates us. So we are participating in the Cheibi competition. The popularity of Cheibi got a boost when the All Manipur Cheibi Association was founded in 1998. The association will now be organizing the first national level Cheibi competition in December. The event will witness the participation of contestants from all over the country.Manipuris believe that promoting Cheibi will not only give a boost to the martial art but also help in keeping the legacy of their forefathers alive. By L.C.K.Singh

2008-10-21T18:41:00.000+05:30

* Supreme Court says doctor can be prosecuted if wrong treatment kills patient
The Supreme Court has ruled that a doctor can be prosecuted for causing death due to rash and negligent act if his patient dies after being administered wrong injections.

But the doctor cannot be prosecuted for culpable homicide not amounting to murder which entails a higher punishment, a bench of Justices C K Thakker and D K Jain ruled.

The bench passed the ruling while partly allowing the appeal filed by a doctor who challenged the summons issued by a trial court for prosecuting him under Section 304 (culpable homicide not amounting to murder) in connection with the death of a patient. hile punishment for rash and negligent act (section 304 A IPC) is two years; a maximum of life sentence can be imposed for an offence under culpable homicide not amounting to murder (section 304 IPC).

In this case the trial court in Mathura had issued the summons to doctor Mahadev Prasad Kaushik on the complaint of a person alleging that his father Buddha Ram who was brought to the doctor's clinic with body pain died after being administered three injections by the physician.

Following allegations that the local police was shielding the accused doctor, the local magistrate issued summons to Kaushik under IPC Sections 304(culpable homicide not amounting to murder) 504 (insulting behaviour) and 506 (punishment for criminal intimidation). The accused doctor challenged the move to issue summons before Allahabad High Court, which dismissed his plea following which he filed the SLP in the apex court.

2008-10-21T18:39:00.000+05:30

* RBI slashes Repo Rate by 1 percent to 8%
The Reserve Bank of India has slashed the repo rate by 1 percent to 8% in order to improve the liquidity in the market. This is for the first time since 2004 that RBI has slashed the repo rate. Repo rate is the lending rate at which RBI offers loans to the banks. With the reduction in repo rate, the home loan and car loan rates are likely to go down.

2008-10-21T18:23:00.000+05:30

* Countdown begins to India's Moon Mission Chandrayaan I

The countdown began to India's first-ever moon mission, Chandrayaan I. the Chandrayaan I will take off from Satish Dhawan Space Centre at Sriharikota (Tamil Nadu) at 6.20 AM (0050 GMT) on Wednesday, October 22, 2008.

History will be made with the launch of India's dream lunar mission, Chandrayaan I. All major TV Channels in India will telecast the launch of Chandrayaan I from 5.50 AM onwards on Wednesday.

With the launch of Chandrayaan I, India will join its regional space competitors Japan and China. Last month, China became only the third country in the world to independently carry out a space walk mission. The Chandrayaan-1 will be on a two-year mission. It was built at a cost of $80 million. The Chandrayaan I will provide an in-depth map of the moon's mineral, chemical and topographical characteristics.

The Chandrayaan I has a weight of 1.3 tonnes and is shaped like a cuboid or rectangular prism. It carries 11 payloads - five from India and others from foreign countries. Chandrayaan-1, being a scientific project, has no insurance cover. Chandrayaan I is powered by a single solar panel generating a maximum of 700 W.A 36 Ampere-Hour (AH) Lithium ion battery, which supplies power when the solar panel is not illuminated by the sun.

2008-10-21T18:18:00.000+05:30

* World Bank appoints Pulock Chatterji as Executive Director
Pulock Chatterji, Secretary in Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's Office, has been appointed as the new executive director of World Bank for a term of three years beginning February 1, 2009.

Chatterji, an IAS officer of the Uttar Pradesh cadre, would take over from Dhanendra Kumar.

Kumar, a 1968 batch IAS officer of the Haryana cadre, was to retire on October 31. However, he has been granted an extension till January 31, next year.

The name of Chatterji and extension of Kumar's services was cleared by the Appointments Committee of the Cabinet chaired by the Prime Minister.

2008-10-20T22:24:00.000+05:30

* NASA launches IBEX
e US space agency has launched Interstellar Boundary Explorer Mission (IBEX) to image and map dynamic interactions taking place in the outer solar system.

Explaining the mission, the agency, NASA said just as an impressionist artist makes an image from countless tiny strokes of paint, IBEX will build an image of the outer boundary of the solar system from impacts on the spacecraft by high-speed particles called energetic neutral atoms.

These particles are created in the boundary region when the one-million mph solar wind blows out in all directions from the sun and plows into the gas of interstellar space. This region is important to study because it shields many of the dangerous cosmic rays that would flood the space around Earth.

The mission was launched from the Kwajalein Atoll in the Pacific Ocean.

After a 45-day orbit raising and spacecraft checkout period, the spacecraft will start its science mission. IBEX is the latest in NASA's series of low-cost, rapidly developed Small Explorers spacecraft

2008-10-20T22:17:00.000+05:30

* Venus clinches Zurich Open title
Venus Williams defeated unseeded Italian Flavia Pennetta 7-6(1), 6-2 in the Zurich Open final.

2008-10-20T22:15:00.000+05:30

* Sanjay Aggarwal joins SpiceJet as CEO
Low cost carrier SpiceJet announced the appointment of Sanjay Aggarwal as its Chief Executive Officer.

Aggarwal was working with private air travel services provider Flight Options as Chief Operating Officer and Chief Strategy Officer.

Aggarwal succeeds Siddhanta Sharma, who resigned from the airline about three months ago.

2008-10-17T20:27:00.000+05:30

* M. Omkar passes away
Senior Communist leader M Omkar died following protracted illness.

He was 80.

The veteran leader, who founded the Marxist Communist Party of India (MCPI) in Andhra Pradesh, was a legislator from Narsampet in Warangal district for five terms.

He also took an active part in the Telangana Armed Struggle against the oppressive Nizam, the then ruler of Hyderabad.

2008-10-17T20:20:00.000+05:30

* India, Myanmar agree to an open regular trade
India and Myanmar on Thursday agreed to convert restrictive border trade into an open regular trade, besides expanding the list of items to be exchanged.

Both the countries have "agreed to convert the present border trade at Moreh-Tamu and Zokhawthar-Rhi border points to normal trade," a ministry statement said here, adding that current list of items to be traded has been expanded to 40.
The two nations also agreed to operationalise the new banking arrangement for trade besides reviewing bilateral cooperation in the field of gas/petroleum, power, information technology, telecommunication and agriculture including pulses. India's exports to Myanmar in 2007-08 were USD 185.28 million and imports were USD 809.55 million, with total two-way trade touching USD one billion.

2008-10-08T22:58:00.000+05:30

* India, Germany sign Agreement on Social Security
India and Germany signed an Agreement on Social Security to simplify regulations on social security issues which would directly impact thousands of Indian workers in Germany and vice versa. The two countries are also considering a comprehensive Social Security Agreement comprising regulations concerning the exports of pensions, mutual recognition of entitlements, totalisation of contribution periods as well as a closer administrative cooperation of the social security institutions of both countries.

Germany is the second EU country with which India has signed such an agreement. India, on September 30, signed a similar pact with France during the visit of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to that country and his bilateral meeting with French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

This new Social Security Agreement with Germany will protect the interests of all those professionals sent from India-based companies to their German subsidiaries, or those being sent by German companies to India-based branches on the basis of short-term contracts (up to 48 months with an option of another 12 months extension) by securing exemption from social security contribution in their host country.

While working abroad, these employees will only be subject to the social security regulations of their home country. Thus, complicated changes and applications for reimbursements will be avoided in the future.

The agreement was signed by German Ambassador to India, Bernd Muetzelburg, and Mr K Mohandas of the Ministry of Overseas Indian Affairs.

2008-10-08T22:52:00.000+05:30

* Ijaz Butt appointed as new PCB chief
Former Test opener Ijaz Butt has been appointed the new chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) by President Asif Ali Zardari.

The 70-year-old Butt, who has been one of Ashraf's strongest critics, is a member of the PCB's governing body. He earlier served as the secretary of the then Board of Control for Cricket in Pakistan (BCCP) between 1984 and 1988.

The former batsman-wicketkeeper was also the president of the Lahore City Cricket Association for many years. He toured Australia in 1982-83 as manager of the Pakistan team and twice headed the national selection committee.

2008-10-08T22:36:00.000+05:30

* Ganguly announces his retirement
Sourav Ganguly announced his retirement from Test cricket after the end of four-match series againstAustralia, bringing to an end a 16-year career that had of late shown a slump.

Ganguly, a veteran of 109 Tests, has been in and out of the team after he lost captaincy in 2005 following a spat with the then coach Greg Chappell during tour of Zimbabwe.

He had assumed the captaincy in the most difficult time for cricket when Mohammad Azharuddin had to step down on match-fixing charges.

Last year, he was dropped from the one-day team during theEngland tour and ever since had failed to make a serious comeback.

Ganguly made his debut in international cricket in 1992 by being selected for the one-day team and later entered the Test format in 1996. He has also played 311 ODI matches.

Ganguly has scored 6,888 runs in the Tests, averaging 41.74 and 11,363 runs in ODIs at an average of 41.02.

His highest Test score was 239 and ODIs 183. In the latest shorter version of the game -- Twenty20 -- he scored 726 runs, at an average of 25.92, the highest being 91.

Ganguly, the overall fifth-highest run-getter for India, is only the seven batsmen in the world to cross the 10,000-run mark in one-day internationals.

He led India to 21 wins in 49 matches before he was sacked in 2005.

2008-10-08T22:31:00.000+05:30

* UNESCO to celebrate Auroville anniversary on Oct 10
The 40th anniversary of 'Auroville,' the international town ship near Puducherry, would be celebrated by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organisation (UNESCO) on October 10.

According to 'Auroville' sources, the anniversary celebrations would be attended by UNESCO Director General Koichiro Matsuura and Ambassador-cum-Permanent Delegate of India to UNESCO Bhaswati Mukerjee.

2008-10-08T22:23:00.000+05:30

* Cabinet clears Amendment to Indian Trust Act
The Cabinet today cleared a Bill to carry out Amendment to Section 20 of the Indian Trust Act, 1882, which relates to investment of trust money. In accordance with this section, where the trust property consists of money and cannot be applied immediately or at an early date to the purpose of the trust, the trustee is bound (subject to any direction contained in the instruments of trust) to invest the money in securities enumerated in clauses (a) to (f) of that section.

Furthur it stated that this section has obsolete provisions such as those relating to Promissory Notes, debentures, stock and other securties of the United Kingdom and Great Britain and Ireland, bonds, debentures and annuties charged or secured by Parliament of the UK.

The Law Commission in its 17th Report had discussed the Indian Trust Act 1882 and inter-alia had recommedend that was better not to enumerate particular securites but to give a general definition of all categories of securities which are in vogue in the market and that the securities which have become obsolete may be deleted.

2008-10-08T22:17:00.000+05:30

* MoUs signed for setting up of 'Education City'in Sarangpur
Decks have been cleared for setting up of an 'Education City' in Sarangpur area of the Union Territory with signing of MoUs by parties concerned with the Chandigarh Administration .

The MoUs were signed by the representatives of NMIMS (Narsee Monjee Institute of Management Studies), Chitkara Education Trust, Chandigarh, and Indian ExpressNewspaper (Mumbai) Limited with Home-cum-Education Secretary Ram Niwas in the presence of Punjab Governor and Union Territory Administrator, General (Retd) S F Rodrigues.

2008-10-08T21:43:00.000+05:30

* For the first time Rural Olympics starts at Devgadh Baria
The two-day Rural Olympics started today, for the first time under the aeigs of Sports Authority of Gujarat in Devgadh-Barias traditional Dussehra fair.

Teenagers from different parts of the state below 16 years have been participating in this event.

Traditional Gujarati and Indian games like short race, long race, rope pulling, long jump, Gedi-dado, Gillol, cycle-polo, kabaddi, kho-kho, archery etc are being held.

This event attracts thousands of villagers from surrounding areas. Sports Authority of Gujarat regularly organizes Rural Olympics event at world famous Tarnetar fair in Saurashtra every year. Now Devagadh Baria fair too is included on its activity map.

2008-10-08T21:36:00.000+05:30

* Tata Steel wins Deming Application Prize for 2008
World's sixth largest steel maker Tata Steel has become the first integrated steel company in the world, outside Japan, to be awarded the Deming Application Prize for excellence in total quality management.

The award for 2008 was announced by the Deming prize committee instituted by the Japanese union of scientists and engineers, the apex body spearheading quality movement

The Deming prize was originally designed to reward Japanese companies for their major advancements in quality improvement. At present, however, companies outside Japan are also accorded the award.

2008-10-06T15:43:00.000+05:30

* Time magazine included Sikh leader in 30 Heroes of Environment list
Heaping praises on environmentalist Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal for launching a campaign to clean up the polluted 'Kali Bein' in Punjab, Time Magazine has profiled the Sikh sect leader as one of the 30 "Heroes of Environment" selected from across the globe.

Describing Seechewal as the man "who set out to clean up this mess", the magazine lauded him for mobilising people to launch a movement that taught the people why they should clean the 'Kali Bein'.

'Kali Bein', the 160-km-long river in Hoshiarpur district in Punjab, was reduced to a filthy drain into which people from more than six towns and 40 villages emptied their waste, leaving neighbouring farmlands parched.

The river was revived a couple of years back after Seechewal and his followers took up the cause and raised funds to clean the river, which is now a favourite picnic spot.

Sikhs believe that Guru Nanak Dev attained enlightenment after taking a dip in 'Kali Bein' 500 years back before founding Sikhism.

"In 2000, Seechawal, a Sikh holy man, set out to clean up the mess in the river. The scale of the task was gigantic- volunteers cleared the entire riverbed of water hyacinth and silt, and built riverbanks and roads alongside the river," the magazine wrote.

Seechawal launched a public-awareness campaign asking the villagers to dispose of their sewage elsewhere and some people revived traditional methods of waste disposal and treatment.

2008-10-02T16:02:00.000+05:30

* Justice Ashok Bhan to head NCDRC

Justice Ashok Bhan, who retired as Supreme Court Judge, will be the new head of the National Consumer Disputes Redressal Commission (NCDRC).

The post had fallen vacant after the earlier chairman of the commission Justice M P Shah demitted the office on completion of his five-year term last month.

Justice Bhan had joined the legal profession in 1965.

2008-10-01T23:40:00.000+05:30

* Nawanshahr renamed as Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar
The Punjab Government has issued a notification to rename the existing district Nawanshahr as Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar with immediate effect.

2008-10-01T23:35:00.000+05:30

* Kashmiri Pashmina patented by Indian Government
The government of India has patented the traditional Kashmiri Pashmina shawl to prevent its imitation that has been causing heavy losses to the weavers in the valley.

Now, the genuine Kashmiri Pashmina shawl would have its own logo making it distinct from the imitated ones.

Officials believe it will make the sale of imitated shawls not only difficult, but also impossible.

Following the ban on Shatoosh, the Wildlife Trust of India (WTI) and the International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) have been recommending the patenting of the Kashmir Pashmina.

After two years of hectic efforts, the Geographical Indication Registry has awarded the patent under the name 'Kashmiri Pashmina' to a society of diverse Kashmiri handicraft artisans, 'Tahafuz' (protection).

Impressively soft and light, the Pashmina shawls offer incomparable warmth and are made from the fur of a mountain goat that is found in India, Nepal and Tibet.

2008-10-01T23:31:00.000+05:30

* Veteran freedom fighter Anant Hari Kshirsagar passes away
Veteran freedom fighter Anant Hari Kshirsagar, popularly known as 'Muni Guruji,' died today. He was 100. Kshirsagar, who celebrated his 100th birthday on August nine, breathed his last at his son's residence in Amravati 'Muni Guruji' had been involved in the armed uprising against the British rule. He also participated in the movement to liberate Goa.

Kshirsagar worked as an informant for the Indian government during the Hyderabad liberation.

2008-10-01T23:25:00.000+05:30

* Church discovered in Turkey one of world's earliest
The "Derecik Basilica" discovered in north-western province of Bursa's Orhaneli town in Turkey in the year 2000 has been claimed as one of the world's earliest churches that was constructed after Christianity was accepted as an official religion by the Roman Empire.

"The 'Derecik Basilica' happens to be one of the world's earliest churches. It may even be the first church constructed after the Roman Empire adopted Christianity," Dean of the Archeology Department at the Uludag University (UU) Professor Dr. Mustafa Sahin said."In 2008, we discovered a place of worship underneath the church. The place of worship was erected for the Greek God Zeus. Further, we also discovered stamps and rings with Arabic letters on them. This indicates that this site received respect both from Christians and Muslims," he further added.

2008-10-01T23:21:00.000+05:30

* Khasi writer Nongkynrih wins Madhya Pradesh's first national award
Meghalaya's Khasi poet, short story writer and translator Kynpham Sing Nongkynrih. has won the first ''Veer Shankar Shah-Raghunath Shah National Award'', instituted this year by the Madhya Pradesh government.

The award, named after two of Madhya Pradesh's famous freedom fighters and instiututed by the Tribal Welfare Department, was given to writers or artists for creative writing/traditional tribal art. It carries a sum of two lakh rupees, with a citation and a trophy.

2008-10-01T23:19:00.000+05:30

* Mr S N Mantha has assumed charge as the Director (Technical) of BDL
Mr S N Mantha has assumed charge as the Director (Technical) of Bharat Dynamics Limited (BDL), a mini ratna category-1 public eector enterprise under the Union Ministry of Defence.

He succeeds Cmde P K Samantha, who retired on attaining superannuation on September 30.

A Mechanical Engineer from Banaras Hindu University and an MBA in Finance from IGNOU, Mr Mantha has served BDL for over two decades in distinguished capacities. He was the Head of BDL, Bhanur Unit prior to his present appointment.

2008-10-01T23:16:00.000+05:30

* A K Bhandari becomes UNI GM and CE
Senior journalist Arun Kumar Bhandari assumed charge as Chief Editor and General Manager of the United News of India

2008-10-01T23:07:00.000+05:30

* Govt to set up Authority to regulate blood transfusion, enact law
The Government is working on a proposal to establish a National Blood Transfusion Authority to ensure safety and quality, besides access to safe blood, and enact a legislation to regulate unscrupulous people exploiting patients on the basis of their need.

2008-10-01T23:01:00.000+05:30

* Veteran actor Viswanathan passes away
Veteran actor ''Poornam'' Viswanathan died here today after a brief illness(multiple organ dysfunction).

Viswanathan, who began his career as a news reader in All India Radio (AIR), was a stage artiste before he started acting in films.

He had acted in 86 films and his performance in Tamil film ''Mahanadhi'' with versatile actor Kamal Hasan, won him accolades.

During his career as news reader with the AIR, he had the privilege of announcing India's indpendence in a news bulletin on August 15, 1947.

The AIR, during the Golden Jubilee Independence Day celebrations, honoured him by inviting him to the studio and gave him the opportunity to read a news bulletin.

2008-10-01T22:57:00.000+05:30

* Shri Prakash takes over as Member Traffic Railway Board
Mr Shri Prakash has become new Member Traffic, Railway Board and ex-officio Secretary to Government of India, replacing Mr V N Mathur.

Before assuming charge, Mr Prakash was the General Manager of Northern Railway. A Post Graduate in Mathematics and an MBA, Mr Prakash joined Indian Railway Traffic Service (IRTS) in 1972.

2008-09-30T22:46:00.000+05:30

* Nooyi is most powerful woman in business: Fortune
Indra Nooyi, chairperson and CEO of PepsiCo, has topped Fortune magazine's list of the 50 Most Powerful Women in Business for the third year in a row.

Nooyi beat Iene Rosenfeld, head Kraft Foods (No. 2), Anne Mulcahy, chairperson and CEO, Xerox (No. 4); Andrea Jung, chairperson and CEO, Avon Products (No. 6); and Harpo head Oprah Winfrey (No. 8).

The list now in its 11th year, has notable firsts: Lynn Elsenhan (rank 48), Sunoco's CEO and president, is the first woman ever to run a major US oil company; and Marissa Mayer (rank 50), Google's vice-president, search products and user experience, is the youngest honoree ever at age 33.

Some of the high-profile women who have dropped off the list include Meg Whitman, president and CEO, eBay; and Sallie Krawcheck, who left Citigroup as its chairman and CEO, Global Wealth Management.

Nooyi also ranks fourth on Forbes' list of the world's most powerful women overall, not just in business

2008-09-30T22:17:00.000+05:30

* India, France sign civilian nuclear pact (Lead)
India Tuesday inked a civil nuclear agreement with France, a country that depends overwhelmingly on nuclear power, as Paris became the first capital to sign up to do nuclear trade with NewDelhi after three decades of a trade embargo were lifted by the global atomic cartel.

In the presence of visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, the two countries announced a "a new dimension" to their strategic partnership by signing a cooperation agreement on civilian nuclear energy as well as two more pacts in areas ranging from space and counter-terrorism to business and high-end research.

The pact clears the way for French companies like Areva to begin supply nuclear reactors to India. The actual nuclear trade may, however, have to wait till India signs the 123 bilateral civil nuclear cooperation agreement with the US which is currently in consideration by the US Senate. Areva is already involved in negotiating the sale of two European Pressurised Reactors (EPR) with India.

Nuclear power accounts for about 77 percent of France's electricity requirements. According to published data, France has 58 operating reactors, the highest numbers after the US.

The two countries also decided to accelerate business by setting up a bilateral trade target of 12 billion euros by 2012 and jointly advocated reform of the UN and international financial institutions.

They also signed a pact on peaceful uses of outer space and a social security agreement that will ease working of Indian professionals in France.

They also decided to transform current buyer-seller relationship in the defence field to joint production and transfer of cutting-edge technology.

The bilateral nuclear cooperation pact was signed by French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner and India's Atomic Energy Commission chief Anil Kakodkar, a key interlocutor on nuclear issues with both the US and France, at the Elysee Palace.

The agreement makes Paris the first country to sign such a pact after the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group Sept 6 lifted over three decades of global restrictions on nuclear trade with India.

The agreement on the development of peaceful uses of nuclear energy will form the basis of wide-ranging bilateral civil nuclear cooperation. The cooperation will span the entire gamut from basic and applied research to reactors, nuclear fuel supply, nuclear safety, radiation and environment, protection and nuclear fuel cycle management.

2008-09-30T22:12:00.000+05:30

* Former Thai premier Samak resigns as party head
Thailand's former prime minister Samak Sundaravej resigned as the leader of the ruling People Power Party (PPP).

Samak was ordered to leave the prime minister's post after a court ruling Sep 15 for violating the constitution by hosting two cooking shows on commercial television.

He skipped his voting right on a parliament session Sep 17, during which the PPP's deputy leader Somchai won more than half support from the 480-seat House of Representatives and became the country's 26th prime minister.

2008-09-30T22:08:00.000+05:30

* China wins Asian women boxing championship
China won the 4th Asian Women Boxing championship held in Guwahati.

The Chinese girls won six gold medals to outshine North Korea and India. India had won the last Asian Championship.
The North Korean team bagged four gold medals to finish second in the tourney.

For India, the gold winning performances came from Sarita Devi, Nagisettysha and Kalpana Chaudhary.

However, the biggest disappointment for the spectators was the loss of three time world champion M C Marykom, as she stumbled at the final hurdle only to manage silver.

In the championship, eleven countries with a total of 79 pugilists participated.

2008-09-30T21:00:00.000+05:30

* Harikrishna wins Spice Cup title
India's Pentala Harikrishna won the Spice Cup chess title
The 22-year-old Harikrishna, the former world junior champion and second highest rated Indian after Viswanathan Anand, was lying third before the final round. He fought till the very last and snatched a win against the Russian-born American Gregory Kaidanov, who is currently the most active chess coach in the United States.

It was a major win for Hari, who in 2004 won the world juniors and then in 2006, won the Chess960 title in Germany.

Interestingly, back in 1987 Kaidanov had scored his first major tournament win in Moscow by crushing the then upcoming Viswanathan Anand. Four years later Kaidanov left Russia for United States with his family.

2008-09-30T19:13:00.000+05:30

* Golden Peacock Award for NTPC
Public sector firm National Thermal Power Corporation (NTPC) has been adjudged the winner of Golden Peacock Award for Excellence in Corporate Governance for the year 2008.

The award was given by the Golden Peacock Awards Jury under the Chairmanship of Justice P N Bhagwati, former Chief Justice of India and Member UN Human Rights Commission.
The Award was received by A K Rastogi, Company Secretary, NTPC on behalf of the company at a special Awards function held in London from Dr Ola Ulsten, Former Prime Minister of Sweden and Chairman of the World Council for Corporate Governance in the presence of C B Bhave, Chairman of the Securities and Exchange Board of India (SEBI)

2008-09-30T19:10:00.001+05:30

* PIPDIC signs MoU with GMDC
The Puducherry Industrial Promotion Development and Investment Corporation (PIPDIC) and the Gujarat Mineral Development Corporation (GMDC) today signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to jointly mine the Naini Coal Block in Orissa, which was allocated by the Central Government in July, last year.

The Naini Coal Block, having a reserve of 500 million tonnes, was to be jointly mined by the two Corporations and the coal equally shared. The coal thus mined would be utilised for power generation at pithead by the power projects, set-up by independent power producers.

PIPDIC will get income from royalty on supply of coal and also get some portion of the power to be generated.

PIPDIC Managing Director -- Rattan Singh and

GMDC Managing Director -- Vijayalashmi

2008-09-30T19:08:00.000+05:30

* Vijay Rangineni new CEO of Satyam BPO
Satyam Computer Services has appointed Mr Vijay Rangineni as Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of its business process outsourcing arm until a permanent replacement comes on board.
The announcement came after Mr Venkatesh Roddam, who headed Satyam BPO, said he was resigning from his position to pursue other interests.

2008-09-30T19:06:00.000+05:30

* ISO certification for 'Akshaya Patra' kitchens
'Akshaya Patra,' the world's largest NGO-run school meal programme, today announced that it had achieved the FSMS ISO 22000:2005 certification
The kitchens certified included North Bangalore, South Bangalore, Jaipur, Ahmedabad, Hubli-Dharwad and Vrindavan.
This was a first-of-its-kind certification ever to be given to an NGO-managed food programme in the world, it claimed. 'Akshaya Patra' currently feeds over 9.40 lakh children in over 4,500 government and Anganwadi schools across India.

Akshaya Patra Vice Chairman -- Chanchalapati Das

2008-09-30T19:05:00.000+05:30

* Rai new Public Accounts Committee chairman
Samajwadi Party (SP) MLA Dr P K Rai was today nominated as the chairman of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) in Uttar Pradesh.

Dr Rai would head the committee for one year.

2008-09-30T19:02:00.000+05:30

* Government has reconstituted the Central Direct Taxes Advisory Committee (CDTAC)
The Government has reconstituted the Central Direct Taxes Advisory Committee (CDTAC) for 2008-2010. The main function of the Committee is to advice the Government on measures for developing and encouraging mutual understanding and co-operation between tax payers and the Income Tax Department and removing administrative and procedural difficulties of a general nature.

The Minister of Finance will be the Chairman and the Minister of State (Revenue) will be the Vice-chairman of the Committee. The Committee will have three official members and sixteen non-official members. The official members will be Secretary, Department of Revenue and Chairman and Member (Revenue), Central Board of Direct Taxes. The non-official members include four Members of Parliament (two from Rajya Sabha and two from Lok Sabha) and twelve representatives drawn from the field of Advocates, Chartered Accountants, Economists, Management Experts and Representatives of Trade, Commerce and Industry from four zones of India. The term of office of non-official members shall be two years. The committee will meet twice in every year for the first time between October and December and for the second time between April and June.

2008-09-30T19:00:00.000+05:30

* Namaste India concludes in Tokyo
India Tourism, Tokyo, Union Ministry of Tourism, co-sponsored “Namaste India” in Tokyo from 27th September to 28th September 2008.

It is a concept which started as a small event showcasing India in Japan but has over the years grown into a mega-carnival that celebrates the very best of India in the heart of Japan. Namaste India is a window to Indian culture and economy for the Japanese people - and is today one of the largest Indian festivals held overseas which celebrates Indian diversity and uniqueness through a vivid display of our culture, cuisine, entertainment and business.

The two day programme which included Dance, Music, Theatre, Workshops, Exhibitions and Indian Cuisine was attended by more than 1,00,000 Japanese. It was inaugurated by Shri H. K. Singh, Ambassador of India to Japan. The Raghu Dixit Performance which was sponsored by the Indian Council of Cultural Relations was well appreciated by an audience of thousands. The Indian cuisine varying from Jalebis to Chole Bhatura and Bhel Puri to Chilly Chicken were a hit and long queues could be seen outside Food stalls.

2008-09-30T18:53:00.000+05:30

* EU-India Summit
Marseille, 29 September 2008

The EU-India Joint Action Plan (JAP) has now been working for three years. It has provided an agreed measure of progress, a mechanism for coordination and a spur to stronger cooperation.

The period since its adoption has been marked by worldwide growth of interdependence. Climate change, terrorism and instability remain as much of a threat as in 2005 and new challenges have arisen. The unprecedented pressure on energy and natural resources, including foodstuffs, poses new difficulties and calls for immediate action, as well as long-term structural measures.

In light of these challenges, and on the basis of the shared values expressed in the 2005 JAP, the EU and India will build on the achievements of the past three years and ensure further progress in the coming period.

I. REVIEW

Political dialogue and cooperation have been strengthened

Better political cooperation between the EU and India has been a notable achievement. Existing channels for dialogue have been consolidated since 2005, with a regular calendar of Summits, ministerial meetings, and expert level meetings on subjects such as human rights and consular issues. In addition, new channels have been established, such as the annual security dialogue. New formats for dialogue have also been created through Indian membership of ASEM and EU observer status at SAARC. The EU and India have also pursued issues of common concern within the framework of the United Nations including peacekeeping & peacebuilding. In so far as cooperation between Europol and the CBI is concerned, it needs yet to be activated. The European and Indian Parliaments now have special delegations for promoting bilateral parliamentary relations.

Trade, investment and economic policy dialogue have expanded

In the last five years, trade has more than doubled, and bilateral investment has increased ten-fold. The parties launched negotiations for a bilateral trade and investment agreement in 2007. In specific policy dialogues on trade and investment, more progress has to be made.

New dialogues have been created on macroeconomic policy and on financial services, which underline the importance of financial and monetary stability, and of inclusive growth, in particular in the context of price rises associated with food, basic metals and energy.

Scientific and technical co-operation has developed

An EU-India Energy Panel has been established. The International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Agreement, to which both India and the EU are parties, has come into force. Science and technology activities have intensified and exchanges have been elevated to ministerial level, with increased co-operation across the board, shared partnerships with co-investment in research and technology development, and the renewal of the EU-India Science and Technology Agreement.

Co-operation on information and communications technologies continues to be strengthened, as indicated by the connection of the European high speed research network GEANT2 with its Indian counterpart ERNET, allowing European and Indian researchers to develop joint projects. The area of transport will benefit from the signature of a horizontal aviation agreement.

Co-operation and exchanges on pharmaceuticals and biotechnology have provided a better understanding of the complex issues in the sector. The two sides have made progress towards validating Ayurveda products as para-medicines or food supplements. In the field of employment and social affairs, there have been substantial activities under the sector policy dialogue and associated work programme.

Clean development and climate change needs more concrete activities involving all stakeholders. The maritime agreement discussions are yet to come to fruition. In space technology, dialogue between the two sides needs to be further strengthened. In global navigation satellite systems, the EU-India agreement on Galileo has yet to be finalised.

Cultural and people-to-people links have deepened

Specific funding has been made available to increase the participation of Indian students in European graduate programmes. The Community Culture Programme has launched a special action for EU-India cultural co-operation for the period 2007-2009. Work continues on promoting civil society exchanges and people-to- people interaction in diverse fields. There is a need for more progress in the area of culture and in the shared ambition of establishing chairs of study in both partners’ academic institutions. Further effort is needed to facilitate the movement of persons, based on a comprehensive approach to migration issues.

II. NEW ACTIVITIES

The EU and India identified the following new activities to complement the 2005 India-EU Joint Action Plan, with the objective of promoting international peace and security and working together towards achieving economic progress, prosperity and sustainable development:

Promoting Peace and Comprehensive Security

- To strengthen their consultations in the United Nations Human Rights Council and sustain their dialogue on human rights with a view to promoting the universality of human rights.

- To organise seminars and exchange best practice on civil-military peace building issues, including on Africa.

- To reinforce co-operation in fighting proliferation and in export control.

- To intensify contacts in the fight against terrorism including through the operationalisation of co-operation between Europol and India.

- To co-operate on regional issues.

- To join efforts in the international fora in using expertise in global development policy to promote the achievement of the MDGs and aid effectiveness.

Promoting sustainable development

- To implement a bilateral Work Programme on Energy, Clean Development and Climate Change to promote joint activities, research and policy development.
- To explore the up-scaling of financing for activities to address climate change and further explore the potential for research and technology co-operation and the options for technology transfer.

- To foster co-operation on solar energy with a view to jointly developing a flagship programme in solar energy.

- To make substantive and efficient progress for the early conclusion of an ambitious and balanced broad-based trade and investment agreement.

- To strengthen the exchange of best practices and co-operation in customs matters, covering areas such as supply chain security and trade facilitation, customs Intellectual Property Rights enforcement, environmental protection, tackling commercial fraud, modernisation of processes, of procedures and of working methods.

- To share experience, views, and non-confidential information on competition law policy and enforcement.

- To use the EU-India regulatory dialogue on financial services launched in 2006 to make progress on regulatory convergence.

- To establish a Working Group on engineering sector including automotive industry; a dialogue on sustainable industrial policy; and the strengthening of co-operation on the small and medium-sized enterprises (SME) sector.

- To develop business-to-business and research co-operation with the help of the future European Business & Technology Centre (EBTC).

- To extend the current dialogue on agriculture to address agricultural productivity, including new technologies, input use efficiency, and improved selection of seeds and crops.

- To enhance technical and regulatory co-operation in the field of civil aviation, spanning such areas as aviation safety, aviation security, environment, air traffic management, economic regulation and business issues.

- To further co-operate in the field of decent work.

- To increase exchanges in the fields of sustainable extension of social protection, social dialogue, equal opportunities and gender equality.

- To launch a joint study on decent work covering priority areas relating to global employment, social cohesion, and sustainable development.

- To conduct a dialogue on issues relevant to co-operation with third countries.

PROMOTING RESEARCH AND TECHNOLOGY

- To co-operate in civil nuclear research and development in a manner consistent with their international obligations.

- To enhance co-operation in the framework of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor (ITER) Agreement and through the conclusion of a bilateral agreement between Euratom and India in the field of fusion energy research.

- To create links and to increase exchanges between both sides' statistical services to foster co-ordination in statistical methodology and research on social and economic data.

- To undertake collaborative research and capacity building in new fields of science and technology, which will be determined by the Steering Committee of the EC-India S&T agreement.

- To strengthen dialogue between the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO), the Department of Space (DOS), the European Space Agency (ESA), and the European Commission.

- To explore co-operation in the field of Pharmaceutical Education and Research.

PROMOTING PEOPLE-TO-PEOLE AND CULTURAL EXCHANGES

- To strengthen dialogue between the two Parliaments.

- To continue the promotion of civil society exchanges and interaction through the reinforcement of the mandate of the EU-India Civil Society Roundtable in order to ensure greater involvement of economic and social partners, especially trade unions, farmers, consumers and business associations.

- To improve co-operation and foster greater linkages between European and Indian higher education institutions.

- To promote the development of European Union Study Centres in India and Modern Indian Study Centres in the EU.

- To increase exchanges of students and academics, inter alia, by offering masters and doctoral-level scholarships and a wide range of opportunities for academic co-operation through the second phase of EU's Erasmus Mundus External Co-operation Window.

- To explore the possibility to train teachers in view of the setting up of a large number of national level educational institutions and central universities in the Eleventh Five-Year Plan in India.

- To disseminate tools and good practices regarding transparency, transferability and mutual recognition of qualifications.

- To promote modernization of higher education and vocational training in the EU and in India with an emphasis on quality, openness, transparency and partnerships between academic and business communities to enhance innovation and employment.

- The EU and India take note of the work carried out by the International Center for Promotion of Enterprises (ICPE) within the UN framework to promote cooperation in areas of entrepreneurship and SME development, corporate governance, trade and knowledge-based society through research and consultancy.

- To engage further in intercultural dialogue building up on cultural diversity and multilingualism.

- To enhance cultural co-operation, in particular within the context of the 2005 UNESCO Convention on the Protection and Promotion of the Diversity of Cultural Expressions.

- To promote the conservation and management of monuments and sites.

- To launch a dialogue in order to exchange information and expertise in the areas of education, training, culture and multilingualism. - To use the EC indicative budget of €470 million for India for the period 2007-2013 in support of the health and education programmes of the Government of India and for the implementation of the Action Plan’s initiatives.

2008-09-30T18:48:00.001+05:30

* SAIL Signs MoU with L&T for Power Plants
A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between Steel Authority of India Limited (SAIL) and Larsen & Toubro Limited (L&T), to jointly set up, develop, manage and own captive/independent power plant/s at suitable location/s to meet future power requirements of SAIL. The scope of agreement also includes exploration of opportunities to own captive thermal coal blocks to cater to the power plant requirements.

The MoU is a precursor to Joint Venture Agreement between SAIL and L&T for the purpose of incorporation of Joint Venture company. Both the parties plan to enter into a JV agreement within three months from the date of signing of MoU. The JV company shall strive to identify/locate potential thermal coal blocks, which will facilitate in identifying a suitable location for the power project. Both the companies shall jointly set up a 1600 MW (2 X 800 MW) green-field coal based captive/independent power plant using super critical technology. The companies will keep the option to further expand capacity by 800 MW/1600 MW at the same or some other location.

The agreement is a significant strategic intervention. The power requirement for the SAIL plants is currently being met primarily through inhouse/captive power plants, including those with JV companies. The balance requirement is met through distribution companies of the respective grids. SAIL's power requirement is likely to increase from the present level of 950 MW, to about 1826 MW by 2010, and 4066 MW by 2020

2008-09-30T18:45:00.000+05:30

* AIMIM President Salahuddin Owaisi passes away
All India Majlis Ittaheed-ul-Musleemin (AIMIM) President Sultan Salahuddin Owaisi died after a prolonged illness. He was 72 .

His elder son Asaduddin Owaisi is AIMIM, MP while his second son Akbaruddin Owaisi leads the AIMIM group in the AndhraPradesh Assembly. His youngest son Burhanuddin Owaisi is publisher of an Urdu daily Etemaad.
. A leading figure who dominated the Muslim politics in Hyderabad, Owaisi was a five time legislator of Andhra Pradesh Assembly and six time member of Lok Sabha from Hyderabad Parliamentary constituency.

In between he was also Speaker of the State Assembly for one month when Telugu Desam Party patriot N T Rama Rao was removed from Chief Ministership for a month in 1984.

Owaisi, who dominated the political scenario for nearly five decades made his political foray in 1960 as corporator from Mallepalli in the Hyderabad Corporation. He entered the Andhra Pradesh Legislative Assembly within two years in 1962 after he was elected from Pattergatti constituency. A veteran of electoral battles all through his long political career, he steered the party through turbulent times during the last 33 years.

Affectionately called Salar (leader) by his supporters Salahuddin succeeded his father as MIM president in 1975 and was re-elected for six consecutive terms and held the post till his death.

2008-09-30T18:43:00.000+05:30

* Air Marshal Radhakrishnan to take charge of Southern AC
Air Marshal S Radhakrishnan will take over as Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of the Southern Air Command here tomorrow. Commissioned into the fighter stream of the Indian Air Force in 1970, Air Marshal Radhakrishnan is an alumnus of the National Defence Academy.
A qualified flying instructor and a fighter combat leader, he has logged in over 4,000 hours of flying on a variety of combat and trainer aircraft. Air Marshal Radhakrishnan had held a variety of operational and staff appointments that included command of a frontline fighter squadron and an Air Defence Direction Centre in the sensitive Rajasthan sector. He was the Air Officer Commanding of a fighter base in the Eastern sector and the Principal Director of Offensive operations at the Air Headquarters.

A native of Thiruvananthapuram, he is from the first batch of the Sainik School, Kazhakuttam, and also the first from the institution to be appointed as a Commander-in-Chief.

Prior to the present assignment, Air Marshal Radhakrishnan was the Commander-in-Chief of the strategically important Andaman and Nicobar Command, the only operational integrated command of the Indian armed forces. He was awarded the Ati Vishisht Seva Medal in 2002.

2008-09-30T14:58:00.000+05:30

* Pakistan's ISI gets new chief
Lt. Gen. Ahmed Shujaa Pasha, previously the director general of military operations, was named the new head of Inter-Services Intelligence.

Pasha replaces Lt. Gen. Nadeem Taj, who was in the position about a year after being appointed by former President Pervez Musharraf. Musharraf, a former army chief and U.S. ally, was forced to quit the presidency in August amid threats of impeachment by the fledgling civilian government.

2008-09-30T14:56:00.000+05:30

* Indian Bank’s Association gets new Deputy Chairperson
Homai A. Daruwalla, Chairperson and Managing Director of Central Bank of India, has been appointed Deputy Chairperson of Indian Bank’s Association with effect from October 1. Ms. Daruwalla took charge as Chairperson and MD of Central Bank on June 30, 2005.

2008-09-29T20:59:00.000+05:30

* Marathi theatre artist Damu Kenkre passes away
Veteran Marathi theatre director-actor Damu Kenkre passed away at his residence in Mumbai.

Kenkre (80) died of heart attack following a long illness, said his son and director-actor Vijay Kenkre.

He was known for his contribution to the experimental theatre.

2008-09-29T20:54:00.000+05:30

* XOBDO: World's first and only North East Regional Language - English Online Dictionary
XOBDO, a non-profit organisation of volunteers spread across the world, is developing the "World's first and only NE Regional language- English online dictionary."

The online dictionary, born on 10th March 2006, is the brainchild of Bikram M Baruah, a petroleum engineer by profession now based in Abu Dhabi.

The online dictionary seeks to document the languages as they are used today in their original forms, considering the present-day meaning to be the standard as it is evidenced in 'contemporary use'.There is no attempt to enforce or express XOBDO's own viewpoint about any spelling or semantics being right or wrong.

Already, there are about 17,084 Assamese words and 10,575 English words, besides a number of words in various NE regional languages, which is updated on a daily basis.

2008-09-29T20:47:00.000+05:30

* Manohar takes over BCCI reins from Pawar
Nagpur lawyer Shashank Manohar has took over as the new President of the Indian Cricket Board succeeding Sharad Pawar in a smooth transition of power that also saw N Srinivasan becoming the BCCI secretary

2008-09-29T20:41:00.000+05:30

* Alonso wins Singapore GP
Spain's Fernando Alonso snapped a year-long win drought to take the Singapore Grand Prix.

He claimed his 20th career triumph by 2.95 seconds over Germany's Nico Rosberg in a Williams and Britain's world championship leader Lewis Hamilton in third.

2008-09-29T20:38:00.000+05:30

* Leander Paes, Lukas Dlouhy win Thailand Open Men's Doubles Title
Leander Paes (India) and Lukas Dlouhy (Czech Republic) won their first ATP Doubles title this season, after beating American pair of Scott Lipsky and David Martin in the final of Thailand Open. Paes and Dlouhy won in straight sets 6-4, 7-6. It was Leander's 40th ATP career title.

2008-09-29T20:26:00.000+05:30

* India, Russia extend military commission tenure till 2020
India and Russia has decided to extend the tenure of an inter-governmental commission for military cooperation by another 10 years to 2020 and inched closer to resolving Gorshkov aircraft carrier price and T-90 tanks technology transfer issues.

New Delhi and Moscow also decided to form an apex body headed by the defence secretaries of the two countries to coordinate operation of several working groups for military cooperation.

The apex body headed by the two defence secretaries will meet every six months to review the joint working groups

Russia will start next year the delivery of MiG-29k fighter jets for the aircraft carrier Admiral Goroshkov which India is in the process of acquiring from Moscow.

With the delay in the refit programme, the 44,570-tonne Kiev Class Gorshkov -- rechristened as INS Vikramaditya -- is expected to join the Indian Navy service only by 2012.

India had signed a USD 795 million deal in 2001 with the Russians to outrightly purchase 347 T-90 tanks to strengthen the Indian Army's Armoured Vehicles fleet and for licensed production of 1,000 more tanks at the HVF under a technology transfer.

2008-09-29T20:24:00.000+05:30

* Chetan Anand wins Czech International badminton
India's Chetan Anand continued his fine form to clinch the Czech International badminton tournament, beating Englishman Carl Baxter in straight games.

Top seeded Anand pulled off a 21-13, 21-14 win over Baxter.

2008-09-28T23:57:00.000+05:30

* Trivedi elected President of CCI
NCP Rajya Sabha member Y P Trivedi was elected as the President of the Cricket Club of India (CCI) at its Annual General Meeting (AGM)

2008-09-28T14:07:00.000+05:30

* Srikkanth is new cricket selection panel chief
Former India captain Krishnamachari Srikkanth became the new Chairman of the National Senior Cricket Selection Committee, replacing Dilip Vengsarkar.

He was appointed as the chief selector at the BCCI's 79th Annual General Meeting .

Raja Venkat (East Zone), Surendra Bhave (West Zone), Narendra Hirwani (Central Zone) and Yashpal Sharma (North Zone) are the other four selctors.

Former Mumbai and India pace bowler Abui Kuruvilla was chosen as the junior selection panel chief .

The other junior selectors picked include Sanjay Desai (South Zone), Sanjeev Sharma (North Zone), Rajesh Bora (East Zone) and R S Hans (Central Zone).

Sharad Pawar, who stepped down as the Board President at the AGM and was succeeded by Shashank Manohar, will head the BCCI's Marketing Committee, while Rajiv Shukla was elected as Chairman of the Finance Committee.

N Srinivasan was elected as the Secretary, Sanjay Jagdale became the new Joint Secretary and M P Pandove will be the new Treasurer.

Newly elected five Vice-Presidents are -- Shivlal Yadav, Chirayu Amin, Arindam Ganguly, Arun Jaitley and Lalit Modi.

2008-09-28T14:02:00.000+05:30

* Valentino Rossi wins Japan Grand Prix
Italy's Valentino Rossi stormed to victory at the Grand Prix of Japan , claiming his sixth MotoGP world championship.

Rossi, riding a Yamaha, pulled ahead of defending MotoGP champion Casey Stoner of Australia.

Spain's Dani Pedrosa was third, 4.866 seconds back, while pole-sitter Jorge Lorenzo, also of Spain, was fourth.

It was Rossi's eighth victory of the season and fifth straight since he took the United States Grand Prix in July.

With his sixth premier-class title, Rossi moved one ahead of Australia's Mick Doohan. Only Giacomo Agostini has won the premier-class title more times with eight championships.

2008-09-28T13:40:00.000+05:30

* Former Japanese PM Koizumi announces retirement rom politics
Former Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi says he will retire from politics.

Koizumi, 66, told his supporters that he will not run in the next parliamentary elections, which could come as early as November.

Koizumi held Japan's top office from 2001 to 2006, becoming one of the country's longest-serving prime ministers.

The flamboyant leader, known for his long silver hair, was credited with reengineered the ruling Liberal Democratic Party's staid image into one of a dynamic party of reform.