TamilNadu Transport offices will give RCs & Licences as Smart cards soon

Issuing of driving licence and Registration Certificate (RC) in the smart card format will commence soon.

The exercise, which will start in Chennai, will be extended to all the 110 RTOs and unit offices in the State.

Once the system comes into place, procedures such as name transfer and re-registration will be just a database update. It will greatly reduce the amount of time one has to spend in an RTO to get things done, according to officials.

Karnataka Minister resigns after Rape charges

Karnataka food and civil supplies minister H Halappa today resigned following media reports about an alleged sexual assault by him in his home district of Shimoga.

Halappa faxed his resignation to the office of chief minister BS Yeddyurappa, who is currently out of station.

The minister dismissed the report carried by a leading Kannada daily, which alleged in a front-page story that he sexually assaulted the wife of one of his friends. The report did not name him. No case has been filed.

Paid News an awful phenomenon in India - Hindu chief editor Ram

Media organisations, both big and small, must observe self-regulation as “there will be public support for external regulation if we don't regulate corruption in the media,” N. Ram, Editor-in-Chief of The Hindu, said here on Saturday.

Mr. Ram said corruption in the form of paid news, an “awful phenomenon,” would grow in the absence of self-regulation and “I don't see how we can stop external regulation, by establishing a law or some authority set up.”

He was addressing the IPS officer trainees and officers undergoing mid-career training at the Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel National Police Academy.

Raina empower India's victory against SA - qualify for super8

India qualified for the Super Eight stage of the Twenty20 cricket World Cup after defeating South Africa by 14 runs in a group C match at Beausejour stadium here today.

Suresh Raina became the first Indian batsman to hit a Twenty20 International hundred and powered the team to a commanding 186 for five against South Africa in their group C World Cup match here today.

Raina is only third batsman to score a hundred in T20 internationals with the first two centuries coming from the bats of West Indies' Chris Gayle and Brendon McCullum of New Zealand.

TNEA applications to be issued from May 3 till May 31

Around 50 new engineering colleges are expected to be started in the State with an additional 12,000 seats from this year.

Applications forms for the Tamil Nadu Engineering Admissions will be issued from May 3 and the university is gearing up for single window counselling, P. Mannar Jawahar, Vice-Chancellor, Anna University, Chennai, said here.

Last date

Dr. Jawahar said 1.8 lakh application forms had been printed by Anna University and they would be issued at 58 places across the State from May 3 (Monday). The last date for submission of application forms is May 31.

McDonalds to open McCafe chain by 2012

Fast food chain McDonald’s today said it plans to bring its globally renowned McCafe, the chain of coffee shop within its outlets, into India by 2012

The move is aimed at tapping the estimated over Rs 1,000 crore organised retail coffee chain market.

“The plans for introducing McCafe are in the drawing board right now ... It will take one—and—a—half to two years to implement the idea,” a company spokesperson told.

US authorities investigating possible scenarios of failed attempt

U.S. authorities are investigating a thwarted car bombing in New York's famed Times Square where thousands of people gather each day and night to eat, drink and shop. As yet authorities have only described it as a potential act of terrorism and have not identified a suspect or motive.

Times Square has always been believed to be a target for attack and, in addition to being a major tourist destination, its buildings are occupied by big corporate names, major news and television outlets and the Nasdaq Stock Market.

Following are scenarios for who may have been responsible for the failed attempt.

Toyota Kirloskar reports a 77% jump in sales

Carmaker Toyota Kirloskar Motor on Saturday reported 77.23 per cent jump in its sales at 6,001 units during April, 2010.

The company had sold 3,386 units in the corresponding month last year, Toyota Kirloskar Motor (TKM) said in a statement.

"We are happy to announce our quantum increase in sales for the month of April 2010, which goes on to prove our customers faith in Toyota brand," TKM Deputy Managing Director (Marketing) Sandeep Singh said.

India cements reports a gross turnover of Rs.4221 Crores

The India Cements has reported a gross turnover of Rs.4,221.69 crore for the year ended March 2010, up from Rs.3,954.53 crore in the previous year. The operating profit before interest and depreciation is Rs.863.51 crore (Rs.1,043.20 crore). Interest charges are higher at Rs. 142.64 crore (Rs.112.15 crore). Depreciation stands at Rs.233.12 crore (Rs.203.32 crore). The profit before exceptional items is Rs.487.75 crore (Rs.727.73 crore). Foreign exchange translation difference has resulted in an exceptional gain of Rs.43.57 crore (against a loss of Rs.79.43 crore). The net profit after exceptional item stands at Rs.541.43 crore (Rs.648.30 crore). The provision for taxation is Rs.163.32 crore (Rs.181.45 crore). The provision for deferred tax is Rs.13.66 crore (Rs.29.89 crore). There is no provision for fringe benefit tax during the year under review (Rs.4. 78 crore). The profit after tax is lower at Rs.354.34 crore (Rs.432.18 crore). The board of directors has declared a dividend of 20 per cent for 2009-10.

Private Bks make profit this quarter but may not long last

Large private banks have posted healthy profits for the three months to 31 March, but their public sector peers reported mixed results, indicating, say analysts, that times could turn tough as interest rates rise amid limited upside to credit growth.

The country’s largest private sector lender, ICICI Bank Ltd, posted a 35% year-on-year increase in net profit to Rs1,006 crore for the quarter. HDFC Bank Ltd and Axis Bank Ltd saw net profit rise by 32.6% and 31.5% for the quarter, respectively.

Experts search scrapyard for radioactive materials

Experts continued their searches at Mayapuri scrap market where radioactive Cobalt-60, exposure to which has claimed one life and injuries to six others, was recovered a month ago.

Scientists from the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) and Bhaba Atomic Research Centre (BARC) conducted the “close searches” of the shops for another day today.

The atomic regulator decided to conduct a second round of survey of the market to ensure there was no source of radiation left unattended in the scrap market, which is one of the largest such facility in Asia.

Ten arrested for breach in security in CJM court

The police arrested 10 people for allegedly hurling stones at the CJM court, where NDFB chief Ranjan Daimary was produced today, and attempting to break the security cordon leading to injuries to 10 others, including a security man.

Daimary's sister Anjali Daimary, chief of the Bodo Womens' Forum, led the people, all supporters of the NDFB chief, to breach the cordon around the court.

They shouted slogans like 'Long Live NDFB' when Daimary was brought to the court and tried to move close to him, but the police prevented them by resorting to a baton charge.

Shibu soren will continue to be Jharkand CM - Hemant soren

Hemant Soren, who has emerged as the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's (JMM) key negotiator with the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) to save the Jharkhand government, on Sunday claimed his father Shibu Soren would continue to be the chief minister.

Talking to reporters at Ranchi airport after his arrival from New Delhi, Hemant Soren said: "At this moment Shibu Soren is chief minister and he will continue on the post."

He refused to divulge details of the meeting with the BJP in New Delhi on Saturday.

AJmer blast accused person queationed about possible Mecca masjid blast link

With the Anti Terrorist Squad of Rajasthan Police making a possible breakthrough in Ajmer blast, the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) has joined the probe to ascertain the role of arrested persons with the 2007 Mecca Masjid terror strike in Hyderabad.

Official sources said a joint team of ATS, CBI and central security agencies were questioning two of three arrested persons - Davindra Gupta and Chandrashekar - in connection with their possible involvement in the Mecca Masjid blast.

The role of the duo was purchasing of SIM cards and timer devices which were used to trigger the blast in Ajmer on October 12, 2007.

DMK chief rules out Raja's resignation in Spectrum scam

Tamil Nadu Chief Minister and DMK supremo Karunanidhi came to Delhi on Sunday - his first visit in the current UPA regime. But his visit comes at a time when the government is being attacked by the Opposition over Telecom Minister - the DMK's A Raja.

It's becoming tougher for the Congress to defend him in the face of corruption allegations that Raja caused a loss of about 60,000 crores by selling of 2G spectrum at much cheaper rates in 2008.