Pak foreign minister to visit Delhi

Keen on taking the bilateral dialogue process forward, Pakistani Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi is expected to visit New Delhi to meet his counterpart S M Krishna, which will be followed by a meeting of Foreign Secretaries in Islamabad, according to the diplomatic sources.

The Prime Ministers' of both countries met during the XVIth SAARC summit at Thimphu last week and asked their foreign ministers and foreign secretaries to work on modalities for restoring trust and to meet as soon as possible.

It is expected that the two foreign ministers may meet before the Indo-US strategic dialogue to be held in Washington on June 3.

Videocon debarred from World Bk operations for 3Yrs

In a blow to the image of India Inc, the World Bank has debarred Venugopal Dhoot-led Videocon for three years beginning January 10, 2010 for indulging in fraudulent and corrupt practices in some of its dealings with the bank. Ban on the company will be operative till January 11, 2013, a World Bank news release posted on its website said.

The ban came after investigations by the World Bank as part of its broader governance and anti-corruption agenda, the bank said in a news release from Washington. Charges against Videocon include violation in procurement guidelines of the bank. Action was earlier initiated against two other Indian companies - Satyam computers and Wipro, on charges of fraudulence related to contractual norms.

No radioactive materials in NewDelhi 'NOW'

Radioactive materials are no longer lying in the open in India's national capital and the Atomic Energy Regulatory Board (AERB) has taken possession of all such pieces, an official said in Mumbai on Wednesday.

The AERB experts have succeeded in recovering all the 16 radioactive pencils which led to radiation poisoning in a scrap dealer’s shop. The radiation claimed life of one person, injured seven other people, and created a scare in Delhi.

“There is now no radioactive material anywhere in the open in the affected areas which were investigated,” the official said.

Twists in young Journalists death in NewDelhi

In a new twist to the alleged honour killing of 22-year-old journalist Nirupama Rathak, who died at her family home in Koderma, the chief civil surgeon of the area claimed on Tuesday that at least three persons were probably involved in the murder.

Pranoy Mohan, chief civil surgeon (Koderma district), told that the postmortem report indicates that it would have taken at least three persons to smother the girl. "There are no external injuries on her body. It seems that someone stuffed a pillow over her nose and face, and two others used cloth to tie down her hand and feet to stop her from breaking free. The noose was tied around the neck definitely after her death," Mohan said.

SC slams illegal use of narcoanalysis tests; Govt reacts causitiously

Government on Wednesday reacted cautiously to the Supreme Court verdict declaring as illegal compulsory use of narcoanalysis test, saying it had to go through the judgement.

"Judiciary has given a judgement. We need to go through it...it is too early to react on that (judgement)," law minister M Veerappa Moily told reporters.

He said the issue of narcoanalysis has been "agitating" the mind of the jurists and the judiciary and the issue has been a subject of national debate.

The Supreme Court on Wednesday declared as "illegal" compulsory use of narcoanalysis, brainmapping and polygraph tests on suspects.

Google India revamps the search result page

Google India added some features to the search results page.

Some of the features include Updates from twitter, pages during a particular timeline , news items etc.... Check out to find the latest features.

Here are some of the screenshots:

Plane made Priority Landing in Kolkata after reports

A SpiceJet flight with 123 passengers on board had a scare today after two Russian nationals including a woman in burqa behaved "suspiciously" and the plane made a priority landing at Kolkata airport.

The Delhi-Kolkata-Dhaka flight (SG 208) of the low-cost air carrier touched down at the NSC Bose airport at 11:23 am after being given clearance by the Air Traffic Control(ATC) to land ahead of other aircraft over Kolkata airspace, airport sources said. All passengers were safe.

The aircraft was immediately taken to an isolation bay and was surrounded by CISF personnel, the bomb squad, fire brigade and the police in line with an emergency drill, sources said.

Iceland Volcano erupts again ; disrupts flight ops

Ash from the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajokull again caused the closure of airspace in Ireland and parts of Britain for hours on Tuesday, but this did not impact flights from India to Europe or the UK.

When Eyjafjallajokull erupted on April 14, flights to and from Europe were disrupted for about a week, leading to widespread chaos at airports around the world as passengers remained stranded.

On Tuesday, an increase in volcanic activity resulted in a fresh ash plume being pushed about 5.5km into the air. Due to wind conditions, the cloud moved towards the northern parts of the UK.

An officer and Soldier Martyed in a gun Battle in Kashmir

An army officer and a soldier succumbed to injuries sustained in a gun battle between separatist guerrillas and security forces in Jammu and Kashmir's Bandipora district, police said Wednesday.

A raiding party of the army and local police was moved out Tuesday night to lay a cordon in Chatibandi village in the district following specific information that a group of militants was hiding there, police added.

US to announce date for India's access to Headley

The US will inform India by next week about possible dates, most likely in this month, for giving direct access to Pakistani-American terrorist David Coleman Headley.

Sources in the Home Ministry said by May 15, the US will convey to India when a team of Indian investigators will visit Chicago for "direct access" to Headley.

"India in all likelihood will get direct access within this month only," they said.

Sources said apart from National Investigating Agency (NIA) and Mumbai Police officials, a team comprising a Magistrate, legal experts and MHA officials will go to the US to interrogate Headley.

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.

India win by 7 wickets in their first encounter in ICCworld T20 2010

A clinical performance by India enabled them to beat Afghanistan in their opening match in the Twenty20 World Cup against Afghanistan. Ashish Nehra won the man-of-the-match for his three wicket haul

India galloped to a seven-wicket win over Afghanistan in their Group C World Twenty20 opener but not before the team from the war-ravaged nation showed promise as if it belonged to the top league.

Chasing a winning target of of 116 runs, India made it in 14.5 overs with Murali Vijay (48) and Yuvraj Singh (23 not out) doing the bulk of the scoring. Skipper Mahendra singh Dhoni (15) struck two sixes to finish the match in a jiffy.

Delhi Unversity under scanner after the radioactive substance mishandled

India's atomic energy regulator said on Friday that it was investigating claims that Delhi University (DU) buried radioactive material on its campus, amidst an escalating scandal over its handling of toxic waste.

Police on Thursday blamed DU for dumping an irradiation machine containing radioactive Cobalt-60, which ended up in scrapyard in New Delhi, where it killed a 35-year-old worker and put seven others in hospital.

The incident has highlighted the lax enforcement of waste disposal laws in India and raised fears of further contamination from the university, the city's biggest institute with 300,000 students spread over two sites.

Dia Mirza declines rumors about marrying Shoaib akhtar

Bollywood actress Dia Mirza is upset about rumours of her wedding plans with Pakistani cricketer Shoaib Akhtar, saying this was "untrue".

"I would like to place on record that the story that I'm marrying Shoaib Akhtar is patently untrue, unfounded and wildly speculative," Dia posted on her Twitter page on Saturday.

"I don't like this fictitious story gaining any more momentum and I do not desire such attention," she added.

Ranjitha objects her so called association in the Video clip with S(ex)wami Nithyananda

Actress Ranjitha, on Thursday, termed the video clips telecast by television channels purportedly showing the tainted self-styled godman Paramahamsa Nithyananda engaging in acts of physical intimacy as “malicious.”

“Our client dissociates herself from the said video which has caused danger to her life, limb and property,” a Delhi-based law firm representing Ranjitha said, adding, “our client strongly objects to being referred to as one of the persons in the video.”

Adobe gives their employees Android based phone with Flash version loaded

This will come as little surprise to anyone who followed technology news this week, but let there be no doubt about the preferred smartphone platform at Adobe: it isn't the iPhone.

Adobe confirmed Thursday that it plans to demonstrate a version of Flash for Google's Android software in May at the Google I/O conference, in responding to Apple CEO Steve Jobs' criticism of Flash in an open letter. And the company wants to make sure its employees use those phones: it's preparing to give away Android phones running Flash to employees, according to three sources familiar with the plan.

Newly wed Women was strangulated to death by her husband for refusing physical intimacy

A newly wed woman was strangulated to death, allegedly by her husband, on Friday at their rented house at Muthappa Block in RT Nagar, following her reported refusal to physical intimacy with him, police said.

The husband, Bijoy Samuel, 33, allegedly attempted suicide by slashing his wrist, after murdering Ranjini Rajan, 25, police said. Timely medical attention saved his life.

Police arrested Bijoy from a city hospital and produced him before a court. He was remanded in judicial custody.

Google TV software a reality soon- in talks with industry major

Google Inc. is planning to introduce Android-based television software to developers at an event in May, according to people familiar with the matter.

The technology—designed to open set-top boxes, TVs and other devices to more content from the Internet—is attracting interest from partners that include Sony Corp., Intel Corp. and Logitech International SA, which are expected to offer products that support the software, these people said. None have so far discussed the efforts publicly.

Indians have educated themselves of Cyber crime

If you think cyber crime is a growing menace in the city, think again. The police efforts have started showing results.

Cyber crime, which had seen a 12.5%increase last year as compared to 2008, has decreased by nearly 40% in the first quarter of this year. The police give credit to public awareness for the trend.

According to the statistics available with the Cyber Crime Investigation Cell (CCIC) of the Mumbai police, complaints of credit card fraud saw an increase of around 54% in 2009, as compared to 2008. That has come down by 75% in the first quarter of this year.

Oil spill a major environmental disaster in American continent

As oil edged toward the Louisiana coast and fears continued to grow that the leak from a seabed oil well could spiral out of control, officials in the Obama administration publicly chastised BP America for its handling of the spreading oil gusher in the Gulf of Mexico.

Yet a review of the response suggests it may be too simplistic to place all the blame for the unfolding environmental catastrophe on the oil company. The federal government also had opportunities to move more quickly, but did not do so while it waited for a resolution to the spreading spill from BP.

Gordon Brown bigot

On the morning after the final leader’s debate, Gordon Brown witnessed a potential disaster. Upon spying the Prime Minister on a street corner, a lorry driver swerved and a second vehicle veered off the road.

Though reassured to hear no one was hurt, Mr Brown might have reflected that this has been a week of car crash politics, albeit chiefly in a less literal sense. First, he forgot he was wearing a television microphone and committed the unimaginable gaffe of referring to Gillian Duffy, a Labour voter whom he had greeted warmly, as “a bigoted woman”.

Then his bravura comeback in the televised debate on the economy failed to procure the boost he might have hoped for. Despite a consensus that this was Mr Brown’s most impressive showing, most snap polls taken after the broadcast put him in third place.

Nokia to launch E72 white edition

When Elegance meets high performance it is equal to Nokia E72 White. This White version of Nokia E72 has joined black, grey, brown and purple editions. This white edition of Nokia E72 will be first launched at the end of April in Malaysia, Thailand, Vietnam and Singapore.

The high performance handset is designed for unlined business and personal communication. Nokia E72 White comes complete with matching white accessories to accompaniment your style. The accessories include Nokia Bluetooth Headset BH-216, Nokia StereoHeadset WH-205, white pouch, white strap and Nokia C-313 jewellery

Pan India 3G license fee raises to Rs.9521 Cr

India on Friday concluded 104 rounds of an auction to award spectrum for third generation (3G) telecom services in the country, with the provisional winning price for a nationwide licence crossing Rs 9,500-crore mark.

At the end of the 18th day of the auction, which began April 9, the provisional winning price for a pan-India licence stood at Rs 9,521.02 crore, up 172.03 per cent from the Rs 3,500 crore reserve price fixed by the government.

For the fifth consecutive day, Mumbai attracted the highest bid, at Rs 1,506.41 crore. The provisional winning price for Delhi stood at Rs 1,459.96 crore, followed by Maharashtra at Rs 1,010.63 crore, according to data available on the website of the Department of Telecommunications (DoT).

China stepped up security after attacks in school

A Chinese city shaken by one of three back-to-back attacks on schools stepped up security and urged its citizens to "trust the government" Saturday, a day after parents of the injured children protested outside a local hospital.

A dozen police and security guards patrolled the lobby of the Taixing city People's Hospital the morning after marching parents chanted "We want the truth," asked to see their children and demanded a better government response to the crisis. Photos and video posted online showed hundreds of people massed outside the hospital Friday night, pushing so hard to get in that they shattered a glass door.

The school attack in Taixing came Thursday when a 47-year-old unemployed man armed with an 8-inch (20-centimeter) knife wounded 29 students aged 4 or 5 — five of them seriously — plus two teachers and a security guard.

The city government tried to ease fears in a mobile phone text message sent to citizens Saturday.

Corruption King Ketan Desai sent on judicial custody

A Delhi court today remanded MCI president Ketan Desai and three others to 13-day judicial custody after their arrest for allegedly taking bribe to allow a medical college in Punjab to admit students despite lack of infrastructure.

Additional Sessions Judge O P Saini sent them to jail till May 14 after the CBI told that their custodial interrogation was no more required in the investigation of the case.

Meanwhile, Desai moved his bail application in the court which has been fixed for hearing on May 3.

Men spray Acid on women

Men on a motorbike sprayed acid on three sisters in the Kalat, south-western Pakistan, yesterday, causing serious burns.

The sisters, aged between 14 and 20, were on their way home when attacked. The girls' father, Abdul Karim, said that he had no idea of the motive.

Up to 135 women were victims of similar attacks in 2009, either being set on fire or having acid thrown on them, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said.

Diplomat Spy Madhuri gupta sent to judicial custody

Indian diplomat Madhuri Gupta held on spying charges, who was produced in Tis Hazari Court in Delhi on Saturday, was sent to 14-day judicial custody.

The Court rejected police request of 2-day remand for Madhuri Gupta.

Gupta faces charges of spying for Pakistani Intelligence agencies.

She was arrested in Delhi on April 27, after being summoned from Pakistan on the pretext that she was needed for the South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) meet in Thimphu.

India gain access to Headley after talks

Indian authorities have obtained access to David Coleman Headley and can question him about his role in the Mumbai carnage any time now, reports said on Saturday.

Moreover, the US has not imposed any pre-conditions for allowing access to Headley, who is currently under the custody of FBI.

The roadblocks, what so ever existed in the process, were cleared in a meeting between the Solicitor General of India Gopal Subramanium and the US Attorney General Eric Holder.

US issues advisory of possible attacks in NewDelhi

The U.S. on Saturday issued a fresh advisory asking its citizens to take precautions in view of possible “imminent” terror attacks in crowded markets in the Indian capital.

This is the third American advisory in a month. It advises Americans travelling or residing in India to maintain “a high level of vigilance” and watch out for unattended packages.

The American embassy said that terrorists had in the past targeted market places in New Delhi also frequented by U.S. citizens or Westerners.

India -Pak talks will resume soon

A day after Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Yousuf Raza Gilani agreed to resume talks at the level of foreign ministers, Pakistan said the meeting in Thimphu had gone “better than expectations”, but sustained efforts would be needed to bridge the “trust deficit” between the two sides.

The outcome of the engagement had been “better than the expectations,” Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi told a news conference here today. “It (the resumption of dialogue at the political level) is a step in the right direction, it is a concrete development and we will build on it.”

Raja turn to face the heat after Tharoor in 2g spectrum row

While former Union Minister Shashi Tharoor paid a heavy price for the allegations against him, it's now Union IT Minister A Raja's turn to face the heat on the 2 G spectrum issue. Can the Dravida Munnettra Kazhagam (DMK) save Raja? DMK chief Karunanidhi will be in Delhi on Sunday to meet Sonia Gandhi.

From being a lawyer in rural Tamil Nadu to becoming the Telecom Minister, A Raja has come a long way. But with Opposition demanding his ouster over 2 G spectrum allotments, will he resign?

No way, say DMK sources. The reason -- Raja has emerged as the Dalit face of the DMK and enjoys a good rapport with his party chief Karunanidhi.

ICC world T20: Afghan Vs India

Match Facts
Saturday, May 1, Gros Islet
Start time 0930 (1330 GMT)

The Big Picture

    Mirwais Ashraf and Mohammad Shahzad are ecstatic after the fall of Mohammad Iqbal's wicket, United Arab Emirates v Afghanistan, ICC World Twenty20 Qualifier, Super Four, Dubai, February 13, 2010
Will Afghanistan have further reason to celebrate? © International Cricket Council

Afghanistan make their big-screen debut on Saturday's morning show, a sleeper that suddenly became a smash hit by defying every script written for them. A team from a war-torn, dysfunctional country, with half their players born in refugee camps, they narrowly missed qualifying for the 2007 World Cup but are making up for it with this tournament. They have surprised many an Associate team during their stunning rise from Division Five to a world event. Yet they will know that what they are going to face - the pace of Zaheer Khan, the spin of Harbhajan Singh, the might of MS Dhoni and Yuvraj Singh - is nothing like anything they have faced so far.

Jharkand yet to see a stable Govt in the state

 Despite the numerous political outfits that have mushroomed in the past decade, there's no sign of any ideologically coherent and stable coalition. The state has already witnessed seven governments in last 10 years.

The only thing certain about politics in Jharkhand is that it's uncertain. The powerful tribal movement that led the struggle for a separate state is now fragmented.

The Jharkhand Mukti Morcha's move to allow the BJP to occupy the Chief Minister chair has split the party. JMM MLA Teklal Mahto claims he has the support of many MLAs and he is on his way to Delhi to meet UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi.

TTML reports a net loss of Rs.318 crore

Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Ltd today said it has experienced a consolidated net loss of Rs 318 crore for the year ended March 31, 2010.

The company had reported a net loss of Rs 169 crore for the year ended March 2008-09, Tata Teleservices (Maharashtra) Ltd said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.

"The Telecommunication Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) amended the Interconnection Usage Charges. The interconnect income accounted and interconnect cost accounted, therefore, are not strictly comparable with the previous year," the company said.

Arcelor will start its operation in India soon

Months after mounting a blistering attack on the Indian system of governance that prevented big ticket projects, global steel giant ArcelorMittal today exuded confidence that its mega Rs 1.30 lakh crore investment would take off soon as some states were very "proactive".

"There is a light. We are coming nearer the light. Overall I am seeing the light. I do not know which one will start whether Karnataka or Jharkhand," ArcelorMittal CEO L N Mittal told PTI when asked if he was still pessimistic about his projects taking off in India.

The company is also working on a project in Orissa.

ICICI & HDFC are not Indian owned bks- but Indian Controlled Bks__Govt

"Going by the definition, they are certainly not owned by Indians," Secretary of the Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion, R. P. Singh, said. "At best, the two can be called Indian-controlled banks," he added.

The government today said ICICI Bank and HDFC Bank cannot be called Indian-owned banks, setting at rest the debate generated over the nationality of the top two private sector lenders.

“At best, the two can be called as Indian-controlled banks,” Department of Industrial Policy and Promotion (DIPP) Secretary R. P. Singh said today when asked about the government’s stand in the wake of the two seeking clarifications on the matter.

Uninor slashes mobile tariff

Taking mobile tariffs to a new low, telecom service provider Uninor, a joint venture between Unitech and Norwegian firm Telenor, on Friday announced call charges as low as 20 paise per minute.

Uninor has introduced a concept of dyanamic pricing under which its subscribers can avail discounts of between five to 60 per cent, depending on their location.

Telenor has a 67.25 per cent stake in the company, while Unitech holds the remaining equity.  The offer, dubbed the 24/7 Badalta discount plan, will be initially available to Uninor users in the southern states of Tamil Nadu, Karnataka  and Andhra Pradesh.

TechM posts loss in Quarter ending March 31

IT services provider Tech Mahindra on Friday reported a decline of 1.47 per cent in its consolidated net profit at Rs 226 crore for the quarter ended March 31, 2010.

Total income rose to Rs 1,257 crore for the quarter ended March 31, from Rs 1,059 crore in the same period last year, Tech Mahindra said in a filing to the Bombay Stock Exchange.

"This quarter saw us consolidate our position in the arena of complete end to end outsourcing. Our robust performance this quarter is a measure of our ability to understand customer needs and tailor solutions specific to these needs," Tech Mahindra Chairman Anand Mahindra said.

Huawei seeks clarification from Govt of India

Chinese telecom gear maker Huawei said on Friday it was evaluating the reported security concerns in India and was seeking clarifications from authorities.

The Financial Times had reported that India was blocking the purchase of telecoms equipment from Chinese vendors on national security grounds.

Huawei said it had not received any official communication on the issue, but was willing to cooperate with relevant Indian government agencies to help solve their concerns, the firm's India-based spokesman said in a statement.

Sonata softwares developes Social networking & fashion Appln

Sonata Software, a leading IT consulting and software services provider, said on Thursday that it has developed a fashion and social networking application for US-based Golirious LLC, a mobile software developer.

The application called 'Love it or Lose it', allows Apple iPhone users to instantly connect with their friends and community members and request, and receive feedback on fashion merchandises, a release said.

The user-friendly application allows iPhone users to click photos of clothes or accessories while they are shopping and share them instantly with their friends.

Midtree Software outplays giants in UIDAI contract

Mid-sized software service provider MindTree outbid larger rivals Tata Consultancy Services (TCS), Infosys, Wipro apart from top multinational firms, to win Rs 30-crore contract from India’s Unique Identification Authority (UIDAI), senior government officials and persons familiar with the project told on Thursday.

While the contract is small when compared with several multi-million dollar deals announced by various government departments over past few years, it’s the first in a series of projects worth up to $1 billion to be outsourced by the UIDAI.

When contacted  on Thursday, a MindTree spokesman declined to offer any specific comments.

Reliance Ind. discovered more oil in West coast

Energy major Reliance Industries has discovered more oil on India's western coast, raising the potential of the exploratory blocks it has been drilling, the company said on Wednesday.

India's biggest conglomerate whose businesses span petrochemicals, refining, oil and gas exploration and retail said the current flow was at 300 barrels of oil per day (bopd) at the onland exploratory block in the Cambay basin in Gujarat state.

UIDAI in talks with RBI for offering Banking solution with UID

The Unique Identification Authority of India and the Reserve Bank of India are in talks to explore linking the unique identity number with bank accounts to enable cashless transactions at outlets like 'kirana' stores.

The Authority has proposed a UID-enabled Bank Account (UEBA) which will give customers access to their account through Business Correspondent (BC) operating a handheld microATM device.

Transactions on the UID-enabled bank account function essentially as a prepaid system, similar to that used by mobile operators.

Bullet proof scam bigger than Bofors

The case of a senior home ministry official caught taking Rs 10 lakh as bribe for the purchase of bulletproof jackets turned dramatic on Thursday, with the alleged bribe-giver claiming in court that there was a "cartel"in the MHA that received kickbacks, and that the scam was bigger than Bofors.

As the CBI sought custody of IRES officer R S Sharma and two other accused, one of them—R K Gupta, director of a Delhi company producing defence equipment— claimed he was framed for exposing the "cartel".

Fourth Women judge in apex Court to be sworn in

Former Jharkhand High Court Chief Justice, Gyan Sudha Mishra, will take oath as a Supreme Court Justice on Friday.

She will be the fourth woman judge in the apex court.

Mishra (61) was initially appointed as judge of the Patna High Court in March 1994, but was transferred to the Rajasthan High Court.

Rape victim in Gujarat seeks court for abortion

The Gujarat High Court has directed hospital authorities to conduct medical examination of a 13-year-old victim who has sought permission for abortion after she conceived as a result of being repeatedly raped allegedly by her employer.

Justice A S Dave directed the medical officer at the Surendranagar civil hospital to find out if the minor girl was physically and mentally fit to undergo termination of pregnancy.

The doctor has been asked to submit the report by May 4, and the girl also has been asked to remain present in the court.

I simply don't care about ULFA's threats - Assam CM

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi on Friday downplayed threats to his life by the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) saying it was "nothing new." He ruled out talks with ULFA on its demand of sovereignty.

The Chief Minister was reacting to reports about New Delhi's warning of possible attacks by an ULFA hit squad against him, Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma and his younger brother Susanta Biswa Sarma, said a police official.

"I simply don't care about ULFA's threats as these are nothing new for me. There has always been a threat perception on my life and still I move around freely," the Chief Minister said.

Two CRPF men in the six arrested on selling arms to Maos

Police in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh have arrested two paramilitary soldiers on suspicion of stealing arms and selling them on to Maoist rebels.

The arrests were made after police raided the camp of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Rampur town.

An inquiry has been ordered into the alleged theft and sale, officials said.

List spies in Intelligence agencies of India since establishment

Arrested IFS officer Madhuri Gupta may not be in the league of famous women spies Mata Hari and Virginia Hall, but the allegations that she was passing on sensitive information to ISI agents is a rude shock to the Indian establishment.

India's external Intelligence agency Research and Analysis Wing (RAW), like any other snooping organisation of the world, has a history of agents who had switched their loyalties towards countries where they were working.

Mata Hari's name became synonymous with espionage and the Dutch dancer, whose real name was Gertrud Margarete Zelle, was executed by a French firing squad in 1917 on charges of being a spy. Virginia
Hall was an American spy during the Second World War and the Gestapo (Nazi political police) considered her the most dangerous of all allied spies.

RAW officer has no link with Diplomat-Spy

The Indian diplomat arrested for using her office in Islamabad to spy for Pakistan did not receive any information from the local head of India's intelligence-gathering agency, the Research and Analysis Wing (RAW).

Intelligence sources told that RAW's station chief in Islamabad,  RS Sharma, was part of the team that was investigating Madhuri Gupta's activities over the last eight months.  Gupta was arrested earlier this month for selling information to her Pakistani handler, a man she claims she fallen in love with. 

Sharma was called to Delhi weeks before Gupta's arrest. He shared information collected against Gupta and returned to Islamabad before Gupta was taken into custody.

Nokia to launch X2 in India- then globally

Looks like Nokia has gone on a phone announcement spree of late. Just days after the N8 was officially unveiled, Nokia has revealed its latest addition to the X-Series range of handsets.

The X-Series which, until now, comprised of the X3, the China specific X5 and the high-end X6, received a new sibling in the form of the X2. The X2, as evident from the naming scheme, will be positioned below the X3 and is a mid-range handset.
Let's see what it has to offer you.

The X2 features a 2.2 inch QVGA display, dedicated music keys, dual speakers, Bluetooth 2.1, 3.5mm headset jack, FM radio, Nokia Messaging, Facebook integration and MicroSD card support. The phone, unlike other X-Series handsets, runs Nokia's proprietary S40 OS. On the imaging front, it has a very impressive 5 megapixel camera at the rear. This is a rather surprising because the X3, which is positioned above the X2, has a 3.2 megapixel camera.

The X2 is slated to be launched in June, first in India. The price is expected to hover at around the $112 (Rs. 5,000) mark. That seems to be a decent price for a handset of its caliber. Also, this might just be the cheapest 5 megapixel phone you could buy these days.

Cong accuses BJP of "GREED FOR POWER"

The Congress's Jharkhand unit today accused the BJP of "greed for power" which, it said, has led the saffron party to put on hold withdrawal of support to the Shibu Soren government in the state.

Alleging that the BJP was again "playing the game of numbers", a Congress release here said "Frequent change of decisions among the BJP and the JMM has not only left Jharkhand reeling under a political crisis, but also lowered the dignity of democratic norms."

IBM scientists create smallest 3D earth model

IBM scientists have created a 3D map of the earth so small that 1,000 of them could fit on a single grain of salt.

They accomplished this through a new, breakthrough technique that uses a tiny, silicon tip with a sharp apex -- 100,000 times smaller than a sharpened pencil point -- to create patterns and structures as small as 15 nanometre at greatly reduced cost and complexity.

A nanometre is a billionth of a metre. This patterning technique opens new prospects for developing nanosized objects in fields such as electronics, future chip technology, medicine, life sciences, and optoelectronics.

Chinese Electronics Firm Sues HP,Toshiba

A Chinese electronics company has launched legal action against computer makers Hewlett-Packard and Toshiba over alleged infringements of
its patents, a report said Tuesday.

Beijing Huaqi Information Digital Technology, better known by its brand name Aigo, accused HP and Toshiba of violating six patents for USB Plus, a storage port technology used in many laptop computers, the Financial Times said.

Aigo is seeking one million yuan ($146,500) damages from HP, according to a complaint seen by the newspaper.

Couple in Rajouri questioned on Madhuri Gupta visit to their home

A doctor couple in Rajouri have been questioned by security agencies in connection with the sensational espionage case involving an Indian diplomat, who was arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan.

A team of officials quizzed Dr Khem Raj Sharma and his wife Dr Champa Sharma for nearly two hours in connection with the spying case at Sunderbani in Rajouri district on Thursday night, highly placed sources said.

During questioning, Champa Sharma told interrogators that diplomat Madhuri Gupta had visited her residence in Sunderbani on March 29 for a day after crossing from Pakistan via Wagha border in a Toyota vehicle registered in Pakistan.

HP to buy Palm for $1.2Bn

 Hewlett-Packard Co said it has struck a $1.2 billion deal for Palm Inc, offering a 23 per cent premium to expand into the smartphone market.

The news comes after much speculation on Wall Street about who would buy Palm, which once dominated the market but which has been overshadowed by Apple Inc's iPhone, Research in Motion's BlackBerry and phones that use Google Inc's Android software.

In a sign of Palm's struggles, the company on Wednesday slashed expectations for the current quarter, saying slow sales of its products have resulted in low order volumes from phone carriers. "If you saw the guidance Palm just put out, it was clear they had to sell," said Phil Cusick, analyst at Macquarie Research.

Madhuri Gupta embraced by Islam ?????

Madhuri Gupta, the 53-year-old second secretary arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan, may have embraced Islam about six years ago, a media report has claimed.

Gupta, who was posted at the Indian High Commission in Islamabad, was perhaps a Shia Muslim, according to a media report.

"She was really inspired by the teachings of Islam, but was scared to announce her new faith," reads a report in the Post.

Man posing as a CBI sleuth arrested on molestation charges

A man posing himself as a top law officer of Haryana and a CBI sleuth was arrested on charges of molesting a woman in a hotel in Jaipur, police said.

Sanjiv Kadia, arrested late last night and was booked under various sections of the IPC, was granted bail by a local court, IGP (Jaipur Range) B L Soni said.

During questioning, he had told police that he was an Assistant Advocate General of Haryana and a CBI sleuth, the IGP said.

Two Govt officials arrested over bribery charges

The house of two senior government officials were searched by the Central Bureau of  Investigation (CBI) on Wednesday.

They both stand accused of accepting large bribes.

O Ravi, a Joint Secretary at the Home Ministry, allegedly accepted 25 lakhs from a private distiller to transfer an administrator who was persistent and meticulous about the taxes owed by the distiller.

No 4G for now in India - A.Raja

The government does not have any plans as of now to auction 4G spectrum, Communications Minister A. Raja said on Thursday.

"The auction of 3G spectrum is going on successfully. The question of the need of 700 MHz (4G) spectrum (for the public) is being studied. It is not necessary as of now," Raja said during question hour in the Rajya Sabha.

"If in the course of time, the need arises, we will decide how much of this should be released for the public," he added.

Mallaya Sr meets Sharad Pawar to back Lalit Modi in IPL issue

According to reliable sources, the Royal Challengers owner wanted Mr Pawar to back Mr Lalit Modi and allow him to have his say in the controversy.

After Indian Premier League (IPL) Chairman Lalit Modi met Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar in New Delhi, it was the turn of liquor baron and owner of Royal Challengers Bangalore Vijay Mallya.

Mr. Mallya met Mr. Pawar at his residence here on Saturday to discuss supporting Mr. Modi, and the allegations of match-fixing that dog the event.