Thursday, March 8, 2012
Tuesday, March 6, 2012
Indian fans will get chance to hobnob with David Guetta
Renowned DJ David Guetta is all set for his maiden tour in India later this week and some lucky fans of the music producer have a shot at meeting him.
The 'Club Can't Handle Me' hitmaker will be performing in Gurgaon, Pune and Bangalore and selected fans will get a chance to hobnob with Guetta in a no holds barred access to the artist.
Adding to the excitement, the entire experience with Guetta will be documented and aired on UTV Bindass. "We at UTV Bindass always strive to provide the youth an unmatched music experience and this property 'Fan of the Band' is another step in this direction. The initial response on our Fan of the Band page on FB for Guetta has been overwhelming and we will extend this property by collaborating with the best music talent across the globe," Keith Alphonso, Business Head, UTV Bindass, said in a statement.
The future artistes' line-up for Fan of the Band will see big names in music business like Rihanna and LMFAO.
Share This
Former players want Sachin to keep playing ODIs
New Delhi, Mar 6: Former Indian captain Kapil Dev's view that Sachin Tendulkar should have retired from ODI cricket after the World Cup evoked sharp reactions from former cricketers who said that he was still the "main player" of the team and should be allowed to decide when to retire.Tendulkar's poor form with the bat during the tour of Australia had prompted Kapil to suggest that the champion batsman should give up one form of the game to prolong his Test career.
However, there were other cricketers who felt that Tendulkar could still contribute in the shorter format of the game and calls for his retirement are not warranted.
"Leave Sachin alone. He is still our main player. I don't agree with the people saying that he should retire. He has given enough to the Indian cricket. He deserves all the respect. Leave Sachin alone," former wicket-keeper Kiran More told PTI.
Former Indian captain Gundappa Viswanath was in favour of allowing Tendulkar to decide when he should call it quits. "I have always said it's upto Sachin to decide on his career. I don't want to say anything else or comment on Indian cricket at this moment," he said.
Former captain Bishen Singh Bedi also disagreed with Kapil that Tendulkar should have retired from ODIs after the World Cup. "That's Kapil's opinion. It is Tendulkar's prerogative when he has to call it a day. I don't think, any of us here is in a position to say when Tendulkar should retire," he said.
Former opener Anshuman Gaekwad said Tendulkar should continue playing the ODI format as he is still performing and no youngster is ready to take his place.
"Tell me one good reason why Sachin should retire from ODIs. Is it because he is playing international cricket for more than 20 years? Or is it he has set high standards for so long? Or is it that his 100th international ton is approaching?," Gaekwad asked.
"Sachin has been scoring in 40s and 50s even now. Tell me a youngster who can replace him. Let the youngsters perform and push him out of the team. Youngsters have been inconsistent and patchy," he added.
Kapil, in an article, was also critical of Mahendra Singh Dhoni's captaincy, saying that captain should not only be fair but should appear to be so. Of late, Dhoni has given reasons to raise doubts about him, Kapil pointed out.
Kiran More, however, felt there was nothing wrong in Dhoni's captaincy and there's nobody who can replace him now. "There is nothing wrong in his captaincy. We just played poor, inconsistent cricket. It's a team game why single out the captain. We just didn't have international quality bowling attack to take 20 wickets and win us a Test," More said.
"Zak (Zaheer Khan) was our only main bowler. But he didn't look up to mark to me. There was no other bowler to take four-five wickets consistently. Dhoni is still our best leader. If you want to replace him, where is a replacement? There are a lot of other issues. Bowling and batting are the major concerns," he added.
Gaekwad felt that it was a collective failure of the Indian team in Australia and Dhoni should not be blamed for the debacle.
"First, we should find out the reason for the failure. Go to the bottom of it without blaming the coach or captain. We just didn't apply ourselves there. If you see the history of Indian cricket, whenever we have travelled we have just got better with time. But the case was different in our recent tours to England and Australia," he said.
"There was no performance the bowlers and batsmen didn't at all complement each other. None of them performed. Then how do we blame the captain or coach?" asked the former coach.
Share This
Policemen most likely to be infected with HIV
SUKKUR: Recently released statistics show that 7,574 cases of people carrying the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) have been reported in Pakistan. Out of them, 4,516 are in Sindh alone. Around 147 deaths have been recorded. These figures were revealed by the provincial manager of AIDS Control Programme, Dr Abdul Jabbar Shaikh, at a seminar titled “Workshop with Uniformed Personnel” at the police headquarters in Sukkur on Monday. The aim of the seminar was to create awareness about the condition among policemen. Dr Shaikh acknowledged the tight schedules of policemen, which keep them from their homes for long periods of times, may tempt some of them to resort to unsafe intercourse. In addition to police personnel, drug addicts and people with multiple sex partners, prisoners, sailors and truck drivers are also at a higher risk of getting infected by HIV. So far, 14 HIV cases have been reported in Sukkur, but none of them have showed symptoms related to AIDS yet. Since the treatment for AIDS is quite complicated, prevention is the best and the easiest option available for people. People with HIV/AIDS should not purchase prescription medicines from the market, since they can get them for free from hospitals. He said that the symptoms begin to appear around seven years of contracting the HIV virus and this is why AIDS is also called the silent killer. Unsafe sex, use of unsterilised syringes and other instruments by drug addicts, surgeons and dentists alike and transfusion of unscreened blood can transmit the virus, while it can also be passed on to the baby from its mother. While telling the audience a bit about the history of the condition, Shaikh said that an African sailor was the first person to be diagnosed with the disease on Pakistani soil, in 1986.
Share This
Shilpa Shetty shows off her baby bump
Shilpa Shetty may be due next month but she has obviously not taken her maternity leave yet.
The actress was spotted promoting her IPL team Rajasthan Royals [ Images ], and unveiling a new jersey for them. The IPL Season 5 starts on April 4.
Shilpa looked radiant in blue, as her husband Raj Kundra [ Images ] stood proudly next to her.
The actress was spotted promoting her IPL team Rajasthan Royals [ Images ], and unveiling a new jersey for them. The IPL Season 5 starts on April 4.
Shilpa looked radiant in blue, as her husband Raj Kundra [ Images ] stood proudly next to her.
Share This
Romney and Santorum in Ohio dead heat on the eve of 'Super Tuesday'
Mitt Romney is hoping to lock down the Republican nomination on Tuesday in America’s biggest single day of voting in the unpredictable race to find a challenger to Barack Obama in November’s presidential election.
At stake in the ‘Super Tuesday’ polls across 10 states are nearly one-third of the delegates needed to clinch the nomination – altogether a larger prize than all the previous Republican ballots combined.
But the scale of tomorrow's vote means it also has the capacity to trip-up the notoriously gaffe-prone favourite.
Mr Romney has won four consecutive contests, including Saturday’s caucuses in Washington, and he is counting on the momentum to help crush his pesky opponents by the time the smoke clears tomorrow morning.
The Republican establishment appears to feel the same, with a string of senior party figures, including House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, uniting yesterday behind the multi-millionaire former Massachusetts governor.
The aim is to consolidate Republican support behind Romney and heal the growing rifts that are threatening to hurt the eventual candidate’s ability to beat Obama.
But Rick Santorum and Newt Gingrich, the only two remaining candidates left with any real hopes of closing the gap, have other ideas.
They are squabbling over who is the best hard line conservative to stand against Mr Romney.
Both are hoping that the other does so badly on ‘Super Tuesday’ that they will be forced out of the race, leaving right wingers disgruntled over the frontrunner’s moderate views with just one realistic alternative.
The ballots will stretch from Alaska to America’s southeast, including Ohio, Georgia, Idaho, North Dakota, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Virginia, Vermont and Massachusetts.
‘This is a game of survival,’ conceded Mr Santorum, whose comeback campaign has taken a knock in the most recent primaries.
Mr Romney’s broad, well-disciplined organisation should virtually assure him a bigger share of the delegates than his opponents. Mr Santorum and Mr Gingrich didn’t even collect enough support to qualify to be included on the Virginia ballot, for example.
But Mr Romney has slipped back before when he appeared to be in the driving seat, most notably by irritating voters by flouting the huge fortune he built up as a venture capitalist.
Even as he closes in on the nomination, he is still having trouble endearing himself to the Republican base and even a slight setback tomorrow could have bigger ramifications if the race continues into the spring.
A win by Mr Santorum in the big industrialised state of Ohio would send a signal that Mr Romney is vulnerable, party analysts said last night.
‘Governor Romney, who's outspent all the rest of us by multiples, is a front-runner without any question, but I think he's not a very convincing front-runner, and he's a long way from having closed out this race,’ Mr Gingrich, the former US House Speaker said yesterday.
A convincing win in Georgia, Mr Gingrich’s home state, could also breathe life into his fading campaign.
The fourth remaining candidate, maverick physician Ron Paul, is hoping to pick off some delegates in states like Alaska with more libertarian views.
All told today (Tues), 419 delegates are on offer of the 1,144 needed to secure the nomination. Going into the contests, Mr Romney led with 203 delegates from previous contests, Mr Santorum had 92, Mr Gingrich had 33, and Mr Paul, 25.
At stake in the ‘Super Tuesday’ polls across 10 states are nearly one-third of the delegates needed to clinch the nomination – altogether a larger prize than all the previous Republican ballots combined.
But the scale of tomorrow's vote means it also has the capacity to trip-up the notoriously gaffe-prone favourite.
Battle: Mitt Romney speaks in Ohio - an important battleground for the campaign of Republican presidential candidates, with the state carrying 66 delegates to the Republican National Convention
The Republican establishment appears to feel the same, with a string of senior party figures, including House Majority Leader Eric Cantor, uniting yesterday behind the multi-millionaire former Massachusetts governor.
The aim is to consolidate Republican support behind Romney and heal the growing rifts that are threatening to hurt the eventual candidate’s ability to beat Obama.
Favourite: Supporters of Republican presidential candidate and former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, stand with a puppet of President Barack Obama outside Romney campaign rally
Campaign: Republican presidential candidate and former U.S. Sen. Rick Santorum speaks during a campaign rally at an American Legion in Ohio ahead of Super Tuesday
They are squabbling over who is the best hard line conservative to stand against Mr Romney.
Both are hoping that the other does so badly on ‘Super Tuesday’ that they will be forced out of the race, leaving right wingers disgruntled over the frontrunner’s moderate views with just one realistic alternative.
The ballots will stretch from Alaska to America’s southeast, including Ohio, Georgia, Idaho, North Dakota, Tennessee, Oklahoma, Virginia, Vermont and Massachusetts.
‘This is a game of survival,’ conceded Mr Santorum, whose comeback campaign has taken a knock in the most recent primaries.
But Mr Romney has slipped back before when he appeared to be in the driving seat, most notably by irritating voters by flouting the huge fortune he built up as a venture capitalist.
Even as he closes in on the nomination, he is still having trouble endearing himself to the Republican base and even a slight setback tomorrow could have bigger ramifications if the race continues into the spring.
A win by Mr Santorum in the big industrialised state of Ohio would send a signal that Mr Romney is vulnerable, party analysts said last night.
Struggle: A convincing win in Georgia, Mr Gingrich¿s home state, could breathe life into his fading campaign
Libertarian: Maverick physician Ron Paul is hoping to pick off some delegates in states like Alaska with more libertarian views
A convincing win in Georgia, Mr Gingrich’s home state, could also breathe life into his fading campaign.
The fourth remaining candidate, maverick physician Ron Paul, is hoping to pick off some delegates in states like Alaska with more libertarian views.
All told today (Tues), 419 delegates are on offer of the 1,144 needed to secure the nomination. Going into the contests, Mr Romney led with 203 delegates from previous contests, Mr Santorum had 92, Mr Gingrich had 33, and Mr Paul, 25.
Share This
Narendra Modi protests ban on cotton exports in letter to Prime Minister
Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi on Monday dashed off a letter to the Prime Minister protesting the ban on cotton exports announced by the Central government. In a strongly-worded letter, Modi has said that the Centre must refrain from "playing" with the economic interests of farmers of Gujarat, and demanded to know why decisions of such importance were taken without consulting the affected states.
"Such arbitrary decisions affect the economic interests of Gujarat cotton farmers the most. Immediately, revoke the ban imposed by the government of India on cotton exports," Modi said in his letter to the PM.
"Does the Centre have no regard for the rights of state farmers? By prohibiting the export of cotton, the UPA government is trying to make Gujarat farmers into paupers. This conspiracy by the UPA government against Gujarat farmers will cost the UPA dear," he further said.
Modi has pointed out that last year, a similar decision by the government cost farmers of Gujarat Rs.14,000 crore and a policy reversal at a later stage caused further losses when farmers were forced to sell their cotton at throwaway prices. "The Shankar variety of cotton from Gujarat must be kept out of the purview of such policies as it has a huge international demand. Gujarat contributed 116 lakh bales of cotton out of the 365 lakh bales India produces annually. When such a ban was imposed last year, China took great advantage of this move when the immense profits could have easily gone to the Indian farmers," Modi added.
This is the third objection by the chief minister to a policy decision of the Central government after National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) and the changes in Railway Protection Forces (RPF) Act.
Although the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) in the ministry of commerce announced the ban with immediate effect, agriculture minister Sharad Pawar was unaware of the move.
Pawar told reporters, "I have not heard about it and I am coming to know about it from you." Explaining the rationale for the ban, the textile ministry, which is also under the additional charge of commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma, said the decision was taken in view of exports in the current marketing year (October-September) exceeding the surplus by 10 lakh bales. Exportable surplus for year was pegged at 84 lakh bales.
Besides, the sudden rush for registration of export contracts was indicative of hoarding by Indian traders abroad, it said.
In some cases, letter of credits have been registered where the name of exporting and importing party is the same. This is indicative of a tendency of hoarding in bonded warehouses abroad.
A US Department of Agriculture report has lowered India's cotton production estimates by about 7.5 lakh bales to 342.5 lakh bales during the current marketing year (October-September). One bales contains 170 kg of cotton. In 2010-11, India's cotton production was 33 million (330 lakh) bales. The forecast has been downsized due to an estimated lower production in Maharashtra, where weather conditions have been less than favourable for the crop's growth.
India, the world's secondlargest cotton producer, has already exported 85 lakh bales as against 70 lakh bales last year. Textile mills consumption estimate has been revised up to 216 lakh bales for the current season from 210 lakh bales.
"Such arbitrary decisions affect the economic interests of Gujarat cotton farmers the most. Immediately, revoke the ban imposed by the government of India on cotton exports," Modi said in his letter to the PM.
"Does the Centre have no regard for the rights of state farmers? By prohibiting the export of cotton, the UPA government is trying to make Gujarat farmers into paupers. This conspiracy by the UPA government against Gujarat farmers will cost the UPA dear," he further said.
Modi has pointed out that last year, a similar decision by the government cost farmers of Gujarat Rs.14,000 crore and a policy reversal at a later stage caused further losses when farmers were forced to sell their cotton at throwaway prices. "The Shankar variety of cotton from Gujarat must be kept out of the purview of such policies as it has a huge international demand. Gujarat contributed 116 lakh bales of cotton out of the 365 lakh bales India produces annually. When such a ban was imposed last year, China took great advantage of this move when the immense profits could have easily gone to the Indian farmers," Modi added.
This is the third objection by the chief minister to a policy decision of the Central government after National Counter Terrorism Centre (NCTC) and the changes in Railway Protection Forces (RPF) Act.
Although the Directorate General of Foreign Trade (DGFT) in the ministry of commerce announced the ban with immediate effect, agriculture minister Sharad Pawar was unaware of the move.
Pawar told reporters, "I have not heard about it and I am coming to know about it from you." Explaining the rationale for the ban, the textile ministry, which is also under the additional charge of commerce and industry minister Anand Sharma, said the decision was taken in view of exports in the current marketing year (October-September) exceeding the surplus by 10 lakh bales. Exportable surplus for year was pegged at 84 lakh bales.
Besides, the sudden rush for registration of export contracts was indicative of hoarding by Indian traders abroad, it said.
In some cases, letter of credits have been registered where the name of exporting and importing party is the same. This is indicative of a tendency of hoarding in bonded warehouses abroad.
A US Department of Agriculture report has lowered India's cotton production estimates by about 7.5 lakh bales to 342.5 lakh bales during the current marketing year (October-September). One bales contains 170 kg of cotton. In 2010-11, India's cotton production was 33 million (330 lakh) bales. The forecast has been downsized due to an estimated lower production in Maharashtra, where weather conditions have been less than favourable for the crop's growth.
India, the world's secondlargest cotton producer, has already exported 85 lakh bales as against 70 lakh bales last year. Textile mills consumption estimate has been revised up to 216 lakh bales for the current season from 210 lakh bales.
Share This
Election results: Family matters - Yadavs take clear lead in UP; Badals may keep Punjab
New Delhi/Lucknow: Mulayam Singh Yadav, 72, not Akhilesh Yadav, 39, will be the new Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister. The Samajwadi Party is home in UP, leading in 195 seats, within striking distance of a simple majority at noon. In Punjab, another father-son duo is making history - the Badals of the Shiromani Akali Dal seem set to get a majority, the first ever to keep power in the state. (Assembly Elections 2012: Live Trends)The Congress and the BJP both admit some introspection is called for. The two national parties are slugging it out for top honours in Uttarakhand, but in neighbouring UP they are fighting for the number three and number four slot. The day's biggest loser, Mayawati, is a poor second in UP, with her BSP crawling up and stretching to touch 100 seats. In 2007, the BSP had 206 and became the first party since 1991 to get a majority on its own in UP. Mayawati will meet the Governor at 3.30 pm and is expected to resign. (Bad day for Congress, worse for the BJP?)
In Lucknow, Akhilesh Yadav, who attempted a successful image makeover for the SP, is the man of the moment. Underplaying his role, he said the entire SP had won the day together. He thanked the people for "believing in the SP...people across caste and community voted for the SP," he said.
Importantly, Akhilesh Yadav is not ruling out an alliance with anyone, including the Congress, yet to make up the numbers it could stop short of. "We will decide once we know our numbers," said the SP's UP president. For his father, this will be a fourth term as Chief Minister. The dancing crowds and sea of red Gandhi caps outside the SP office in Lucknow tell that story; the deserted BSP office is a striking contrast. (For Akhilesh Yadav, mission accomplished) The Congress' fortunes have swung wildly through the morning, but the report card so far reads - fighting for number three with the BJP in UP, down in Punjab, down in Goa, neck and neck with the BJP in Uttarakhand. And it is keeping Manipur. In UP the party has doubled its tally from the 22 it had in 2007.
In early trends, the BJP had seemed the surprise package of UP but is now settling down to a better-than-before-but-not-quite-there performance. Party leader Sudheendra Kulkarni described it as a "wasted opportunity." The Congress has doubled its tally of 22 in 2007, but is it of any consequence? Party spokesman Rashid Alvi said "whatever verdict has been given by the people, we have accepted....It was against our expectations and we will find out where we have gone wrong".
Rahul Gandhi's lieutenants in UP all prefaced counting day with the assertion that if Congress did well in UP, it was the Rahul magic working. But if it failed, it was all their fault. UP Congress chief Rita Bahugana said that this morning. But these elections were a public test for Rahul's political equity and seven years of focusing on UP. Analysts say that the mandalisation of the Congress, which aggressively played the Muslim quota card, might have gifted it. (Will Congress admit Rahul Gandhi under-performed in UP?)
Punjab has a long tradition of voting out whoever is in power. The Shiromani Akali Dal looks poised to change that statistic now, but by the slimmest of margins. Akali ally the BJP has lost significantly in the state. But Captain Amarinder Singh, who said yesterday that he was cooking the Akali goose, may have to eat his words.
Goa saw a huge turnout - over 82 per cent. Poll pundits say that there could be a BJP comeback after five years of Congress-NCP rule. Very early trends from the two Goa centres are in keeping with that projection.
In Uttarakhand, the efforts and clean image of BJP Chief Minister BC Khanduri have been universally appreciated and though analysts across said the party might have brought him in too late to keep the state, the BJP and the Congress are neck and neck. Mr Khanduri was brought in by the BJP only in September last to try and obliterate the taints of corruption that the party needed to obliterate and the Congress has smelt a comeback chance in the hill state.
The Congress will keep Manipur.
Share This
Saturday, March 3, 2012
Proteas whitewash Kiwis
South Africa beat New Zealand by five wickets in the third one-day international on Saturday, sweeping the series 3-0 to take a firm psychological advantage into the three-test series starting on Wednesday.
Marchant de Lange took 4-46 as South Africa bowled out New Zealand for 206 in 47 overs, dismissing the home side inside 50 overs for the second-straight match.
In reply, South Africa coasted to victory with 40 balls to spare, with opener Hashim Amla again being the top scorer with 76.
Captain A.B. de Villiers clinched the win with a six from the second ball of the 44th over.
South Africa won both of the first two one-day internationals by six wickets and has now won five straight matches against New Zealand after winning the three-match Twenty20 series 2-1.
New Zealand made a slow start to its innings in uncertain weather conditions and never recovered. It was only 29-1 after 10 overs, compared to South Africa’s 57-0 at the same stage.
Captain Brendon McCullum top-scored for New Zealand with 47 from 59 balls and allrounders James Franklin and Colin de Grandhomme the latter on debut both made 36 in a 55-run partnership which encompassed the batting powerplay.
But New Zealand’s innings never gained any real momentum. It was broken after 35 overs at 140-4 by a 30-minute rain interruption, but was always in the thrall of an outstanding South African bowling and fielding performance.
The Proteas’ opening bowlers Dale Steyn and Lonwabo Tstosobe bowled tightly through the first 10 overs, taking the wicket of Martin Guptill. Speedsters de Lange and Dale Steyn then kept the pressure on through the middle of the innings and spinner Robin Peterson followed up well, claiming the last two wickets to fall.
South Africa faced no similar pressure when it came to bat. Amla and Wayne Parnell put on 80 for the first wicket in just over 15 overs New Zealand had been 46-2 at the same point and Amla put on an additional 58 for the second wicket with Albie Morkel (41).
New Zealand limited the extent of the defeat when spinner Rob Nicol claimed the quick wickets of Faf du Plessis and J.P. Duminy. But South Africa’s depth ensured the victory was never in doubt and de Villiers was again on hand to see the winning runs scored.
“South Africa was just too good for us really,” McCullum said. “We’ve seen some great teams come to our shores over the years but their side is as good as I’ve seen in my time.
“When you’re up against good teams you can’t afford to take your foot off the throat at any stage and when we did they exposed us.”
Share This
Gulbarg Society massacre case: Gujarat court rejects Zakia Jafri's plea
Ahmedabad: A magisterial court in Ahmedabad rejected Zakia Jafri's plea to open the Special Investigation Team (SIT) report on the Gulbarg Society massacre during the 2002 Gujarat riots in court. The court has said that the SIT will submit its final report on March 15 and Zakia Jafri can apply for a copy of the report after March 15.
Zakia Jafri and Teesta Setalvad-led Citizens for Justice and Peace filed an application in the Metropolitan Court in Ahmedabad stating that they have an apprehension that the SIT has not filed the complete report in the Gulbarg Society massacre case as directed by the Supreme Court. They wanted to know whether they will be allowed to read the SIT report in the courtroom or not. Sources said that the agency had found no prosecutable evidence against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi in the Gulbarg Society massacre.
The petitions were filed by Setalvad and lawyer Mukul Sinha seeking the copies of the SIT report filed in the Gulbarg case. Metropolitan Magistrate MS Bhatt had said that he would study the report and then pass appropriate order in the case while issuing a notice to the SIT in the case.
The petitioners had alleged that amicus curiae Raju Ramachandran's statements and findings have not been included in the report as it were different from that of the SIT's. Citizen for Justice and Peace's lawyer SM Vora said that they want the entire SIT report should be placed before the court.
After the SIT placed its report before the court in which it found no prosecutable evidence against Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, Zakia had said that she would fight back.
Her husband Ehsan Jafri was among the 69 people killed in the Gulbarg Society during the 2002 Gujarat riots. The final report was submitted in a sealed envelope by SIT officials in the Ahmedabad court as directed by the Supreme Court.
Around 1,200 people were killed in the communal riots in the state following the torching of S6 bogie of the Sabarmati Express train near Godhra station on February 27, 2002 in which at least 59 karsewaks returning from Ayodhya were burnt to death.
A petition was filed against Modi and 62 others by Zakia Jafri demanding his prosecution in the riots that followed the Godhra carnage.
Share This
Sensex down 300 points as profit-booking continues
Traders picked up from where they left last week, booking profits in stocks which had rallied in the past few weeks. A benchmark for Indian markets on Monday was ruling 300 points lower around noon with realty and capital goods scrips leading the losers pack.
The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 17,975.19 points, was ruling at 17,621.74 points, 301.83 points or 1.68 per cent down from its previous close at 17,923.57 points.
The 50-scrip S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange was trading lower at 5,355.95 points, down 93.55 points or 1.72 per cent from its previous close.
Broader markets were also in the red, with the BSE 500 index trading 1.64 per cent lower. The BSE midcap index was down 2.2 per cent while the BSE smallcap index was trading 2.1 per cent lower.
As per the sectoral indices on the BSE, realty, capital goods and metal stocks were among the biggest losers. FMCG scrips were on the rise.
Prominent gainers on the 30-scrip Sensex included Jindal Steel, BHEL, L&T, RIL and ICICI Bank, while among the losers were Cipla, ITC and HUL.
The market breadth was negative with 619 stocks advancing, 1,902 on the decline and 99 unchanged.
Share This
Centre puts off meet on NCTC to March 12
The home ministry has postponed a meeting of top police and civil officials of all states scheduled for March 9 to end the logjam on NCTC and it will now be held on March 12.
The meeting of the chief secretaries, directors general of police, state home secretaries and chiefs of state Anti-Terror Squads was convened by the Union Home Secretary to discuss in detail the scope and functions of the NCTC.
Home Ministry officials said the decision to rescheduled the conference to March 12 has been taken following requests from several states that due to Holi festival and a long week-end, many of the officials would not be able to attend the meeting.
Some of them also conveyed their inability to attend the crucial meeting on March 9 citing the short notice given to them and pre-schduled engagements.
In the wake of strong protests by non-Congress Chief Ministers, the Centre has put on hold the operationalisation of the National Counter Terrorism Centre from March 1 and decided to discuss with the state governments before going ahead with the plan.
In his letter to 10 Chief Ministers, Home Minister P. Chidambaram had assured that the "next steps" on NCTC will be taken only after the meeting of the top officials of the states.
The Home Ministry officials are expected to allay the apprehensions of the states which said empowering NCTC with Section 43 (A) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act would infringe on the state's powers. Section 43(A) of UA(P)A gives an officer power to arrest and search.
Chidambaram had said the powers conferred under Section 43(A) of the UA(P) Act must be read with the duty under Section 43 (B) to produce the person or article without unnecessary delay before the nearest police station (which will be under the state government), and the SHO of the police station will take further action in accordance with the provisions of the CrPC.
"I am confident that this meeting will find a way forward. My note (sent to the Chief Ministers) is self explanatory. I think the note should, I believe, have allayed many of the apprehensions including apprehensions of a section of the media and therefore let us hope that the meeting convened by the HS will find a way forward," he had said.
However, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who spearheaded protests by over a dozen Chief Ministers on the issue of setting up of NCTC on the ground that it would erode states' powers, in his third letter on NCTC to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh opposed the government calling the meeting of top state officials.
"It is imperative that instead of a meeting chaired by the Union Home Secretary, an immediate meeting of Chief Ministers may be called by you to address the concerns of the states on this very urgent matter regarding the security of the nation," he told the Prime Minister.
The meeting of the chief secretaries, directors general of police, state home secretaries and chiefs of state Anti-Terror Squads was convened by the Union Home Secretary to discuss in detail the scope and functions of the NCTC.
Home Ministry officials said the decision to rescheduled the conference to March 12 has been taken following requests from several states that due to Holi festival and a long week-end, many of the officials would not be able to attend the meeting.
Some of them also conveyed their inability to attend the crucial meeting on March 9 citing the short notice given to them and pre-schduled engagements.
In the wake of strong protests by non-Congress Chief Ministers, the Centre has put on hold the operationalisation of the National Counter Terrorism Centre from March 1 and decided to discuss with the state governments before going ahead with the plan.
In his letter to 10 Chief Ministers, Home Minister P. Chidambaram had assured that the "next steps" on NCTC will be taken only after the meeting of the top officials of the states.
The Home Ministry officials are expected to allay the apprehensions of the states which said empowering NCTC with Section 43 (A) of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act would infringe on the state's powers. Section 43(A) of UA(P)A gives an officer power to arrest and search.
Chidambaram had said the powers conferred under Section 43(A) of the UA(P) Act must be read with the duty under Section 43 (B) to produce the person or article without unnecessary delay before the nearest police station (which will be under the state government), and the SHO of the police station will take further action in accordance with the provisions of the CrPC.
"I am confident that this meeting will find a way forward. My note (sent to the Chief Ministers) is self explanatory. I think the note should, I believe, have allayed many of the apprehensions including apprehensions of a section of the media and therefore let us hope that the meeting convened by the HS will find a way forward," he had said.
However, Odisha Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik, who spearheaded protests by over a dozen Chief Ministers on the issue of setting up of NCTC on the ground that it would erode states' powers, in his third letter on NCTC to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh opposed the government calling the meeting of top state officials.
"It is imperative that instead of a meeting chaired by the Union Home Secretary, an immediate meeting of Chief Ministers may be called by you to address the concerns of the states on this very urgent matter regarding the security of the nation," he told the Prime Minister.
Share This
Kingfisher crisis: 40 more accounts frozen
New Delhi: There seems to be no end to the woes of crisis-hit Kingfisher Airlines. Forty more bank accounts of the airlines have been frozen by the Service Tax Department. The Service Tax Commissioner said Kingfisher Airlines owes Rs 40 crore in tax arrears.
Earlier on Friday, reports said that seven accounts of the beleaguered airline were been attached by the Service Tax Department. The Service Tax Department had also attached 37 accounts of Kingfisher before this.
Kingfisher had promised to pay about Rs 1 crore each day, but that didn't happen so, the Service Tax Department has frozen the company’s accounts. The Service Tax Department is also contemplating attachment of Kingfisher's properties following the company's failure to pay dues before March 31, 2011.
This is over and above the Income Tax department freezing its accounts. The company has already defaults of about Rs 300 crore to the I-T department.
Salaries have not been paid for the last two months. There are possibilities of pilots going on a strike; however no official announcement has been about this yet.
The company needs to arrange for this amount and equity infusion that banks are demanding.
Earlier on Friday, reports said that seven accounts of the beleaguered airline were been attached by the Service Tax Department. The Service Tax Department had also attached 37 accounts of Kingfisher before this.
Kingfisher had promised to pay about Rs 1 crore each day, but that didn't happen so, the Service Tax Department has frozen the company’s accounts. The Service Tax Department is also contemplating attachment of Kingfisher's properties following the company's failure to pay dues before March 31, 2011.
Salaries have not been paid for the last two months. There are possibilities of pilots going on a strike; however no official announcement has been about this yet.
The company needs to arrange for this amount and equity infusion that banks are demanding.
Share This
Thursday, March 1, 2012
In Jab At Intel, Advanced Micro Agrees To Buy SeaMicro For $334 Million
Jamming a stick in the eye of rival Intel, Advanced Micro Devices said Wednesday it has agreed to buy micro-server vendor and Intel customer SeaMicro in a deal worth $334 million.
SeaMicro has attacked the server market with a design that pairs Intel processors with custom chips that let the eighty-employee company put processor and memory onto a board the size of a credit card. The result: SeaMicro can cram 512 Intel Atom processor cores into a box no bigger than a dorm-room fridge.
It’s an approach Intel managers said could grab as much as 10% of the server market when SeaMicro unveiled a new server design last month. The SM10000-XE is built around Intel’s Xeon server processors and Samsung’s memory chips.
The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based startup has targeted companies with intensive computing needs, including intelligence agencies, financial companies, and web companies. SeaMicro’s more than 50 customers include eHarmony, Skype, and Mozilla.
The acquisition is the first major deal for AMD Chief Executive Rory Read, who joined the company in August. Read has emphasized ‘execution’ at a company plagued with technology glitches, including manufacturing problems that caused AMD to miss a chance to get its processors into Apple’s hot-selling MacBook Air, former employees say (see “After Years Of Hard Knocks, AMD Honing Its Killer Instinct“).
Wednesday’s announcement puts AMD in the awkward position of competing with some of its customers with products built using a competitor’s processors. In a statement, AMD said it remains “firmly committed,” to SeaMicro’s server business. But AMD will also offer SeaMicro’s technology to server vendors who use AMD’s products, said Lisa Su, general manager for AMD’s global business units. “We’re looking for ways to really change the game,” Su told a group of reporters at AMD’s Sunnyvale, Calif. offices.
While AMD announced plans to incorporate its Opteron server processor into SeaMicro’s designs by the second half of 2012, over time AMD could pair a wide array of processors with SeaMicro’s technology. Last month, AMD Chief Technology Officer Mark Papermaster unveiled an “ambidextrous” strategy that will allow AMD to mix its own graphics and processor designs with intellectual property owned by other companies. “This is a server building block, this is a technology building block, it provides a very significant capability to our own customers,” Papermaster said Wednesday.
While snapping up SeaMicro is sure to cause consternation at Intel, new competitors are threatening to move from building processors for smart phones to building chips for more sophisticated tasks. Late last year UK processor design house ARM, whose licensees include Samsung, Apple, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, and Nvidia, detailed plans to attack the server market with a new processor architecture, dubbed ARMv8, able to gulp down 64-bits of data at a time.
Last year, AMD and Intel customer Hewlett-Packard announced a partnership with Calxeda, which is designing ARM-based server processors. And Samsung has recruited former AMD processor designer Keith Hawkins to work on its own effort to build server chips, former AMD employees say.
At the same time, AMD’s customers are facing a squeeze, with some major customers ordering custom servers directly from overseas contract manufacturers. “What we could do is enable our OEM [original equipment manufacturer] customers to deliver something that is profoundly different so that their customers could not cut them out and go directly to an ODM,” said SeaMicro Chief Executive Andrew Feldman.
Feldman acknowledged there were “multiple other bidders,” for Sea Micro, not all of them semiconductor companies. Feldman will become general manager of the data center servers and solutions business at AMD, reporting to Lisa Su. SeaMicro’s 80 employees will join AMD. AMD plans to close the SeaMicro deal in March.
AMD will play $334 million for Sea Micro, including $281 million in cash. SeaMicro investors include Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Khosla Ventures and Crosslink Capital. It has also received a $9.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.
SeaMicro has attacked the server market with a design that pairs Intel processors with custom chips that let the eighty-employee company put processor and memory onto a board the size of a credit card. The result: SeaMicro can cram 512 Intel Atom processor cores into a box no bigger than a dorm-room fridge.
It’s an approach Intel managers said could grab as much as 10% of the server market when SeaMicro unveiled a new server design last month. The SM10000-XE is built around Intel’s Xeon server processors and Samsung’s memory chips.
The Sunnyvale, Calif.-based startup has targeted companies with intensive computing needs, including intelligence agencies, financial companies, and web companies. SeaMicro’s more than 50 customers include eHarmony, Skype, and Mozilla.
The acquisition is the first major deal for AMD Chief Executive Rory Read, who joined the company in August. Read has emphasized ‘execution’ at a company plagued with technology glitches, including manufacturing problems that caused AMD to miss a chance to get its processors into Apple’s hot-selling MacBook Air, former employees say (see “After Years Of Hard Knocks, AMD Honing Its Killer Instinct“).
Wednesday’s announcement puts AMD in the awkward position of competing with some of its customers with products built using a competitor’s processors. In a statement, AMD said it remains “firmly committed,” to SeaMicro’s server business. But AMD will also offer SeaMicro’s technology to server vendors who use AMD’s products, said Lisa Su, general manager for AMD’s global business units. “We’re looking for ways to really change the game,” Su told a group of reporters at AMD’s Sunnyvale, Calif. offices.
While AMD announced plans to incorporate its Opteron server processor into SeaMicro’s designs by the second half of 2012, over time AMD could pair a wide array of processors with SeaMicro’s technology. Last month, AMD Chief Technology Officer Mark Papermaster unveiled an “ambidextrous” strategy that will allow AMD to mix its own graphics and processor designs with intellectual property owned by other companies. “This is a server building block, this is a technology building block, it provides a very significant capability to our own customers,” Papermaster said Wednesday.
While snapping up SeaMicro is sure to cause consternation at Intel, new competitors are threatening to move from building processors for smart phones to building chips for more sophisticated tasks. Late last year UK processor design house ARM, whose licensees include Samsung, Apple, Qualcomm, Texas Instruments, and Nvidia, detailed plans to attack the server market with a new processor architecture, dubbed ARMv8, able to gulp down 64-bits of data at a time.
Last year, AMD and Intel customer Hewlett-Packard announced a partnership with Calxeda, which is designing ARM-based server processors. And Samsung has recruited former AMD processor designer Keith Hawkins to work on its own effort to build server chips, former AMD employees say.
At the same time, AMD’s customers are facing a squeeze, with some major customers ordering custom servers directly from overseas contract manufacturers. “What we could do is enable our OEM [original equipment manufacturer] customers to deliver something that is profoundly different so that their customers could not cut them out and go directly to an ODM,” said SeaMicro Chief Executive Andrew Feldman.
Feldman acknowledged there were “multiple other bidders,” for Sea Micro, not all of them semiconductor companies. Feldman will become general manager of the data center servers and solutions business at AMD, reporting to Lisa Su. SeaMicro’s 80 employees will join AMD. AMD plans to close the SeaMicro deal in March.
AMD will play $334 million for Sea Micro, including $281 million in cash. SeaMicro investors include Draper Fisher Jurvetson, Khosla Ventures and Crosslink Capital. It has also received a $9.3 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy.
Share This
UK animation industry 'at risk'
The British animation industry, which has spawned favourites from Bagpuss to Bob the Builder, is at risk of terminal decline, leading animators have warned.
Animation UK, a lobby group backed by prominent studios, has met Chancellor George Osborne to urge him to introduce tax breaks in next month's budget.They have told him the industry is at a "critical tipping point" and could disappear from the UK within years.
They say foreign tax breaks and other factors make it cheaper to work abroad.
Animation UK said their meeting with Mr Osborne was "positive and productive".
It follows a warning from Wallace and Gromit animators Aardman, which said it was considering moving production overseas because it was too expensive in the UK.
'Important role' In France, government funds and tax breaks account for almost 20% of production budgets, while Irish tax relief is worth up to 28%. In Canada, tax credits and other public support accounted for 47% of budgets in 2009/10.
A Treasury spokesman said the government recognised "the important role that all businesses - including those in the animation sector - have in building a strong, sustainable and balanced economy".
The government has already taken steps to help businesses by lowering corporation tax and widening measures to stimulate investment, he said.
Here, leading figures of the British animation industry explain why they believe it will be a struggle to ensure future children's favourites are made in the UK.
Anne Wood, Ragdoll Productions
Anne Wood co-created Teletubbies and Rosie and Jim. Her latest animations, The Adventures of Abney & Teal and Dipdap, made their debuts on CBeebies last year.
Wood was made a CBE for services to children's broadcasting in 2000 "When I started, I was one of the first independent companies and we made for Channel 4. You got your full production costs plus a production fee. Now you're lucky to get 15-20% of your production costs and you have to go out and find the other 80%."
The BBC is the only British broadcaster left that spends significant sums on new programmes, she says. "You've got all of these extra channels but the money for content has gone down."
It is cheaper for TV channels to buy programmes made in countries with tax breaks or in the US, she says.
"We are then abandoning ourselves to North American culture because in North America it's such a big market, so people can make their money back in their home market and let it come over here cheaper."
Ms Wood's company Ragdoll tried once to outsource animation to India, where labour costs are lower, but describes that as "a complete disaster" because she had less control over the outcome.
"You lose the confidence and you lose the flair. We have confidence and flair in the UK and that is what's going," she said, adding: "I'm deeply concerned that that heritage and wealth of talent is being eroded to the point of almost disappearing."
Andrew Haydon, Chapman Entertainment
Chapman Entertainment created Fifi and the Flowertots and Roary the Racing Car, and director and co-founder Andrew Haydon says three developments have conspired against UK animators.
Fifi and the Flowertots is shown on Five in the UK and Nick Jr in the US "If you put those three together then it just doesn't make it work," he says.
Of the company's creations, Fifi and the Flowertots, Roary the Racing Car and Raa Raa the Noisy Lion have been animated in Altrincham, Cheshire, with Little Charley Bear made at Pinewood Studios, Buckinghamshire.
The desire to retain the same styles of animation means there is an "overriding need" to keep those shows in the UK, he says.
But the company's founder Keith Chapman, who created Bob the Builder, has been taking new ideas to producers in Canada.
"With brand new ones you'd be slightly mad to be doing it in the UK without a tax break or some sort of benefit," Mr Haydon says.
"If we do something that's new, it will be a co-production and it will be an overseas production."
Francis Fitzpatrick, Cosgrove Hall Fitzpatrick
Cosgrove Hall was an animation institution, making classics including Danger Mouse, The Wind in the Willows and Chorlton and the Wheelies in its Manchester studios.
Cosgrove Hall Fitzpatrick is now run by (l to r) Brian Cosgrove, Francis Fitzpatrick and Simon Hall So at a time when the rest of the industry is talking doom and gloom, why are they going back into animation?
Mr Fitzpatrick replies: "Sometimes when things are difficult, the flip side of that is that no one else is starting so there's massive opportunity."
Their new flagship show Pip! will be made in Manchester, he promises. But the UK has "a big hill to climb" to compete with countries like Canada, Ireland and France, he says.
"If you spend £1 in Ireland, you will get an immediate tax return of 28p. A French production company can attract up to 70% of the funding [from the government].
"It's very challenging [in the UK]. Yes it is viable, but it would be so much better if it was on a level playing field.
"If there was more government support, I think you'd find more Thomas the Tanks, more Peppa Pigs, and the upside of that is massive boosts in revenues to the exchequer."
Phil Davies, Astley Baker Davies
Animation trio Astley Baker Davies are best known for creating Peppa Pig, which is broadcast in 180 countries.
Phil Davies, Mark Baker and Neville Astley (l to r) have won Bafta Awards for Peppa Pig "The directors of tomorrow had natural homes to go to in short film-making when they left college, and that seems to have completely disappeared now," Davies says.
The firm's shows, which also include Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom, are made at their base in Regent Street, London.
"We have a piece of bespoke animation software that we use to animate our series, and without that we just couldn't afford to do it over here," Davies explains.
"Before we would have needed 100 or 120 people. Now we've got 30 people. As film-makers we want to be in work and making something, so it's a matter of finding new and novel ways to carry on with production."
Davies says he knows "many, many people" who have been lured to countries like Ireland and Canada and his company has been offered "fantastic deals" to move production abroad.
He has resisted so far because "it's fantastically difficult to animate at arm's length". But he adds: "The next series or the next film that we do? I think the jury's out."
Curtis Jobling
Curtis Jobling, who designed Bob the Builder and created Frankenstein's Cat, describes himself as a "freelance creative", coming up with ideas for shows.
Bob the Builder has been broadcast in more than 250 territories in 45 languages "I was trying to get my shows picked up and developed by studios but I was getting a great deal of feedback from producers saying they'd love to work with me, but they can't because they've got a limited budget to work to," he says.
"Rather than looking overseas I've actually concentrated on the publishing side of things. I've been writing novels for the past couple of years and it hasn't been as attritional as developing animations can sometimes be.
"It is sad when you hear about people going overseas to find work. It's people throughout the industry - jobbing animators, right the way through the production process, to designers and the people who come up with the concepts.
"I know a couple of people who do a similar role to me, coming up with ideas for shows, who now just work out of LA. They've gone over there and they don't bother knocking on doors in the UK any more."
Share This
Segmented sleep: Ten strange things people do at night
Most people, when they go to bed, aim to sleep until the morning - but some wake up and are active in the middle of the night.
Last week, we published a story about the myth that an eight-hour sleep is necessary for good health. In response, 10 people told us how they sleep in two separate chunks - and what they do in between.
Brennan Wenck-Reilly, 36, San Francisco, US
I spent two years living high in the Andes in a town that had no electricity where I went to sleep and rose with the sun. Now I naturally wake around 01:00 or 02:00 and then become tired again around 03:00 and sleep until 07:00 or so.
My friends have always made fun of my sleep pattern and my wife used to force me to get out of bed as my lying there would disturb her.
I've decided to use this time creatively and run around San Francisco taking pictures in the night. We just had a small storm pass through the city, so there are some cool clouds in the sky. I have been itching to go out.
Last week, we published a story about the myth that an eight-hour sleep is necessary for good health. In response, 10 people told us how they sleep in two separate chunks - and what they do in between.
Take photos of the city
I spent two years living high in the Andes in a town that had no electricity where I went to sleep and rose with the sun. Now I naturally wake around 01:00 or 02:00 and then become tired again around 03:00 and sleep until 07:00 or so.
My friends have always made fun of my sleep pattern and my wife used to force me to get out of bed as my lying there would disturb her.
I've decided to use this time creatively and run around San Francisco taking pictures in the night. We just had a small storm pass through the city, so there are some cool clouds in the sky. I have been itching to go out.
Share This
Encounter with Italian tanker scars survivors
India and Italy are scrambling to defuse a diplomatic row over the deaths of two Indian fisherman mistaken for pirates by Italian marines guarding an oil tanker. Supriya Menon has been speaking to the fishermen's crewmates and family in the southern Indian state of Kerala.
Fisherman J Fredy was asleep on board the trawler St Antony when he first heard gun shots."I suddenly saw my colleague Valentine who was steering the boat slumped over the wheel with blood oozing from his ear and nose and thought he was sick.
"It was only later that I noticed gun shots. I didn't stop to think and just steered the boat away from the gunfire trying to get far away from the big ship that I saw."
The big ship that Fredy is referring to is the Enrica Lexie, the Italian oil tanker that was on its way from Singapore to Egypt with a crew of 34.
Walking me around the small fishing boat, 30-year-old Fredy points out bullet marks. He says he is still terrified thinking about the incident and considers himself fortunate to be alive.
"In my 10-year-long fishing career I have never come across something like this. I don't want to go back to the sea now. I am scared and so is my family. Earlier it used to be fun to be out in the ocean, now there is no guarantee that I will come back alive."
The St Antony is now docked, guarded on all sides by police boats.
Compensation claim
Fisherman J Fredy says he is afraid to go back out to sea after the deaths of two crewmates Since his death, the family has had several high-profile visitors, including India's Defence Minister AK Antony.
Valentine's wife Dora says she wants justice for her family and has asked the government to ensure the safety of fishermen out at sea.
The family has filed a compensation claim of 10m rupees ($200,000; £126,000) from the Italian shipping company.
Their lawyer, C Unnikrishnan says they will ask for a larger sum.
"Our claim is only $200,000 which is [low by] international standards. We are planning to amend it and ask for at least $500,000."
There are now indications that the matter may be settled out of court.
The fishing boat the St Antony bears the scars of the encounter with the Italian oil tanker The incident has also triggered a debate on the wider issue of piracy in the Indian ocean.
The Indian government is now looking at changing laws and ensuring better policing of its coastline. That may not be so easy given India's vast coast.
There's also the issue of posting armed guards on ships to fight off pirates; while it may scare off potential pirates, it can also lead to tragedies for some families.
Share This
Tougher punishment for traffic offences cleared by Cabinet
Drunken driving, jumping red light, overspeeding and use of mobile phones while driving among
other traffic offences will henceforth attract higher fine and jail term under new rules approved by the Union Cabinet on Thursday.
The increase in penalties is upto five times for the traffic violations under the proposed amendment to the Motor Vehicle Act likely to be introduced in the forthcoming Budget session of Parliament.
In a bid to tighten the noose around habitual traffic offenders, the Cabinet cleared the manifold increase in penalties by approving the changes to be incorporated in the amendment which also envisages substantial hike in compensation to accident victims.
Dangerous driving, non-use of seat belts as well as driving without helmets for two-wheelers will also attract higher punishment.
"The Union Cabinet has approved the amendments to the Motor Vehicle Act for harsher punishments for offences like drunken driving and violation of traffic rules and also increased compensation in accident cases," an official said.
He said the amendments are proposed mainly to deal with offenders who violate traffic rules repeatedly.
"The amendment will act as a deterrent," Delhi Police's Joint Commissioner(Traffic) Satyendra Garg said.
In case of drunken driving, the increased fine will range from Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000 and imprisonment from six months to four years.
Besides increasing the fine for using mobile phones while driving to Rs 500 for first offence and Rs 2,000-5,000 for subsequent instances, it is also proposed to provide clear definition of such instruments.
"Mobile phone is any application which can receive and transmit voice, text and picture...," as per the proposal.
It means that not only talking on phone but sending text messages and using hands free instruments for using mobile phone would be considered an offence.
Under one of the proposed amendments, the government has cleared four-fold increase in compensation to Rs 1 lakh in fatal accidents, and Rs 50,000 for grievous hurt in hit and run cases.
In case of drunken driving, the increased fine will range from Rs 2,000 to Rs 10,000 and imprisonment from six months to four years.
Giving details of the proposed fine on drunken driving, the official said in cases where alcohol level is 30 mg per 100 ml of blood, it would not amount to an offence.
However, if it is between 30-60 mg per 100 ml of blood, the proposed penalty would be six months of imprisonment and/or Rs 2,000 fine.
In case the alcohol level is 60-150 mg per 100 ml of blood, the penalty would be one year imprisonment and/or Rs 4,000. If the offence is repeated within three years, the penalty would go up to three years imprisonment and/or Rs 8,000.
For those who are found heavily drunk with alcohol levels of over 150 mg per 100 ml of blood, the penalty will be two years imprisonment and or Rs 5,000. Repeat offence within three years will attract a penalty of four years and fine of Rs 10,000 besides cancellation of licence.
In case a person is found driving under the influence of narcotic substances, he could be liable for six months imprisonment and/or fine of up to Rs 5,000. For repeat offences, the fine could go up to Rs 10,000 along with six month imprisonment and cancellation of licence.
Although the government has approved hike in the quantum of fine for repeat offences for those found driving under the influence of narcotic substances, the maximum has been reduced from existing two year to six months.
The fine for jumping the red light, is also proposed to be increased from Rs 100 to Rs 100-500 for first offence and from Rs 300 to Rs 300-1,500.
For over-speeding, it has been proposed to increase the fine from Rs 400 to Rs 400-1,000 for first offence, and from Rs 1,000 to Rs 2,000-5,000 for the second.
For dangerous driving, the fine has been raised to Rs 2,000-5,000 and/or imprisonment of 2 years in case of second offence. However, there is no change in the penalty for the first offence which is six months imprisonment and or fine of Rs 1,000.
Noting that there are 1.4 million pending cases relating to third party insurance claims at different tribunals and courts, it has also been proposed to rationalise the formula for tabulating compensation for road accident victims under third party insurance.
The amendment also proposes to provide more powers to states to limit and regulate contract carriage on city routes with prior permission of the Centre.
It also proposed delegating more powers to states for issuing driving licences, registration cards, fitness certificates, grant of permits and disposal of appeals.
A timeline for issuing of licenses, registration cards, permits and fitness certificates is also proposed to be fixed.
Share This
ONGC auction disappoints, gets bids for Rs 8,500 cr worth shares
The auction for sale of government's 5% stake in ONGC today got bids for 29.22 crore shares worth about Rs 8,500 crore, but could fetch only about two-third of the targeted proceeds of over Rs 12,000 crore. ATThe end of the one-day auction, the auction got total bids for 29.22 crore
shares, including 19.92 crore on the NSE and about 9.3 crore on the BSE platform, exchange official said. The final figures were yet to be updated on the websites of the two bourses. The government had proposed to sell about 42.77 crore shares through the auction at a floor price of Rs 290 a piece.
The total bids were worth about Rs 8,500 crore and accounted for 68.3% of the total offer size.
In the event of the total number of orders received at or above the floor price being less than the number of shares being offered for sale, the government would have the right to either conclude the sale to the extent of subscription or cancel the sale.
The shares would be allocated on 'price-priority' basis, meaning the bidders at highest price would be allotted shares.
The bids were mostly in the price range of Rs 290-293 per share for the auction, which commenced at 9.15 am and closed at 3.30 pm today.
The government had fixed a floor price of Rs 290 per share for the share sale through this one-day auction, wherein it was targetting to raise about Rs 12,000-13,000 crore.
The bidding began on a weak note and only about 37,500 shares were bid for in the first hour. Till 3 pm also, total bids had come in for only about 1.43 crore shares, but the momentum picked up in the last 30 minutes.
The total bids were worth about Rs 8,500 crore and accounted for 68.3% of the total offer size.
In the event of the total number of orders received at or above the floor price being less than the number of shares being offered for sale, the government would have the right to either conclude the sale to the extent of subscription or cancel the sale.
The shares would be allocated on 'price-priority' basis, meaning the bidders at highest price would be allotted shares.
The bids were mostly in the price range of Rs 290-293 per share for the auction, which commenced at 9.15 am and closed at 3.30 pm today.
The government had fixed a floor price of Rs 290 per share for the share sale through this one-day auction, wherein it was targetting to raise about Rs 12,000-13,000 crore.
The bidding began on a weak note and only about 37,500 shares were bid for in the first hour. Till 3 pm also, total bids had come in for only about 1.43 crore shares, but the momentum picked up in the last 30 minutes.
Share This
Shootout at Wadala director booked for forgery
A week after Bollywood actor Saif Ali Khan's arrest for assaulting an NRI businessman, filmmaker Sanjay Gupta has found himself on the wrong side of the law with city police booking him for alleged misuse of the name of Mumbai Police Commissioner's office for the launch of a film.According to police, Gupta and queen of TV soaps Ekta Kapoor's Balaji Motion Pictures allegedly forged letterhead of the city police commissioner to send invitations for the press conference of the upcoming flick "Shootout at Wadala" held yesterday at Mehboob Studios.
"Sanjay Gupta, Balaji Motion Pictures (Producer) and Glamsham.com (Bollywood movie portal) have been booked for cheating and forgery as they misused the name of the office of the Mumbai Police Commissioner by using the rubber stamp of police to promote their film," Nandkumar Mhetar, Senior Inspector at Versova Police station, said.
The invite also said the police chief would be present at the event and brief the media on the current status of crime in the city, Mhetar added.
The accused were booked under sections 417 (cheating), 465 (forgery), 467 Forgery of valuable security, will, etc), 468 (forgery for purpose of cheating), 471 (Using as genuine a forged document or electronic record), 474 (Having possession of document described in Section 466 or 467, knowing it to be forged and intending to use it as genuine) of the IPC and 68 of the IT Act, the officer said, adding that arrests in the case could be made.
The "Dus Kahaniyan" and "Shootout at Lokhandwala" producer said a "misunderstanding" had resulted in the police action as the invite itself was "mock".
"It is a bit of a misunderstanding but we will clear it, not an issue," he said on coming to know of the case.
"If we look at it then you would know that nowhere the word Mumbai is mentioned. The emblem is mock....We know what we are doing. Also, there is a disclaimer behind the invite and it is an invite from a fictional office..We all know it is not Bombay Police, it is Mumbai police today," he said.
Sources in the police department said the arrests would be made only after a thorough investigation. But, if arrested, the accused would have to seek bail from court as the sections applied against are non-bailable, they said.
The FIR was registered at Versova police station as Gupta's office falls within its jurisdiction, though the event was organised at suburban Bandra, the officer said.
The subject of the controversial invite is "Briefing on the current crime scenario in Bombay".
"This is to inform you that the Commissioner of Police requests your presence on the 29th of the February at 3.15 pm on stage No 2 of Mehboob Studio to address the sudden and dangerous rise of organised crime in the city," the invitation reads.
The invite further states, "The Commissioner would like to issue a statement regarding how the police force plans to respond. Experts from White Feather Films and Balaji Motion Pictures will present their statements on the shootout at Wadala. Your presence is a must."
It concludes with "Signed under hand and seal on this 27th day of February 1981 (sic)".
The invite had the "Bombay Police" emblem and signature of one Parull Gossain from "The Commissioner's office, Bandra Police station, Krishna Chandra Marg, Bandra (West), Bombay 400050."
"Shootout at Wadala", a sequel to Gupta's 2007 film "Shootout at Lokhandwala" is based on the first-ever registered encounter by Mumbai police of gangster Manya Surve, who was shot dead at suburban Wadala in the 1990s.
The film, directed by Gupta and starring John Abraham, Kangana Ranaut, Anil Kapoor, Sonu Sood and Manoj Bajpayee, is slated to release on Decmber 7 this year.
Share This
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
