100 channels for Rs 100, TRAI lays down rules for digital cable

New Delhi: Television viewers will soon get to choose a minimum of hundred Free to Air (FTA) channels at a maximum retail price of Rs 100, as per new tariff rules for Cable TV announced by Telecom Regulatory Authority of India (TRAI) on Monday.

According to the regulatory framework for Digitalised Cable TV brought out by TRAI to safeguard consumers' interests, cable operators will have to mandatorily offer a Basic Service Tier (BST) to viewers throughout the country.

The Basic Service Tier would consist of 100 Free to Air channels including 18 mandatory Doordarshan channels plus the Lok Sabha channel.

The TRAI tariff order lays down that apart from the mandatory channels in the BST, cable operators and Multi System Operators (MSOs) will have to provide customers a minimum of five channels of different genres.

The genres which TRAI has named are General Entertainment Channels(GEC) in English, GEC- Hindi, GEC - Regional, Music, News, Movies, Sports, Kids Infotainment, lifestyle.

"The BST shall be mandatorily offered by the cable operator. However it will be optional for the consumer to subscribe," TRAI said in its tariff order.

Joseph Anton: Rushdie's memoir of hiding days

New Delhi: Salman Rushdie has written a memoir based on the time he spent hiding while under a fatwa that sentenced him to death in 1989.

"For the first time he heard the word fatwa. His crime? To have written a novel called The Satanic Verses, which was accused of being 'against Islam, the Prophet and the Quran'," says his website.

His novel 'The Satanic Verses' was accused by the Iranian leader Ayatollah Khomeini as insulting the prophet Mohammed. The author then spent more than nine years in hiding. The alias he adopted, Joseph Anton, was based on the first names of two writers he loved: Joseph Conrad and Anton Chekhov.

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The book talks about various facets of Rushdie's life, like, how do a writer and his family live with the threat of murder for over nine years? How does he go on working? How does he fall in and out of love? How does despair shape his thoughts and actions, how and why does he stumble, how does he learn to fight back?

Noida: Student beats teacher with iron rod

New Delhi: A sports teacher was allegedly beaten with by an iron rod by a class ninth student in Noida. Police say the boy was upset after the teacher caught him cheating during an exam and he was failed.

Police say the boy and his father even approached the school Principal for leniency, but when refused, the angry student took on the teacher.

The student has been absconding after the incident.

A dress that becomes transparent when wearer is aroused

New Delhi: Men can now easily find out if a woman fancies them - with a dress that goes see-through if the wearer gets aroused. This futuristic creation is made of smart fabrics which become gradually becomes transparent in response to the heartbeat of the wearer.

Designed by Studio Roosegaarde and Dutch designer Daan Roosegaarde is in talks to produce a high street version. The project is called Intimacy and after the initial version of the dress, Roosegaarde has come up with a new edition - Intimacy 2.0.

According to Roosegaarde, Intimacy is a fashion project exploring the relation between intimacy and technology.

The high-tech garments entitled 'Intimacy White' and 'Intimacy Black' are made out of opaque smart e-foils that become increasingly transparent based on close and personal encounters with people. Social interactions determine the garments' level of transparency, creating a sensual play of disclosure.

Israeli embassy car blast: Kazmi's bail plea dismissed

New Delhi: A Delhi court on Tuesday dismissed the bail plea of Syed Mohammad Kazmi, accused in the Israeli Embassy car blast case, saying that there was "no substance" in the arguments of the defence counsel. Kazmi will continue to be in judicial remand.

The journalist was arrested last month in connection with the February 13 terror attack.

Kazmi, 50, who claimed to have been writing for Iranian publications, was arrested on March 7 following investigations into the incident where a magnetic bomb was stuck on an Israeli embassy vehicle in New Delhi.

Four persons, including the wife of an Israeli diplomat, were injured in the bombing incident.

Delhi: Autopsy report says MoD official died of suffocation due to burns

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New Delhi: The autopsy report of Defence Ministry official Kumar Yashkar Sinha says Kumar Yashkar died of suffocation due to burns. The Delhi Police have received the report. Preliminary medical investigations had suggested that no external or internal injuries other than burn injuries were found on the victim.

The police are now probing if Yashkar was under any sort of financial burden other than the work pressure. The police are also examining the possibility of financial problems being a reason for domestic tensions.

Yashkar and his wife were found dead under mysterious circumstances in their house on Friday. The post-mortem report of his wife confirmed that she was strangled to death. Yashkar's body was found charred.

Earlier on Tuesday, the brother of Kumar Yashkar alleged foul play and ruled out that marital differences could have brought this about as the couple was happily married.

Meanwhile, the police have sent the diary recovered from Yashkar's South Delhi residence for examination to ascertain its timing.

In the diary, allegedly written by Yashkar, he has blamed two senior Army officers for driving him to despair by putting pressure on him at work.

Although three to four MoD officials have been questioned, officials investigating the case said Yashkar wasn't handling any confidential assignment.

Yashkar, who was Deputy Director in the Directorate General of Medical Services, and his wife Archana were found dead in their flat on Friday afternoon. Police had registered a case of murder suspecting that the official probably strangled his wife before committing suicide.

Delhi maid torture: Bail plea of doctor couple rejected

New Delhi: A Delhi court of Tuesday rejected anticipatory bail plea of the doctor couple, who allegedly left their minor maid locked up and starving in their house while they vacationed in Thailand.

Delhi police said that the couple are not in India right now. However, the lawyer informed the court that the couple was in India and willing to cooperate with the cops.

Earlier, a look-out notice was issued against the doctor couple on Monday. Sanjay Verma and his wife Sumita were to return to India on Saturday but they had not reached Delhi, a

senior police official said.

Police had initiated the process of issuing the look-out notice against the couple.

"The lookout notice has been issued against the couple," the official said.

The couple had left for Thailand on a vacation leaving their 13-year-old maid allegedly locked up and with very little food in their Dwarka flat.

Oil cos may not raise fuel prices today: Sources

New Delhi: State-owned oil companies' losses on petrol sales have climbed to Rs 7.65 per litre but they may not raise fuel prices on Saturday pending a clarification from the government on duty reduction and subsidy compensation.

"We are losing about Rs 7.65 per litre on petrol and after adding 20 per cent sales tax, the desired increase in rates in Delhi is Rs 9.18 per litre," a top oil company official said.

CBI files chargesheet against Jagan Reddy in illegal assets case

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New Delhi: The Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on Saturday filed chargesheet against Kadapa MP and YSR Congress president YS Jagan Mohan Reddy in the illegal assets case.

The Central agency filed its chargesheet against Jagan Mohan Reddy, his financial advisor Vijay Sai Reddy and 11 others, including individuals and firms, in the special CBI court in Hyderabad.

Jagan Mohan Reddy has been charged with offences under different provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act. There is no allegation under IPC sections, defence council Ashok Reddy said.

"CBI has charged him with aiding his father," he claimed. In its 68-page chargesheet, the CBI has cited 263 documents and 66 witnesses.

Air India employees call off strike

New Delhi: The strike threat by a major chunk of Air India's over 28,000 employees from Monday was called off on Friday with the ailing national carrier promising to clear all their salary and other dues by June. "We received their (strike) notice today. We have given them a payment schedule under which we will clear all the overdues by June. The strike has been called off," Air India CMD Rohit Nandan told reporters after a meeting with union representatives.

The notice for 'no pay, no work' agitation had been given by eight major unions of the airline, representing pilots, engineers and cabin crew among others, to protest the delay in payment of their salaries, productivity-linked incentive (PLI) and other allowances by over three months.

The union leaders and the management had held a marathon day-long meeting yesterday which had failed to yield any result. Both sides had decided to meet again on Friday. The unions had earlier sought the Prime Minister's intervention to resolve the crisis, failing which they had threatened to go on agitation from April two.

Earlier too, the management had promised a staggered payment schedule to clear the dues in the next two months, expecting that by then Air India would get funds through the equity infusion of Rs 4,000 crore announced in this budget.

The unions, however, had remained unsatisfied and had decided to go ahead with their protest action, saying they had not received any "firm" assurance on their dues.

Air India faces a whopping Rs 67,000 crore debt and has reported a loss of close to Rs 6,900 crore this fiscal. The airline was also facing an average operational loss of about Rs 10 crore daily.

IIT-Delhi country's top ranked institution

New Delhi: Indian Institute of Technology-Delhi is the country's highest ranking institution in the world with a global rank of 218, the Rajya Sabha was informed on Friday.

Minister of state for HRD D Purandeswari said during Question Hour that as per the Quacquarelli Symonds global system of ranking of higher education institutions for 2011, IIT-Delhi is the overall highest ranking institution in India at serial number 218.

"As per the Times Higher Education World University Rankings for 2011, IIT-Bombay is the highest ranked institution at serial 317, while the Academic Ranking of World Universities has ranked Indian Institute of Science, Bangalore at serial 321," she said.

As per the 2011 QS Engineering & Technology Rankings, IIT-Bombay is at serial 43, IIT-Delhi at 50, IIT-Kanpur at 59 and IIT-Madras at 60 in Computer Science and Information Technology.

In the same ranking system in Civil and Structural Engineering, IIT-Bombay is ranked at serial 30, IIT-Kanpur at serial 38 and IIT-Delhi at serial 43.

As per QS Global Business School Report, 2012, Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad has been ranked second in the Asia Pacific region, next to INSEAD (Institut Europeen d Administration des Affairs), Singapore while IIM-Bangalore, Indian School of Business, IIM-Calcutta and SP Jain Institute of Management and Research, Mumbai figure in the top 20 institutes.

According to Financial Times London Global Buiness School rankings, IIM-Ahmedabad is at serial 11 and Indian School of Business at serial 13.

Harpreet Kaur murder case: Court to pronounce its verdict today

New Delhi: The special CBI court in Patiala is expected to pronounce the much-awaited verdict in the Harpreet Kaur murder case on Friday, in which Punjab cabinet minister and former SGPC president Bibi Jagir Kaur is the prime accused.

If the court convicts Jagir Kaur, the Opposition will seek her removal and try to corner the Akali-BJP government.

The case, which dates back to 2000, has seen several witnesses turning hostile. Even the complainant, Kamaljit Singh, turned hostile, only to re-affirm the charges later.

While Harpreet's cremation happened hurriedly, a few days after her death, Kamaljit, a resident of Begowal, which is the ancestral village of Bibi Jagir Kaur, had claimed that he was Harpreet's husband and the father of Harpreet's still-born child.

When the police refused to register a complaint in this regard on April 27, 2000, Kamaljit approached the Punjab and Haryana High Court. On June 9, 2000, the High Court directed the CBI to conduct an inquiry into the matter.

After conducting the probe, on October 3, 2000, the CBI registered an FIR under various sections of the IPC against Bibi Jagir Kaur, who was the Shiromani Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee President at that time.

With Additional Inputs From PTI

Delhi: Teenaged help found locked up with bruises

New Delhi: A Delhi-based couple has been accused of abusing their 13-year-old domestic help after leaving the girl locked in their home while on a six day trip to Bangkok.

The minor was rescued on Thursday evening after she managed to unlock a window and shout for help.

The police officials found her bruised and beaten.

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A case has been registered against the couple. The victim's statement will be recorded on Friday after which she will be sent to a home for juveniles.

Met Dept predicts early, healthy monsoon

New Delhi: Monsoons are likely to hit the Kerala coast nearly 10 days ahead of schedule.

Officials of the Meteorological Department say that the rains could arrive in Kerala any time between May 20 and 25. The monsoon was expected to hit the state by June 1.

The Met Department also predicted last month that the monsoons are likely to be near normal this year.

NASA, meanwhile, has predicted a bumper crop this year in Bihar and nearby areas. That may spell a bit of good news in the light of the food crisis.

Economic Advisory Council's Chairman C Rangarajan also suggested on Wednesday that inflation might come down to six per cent within three months, due to sufficient procurement of food grains – particularly wheat – amid cheerful prognostics for an early and healthy monsoon.

Actors have little right to carry torch

New Delhi: The newly appointed sports Minister MS Gill has opposed the idea of inviting politicians and film stars to carry the Olympic torch during its run in India.

Gill, who feels the occasion should be exclusively for sportspersons, wants former athletes with distinguished careers and budding sportspersons to be invited to carry the torch.

"VIPs, ministers, politicians or people from the entertainment industry have little right to carry the torch. It belongs to sportspersons," says Gill.

"The Olympic torch should be carried by 'real' athletes like Milkha Singh and PT Usha and a group of 20 young sportspersons selected from across the country," the minister added.

Film stars and celebrities are attractions used in different countries to gather crowds but purists have always frowned upon the idea. On using glamorous add-ons, purists express their grouse that while they pull in crowds, they turn attention away from the real purpose by putting the spotlight on themselves.

On the Indian Olympic Association's offer to participate in the torch relay, Gill said he had politely refused. "I do not think I should participate in the run. It is an exclusive right of sportspersons," he said.

Gill clarified that he would participate in the event as the country's sports minister. "I will be there as Sports Minister either at the starting point or at the finishing line of the torch relay," he said.

Google doodles Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's 126th birthday

New Delhi: The doodle on March 27 is the 27th Google doodle in the month of March. This marks the 126th birth anniversary of the German-born American architect Ludwig Mies van der Rohe.

Popularly known as Ludwig Mies, he was born Maria Ludwig Michael Mies on March 27, 1886 in Aachen, Germany. After Ludwig Mies had established himself as an architect and his marriage failed he added his maternal surname van der Rohe to his name.

The building in the Google doodle in honour of Ludwig Mies is the Crown Hall at the Illinois Institute of Technology in Chicago that houses its College of Architecture.

The Crown Hall, constructed between 1950-56, is considered to be one of Mies' masterpieces. The building made of glass, expressed steel frames is said to be a significant example of the 20th Century Modernist movement.

Regarded as one of the pioneers of modern architechture Mies never received any formal architectural training. He apprenticed with several architects and soon developed a style of his own.

A few years after Adolf Hitler came to power in Germany and the Nazis closed down the school he was heading, a disillussioned Mies emigrated to the United States. In the US he headed department of architecture at the Armour Institute of Technology that later came to be known as the Illinois Institute of Technology, Chicago. The popular idom, God is in the details, is often attributed to Ludwig Mies.

In addition to the Crown Hall, other prominent buildings designed by Mies include Farnsworth House (Plano, Illinois), 860-880 Lake Shore Drive Apartments (Chicago), Seagram Building (New York City), Museum of Fine Arts (Houston) and Neue Nationalgalerie (Berlin). Ludwig Mies died on August 17, 1969 in Chicago. He was 83.

Ludwig Mies van der Rohe's 126th birthday Google doodle is the the 1341st Google doodle since the first ever on for the Burning Man Festival back on August 30, 1998.

Wakf Board land scam: Rs 2 lakh crore scam surfaces in Karnataka

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New Delhi: A scam that reportedly threatens to be bigger than the 2G scam has emerged from Karnataka, promising to bring more trouble for the Congress. The State Minorities Commission has reportedly found that over 22 thousand properties owned by the Wakf Board was illegally encroached and sold over the last decade.

The estimated loss to the exchequer is said to be around Rs 2 lakh crore.

The Chairperson of the State Minorities Commission, Anwar Manippady told CNN-IBN that a few top politicians were involved in the scam. Sources say the Commission's report has named 38 Congress leaders.

Said Manippady, "We thought that let us look into other places too and we found mind-boggling figures in the amount of land encroached, took over property in their names or their kith and kin names... by fraud.

"What I've submitted today is a 7,500 page of documents, including gazette notification, registration of documents. Some have registered in their own name, some have sold it in benami names."

"The total value of Wakf properties in Karnataka is about Rs 4 lakh crore plus, and encroachments/embezzlements is Rs 2 lakh crores," he added.

He continued, "Imagine the strength to the Muslims if all this property is recovered. If the property is recovered, people in the community will have no problems. No Muslim will die because of lack of hospitals or medicines. A university can be set up. No Muslim will go without a roof on his head. We have been bestowed with this property. It is gone to the wrong hands.

"What I submitted today is only the tip of the ice-berg. If investigation happens, we will all swoon."

The report was submitted to Chief Minister DV Sadananda Gowda on Monday. Reports say it may be tabled in the state Assembly in a day or two.

The report states that the Wakf Board functionaries helped transfer the land to private individuals and institutions over the last 11 years.

It also states that 85 per cent of Wakf board properties that were misused are in Bangalore alone.

Army Chief General VK Singh's letter leak an anti-national act: Antony

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New Delhi: Defence Minister AK Antony on Thursday said that the three defence chiefs enjoyed the government's confidence while refusing to outline the Centre's position on Army Chief General VK Singh. Antony called the leak of the Army Chief's letter to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the state of preparedness of the Army to wage a war an anti-national act while addressing a press conference at the Defence Expo in New Delhi and added that strict action would be taken against those involved in its leak.

"All the three defence chief enjoy the government's confidence. All the three defence chiefs are working today. I am comfortable, and I am not in an embarrassing situation," replied Antony when asked about the controversy surrounding General Singh.

Antony admitted that the Army Chief had complained to him about a Lieutenant General and he had told him (General Singh) to take action if there was any specific allegation of corruption against the concerned officer.

"I do not know of the letter General VK Singh has sent to CBI. I do not have any knowledge on the complaint of the Lieutenant General. I read it in the newspapers. The Army Headquarters had sent a proposal to make Lieutenant General Dalbir Singh Suhag an Army Commander," said Antony on the Army Chief seeking an investigation against Lieutenant General Suhag.

"My first priority is to find out who leaked the letter. I appeal to you not to demoralise our soldiers. We should maintain the prestige of armed forces. The prestige of armed forces should be protected. Defence has no relation with politics," said Antony while asking the media not to damage the image of the Indian Army.

"The Intelligence Bureau has started the enquiry into letter leak. We will act after receiving the Intelligence Bureau report and strongest action under the Indian law will be taken against the person responsible for the letter leak," he added.

Assuring zero tolerance to corruption in defence contracts, he said that six companies have been blacklisted for 10 years by the government. The banned entities included four foreign companies and two Indian companies and the action against them was taken following recommendations by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

"If we find anything wrong, we will not hesitate to cancel the contract at any stage. There will be zero tolerance to corruption. We have cancelled many major contracts following corruption charges. We have very strong safeguards on integrity form. For any contract beyond Rs 100 crore integrity pact is a must. In the integrity pact, strongest action will be taken against anybody found to be involved in malpractice. We will protect our interest and money," he said.

"Delays will be there as we have to inquire into complaints of corruption. If there is corruption, then the contract has to be cancelled. We are slow on modernisation as we are aware of corruption allegations. We want to ensure that there is no corruption. We are continuously reviewing our defence preparedness and we are increasing the procurement of ammunition for the Army," said the Defence Minister.

Antony said that almost 40 per cent of the armament and equipments for the military was now being manufactured in India. The Defence Minister stated that India was moving towards indigenisation to meet the needs of the military.

"Indigenisation is gaining speed and will become faster in coming years. We have to move cautiously. Our aim is to encourage indigenous technology. In areas like radars and missiles India is moving forward," said Antony.

Pointing out there has been 18 per cent increase in the Defence Budget for 2012-13, Antony said the military needed more money but there are some constraints too.

He said that private sectors companies were being involved in production of defence equipments but added that foreign direct investment in defence was a sensitive matter and the government cannot increase it at the moment.

"At the moment it is better to confine FDI to 26 per cent," he said.

Antony said that modernisation and procurement of defence equipments could not be taken in isolation and the security scenario had to be looked at while adding that India had a sensitive security surrounding.

He also said that the current offset policy incorporated into defence contracts with foreign companies need to be expanded as the present policy would not be able to absorb the ongoing offset amount.