18:32
And news that should give the Chinese indigestion: The Dalai Lama was today named as the winner of the prestigious Templeton Prize 2012 for his exceptional contribution to affirming life's spiritual dimension. The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader has vigorously focused on the connections between...
18:27
Just in case you've missed this story on Indian Express: Islamic seminary Darul-Uloom Deoband has said in a fatwa that divorce given in an inebriated condition over phone is a valid talaq. The fatwa has been issued by Darul Ifta (fatwa department of the seminary) on March 13 in reply to a query...
18:22
India's multi barrel rocket launcher weapon system 'Pinaka' which could neutralise a large area with a rapid salvo of rockets was today successfully test fired at Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE) at Chandipur about 15 km from here. It was a routine trial by army personnel and there...
18:19
The political leadership in any other institutional democracy would have fired General V.K. Singh in the wake of his relentless fusillade of revelations targeting the government - the latest salvo being the leaked letter to the Prime Minister in which he presented a grim picture of the force's...
18:16
Energy major British Gas today announced that nearly 300 jobs based in Leicester will be axed and shifted overseas in the near future, with the possibilitythat they will be moved to India, where the company already has a presence.The company said that the business energy sector was tough and...
18:11
Team Anna today extended full support to Army Chief V K Singh, alleging that he was targeted for not toeing the government line on issues. Activist Arvind Kejriwal alleged government has killed almost every institution by planting its loyals. Those who refuse to toe govt line, like army chief and...
18:08
Rahul Dravid looks ahead to life after retirement, back at his career and captaincy, and at the changing status of Test cricket. Read the story on ESPN Cricinfo.
18:05
Leaders of the BRICS group of emerging market nations pressed Western powers to cede more voting rights at the IMF this year and flayed the rich world's reflationary monetary policies for putting global economic stability in jeopardy. Read the reuters report.
18:03
From the Sun, UK. Hazel Lebby, 37, says she was shocked to discover her daughter Hannah had been denied a school lunch after she fell behind in her dinner payments to St Thomas's School in Mitcham, south London.Now she has threatened to take her child out of school.. Read
17:47
Nice read on the Sun and of course the bonus yummy pictures that go with it.
17:41
A dad is being hunted by cops -- for chaining his teenage son to an electricity pole by the neck. The irate Cambodian father wanted to punish his 13-year-old lad after he skipped school to play computer games online.Read the story on the Sun.
17:25
Man of the moment, Army Chief Gen V K Singh, paid obeisance at the cave shrine of Vaishnodevi in Trikuta hills, Jammu. He was on a two-day visit to the Kashmir Valley to review the preparedness of the force on LoC.He was accompanied by his wife Bharti Singh to the shrine. Gen Singh flew in from...
17:10
The Vectra chief also says the company has no link with Lt Gen (Retd) Tejinder Singh, accused of offering a bribe to the army chief.
17:08
Ironically, as the CBI looks into Army Chief General V K Singh's letter seeking probe into the allegations of corruption against Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag, Defence Minister A K Antony disclosed today that the official has beenrecommended for promotion as a Commander of a sector. However, the...
17:05
Vectra chairman, the company that manufactures Tatra trucks says it did not attempt to bribe the army chief. Ravi Rishi tells CNN IBN that the company does not sell directly to the armed forces, but that the trucks are sold to defence PSU BEML.
17:02
With the Mamata Banerjee government curtailing the number of newspapers to be bought by its offices and libraries, the CPI-M today said seeds of fascism were being sown in West Bengal. She (Mamata) wants that only what she says should get in to print and not anything else. This shows that seeds...
16:56
Congress issues a statement on the various controversies surrounding the Army chief: Our patience should not be viewed as our weakness.
16:53
The Kerala High Court orders the release of the Italian ship detained with respect to the killing of two Indian fishermen.
16:26
Sheela Bhatt adds that China strongly opposed what they believe to be the Dalai Lama's attempt to instigate extreme views and said it was not in tune with the Buddha's teachings. Speaking against self-immolations, China said it once again reminded India that it will not permit Indian territory...
16:20
Sheela Bhatt reporting from the Brics summit says that Chen Xu, director of Asian Affairs, speaking on the issue of Tibet says that both India and China are reaping the benefits of development and talks on border disputes have been smooth. Talking about the self immolation and death of the...
16:13
The first book of cancer knowledge detailing how hundreds of different cancer cells respond to anti-cancer agents has been published, which scientists saywill speed up the search for new cancer drugs. The cancer encyclopedia, published in journal Nature, is a step towards tailoring cancer...
16:09
Update on the London Olympics. Clarifying that the government has not asked athletes to boycott the London Olympics over the Dow Chemicals sponsorship, Sports Minister Ajay Maken today said that the matter has been pursued at a diplomatic level with the host nation. India has not asked its...
16:07
Union Minister Agatha Sangma today asked the Delhi Police to show sensitivity and respect in dealing with people in the wake of reports that sleuths are questioning any person with Tibetan features as part of their efforts to prevent protests during Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit. Sangma,...
15:59
Social networking giant Facebook has hired an engineering student here for a fat annual pay package of Rs 1.34 crore, one of the biggest offers made toalumnus of any technical institution of the country.According to P Chakravarti, Director of the Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology...
15:44
The very British Guardian turns Goan. Try Felicity Cloake's recipe.
15:41
In world news: Investigators says deaths of migrants adrift in the Mediterranean exposes the double standards in valuing human life. Read the report on the Guardian.
15:24
Meanwhile, the BJP today said the government should also take immediate note of the issues raised by Gen V K Singh as they are frightening in nature. Leakage of letter is also an important aspect which has to be inquired into and people responsible for that should be dealt with firmly. But at the...
15:14
Lt Gen (Retd) Tejinder Singh addressing the media right now. Says he has approached the courts like a common citizen. He says allegations that he was offered the Rs 14 crore bribe to Gen VK Singh are baseless. He also adds that the Army statement naming him as the bribe giver is false.
15:05
And just when you though the disclosures had ended, here's a fresh one: Former Karnataka CM HD Kumaraswamy says that middlemen offered former PM HD Deve Gowda bribes when he was in office. Gowda was offered bribes to procure defence deals, says Kumaraswamy.
14:47
Ever since Watergate and the infamous tapes that sank President Richard Nixon, revelatory recordings with a whiff of intrigue have become the inevitable accompaniment to scandal. On the Wall Street Journal.
14:44
A Delhi court has taken cognizance of Lt Gen (Retd) Tejinder Singh's complaint against army chief VK Singh and three others in the defamation case. Tejinder Singh has accused the army chief of misusing his position. The court has fixed April 10 for pre-summoning of the evidence. Tejinder Singh on...
14:38
In an interesting case, ICICI Prudential has been directed by a consumer forum here to pay Rs 7.15 lakh to one of its insurance policy holders for not informing him that his cheque for second year's premium had been dishonoured and not giving him the opportunity to renew his life-time pension...
14:34
The Reserve Bank today asked banks to improve their ability to manage stressed assets, but said there was nothing alarming about an unexpected rise in the non-performing assets (NPA) levels this fiscal.
14:25
The Lok Sabha passes the Judicial Standards and Accountability Bill, pending since the Winter session.
14:24
Antony said he was aware of the Suhag issue and the army chief had informed him about the allegations, but much like the Tejinder Singh issue, the army chief did not want the matter to be pursued.
14:21
In case you missed this... Army chief General VK Singh has brought another corruption allegation to light. According to reports in the Indian Express, General Singh yesterday forwarded a letter sent by Trinamool MP Ambika Banerjee, calling for probe against Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag in...
14:16
On Firstpost.com: It must be abundantly clear why Gen VK Singh today finds himself in an unholy mess. He has violated the Omerta Code of the Power Circle. The one that dictates that once you've made it to the posh club of power insiders, you don't talk about some things, such as the gravy train...
14:11
Days after her government's green signal to the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today said the plant is expectedto commence production in two months. The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project is expected to commence production in two months, she said in the...
14:05
See-sawing between Brics and the Army chief... At the Brics summit, in an initiative to promote trade in local currencies, the BRICS nations today signed two agreements to provide line of credit to business community and decided to examine the possibility of setting up a development bank on...
14:01
Back to the VKS-AKA issue. On MK Bhadrakumar's blog: I had written a fortnight back that the 16-billion dollar deal for the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft is unravelling. This is exactly what is happening, as the latest developments indicate -- with Defence Ministry officials raising...
13:58
The Brics summit ends with the Delhi declaration. Read the entire text of the PM's speech at the session.
13:52
Sergio Leo, part of the foreign media entourage sitting next to Sheela Bhatt says the Brazil president is on a diet. Sheela Bhatt tells us that Chinese prez Hu Jintao looks slimmer and older since she last saw him during the PM's visit to China. The moot point is that Russia, China, India spoke...
13:42
Back at the Brics summit plenary session, which has just ended, Sheela Bhatt says that when she asked a senior diplomat how Brics is doing, he said, It is happening, leaders are meeting, that in itself is news. The diplomat, who cannot he named, added that countries are holding on to their...
13:33
barkha dutt @BDUTT Sources tell me that when many Congress members pushed for removing Army Chief, Antony said NO and said I will not have blood on my hands Ramesh Srivats @rameshsrivats Prestige of the Forces is the military equivalent of Dignity of the House. Just a pompous phrase to...
13:30
Back to the AKA and VKS saga. TV repors say the CBI has not received the audio tape with the alleged bribe recording.
13:28
Just in: BRICS representatives have signed an agreement for extending credit facilities in local currency.
13:27
Antony says he is unaware of VKSingh's letter to the CBI and he heard of it through newspaper reports. He says the prestige of the armed forces should be protected and at no cost should we demoralise our soldiers.
13:25
Antony says he has NEVER been embarrassed by the course of events, but the fact remains that the Army Chief's letter leak is anti-national. And whoever leaked the letter will not be spared.
13:22
Antony says, Some time back, the Army chief told me about receiving acomplaint against a Lt General. I told him if there is anything specific, please take action.He says defence has no relation with politics and it's proven by the fact that the army chief is still at work.
13:18
Antony says, We have zero tolerance for corruption. In the procurement process, if we find any malpractice at any stage, we will not hesitate to cancel it, says the Defence Minister. All three service chiefs enjoy government's confidence and whoever leaked the letter, it is anti-national. It only...
13:14
Meanwhile, Defence Minister A K Antony today said that expenditure on defence is bound to increase as the armed forces need to have access to the latest technologies and equipment to counter any threat. With the projected growth of the Indian economy expected at a trajectory of 8-10 per cent for...
13:12
BRICS countries basically say, they favour an open and merit-based process for selection of World Bank Chief.
13:10
This is a baby step, but nevertheless, a very important step, that could usher in the use of regional currency in trade.
13:09
The Brics report has been released in what has been a very elegant, formal and planned performance. Zuma ends his speech. The PM thanks all delegates and says there is a convergence of interests. Two agreements are to be signed.
13:06
South Africa president Jacob Zuma speaking at the summit. Zuma says we have to make a collective resolve to solve global issues. Supporting a Brics bank, he says it will support infrastructure and its agenda should be development in developing countries. The importance of Brics is reflected in...
13:02
Hu Jintao says Brics should coordinate with G20 and move towards a multipolar world. Jintao says China is the biggest developing country in the world and confronts many challenges.
12:59
Hu Jintao, continuing with his speech at the BRICS summit, says, differences between the countries should be used as an opportunities and we should share the fruits of our development and maximise the impact of BRICS.
12:55
The Chinese prez adds that it will take a few more years to develop a more rounded structure to BRICS as it's still starting out. China is committed to take BRICS to a new level. He says that the body accounts for 42 per cent of the global population, including India and China, two of the...
12:48
Hu Jintao says international development issues have become more pronounced with people of all countries looking for lasting peace. He says China seeks a win-win solution in a globalised economy and it was therefore necessary to balance the economy.
12:45
Medvedev says BRICS countries have unique cultures and the BRICS business council should pick up. Russia, says Sheela Bhatt, was more balanced, but not over-enthusiastic on the issue of BRICS banks. Now, China president Hu Jintao speaks and first thanks the PM for hosting the summit.
12:40
After the PM, Brazil president Dilma Rousseff speaks. She highlights the issue of biodiversity and also emphasises on the bank of Brics. Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's turn next. He says all countries should turn to international law and should not impinge on the sovereignty of other...
12:33
Here is the full text of the Prime Minister's statement at the Plenary Session of the Fourth BRICS Summit, New Delhi. Read
12:31
9. PM says we have discussed West Asia and all of us live under the threat of terrorism and from piracy from the seas around Somalia. 10. PM discusses the need to restore stability in Afghanistan and importance of sustained international commitment to its future.
12:23
7. Need green growth, transfer of technology needed and access to world markets, says Dr Singh. There should be equality in development, which should necessarily be inclusive. 8. Ideas for urbanisation needed
12:19
4. BRICS should complement each other, trading barriers should go. 5. BRICS should have access to capital and should have a role in the World Bank. It is necessary to get this idea through. 6. The PM pointed to a lack of movement in UNSC reform.
12:15
Addressing the meet, PM raises 10 points, some of which are:1. Each country of BRICS is unique, we are doing a lot in education, but we want to learn from other countries as well. 2. Issues regarding supply of water need attention. 3. Cooperation in sustainable development should be looked at.
12:09
Rediff.com's Sheela Bhatt who is at the Brics plenary session at the Taj Palace, Delhi, says such high-profile summits are generally security centric. Some 200 journalists are in place as India assumes chairmanship. The leaders of BRICS have arrived, as PM Dr Manmohan Singh addresses the...
12:02
Story on the almost-forgotten BRICS summit as the Army Chief steals its thunder. Report on the WSJ: Sitting at the BRICS summit in New Delhi, it's not amiss to spare a thought for the booming global economies who are not part of the club and are a little annoyed by it. Read
11:56
Former Naval chief, Admiral Ramdas says he may file a PIL on integrity of armed forces. Unambigous about his support for Army chief VK Singh, he says that no man in uniform, let alone VK Singh, would ever leak classified information.
11:54
PM's photo-op with other BRICS heads of state. See
11:53
Lt Gen H S Panag(R) @rwac48 Leaks never take place from AFs.Leaks from the recipients or their staff.Joke in AFs is that if u want to know something contact the MOD.
11:52
Consider this. On December 17, 2010, Mohamed Bouazizi, a young Tunisian street vendor, set himself on fire and started a dramatic remaking of the political landscape. The striking of a match brought change not only in Tunisia, but also in Egypt and Libya, and even what is happening in Syria. On...
11:49
Read: On the blog on foreign policy and strategic affairs: Jaswant Singh's statesmanlike intervention
11:37
The Indian army's saga of shame continues. Ironically, the chief of the army is inextricably linked to this unfolding tale. First, it was a pointless squabble over the army chief's date of birth. Something that could have been corrected and resolved within a few minutes was made to drag on to an...
11:32
Dr Manmohan Singh @PM0India Hu Jintao asked me who is Rahul Gandhi. I told him he is the fake Prime Minister, Made in China.
11:27
Our Delhi correspondent fortold the adjournments in Parliament today. Before the session began, the ADMK MPs had decided to raise the issue of the Ram Sethu in both houses and ensure an adjourment. And that's exactly what happened.
11:24
Ex chief of Naval Staff Admiral Ramdas may file a plea in court over integrity of armed forces. So far, the government and opposition are against sacking Gen VK Singh, but he may be asked to go on leave. The angry army chief said today that leak of his letter to the PM is an outrage. And official...
11:20
Meanwhile, in Parliament, Uttarakhand Chief Minister Vijay Bahuguna tables trust motion in the Assembly. Lok Sabha has been adjourned till noon after uproar over Telangana, Sethusamudram project and other issues, while the Rajya Sabha was adjourned for 15 minutes after uproar over the same issue.
11:16
These two in reality are the core issues: statecraft and national security; that is why they are central to our concerns, also in part explanatory of the shemozzle that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has made in the discharge of its responsibilities. It is self-evident that there has to be...
11:13
barkha dutt @BDUTT Former Navy Chief Admiral Ramdas weighs in on the debate and backs Army Chief. Blames the Ministry of Defence for the leak barkha dutt ' @BDUTT Army Chief's scathing statement almost dares govt to prove he is behind leak. Says whoever leaked his letter shd be punished...
11:08
Army Chief General VK Singh has today rejected allegations that he is responsible for the leak of a confidential letter written by him to the Prime Minister, warning that India's security is at risk because the army's equipment is obsolete. 'This is an outrage! Official communication with the PM,...
10:56
Just in: News of a blast in Afghanistan near the Indian consulate in Jalalabad. All Indians are said to be safe.
10:52
The government is seeing a 'rogue' general in its army chief. Like Barack Obama in the US who sacked his chief of Afghanistan operations, runaway' Gen. Stanley McChrystal in May last year, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is seeing a general warring on Raisina Hill.For two days in a row, defence...
10:49
Good morning. The Intelligence Bureau has been asked to inquire into the leak of the Army chief's letter to the Prime Minister, says defence sources.
10:44
Chief drops new scam bomb: asks CBI to probe serving Lt General (Indian Express)Sends TMC MP's letter to CBI, wants probe against Lt Gen Dalbir Singh, who is in line to be chief. Read Govt angry, but Army chief's dismissal unlikely (The Times of India)Sources said that while the government...
