No evidence linking Karunanidhi to Rajiv conspiracy: Jain
After making scathing remarks against the ruling Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (DMK) Government in Tamil Nadu in his interim report --which led to the fall of the Gujral Government -- Justice MC Jain is believed to have said that there's no conclusive evidence to establish that State chief minister M Karunanidhi and his party were involved in the conspiracy behind the assassination of Rajiv Gandhi. Justice Jain's 1,800-page final report, in four volumes, was submitted to the Union Home Ministry in early March.
VW trumps BMW deal for Rolls
Germany's Volkswagen (VW) AG has trumped BMW's preferred bid for Roll-Royce Motor Cars with an offer of 360-380 million pounds ($630 million), a source close to the sale said yesterday, opening the way for a fight to the finish for Britain's most famous carmaker. VW confirmed on Thursday it had tabled the revised offer with Rolls' parent Vickers Plc but declined to comment further. Rolls parent company Vickers acknowledged receipt of the new VW bid, but also refused to specify its valuation.
New Prasar Bharati Board likely soon
The fate of the Prasar Bharati Board, including that of its outspoken and controversial member-executive Surinder Singh Gill, was sealed yesterday with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led coalition Government announcing its decision to "allow to lapse" the 1997 Presidential Ordinance constituting the present board. "The present Ordinance will be allowed to lapse and a new Bill will be brought before Parliament after its approval by the Cabinet," Parliamentary Affairs Minister Madan Lal Khurana announced.
Panel wants deregulation of fertiliser industry
The Hanumantharao committee has recommended deregulation of fertiliser industry and allowed companies to fix their retail prices subject to the ceiling farm-gate prices (FGP). The FGP is to be notified annually to make fertilisers available to farmers at affordable prices. The committee submitted its report to the Union Minister for Chemicals and Fertilisers SS Barnala in New Delhi yesterday.
City airport privatisation runs into rough weather
The Civil Aviation Ministry has asked the Airports Authority of India (AAI) to privatise the Delhi, Ahmedabad and Hyderabad airports in the first round, as models for future privatisation efforts at other airports across the country. The three have been chosen out of the original list of 11 airports to be developed as international hubs in the Airport Infrastructure Policy cleared by the Cabinet in November 1997.
Australia keep heads to pull off victory
Despite a gritty century from skipper Alistair Campbell, Australia did enough to beat Zimbabwe and the heat and take two important points from the match in Ahmedabad. Their improved performance stemmed from the selection of a better balanced side, dropping a batsman and including off-spinner Gavin Robertson.
