Harish Salve is solicitor general
Harish Salve was on Monday appointed solicitor general of India, official sources said. Salve replaces Santosh Hegde. Meanwhile, Soli J Sorabjee has been re-appointed AG of India for three years.

Jan 1 is bank holiday
RBI has directed all scheduled commercial banks, including regional rural banks, to remain closed for public transactions on January 1, 2000 as part of the contingency plan for the change over of computer systems to year 2000.

US adamant on WTO agenda
The proposed WTO working group on labour has nothing to do with India's labour policies and only wants to ensure that international trade liberalisation should provide maximum benefits to the working people all around the world, deputy US trade representative Susan Esserman said on Monday.

Insurance tariff system to stay
There is no immediate plan to abolish the tariff system for the general insurance industry after the sector is thrown opened to private sector, according to Insurance Regulatory Authority chairman N Rangachary.

IDBI cuts coupon on 3-yr on-tap bond
The Industrial Development Bank of India has slashed interest rate on its three-year on-tap bond issue by 10 basis points, signalling a lower interest rate regime.

Harshad Mehta appeal
The Supreme Court on Monday admitted a criminal appeal by `Big Bull' Harshad Mehta and two others against the special court verdict in the securities scam in Mumbai awarding them five years' rigorous imprisonment in the Maruti Udyog fraud case.

BSES H1 net up 56.4%
BSES has posted a profit after tax of Rs 51.72 crore (Rs 33.07 crore) in the first half of the current fiscal registering a growth of 56.4 per cent.

Murugappa group recast
In a move that could be a trend-setter in family-owned businesses in the country, the Rs 3,200-crore Murugappa group family members are taking a backseat and stepping down as chief executive officers of various group firms.

Reliance hikes prices
RIL has hiked the polyester and fibre intermediates prices with effect from November 1. While PSF prices were hiked to Rs 58 per kg from Rs 56, PTA prices were increased to Rs 31.8 per kg.

Maruti to raise car prices
MUL will soon hike prices of its cars as it was unable to absorb extra cost incurred for compliance of emission norms.