Friday, February 18, 2011, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 2:30 am (IST)

Govt annuls deal between Antrix, Devas
New Delhi, February 17
A day after Prime Minister Manmohan Singh defended himself of any wrongdoing in the controversial deal regarding the allocation of S-band Spectrum between ISRO’s commercial arm Antrix and Bangalore-based firm Devas Multimedia Private Limited, the government today moved ahead to terminate the deal.

Defence Ministry ‘not consulted’ on S-band

Pro-Telangana MLAs heckle AP Governor during address
Tear copies of his speech, uproot mike, ransack seats, grapple with martials
Hyderabad, February 17
In an unprecedented development in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly, the slogan-shouting pro-Telangana legislators disrupted Governor ESL Narasimhan’s address, uprooted his mike, tore the copies of his speech and flung the papers at him.

2G scam: Raja sent to Tihar for 14 days
New Delhi, February 17
After spending 15 days in the CBI remand, former communications minister A Raja was today sent to Tihar jail on a 14-day judicial custody as the investigating agency did not seek his custody any further. Raja appeared defiant as he was taken out of the court and reiterated his innocence, which, he claimed, would be proved in coming months.

CBI quizzes Essar Group CEO

Cricket extravaganza opens in Dhaka

A fireworks spectacle at the opening ceremony of the Cricket World Cup at Bangabandhu Stadium in Dhaka on Thursday. The ceremony saw the captains of the 14 competing teams parading through Dhaka's historic stadium in colourfully draped rickshaws. — AFP (Details on Sports page)

Honda recalls 57,853 City sedans
New Delhi, February 17
Honda Siel Cars India (HSCI) today announced the recall of over 55,000 units of its City model for what it said was a preventive part replacement. In a statement issued here, HSCI, while not terming the calling back of the third generation City cars manufactured between November 2008 and December 2009 a “recall”, said it would carry out preventive part replacement of lost motion spring in the valve train for 57,853 units.

Efforts on for release of abducted collector, JE
Maoists set 48-hour deadline, want all tribal Naxalites freed
Malkangiri (Orissa)/New Delhi, February 17
Demanding a halt to anti-Naxal operations and freeing of jailed compatriots, Maoists kidnapped Malkangiri District Collector RV Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Mohan Majhi even as authorities today launched “back channel” efforts for release of the 30-year-old IAS officer.

No ‘gutkha’ sachets from March 1, rules apex court
New Delhi, February 17
The Supreme Court today refused to defer the implementation of the ban on the sale of tobacco products such as “gutkha” and “paan masala” in plastic sachets from March 1 despite the manufacturers’ pleadings that they had Rs 200 crore worth of products stacked in godowns and these could not be sold before the deadline.

Fix responsibility in HPV vaccine study: Brinda 
 New Delhi, February 17
CPM’s Politburo member Brinda Karat today questioned the exoneration of defaulters in the HPV vaccine administration project that had led to the deaths of seven tribal girls last year and demanded compensation for those affected. In a letter to Health Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad today, Brinda sought the suspension of the project and punitive action for those found responsible for the deficiencies

Purewal flays changes in Nanakshahi calendar Says it is due to vote-bank politics Amritsar, February 17 Challenging those who are objecting to the original Nanakshahi calendar to show their credentials, Pal Singh Purewal, the calendar’s architect, today flayed the amendments made to it, saying the changes made as mere amendments will be a misnomer as the entire base of the calendar has been changed. Pal Singh Purewal, original Nanakshahi calendar’s architect, addresses the media in Amritsar on Thursday. Akal Takht releases amended Nanakshahi calendar in haste