3rd SEPTEMBER 2014

Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurating TCS Japan Technology and Cultural Academy Soukoukai on Tuesda.  Addressing a 2,000-strong gathering at a seminar organised by the Japan External Trade Organisation (Jetro) and Nikkei, Mr. Modi said India was attractive to Japan on account of three Ds — democracy, demography and demand.

 L&T Metro Rail Hyderabad (L&TMRH) Chief Executive and Managing Director V.B. Gadgil

Multinational aerospace and transportation company Bombardier Transportation sees a very good potential for metro rail projects proposed in Visakhapatnam and Vijayawada. The $18-billion company, which set up its Indian arm Bombardier Transportation India Private Limited after it bagged $1-billion metro car contract for Delhi Metro, now has set up Euro 30-million factory at Savli in Gujarat with a production capacity of 360 cars per annum. The world’s largest rail vehicle manufacturing company is all set to export 450 cars to Australia from its Indian unit. It has also set its eyes on emerging market in South East Asia.  In an exclusive interview, Bombardier Transportation India Chief Country Representative Harsh Dhingra

The World Bank has told the Chennai Corporation that its funding of the pedestrian plaza at T. Nagar is conditional. It has advised the civic body to complete a study on environment and the social impact of the proposed pedestrianisation project in that area. The study by the Chennai Corporation is also expected to assess the impact of the project on ‘reducing extreme poverty’ and ‘promoting shared prosperity’. The Rs.83-crore pedestrian plaza, part of the T. Nagar redevelopment proposal, had already been approved by the Corporation Council a few months ago. “Funding for the project will not be approved without a proper study of the social and environmental aspects of such an innovative urban infrastructure project.

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has said that the State would get 2,800 MW additional power by the end of next year. Chairman and Managing Director of Rural Electrification Corporation Rajeev Sharma along with CMD of TS Genco D. Prabhakar Rao called on Mr. Rao at the Secretariat on Tuesday. During the interaction, the TS Genco CMD said that by next year-end, the State would get 2,800 MW from Bhupalpally (600 MW), Singareni (1200 MW) and central station (1000 MW). He said once this was made available, the deficiency would be overcome and extra power to be generated in future would become surplus.

After its disappointment over the delay in a nuclear agreement with Japan, India is looking ahead to Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s visit this week for good news on the nuclear trade front.  Mr. Abbott, who arrives in New Delhi on Thursday for a two-day visit, will make a “positive announcement” on selling uranium to India as part of a civil nuclear cooperation agreement that has been under negotiation since 2012, with five rounds complete. If successful, India will get a share of Australia’s uranium reserves, about one-third of the world’s extractable reserves for India’s estimated need of about 5,900 tonnes by 2020.

Mangalore Urban Development Authority does not get any fund from the government to pay salary for its staff and office maintenance, for developing layouts or any other development activities. It has to entirely depend on two types of funds collected by it. It is “general fund” collected for approving change in the use of a land or building (land conversions) and “reserve fund” collected as penalty fee for single site approvals, according to commissioner Mohammad Nazeer. The “general fund” should be used to pay salary of staff, building maintenance and developing layouts and the other one for developing parks and open space

Former Foreign Secretary A.P. Venkateswaran (85) passed away at a private hospital here on Tuesday afternoon. Mr. Venkateswaran was chairman of the Asia Centre, which is engaged in organising interaction and discussions on issues pertaining to Asian countries. He had made headlines when he resigned from his post in January 1987, after he was snubbed by the then Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi.

The former Attorney-General of India G.E. Vahanvati died in Mumbai on Tuesday following a heart attack. Prior to his appointment as the top law officer, he had served as the Solicitor-General of India between June 20, 2004 and June 7, 2009. He was earlier the Advocate General of Maharashtra.

A four-member high-level committee has been set up under the former Cabinet Secretary T.S.R. Subramanian to examine five laws administered by the Union Ministry of Environment, Forests & Climate Change. The five laws to be put under the scanner are Environment (Protection) Act, 1986; Forest (Conservation) Act, 1980; Wildlife (Protection) Act, 1972; The Water (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1974; and The Air (Prevention and Control of Pollution) Act, 1981.

The Supreme Court has restrained West Bengal from taking steps to administer “any kind of contraceptives” or methods of sterilisation to curb the rising elephant population in the state. Whereas the State Forest Minister Binay Krishna Barman said that the government was in talks with World Wildlife Fund (WWF) regarding administration of PZP (Porcine zona pellucida) vaccine, which can prevent pregnancy in elephants for about a year.

A study published in the New England Journal of Medicine last week has indicated that keeping a healthy heart may have as much to do with the quality of healthcare as avoiding risk factors. The international study, led by researchers at the Population Health Research Institute at the McMaster University and Hamilton Health Sciences was conducted in 17 nations across the world, including India and Bangladesh in this region.

Finance and Defence Minister Arun Jaitely on Tuesday successfully underwent a planned elective laparoscopic procedure for diabetes management by Dr. Chowbey, a recipient of the Padma Shri award, is an honorary surgeon to the President of India, the Armed Forces Medical Services (AFMS) and surgeon to the Dalai Lama

Operation Indian Ocean - African Union (AU) troops and government forces launched “Operation Indian Ocean,” a major offensive aimed at seizing key ports from the Islamist rebels and cutting off one of their key sources of revenue — multi-million dollar exports of charcoal.

Iran unveiled a new surface-to-air missile on Tuesday and two radar systems it said would improve its defences against “enemies”. The military ceremony came just one week after Iran said it downed an Israeli spy drone that had reportedly been deployed above the Natanz uranium enrichment site in central Iran. The Talash-3 (Effort-3, in Persian) missile is capable of hitting targets at higher altitudes than previously possible, said General Farzad Esmaili, Iran's aviation defence commander, without stating its range. He also showed off two radar systems — the Arash-2, which can detect small drones at a distance of 150 km, he said, and the Kayhan system which can locate missiles and drones.

South African fast bowler Norman Gordon, oldest surviving Test cricketer at 103 years, passed away after a year long illness due to renal complications. Gordon passed away in his home in Hillbrow, close to the Johannesburg City Centre, where he has lived for over sixty years. Gordon played five Tests against England back in 1939 taking 20 wickets in all before World War cut short his international career. His nickname was ‘Mobil’ as he used to apply hairgel to set his flowing mane while bowling.

 V. Diju received the Arjuna Award from the President of India in New Delhi on Friday. The triumphed in Chinese Taipei in 2009 made Diju and Jwala was the first Indian mixed-doubles pair to win a Grand Prix.

Saina Nehwal is training under former badminton star and coach U. Vimal Kumar at the Prakash Padukone Badminton Academy (PPBA) here for two weeks. According to a PPBA press-release, the decision was arrived at after discussions with national badminton coach P. Gopi Chand, who played a stellar role in Saina’s progress.

The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) and the MRF Pace Foundation signed an official agreement here on Tuesday. Under the landmark five-year deal, the Elite group of bowlers (including the Board’s centrally-contracted pacemen) will spend quality time under Australian pace legend and Director of Coaching at the MRF Pace Foundation, Glenn McGrath. The BCCI will nominate 20 established bowlers for the Pace Foundation camps under McGrath. Each camp will be two-week long — three such camps are conducted by McGrath every year here — and will be attended by 10 Elite bowlers.