flight

US defence chief Chuck Hagel assured Malaysia he would consider providing undersea surveillance equipment to boost efforts to locate a Malaysian jet that mysteriously disappeared two weeks ago, Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said on Saturday.

“Spoke with Secretary Hagel — the second time in four days — very positive,” Mr. Hishammuddin tweeted.

Pentagon press secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby confirmed Mr. Hishammuddin talked with Mr. Hagel about the search for the Beijing-bound flight MH370.

“Minister Hishammuddin thanked Secretary Hagel for the support being provided by the United States, particularly that of the US Navy, and requested that the US consider providing some undersea surveillance equipment as well,” he said.

“Secretary Hagel assured Minister Hishammuddin that he would assess the availability and utility of military undersea technology for such a task and provide him an update in the very near future.”

Australia is leading dozens of ships and aircraft in scouring a 23,000 sqkm patch of the southern Indian Ocean for possible debris from a missing Malaysia Airlines plane.

aam athmi party

The Aam Aadmi Party on Friday expelled two of its Uttar Pradesh office-bearers, who were caught in an audio sting operation allegedly demanding money from ticket seekers.

Addressing a press conference here, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal announced the sacking of Awadh zone convener Aruna Singh and Hardoi treasurer Ashok Kumar. The AAP acted on a complaint by Lucknow-based Rajesh Kumar, who wanted to contest the election from Mishrikh (SC).

“We received complaints following which we asked for evidence. The party looked at the evidence and found it to be true,” Mr. Kejriwal said, adding that, however, “no transaction was done.”

Flanked by party leaders Manish Sisodia, Yogendra Yadav and Dilip Pandey, he said, “I am sending out a clear and strong message. Whoever tries to give money for ticket should assume that their money will be wasted. The candidate will not get any ticket. We will verify evidence and whosoever is found involved will be out of the party within 24 hours.”

The AAP leader asked the media and also ticket aspirants to conduct sting operations on their mobile phones if they found anyone demanding money. “The audio should be clear and there should be raw footage.”

Asked about the allegations made against party MLA Rakhi Birla, Mr. Kejriwal said these were found to be “untrue.”

In his complaint, Mr. Kumar claimed that he had paid Rs. 5,400 towards Ms. Aruna Singh’s Delhi-Lucknow air ticket, and later she demanded Rs. 10 lakh for the party ticket.

Mr. Kumar said Ms. Singh had told him on February 10 that the Sitapur, Jaunpur, Machhali Shahar, Mohanlalganj seats had already been sold at prices ranging from Rs. 15 lakh and 25 lakh. “Since my seat was primarily rural, she said she would settle for Rs.10 lakh,” he told The Hindu.

Asked why he agreed to pay for her air ticket as it amounted to bribery, Mr. Kumar explained: “She requested me to visit Delhi and procure a flight ticket for her. I bought the ticket in the hope of getting the amount refunded. However, nothing of that sort happened.” Ms. Singh, however, dismissed the allegations as “baseless.”

Panel reapproves

Appraisal committee will vet the nearly 50 new proposals in April

Field trials for ten varieties of GM (genetically modified) food and other crops were revalidated by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), the statutory appraisal arm of the Environment Ministry. These included field trials for rice, wheat, maize, cotton and sorghum.

Companies applied for revalidation after their earlier permits lapsed following opposition from States. The revalidations would have to be first approved by the Union Environment and Forests Minister and then the promoter companies would have to go back to the States for a final nod as agriculture is a State subject under constitutional provisions.

The committee, sources said, did not clear any fresh proposals at this meeting and is likely to take up the new cases in the last week of April. There are nearly 50 applications pending before the GEAC for first-time appraisal of GM crops, including several food crops.

The move came after the Union Environment Minister Veerappa Moily did a u-turn on the views of his predecessor Jayanthi Natarajan and approved several trials that the GEAC had given the nod for in its earlier meetings. Ms. Natarajan had taken the view that it was not prudent to go ahead with the trials while the Supreme Court was hearing a case on the subject of field trials and the regulatory regime for GM technology in India. She had put the decision in abeyance while writing to the Prime Minister, expressing her views against immediately going ahead with trials of food crops. But Mr. Moily held, upon taking over, that the apex court had not explicitly ordered any stay against clearing field trials while the case went on.

The move to go ahead with GM technology — especially food crops — has been a subject of hot debate among the scientific community and evoked concerns among civil society groups. It had also created divisions in the government — the Agriculture Ministry, the department of Biotechnology and the PMO on one side and the Environment Ministry on the other. This had also delayed the government’s deciding on its stance on the Technical Expert Committee’s report in the case before the Supreme Court.

The government concurs with Mr. Moily’s view and has been working on putting forth a joint position before the apex court — something Ms. Natarajan had expressed the reluctance to do. More than 100 food crop trials are in the pipeline, in various stages of development, and the UPA’s Biotechnology Regulatory Bill is set to lapse with the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha. Thus, the green light for trials, which comes just ahead of the elections, provides hope to major promoters — multinational and Indian — of GM crop technology.

health news

Actor Karan Tacker likes to keep fit through yoga and swimming

“Healthy mind is the source of a healthy physique,” says Karan Tacker, a television actor known for his role in Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai.

The actor says he is not choosy when it comes to food, and does not observe a strict diet. He eats whatever he likes. “Light food is the best thing to keep body active,” he says with a content smile, adding that though he likes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian fare, he leans towards home made food.

“I am a gym lover and regularly spend my time in gym, and this is my basic mantra — to be active all day long,” Tacker says, adding yoga keeps him energetic and active. “It keeps you mentally peaceful too.”

Emphasising the virtues of swimming, he says, “It is also a good option for exercise…Whenever I get time, I just do swimming.” Asked about his fitness mantra, he says “Be happy and smile”.

Tacker is now hosting Halla Bol, which airs on Bindass every Friday. The 13-episode-long serial is a youth oriented show about women who have fought against eve-teasing and sexual harassment. Based on real life incidents, it features a youth icon in every episode based on real life incidents. “It creates awareness not only among women but also makes men more responsible towards women and society. It’s also my way of contributing to the society,” says Karan.

news

Agriculture and small industries worst hit by recession

The crippling monsoon failure, the crisis in the recession-hit fabrication industry and poor urban infrastructure are dominant concerns among voters of the Tiruchirappalli Lok Sabha constituency that straddles an emerging Tier-II city and a backward agricultural belt.

The constituency spreads over Tiruchi East, Tiruchi West, Srirangam, Tiruverumbur, Gandharvakottai (SC) and Pudukottai Assembly constituencies and has a blend of urban and rural voters.

For all its much-touted advantages of being an education hub and its central location in the State, Tiruchi is widely seen to be lagging behind other Tier-II cities in terms of infrastructure development. Despite promises, the city was not included under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.

Plans to decongest the city by establishing an integrated bus stand and shifting the wholesale trade of the Gandhi Market to the outskirts have remained on paper for more than two decades.

“We have lost out on many Central government projects, including the proposed upgradation of the government hospital on a par with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Tiruchi also remains neglected in terms of rail and domestic air connectivity. We need a Member of Parliament who can lobby effectively for the city’s cause,” says M. Sekaran, president, Federation of Consumer and Welfare Organisations.

The poor monsoon over the past three years has crippled farming in rainfed and well irrigated areas in Srirangam, Gandharvakottai and Pudukottai segments.

“With wells and borewells going dry, we have not been able to raise any crop for the past two years in Manapparai area,” says R. Renganathan, district vice-president, Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam.

Coconut, mango and banana crops have withered in several acres. Farmers have been forced to sell off some of their cattle owing to fodder and water shortage.

Linking of rivers and remunerative price for agricultural produce remain major demands.

“Let the government just create the irrigation infrastructure and give remunerative prices for our produce, we demand nothing else,” says P. Ayyakannu, State vice-president, Bharathiya Kisan Sangam.

Tiruchi’s claim of being a fabrication hub of the country has also come under threat in recent months.

The 400-odd fabrication units, dependent on the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, have been going through a crisis as orders have been dwindling from the public sector major.

Many small units have closed down. The industry has been seeking a push and demanding preferential treatment to the public sector major so that they could benefit in turn.

The constituency has been a favoured turf of national parties with the Congress and Communists winning four times each in 15 elections since 1957.

The BJP too has had its share of success winning twice in 1998 and 1999.

The AIADMK won the seat for the first time in 2001 by-election only to lose it to the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in 2004. The party reclaimed the seat in 2009 when P. Kumar, scraped through in a close finish. Mr. Kumar has been renominated by the party for the 2014 polls.

The DMK, which has won only once in the constituency in 1980, has entered the fray after three decades, fielding NMU Anbazhagan and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) after 1996 has put up S. Sridhar now.

The entry of the DMDK and the Congress (the latter announced Ms. Sarubala R. Thondaman, a member of the Pudukottai royal family, as its candidate on Thursday night) has thrown the field wide open for a multi-cornered fight this time around.

latest news

The benchmark sensex on Friday frittered away most of its early gains on profit-taking in bluechips, including RIL and ONGC, to end with a mere 14-point rise.

After losing 93 points in the previous session, the BSE index sensex shot up by 130 points at the outset before reducing gains to end 13.66 points higher, or 0.06 per cent, at 21,753.75. From last Friday, the index lost 56.05 points even though it hit lifetime high of 22,040.72 on March 18.

Brokers said the market remained volatile as cautious investors and foreign fund managers were seen adjusting their portfolios before the ending of current fiscal year.

“After the initial uptick, the benchmark indices remained lacklustre for the ninth successive trade. However, considerable buying in metal and realty space alongside with rise in cash counters kept market breadth on advancing side,” said Jayant Manglik, President-retail distribution, Religare Securities.

In 30-share sensex, 19 stocks gained while 11 settled with losses. Reliance Industries dropped 2.20 per cent on reports of drop in production at its eastern offshore project.

ONGC fell over 2.6 per cent, Sun Pharma by 1.7 per cent and Bharti Airtel by about one per cent.

The 50-share NSE index Nifty rose 10.10 points, or 0.16 per cent, to end at 6,493.20, after touching high of 6,522.90.

Axis Bank, which tumbled three per cent intra-day, ended 2.69 per cent higher after the government sold 9 per cent stake through block deal trades.

Metal stocks rose on value buying while State Bank of India was up 1.47 per cent on hopes of gaining weight in FTSE index series, market participants said.

The domestic market sentiment was positive on a firming trend in the Asian region and higher opening in Europe as global investors steadied after Federal Reserve’s signal on hiking interest rates.

Sectorally, the BSE Metal sector index gained the most by rising 1.93 per cent, followed by Realty index (1.86 per cent), Consumer Durable index (0.70 per cent) and Power index (0.67 per cent).

latest

The Central Government on Friday sold its 9 per cent stake in Axis Bank, the third largest private sector bank in the country, through a block deal in a price range of Rs.1,313-1,341 per share.

This sale is expected to garner around Rs.5,500 crore with a sale of 4.20 crore shares held by the government through Specified Undertaking of UTI (SUUTI) in Axis Bank.

SUUTI, formed in 2003, is an offshoot of erstwhile UTI, held 20.72 per cent in Axis Bank. Following Friday’s deal, SUUTI’s holding will come down to 11.72 per cent in Axis Bank. Shares of Axis Bank closed 2.69 per cent higher at Rs.1,393.40 on the BSE.

However, shares of Axis Bank fell to the day’s low of Rs.1,313.25, down Rs.44 per share compared to its previous close in early trades. The investment bankers had fixed a price band of Rs.1,290-1,357 for the deal. JM Financial, JP Morgan and Citibank were handling the share sale.

LIC has emerged as the single largest investor, buying over 85 lakh shares at Rs.1,313.25, thereby pumping in over Rs.1,116 crore. New World Fund bought 26.88 lakh shares at Rs.1316.13 per share, Goldman Sachs 23.5 lakh shares at Rs.1,323.57 per share and City Group Global 38.2 lakh shares at Rs.1,316.13 per share. Several other institutional investors also bought shares in the block deal.

PTI reports:

About 4.2 crore Axis Bank shares were sold at an average price of Rs.1,315.13 apiece. This is at a 3.07 per cent discount to Thursday’s closing price. The share sale fetches Rs.5,557 crore to the Exchequer.

“The stock will bounce back on strong fundamentals of the bank. There was demand in the counter and now with the stake sale supply has come,” CNI Research Chairman and Managing Director Kishore P. Ostwal said.

Sources said there would be a six month lock-in period following the share sale.

Sensex erases early gains to end almost flat

The benchmark sensex on Friday frittered away most of its early gains on profit-taking in bluechips, including RIL and ONGC, to end with a mere 14-point rise.

After losing 93 points in the previous session, the BSE index sensex shot up by 130 points at the outset before reducing gains to end 13.66 points higher, or 0.06 per cent, at 21,753.75. From last Friday, the index lost 56.05 points even though it hit lifetime high of 22,040.72 on March 18.

Brokers said the market remained volatile as cautious investors and foreign fund managers were seen adjusting their portfolios before the ending of current fiscal year.

“After the initial uptick, the benchmark indices remained lacklustre for the ninth successive trade. However, considerable buying in metal and realty space alongside with rise in cash counters kept market breadth on advancing side,” said Jayant Manglik, President-retail distribution, Religare Securities.

In 30-share sensex, 19 stocks gained while 11 settled with losses. Reliance Industries dropped 2.20 per cent on reports of drop in production at its eastern offshore project.

ONGC fell over 2.6 per cent, Sun Pharma by 1.7 per cent and Bharti Airtel by about one per cent.

The 50-share NSE index Nifty rose 10.10 points, or 0.16 per cent, to end at 6,493.20, after touching high of 6,522.90.

Axis Bank, which tumbled three per cent intra-day, ended 2.69 per cent higher after the government sold 9 per cent stake through block deal trades.

Metal stocks rose on value buying while State Bank of India was up 1.47 per cent on hopes of gaining weight in FTSE index series, market participants said.

The domestic market sentiment was positive on a firming trend in the Asian region and higher opening in Europe as global investors steadied after Federal Reserve’s signal on hiking interest rates.

Sectorally, the BSE Metal sector index gained the most by rising 1.93 per cent, followed by Realty index (1.86 per cent), Consumer Durable index (0.70 per cent) and Power index (0.67 per cent).

Govt raises over Rs 5,550 cr from Axis Bank stake sale

The Central Government on Friday sold its 9 per cent stake in Axis Bank, the third largest private sector bank in the country, through a block deal in a price range of Rs.1,313-1,341 per share.

This sale is expected to garner around Rs.5,500 crore with a sale of 4.20 crore shares held by the government through Specified Undertaking of UTI (SUUTI) in Axis Bank.

SUUTI, formed in 2003, is an offshoot of erstwhile UTI, held 20.72 per cent in Axis Bank. Following Friday’s deal, SUUTI’s holding will come down to 11.72 per cent in Axis Bank. Shares of Axis Bank closed 2.69 per cent higher at Rs.1,393.40 on the BSE.

However, shares of Axis Bank fell to the day’s low of Rs.1,313.25, down Rs.44 per share compared to its previous close in early trades. The investment bankers had fixed a price band of Rs.1,290-1,357 for the deal. JM Financial, JP Morgan and Citibank were handling the share sale.

LIC has emerged as the single largest investor, buying over 85 lakh shares at Rs.1,313.25, thereby pumping in over Rs.1,116 crore. New World Fund bought 26.88 lakh shares at Rs.1316.13 per share, Goldman Sachs 23.5 lakh shares at Rs.1,323.57 per share and City Group Global 38.2 lakh shares at Rs.1,316.13 per share. Several other institutional investors also bought shares in the block deal.

PTI reports:

About 4.2 crore Axis Bank shares were sold at an average price of Rs.1,315.13 apiece. This is at a 3.07 per cent discount to Thursday’s closing price. The share sale fetches Rs.5,557 crore to the Exchequer.

“The stock will bounce back on strong fundamentals of the bank. There was demand in the counter and now with the stake sale supply has come,” CNI Research Chairman and Managing Director Kishore P. Ostwal said.

Sources said there would be a six month lock-in period following the share sale.

Mind your health

Actor Karan Tacker likes to keep fit through yoga and swimming

“Healthy mind is the source of a healthy physique,” says Karan Tacker, a television actor known for his role in Ek Hazaaron Mein Meri Behna Hai.

The actor says he is not choosy when it comes to food, and does not observe a strict diet. He eats whatever he likes. “Light food is the best thing to keep body active,” he says with a content smile, adding that though he likes both vegetarian and non-vegetarian fare, he leans towards home made food.

“I am a gym lover and regularly spend my time in gym, and this is my basic mantra — to be active all day long,” Tacker says, adding yoga keeps him energetic and active. “It keeps you mentally peaceful too.”

Emphasising the virtues of swimming, he says, “It is also a good option for exercise…Whenever I get time, I just do swimming.” Asked about his fitness mantra, he says “Be happy and smile”.

Tacker is now hosting Halla Bol, which airs on Bindass every Friday. The 13-episode-long serial is a youth oriented show about women who have fought against eve-teasing and sexual harassment. Based on real life incidents, it features a youth icon in every episode based on real life incidents. “It creates awareness not only among women but also makes men more responsible towards women and society. It’s also my way of contributing to the society,” says Karan.

Contest wide open in Tiruchi

Agriculture and small industries worst hit by recession

The crippling monsoon failure, the crisis in the recession-hit fabrication industry and poor urban infrastructure are dominant concerns among voters of the Tiruchirappalli Lok Sabha constituency that straddles an emerging Tier-II city and a backward agricultural belt.

The constituency spreads over Tiruchi East, Tiruchi West, Srirangam, Tiruverumbur, Gandharvakottai (SC) and Pudukottai Assembly constituencies and has a blend of urban and rural voters.

For all its much-touted advantages of being an education hub and its central location in the State, Tiruchi is widely seen to be lagging behind other Tier-II cities in terms of infrastructure development. Despite promises, the city was not included under the Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission.

Plans to decongest the city by establishing an integrated bus stand and shifting the wholesale trade of the Gandhi Market to the outskirts have remained on paper for more than two decades.

“We have lost out on many Central government projects, including the proposed upgradation of the government hospital on a par with the All India Institute of Medical Sciences. Tiruchi also remains neglected in terms of rail and domestic air connectivity. We need a Member of Parliament who can lobby effectively for the city’s cause,” says M. Sekaran, president, Federation of Consumer and Welfare Organisations.

The poor monsoon over the past three years has crippled farming in rainfed and well irrigated areas in Srirangam, Gandharvakottai and Pudukottai segments.

“With wells and borewells going dry, we have not been able to raise any crop for the past two years in Manapparai area,” says R. Renganathan, district vice-president, Tamizhaga Vivasayigal Sangam.

Coconut, mango and banana crops have withered in several acres. Farmers have been forced to sell off some of their cattle owing to fodder and water shortage.

Linking of rivers and remunerative price for agricultural produce remain major demands.

“Let the government just create the irrigation infrastructure and give remunerative prices for our produce, we demand nothing else,” says P. Ayyakannu, State vice-president, Bharathiya Kisan Sangam.

Tiruchi’s claim of being a fabrication hub of the country has also come under threat in recent months.

The 400-odd fabrication units, dependent on the Bharat Heavy Electricals Limited, have been going through a crisis as orders have been dwindling from the public sector major.

Many small units have closed down. The industry has been seeking a push and demanding preferential treatment to the public sector major so that they could benefit in turn.

The constituency has been a favoured turf of national parties with the Congress and Communists winning four times each in 15 elections since 1957.

The BJP too has had its share of success winning twice in 1998 and 1999.

The AIADMK won the seat for the first time in 2001 by-election only to lose it to the Marumalarchi Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam in 2004. The party reclaimed the seat in 2009 when P. Kumar, scraped through in a close finish. Mr. Kumar has been renominated by the party for the 2014 polls.

The DMK, which has won only once in the constituency in 1980, has entered the fray after three decades, fielding NMU Anbazhagan and the Communist Party of India (Marxist) after 1996 has put up S. Sridhar now.

The entry of the DMDK and the Congress (the latter announced Ms. Sarubala R. Thondaman, a member of the Pudukottai royal family, as its candidate on Thursday night) has thrown the field wide open for a multi-cornered fight this time around.

Caught in sting, two U.P. leaders sacked from AAP

The Aam Aadmi Party on Friday expelled two of its Uttar Pradesh office-bearers, who were caught in an audio sting operation allegedly demanding money from ticket seekers.

Addressing a press conference here, AAP national convener Arvind Kejriwal announced the sacking of Awadh zone convener Aruna Singh and Hardoi treasurer Ashok Kumar. The AAP acted on a complaint by Lucknow-based Rajesh Kumar, who wanted to contest the election from Mishrikh (SC).

“We received complaints following which we asked for evidence. The party looked at the evidence and found it to be true,” Mr. Kejriwal said, adding that, however, “no transaction was done.”

Flanked by party leaders Manish Sisodia, Yogendra Yadav and Dilip Pandey, he said, “I am sending out a clear and strong message. Whoever tries to give money for ticket should assume that their money will be wasted. The candidate will not get any ticket. We will verify evidence and whosoever is found involved will be out of the party within 24 hours.”

The AAP leader asked the media and also ticket aspirants to conduct sting operations on their mobile phones if they found anyone demanding money. “The audio should be clear and there should be raw footage.”

Asked about the allegations made against party MLA Rakhi Birla, Mr. Kejriwal said these were found to be “untrue.”

In his complaint, Mr. Kumar claimed that he had paid Rs. 5,400 towards Ms. Aruna Singh’s Delhi-Lucknow air ticket, and later she demanded Rs. 10 lakh for the party ticket.

Mr. Kumar said Ms. Singh had told him on February 10 that the Sitapur, Jaunpur, Machhali Shahar, Mohanlalganj seats had already been sold at prices ranging from Rs. 15 lakh and 25 lakh. “Since my seat was primarily rural, she said she would settle for Rs.10 lakh,” he told The Hindu.

Asked why he agreed to pay for her air ticket as it amounted to bribery, Mr. Kumar explained: “She requested me to visit Delhi and procure a flight ticket for her. I bought the ticket in the hope of getting the amount refunded. However, nothing of that sort happened.” Ms. Singh, however, dismissed the allegations as “baseless.”

Panel reapproves GM food crop field trials

Appraisal committee will vet the nearly 50 new proposals in April

Field trials for ten varieties of GM (genetically modified) food and other crops were revalidated by the Genetic Engineering Appraisal Committee (GEAC), the statutory appraisal arm of the Environment Ministry. These included field trials for rice, wheat, maize, cotton and sorghum.

Companies applied for revalidation after their earlier permits lapsed following opposition from States. The revalidations would have to be first approved by the Union Environment and Forests Minister and then the promoter companies would have to go back to the States for a final nod as agriculture is a State subject under constitutional provisions.

The committee, sources said, did not clear any fresh proposals at this meeting and is likely to take up the new cases in the last week of April. There are nearly 50 applications pending before the GEAC for first-time appraisal of GM crops, including several food crops.

The move came after the Union Environment Minister Veerappa Moily did a u-turn on the views of his predecessor Jayanthi Natarajan and approved several trials that the GEAC had given the nod for in its earlier meetings. Ms. Natarajan had taken the view that it was not prudent to go ahead with the trials while the Supreme Court was hearing a case on the subject of field trials and the regulatory regime for GM technology in India. She had put the decision in abeyance while writing to the Prime Minister, expressing her views against immediately going ahead with trials of food crops. But Mr. Moily held, upon taking over, that the apex court had not explicitly ordered any stay against clearing field trials while the case went on.

The move to go ahead with GM technology — especially food crops — has been a subject of hot debate among the scientific community and evoked concerns among civil society groups. It had also created divisions in the government — the Agriculture Ministry, the department of Biotechnology and the PMO on one side and the Environment Ministry on the other. This had also delayed the government’s deciding on its stance on the Technical Expert Committee’s report in the case before the Supreme Court.

The government concurs with Mr. Moily’s view and has been working on putting forth a joint position before the apex court — something Ms. Natarajan had expressed the reluctance to do. More than 100 food crop trials are in the pipeline, in various stages of development, and the UPA’s Biotechnology Regulatory Bill is set to lapse with the dissolution of the 15th Lok Sabha. Thus, the green light for trials, which comes just ahead of the elections, provides hope to major promoters — multinational and Indian — of GM crop technology.

Malaysia seeks US undersea equipment for plane search

US defence chief Chuck Hagel assured Malaysia he would consider providing undersea surveillance equipment to boost efforts to locate a Malaysian jet that mysteriously disappeared two weeks ago, Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein said on Saturday.

“Spoke with Secretary Hagel — the second time in four days — very positive,” Mr. Hishammuddin tweeted.

Pentagon press secretary Rear Admiral John Kirby confirmed Mr. Hishammuddin talked with Mr. Hagel about the search for the Beijing-bound flight MH370.

“Minister Hishammuddin thanked Secretary Hagel for the support being provided by the United States, particularly that of the US Navy, and requested that the US consider providing some undersea surveillance equipment as well,” he said.

“Secretary Hagel assured Minister Hishammuddin that he would assess the availability and utility of military undersea technology for such a task and provide him an update in the very near future.”

Australia is leading dozens of ships and aircraft in scouring a 23,000 sqkm patch of the southern Indian Ocean for possible debris from a missing Malaysia Airlines plane.

"Sardar Khushwant Singh dead"

This is the headline of an obituary that one of India’s most prolific writers chose to write for himself in his twenties. Khushwant Singh would have turned hundred next year in February. But he didn't care about that. He had long reconciled with the concept of death. He did not think about it. “I am ready when it comes,” he would say.

Mr. Singh was born in the Pakistan part of Punjab on February 2, 1915. His father was a contractor who built much of Lutyen’s Delhi, including the Modern School that Mr. Singh went to. He pursued a law degree in London and practised law successfully at the Lahore High Court.

After 1947, he joined the foreign services and served as a diplomat for a few years in London, Paris and Ottawa. He would later describe his years of law-practising and diplomacy as “wasted years of my life.”

In 1951, Mr. Singh began his career as journalist with the All India Radio.

He later edited two major dailies and the Illustrated Weekly of India that he joined in 1969 and turned it from an artsy, apolitical publication into a “noisy rumbustious, jet-propelled vehicle of information, controversy and amusement.”

Courted controversy

The last two words pretty much describe his life. Through his columns, novels and essays, Mr. Singh aimed at entertaining people, often courting controversy in the process.

He did not mince words while speaking his mind, even for personalities like Tagore whom he called a writer of “no great merit.” But it was he who offered a reality check on Rushdie’s Satanic Verses to the Penguin publishers as their literary advisor.

Perhaps the only shadow cast on Mr. Singh’s otherwise illustrious career was his support for Indira Gandhi and the period of Emergency. He remained unapologetic for it, though in 1984, he returned his Padma Bhushan in protest of the army operation in Amritsar’s Golden Temple.

In one of his meditations on death, Mr. Singh quoted a couplet from Iqbal: “You ask me about the signs of a man of faith? When death comes to him, he has a smile on his lips.” Though Mr. Singh remained an agnostic, his friends and fans would like to imagine a smile on his lips when his time finally came.

India, Singapore win 2014 UN Water for Life award

India and Singapore won the 2014 edition of the UN-Water “Water for Life” Best Practices Award for their sustainable practices of water resources, authorities said on Friday.

The award was announced by the United Nations Office during an official ceremony to mark World Water Day 2014 on Friday, reported Xinhua.

“The winners this year are excellent examples of two organisations that tackle future challenges in a sustainable way,” said Michel Jarraud, chair of UN-Water at the ceremony held in the United Nations University.

The prize is awarded yearly for “best water management practices” and “best participatory, communication, awareness-raising and education practices”.

This year’s “best water management practices” went to the International Water Management Institute (IWMI)-Tata Water Policy Programme, a project based on water scarce across India.

ITP has made progress in filling the gap between research and policy action by simultaneously engaging with scientists and policy makers to tackle the socio-economic environmental challenges related to the improvement of the energy-irrigation nexus, according to the jury.

Singapore-based “NEWater programme”, which can meet 30 per cent of Singapore’s daily water needs, won the “best participatory, communication, awareness-raising and education practices” for its strong social component and enduring partnerships in its manifold and remarkable water management practices.

“One of the merits of the winning projects is how they have been able to integrate and scale-up practices to be able to improve access, efficiency and sustainability in water and energy and to do so in partnership with local and national actors,” said Josefina Maestu, director of the UN-Water Decade Programme on Advocacy and Communication.

Rahul flays Modi’s RSS background

Taps servicemen vote bank in Himachal

Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi on Thursday said Bharatiya Janata Party leaders were seeking to lead the secular country after having spent their lives in the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh. Speaking at a rally here, Mr. Gandhi pointed out the irony in the bid by leaders such as BJP prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi to build a statue of Sardar Patel, who had categorically stated that the RSS was “a noxious organisation that can destroy this country”.

On a day-long visit to Himachal Pradesh, Mr. Gandhi addressed the rally after a “chaupal” meeting with ex-servicemen belonging to the State, at Tanda in Kangra district. Recounting the UPA government’s contributions, he emphasised the pushing through of the ‘one rank one pension’ scheme and said he was receiving thanks from former Armymen across the State. “I had only raised the issue since it concerned the brave soldiers who have sacrificed their lives in service of the country,” Mr. Gandhi said, thanking the Prime Minister and UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi for considering his demand on behalf of the servicemen, who are numerous in the BJP stronghold parliamentary constituencies of Kangra and Hamirpur. Terming the coming Lok Sabha elections a “battle of thoughts”, Mr. Gandhi claimed the Congress stood for empowering the people whereas the Opposition represented the country’s rich. Denouncing the NDA’s claims of enhancing infrastructure and roads as being a farce, he said the UPA had, in the past five years, constructed three times more roads than its predecessor had. He recalled that the BJP had criticised the telecom and computer revolution envisaged by his father Rajiv Gandhi, saying “it would lead to unemployment and ruin the farm sector.”

He said that during the 10 years of UPA rule, “at least 15 crore people were brought up from under the poverty line and given the right to employment and food”. He said he envisioned raising to the middle class level the 70 crore people who remained just above the poverty line.

Local leaders had, he said, informed him that a number of educational and industrial projects were set up in the State, which had progressed in spite of the erstwhile BJP government’s anti-Statehood stand. He said the UPA had established special freight and manufacturing corridors between Delhi, Kolkata and Mumbai. He promised that the Congress would ensure women got increased participation in the government as well as party. He blamed the Opposition for not bringing the Women Reservation Bill in the Parliament.

He said the Opposition had no right to talk on corruption when it was the Congress which had brought the Right to Information Act and the Lokpal Bill. The Congress had, he asserted, given the general public vital information of the activities that took place behind the closed doors of bureaucracy.

Meanwhile, the State BJP has called the Congress rally of Rahul Gandhi a “complete flop show” since the party was able to draw very few people compared to the huge turnout at Mr. Modi’s rally in Sujanpur last month. It added that Mr. Gandhi failed to raise State-specific issues and kept repeating the clichéd lines of the speeches he had already made elsewhere, said the Opposition.

Fall in rubber price main poll issue in Kottayam

Kottayam Lok Sabha constituency, home to a large number of rubber cultivators and one of the primary trading centres of natural rubber, is all set to witness a fierce fight between sitting MP and UDF candidate Jose K. Mani, and the LDF’s JDS nominee Mathew T. Thomas in the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

The election is a prestigious one for UDF as Mr. Mani, who is seeking a second term, is the son of K.M. Mani, Finance Minister and Chief of KC(M), the third largest partner in the ruling Congress-led UDF.

Victory for UDF is all the more important as Puthupalli, the Assembly segment of Chief Minister Oommen Chandy, falls in this constituency.

“I am 100 per cent confident of victory as people will recognise the development works initiated by me,” Mr. Mani said.

On the rubber price issue, he said, “I have carried out protests inside and outside Parliament on the matter.”

Mathew T. Thomas is presently the MLA representing the Thiruvalla Assembly segment and was also a minister in the previous LDF government headed by V.S. Achuthanandan. He is the JD(S) state president.

“Campaign is going on in full swing and soaring prices of essential commodities and fall in rubber price are some of the issues being highlighted in election meetings,” he said.

People of the constituency have shown an interesting preference in electing candidates to the Parliament.

Congress candidates won in the elections in 1989, 1991 and 1996, while the CPI(M) nominee of the LDF won in the polls in 1998, 1999 and 2004.

Jose Mani recaptured the constituency from LDF in 2009 by a huge margin of more than 71,000 votes defeating the CPI(M) firebrand leader Suresh Kurup, now an MLA in the Assembly.

Fitch cuts outlook for Russia's credit rating

Rating agency Fitch has downgraded the outlook for Russia’s credit rating fearing an economic fall-out from the Crimean crisis.

Fitch said in a statement released on Friday that it has revised the outlook for Russia’s debt to reflect the potential impact of sanctions on Russia’s economy. On Thursday, S&P warned of a potential downgrade, too.

Russian President Vladimir Putin earlier this week signed the treaty to annex Crimea following Sunday’s hastily called referendum which overwhelmingly supported that move. The West considers the vote illegitimate.

The Russian stock market has lost more 10 per cent this month, wiping out billions in market capitalisation.

U.S. President Barack Obama on Thursday ordered economic sanctions against nearly two dozen members of Mr. Putin’s inner circle and a major Russian bank that provides them support.

Jayalalithaa directed to appear in court on April 3

A city court on Thursday directed Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa and her close aide N. Sasikala to appear before it on April 3 to face trial in cases pertaining to alleged failure in the filing of Income Tax returns.

Rejecting a plea to adjourn the case for three weeks, Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) R. Dakshinamurthy said: “This court feels that the reasons stated for adjournment are not acceptable in law. Hence, the petition filed by the accused is dismissed. The case is posted for appearance of the accused for questioning and framing of charges. The accused is directed to appear for hearing on April 3.”

He also made it clear that the case would be taken up on a day-to-day basis.

The allegation is that the accused had deliberately failed to file I-T returns for the assessment years 1991-92 and 1992-93.

After the Supreme Court directed that the trial in the cases be completed in four months, the ACMM took up the case on Thursday. A petition was filed on behalf of Ms. Jayalalithaa and Ms. Sasikala for adjournment of the hearing for three weeks on the ground that a clarification petition was filed before the Supreme Court in connection with the judgement passed on their appeals in January.

The Magistrate dismissed the plea of Ms. Jayalalithaa and Ms. Sasikala and adjourned the case to April 3.