Tamil Nadu can’t consider remission under Section 435 of Cr.PC.
The Supreme Court will hear on February 27 a fresh writ petition which the Centre filed on Monday, challenging the Tamil Nadu government’s decision to release the seven convicts in the Rajiv Gandhi assassination case on remission.On an application from the Centre, the Supreme Court had already stayed the release of Murugan, Santhan and Perarivalan, whose death sentence was commuted to life term on February 18. As the application did not seek a stay on the release of Nalini, Robert Pious, Jayakumar and Ravichandran, the court did not pass any order against them.In Monday’s petition, the Centre covered all the seven convicts, challenging the State’s decision to release them and raised substantial questions of law, such as whether the State or the Union was the appropriate government to grant remission. The case has been posted for hearing to February 27.
6)LPG dealers call off strike
Cooking gas (LPG) dealers have called off their indefinite strike planned from Tuesday after oil companies set up a panel to look into their grievances.
7)Arrest warrant for Yanukovych
Ukraine’s new authorities issued an arrest warrant for ousted President Victor Yanukovych over “mass murder,” and flagged off a presidential election campaign amid a widening rift between Russia and the West over the regime change in the former Soviet state.Acting Interior Minister Arsen Avakov said a criminal case had been opened against Mr. Yanukovych and other officials accused of “mass murder of peaceful civilians.”Mr. Yanukovych, displaced by a decision of Parliament, fled Kiev after signing a Europe-brokered accord with the opposition to end the three-month crisis that claimed more than 80 lives.Mr. Avakov said Mr. Yanokovych had been last spotted in the pro-Russian Crimea Peninsula, which houses Russia’s major naval base in Sevastopol. Ukraine’s Parliament on Monday declared the start of a presidential election campaign on February 25, with the voting set for May 25. Russia and the West have sharply disagreed over the events in Ukraine. While Western countries have supported Ukraine’s new authorities and promised financial aid, Russia questioned their legitimacy and accused them of using “dictatorial” and “terrorist” methods to suppress dissent and infringe on the rights of ethnic Russians.In a statement issued on Monday the Russian Foreign Ministry lashed out at the West for pursuing “geopolitical self-interest” in Ukraine and advancing a “forceful regime change.”Russia warned Ukraine’s new leaders to heed the “concerns” of the Russian-speaking eastern and southern regions of Ukraine, as well as the Crimea and Sevastopol.An assembly of Ukraine’s eastern provinces on Saturday refused to recognise the legitimacy of the new authorities in Kiev. A 20,000-strong rally in Sevastopol on Sunday voted to replace a Kiev-appointed Mayor with Russian businessman Alexei Chaly and to stop sending their taxes to Kiev.In another Crimean city, Kerch, protesters tore down the Ukrainian flag from the City Hall and replaced it with the Russian flag.Protesters in both Crimean cities have set up self-defence forces to guard against possible moves by Kiev to crush their resistance. With Russia now likely to put on hold the disbursement of the remaining $12 billion out of its $15-billion bailout for Ukraine, the new leaders in Kiev have appealed to the West to drum up a huge rescue package.Ukraine’s Acting Finance Minister Yuriy Kolobov said the country needed $35 billion by the end of next year to avoid default. He called for an international donors’ conference involving representatives of the EU, the U.S. and the International Monetary Fund to come up with an emergency aid package.
8)Sushil Koirala Cabinet likely to be expanded today
A day after agreeing to expand the two-member Cabinet, the Nepali Congress and the CPN-UML on Monday failed to finalise the names of ministers from their respective parties due to intra-party differences.Both the parties held meetings throughout the day to settles on names but there were many claimants for each of the 10 portfolios that the first and second largest parties have decided to have for themselves.This meant delay of the Cabinet expansion by yet another day.The CPN-UML was in favour of having its vice-chairman Bam Dev Gautam take oath as Deputy Prime Minister and Home Minister on Monday itself after the party’s Standing Committee – its highest decision-making body – decided to send him as their leader in the coalition government.“Comrade Bam Dev would take oath today [on Monday] if that is arranged,” said UML Chairman Jhala Nath Khanal told mediapersons after the party’s meeting.However, Prime Minister Sushil Koirala was not keen on inducting just one minister although he has been under pressure to give full shape to his Cabinet.He told the UML leaders that he was in favour of all the ministers from the two parties taking oath of office together on Tuesday.While Mr. Koirala was able to placate Sher Bahadur Deuba by offering his camp four of the 10 NC ministers, he is yet to finalise the names of the six Ministers. The Prime Minister, likely to keep Defence for himself, is struggling to ensure representation from various regions, groups and communities.The CPN-UML which has set criteria for ministers’ selection – two-time parliamentary election winners but who never got a chance to be ministers and newer faces – also could not agree on the names with the party’s senior leader and former Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal expressing his dissatisfaction by not attending the party’s Standing Committee meeting.The Standing Committee has entrusted Mr. Gautam with finalising the names of the UML Ministers. The names have to be approved by Chairman Khanal and Parliamentary Party leader K.P. Oli.On Sunday, the two parties settled their simmering row over the Ministry of Home Affairs. Prime Minister Koirala agreed to give the powerful portfolio – which controls all the non-military security and civil administration apparatus in the country – to the UML which had refused to join the Koirala Cabinet without the Home portfolio. As a result, Mr. Koirala could not expand his Cabinet.The NC and the UML have also identified their respective ministries. The NC is going to have Defence, Finance, and Information and Communication – seen as important ministries – while the UML has got Foreign Affairs besides Home.The two coalition partners have decided to offer the remaining six ministries to smaller parties which might join the government.
9)Battered Nokia turns to Android
Three years after announcing that Nokia would jump ship to Microsoft’s Windows Phone software instead of Google’s Android software, Executive Vice-President Stephen Elop got on stage at the Mobile World Congress trade fair on Monday to announce a new line of mobile phones that run a modified version of Android.The decision to come out with a new line of phones — the Nokia X, X+ and XL-based on Android comes days ahead of Microsoft’s acquisition of Nokia.According to Mr. Elop, the market has ‘shifted dramatically’, and the company needs to quickly address the sub-$100 category of mobile phones in ‘growth markets’.According to analysts, this is Nokia’s submission of the fact that buyers of low-end mobile phones in countries like India prefer an Android-based operating system over anything else.“The X family serves a specific purpose — it is a feeder system into our Lumia line of smartphones. It also addresses the gap between Asha and Lumia,” Mr. Elop said, while addressing reporters here on Monday.The three new models rely on an open version of the Android operating system, and come bundled with Nokia and Microsoft’s services — avoiding dependence on Google’s services.For instance, by using an open version of Android, Nokia doesn’t depend on the Google Play app store — it uses its own app store along with a host of other app stores. It will also bundle the X range with its own music and map offerings along with Microsoft's e-mail, cloud, messaging and search services.The Nokia X and X+, which will be released soon in Eastern Asia and Southeast Asia, are priced at 89 and 99 euro, respectively. The Nokia XL, which has a bigger five-inch screen, is priced at 109 euro. The specific launch dates were not disclosed.When asked if he had ‘jumped ship’ the wrong way with Windows Phone software three years ago, Mr. Elop replied in the negative.“There were quite a lot of vendors... who went with Android but couldn’t differentiate. What we are doing here is simple... we’re building a third ecosystem along with Microsoft. We don’t mind if there's overlap with our other devices,” Mr. Elop said.
10)Xolo, Karbonn in Windows fold
Microsoft has started its biggest push yet to make its Windows Phone software more popular in India with the induction of domestic mobile phone players Xolo and Karbonn as partners, who will make smartphones that use the company’s trademark mobile software.This push, which is one of the first moves by the company after newly-appointed CEO Satya Nadella took over, is also accompanied by several changes in the company’s policy regarding its Windows Phone partners. For instance, Microsoft is easing several restrictions on how phone makers use its software, in a bid to encourage them to drive down costs. “We’re open for business on Windows Phone to anyone who wants to build a Windows phone,” said Nick Parker, Senior Vice-President for mobile makers, while addressing reporters at the Mobile World Congress trade fair here.The other new partners include South Korea’s LG Electronics and China’s ZTE, Lenovo and Gionee.These sweeping changes also come on a day when Nokia, which Microsoft will finish acquiring later this quarter, decided to bring out an Android-based line of smartphones.One of the major restrictions that Microsoft had earlier imposed, which hampered domestic players like Karbonn, was on how the hardware layout of the phone should be manufactured.With this restriction now gone, Karbonn and Lava can now use cheaper, soft keys to make Windows Phone-based mobiles and also adapt designs from their Android phone equivalents.Another key change was the announcement of support for dual SIM cards, clearly aimed at the domestic immigrant working population, which often switch phone tariffs to make cheaper local calls.
11)Jolla looks at September launch
Jolla, the Finnish mobile phone start-up that is made up of former Nokia engineers, is looking at rolling out its trademark Jolla mobile phones in India by September, according to Chairman Antti Saarnio.The company made waves a little over two years ago when a group of engineers, who were let go by Nokia, decided to use Nokia’s discarded MeeGo software to create a new mobile operating system that would challenge the likes of Apple and Samsung.The company’s Sailfish operating system is based on MeeGo technology, which was discarded when former Nokia CEO Stephen Elop decided to jump ship to Microsoft’s Windows Mobile software. “We’re in talks with a few Indian e-commerce companies and are possibly looking at a September launch. India is a market with great potential, even more than China... because of the language and easier customisation options,” Mr. Saarnio said, in an interview with this correspondent on the sidelines of the Mobile World Congress trade fair here. Mr. Saarnio and his team will make a trip to India this spring to talk with domestic partners, as he looks to also licence the company's operating system to local players.“There are many companies that could use the Sailfish OS as an alternative to Android or Windows Phone software... we’re looking to tap into that as well,” he said.According to Mr. Saarnio, Jolla will look at the mid-sized segment only and not look to compete in the luxury-end or the low-cost, low-end segments.
12)No talks on UBI merger: Union Bank
Union Bank of India has said that no negotiations are in place for a possible merger of the bank with the loss-ridden United Bank of India (UBI).The denial comes in the wake of reports of a merger which was refuted through individual filings by either bank on the stock exchanges. United Bank denied any merger talks whatsoever saying “There is no information with us of the bank getting merged with any other PSU/private bank, including Union Bank of India”.On the stock markets UBI stock, which was losing in the past one week, saw a 6 per cent jump in its prices which touched Rs.25.85. Union Bank closed the day with a marginal gain at Rs.103.3. Union Bank reported a net profit of Rs.651.2 crore during the third quarter.UBI also said that its board had okayed a proposal to issue perpetual non-cumulative preference shares which would shore up the bank’s capital base.The bank also issued a press release refuting reports on fresh trouble being kicked up by a Rs.800-crore credit line. The bank clarified that bill discounting against letter of credit issued by reputed banks was an accepted practice in banking industry. The release said that the present outstanding in this particular instance had dropped to Rs.163 crore after receiving payments from LC-issuing banks.
13)Sony Corp unveils tablet, two phones
Sony Corp. took its time in the limelight at the Mobile World Congress trade fair here on Monday to prove to investors that its ‘One Sony’ strategy, a gameplan that involves all divisions of the working together, is showing signs of initial success.The company, on Monday, took the wraps off a new Xperia Z2 smartphone with noise-cancelling technology and ultra-high-definition video recording — which no doubt comes from innovations borne out of its audio and camcorder business. It is also water-proof and comes with a 5.2 inch screen.“With the Xperia Z2, we have taken our premium Z series to the next level, in a way that only Sony can deliver,” said Kunimasa Suzuki, President and CEO, Sony Mobile.The company also announced the Xperia Z2 tablet, which features a 10.1 inch screen, and the Xperia M2 phone, which is being positioned as a cheaper alternative to the Xperia Z2. The M2 is only 4.8 inches and comes with a less powerful camera.Sony did not announce pricing or a solid launch date. — Anuj Srivas
14)Mozilla plans Rs.1,500 smartphone for emerging markets
Technology firm Mozilla has showcased a smartphone prototype for developing countries, which could cost as less as $25 (about Rs.1,500).The company, which runs the Firefox browser, has partnered with Chinese low-cost chip maker Spreadtrum. In 2014, we are differentiating our user experience and our partners are growing the portfolio of devices. We are also enabling a whole new category of smartphone, priced around $25, that will bring even more people around the world online,” Mozilla Chief Operating Officer Jay Sullivan said. — PTI
15)WhatsApp to add voice calls to its product
The world’s biggest messaging service, WhatsApp, will add voice calls to its product in the second quarter of this year, its CEO Jan Koum said, days after its blockbuster $19 billion acquisition by Facebook.“We are driven by the mission that people should be able to stay in touch anywhere and affordably. Our goal is to be on every mobile phone in the world,” Mr. Koum said on Monday, speaking at the Mobile World Congress here. Mr. Koum also announced a partnership with KPN’s E-Plus, under which it will launch a WhatsApp-branded mobile service in Germany. “We are working with carriers in established markets to bring value to end users,” he said. — Reuters
16)Toshiba wins $180 m order from NTPC
Toshiba Corporation, on Monday, said it had won a $180 million (about Rs.1,080 crore) order from NTPC for supply of super-critical steam turbine and generators for its power station in Odisha. Toshiba JSW Power Systems Pvt. Ltd., a Toshiba Group company based in India, has been awarded a contract by NTPC “for the supply of two 800 MW super-critical steam turbine and generator island packages for the Darlipali super thermal power station,” the company said in a statement.
17)Dell ramps up Flipkart’s back-end
Flipkart announced on Monday that Dell was ramping up its back-end data centre as it readied to expand services and offer additional product categories on the shopping site. A release from Flipkart stated that the partnership also includes Dell setting up a disaster recovery mechanism to “prevent data loss and ensure business continuity”. This enables the e-commerce major to focus on its core business and not worry about disruptions, Flipkart said in the release.
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