2100 HRS
15th February, 2013

THE HEADLINES:

• New Delhi initiates action to scrap the VVIP chopper deal; Issues Show Cause Notice to Italian Firm - AugustaWestland - on allegations of kickbacks.

• Petrol to cost one rupee 1.50 paise more for a litre from midnight tonight; Diesel up by 45 paise.

• India tells Maldives that it has no intention to interfere in its internal affairs.

• France pitches for Permanent Membership for India in the UN Security Council; President Hollande confers France's highest civilian honour on Amartya Sen.

• A meteor crashes in the Urals of Central Russia injuring over 950 people.

• England beat New Zealand for third position in the ICC Women's World Cup Cricket; Sri Lanka thrash South Africa to finish fifth.

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India has initiated action to scrap the deal for purchase of 12 VVIP helicopters from Italian firm AgustaWestland following allegations that kickbacks to the tune of 362 crore rupees were paid to bag it. The Defence Ministry has issued a show cause notice to AgustaWestland, asking it to explain within seven days the bribery allegations.

The notice asked the company why the 3,600 crore rupees deal of 2010 should not be scrapped. The notice comes a day after the ministry warned of legal action, including invoking integrity pact which provides for cancellation of the contract if bribes are paid and recovery of the money already paid.

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Petrol becomes dearer by one rupee 50 paise per litre and diesel by 45 paise from midnight tonight. The rates have been revised in tune with the rise in international rates. The increase does not include VAT or local sales tax. The New rates for petrol sold at Indian Oil Corporation pumps in Delhi will now be 69 rupees and 6 paise per litre, 75 rupees and 91 paise in Mumbai, 76 rupees and 62 paise in Kolkata, 72 rupees and 16 paise in Chennai.

Diesel will now cost 48 rupees and 15 paise a litre in Delhi, 54 rupees and 28 paise in Mumbai, 52 rupees and 4 paise in Kolkata, 51 rupees and 23 paise in Chennai. However, rates of petrol and diesel sold at pumps of Bharat Petroleum Corporation Limited and Hindustan Petroleum Corporation Limited will vary by a few paise.

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India today rejected Maldivian charge that it is undermining its democratic institutions saying it has no intention to interfere in its internal matters. Explaining the turn of events after the former President Mohamed Nasheed took shelter in the Indian High Commission in Male on Wednesday, sources said New Delhi that it has been rather drawn into the current situation. India also clarified to Maldives that its statement stressing on the importance of Presidential nominees of recognised political parties being free to participate in the polls was not made to undermine Maldivian Election Commission or the judiciary.

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President Francois Hollande of France has strongly pitched for India's full-fledged membership at the UN Security Council. Calling India a power of peace, Hollande said the security of the world needs India's presence. He was delivering the Madhavrao Scindia Memorial Lecture to a distinguished audience at the Nehru Memorial Library in New Delhi. The French President bestowed France's highest decoration 'Commandeur de la Legion d'Honneur' or Legion of Honour on the Nobel Prize-winning celebrated economist Amartya Sen for his contributions to economics and philosophy. Conferring after the Lecture Mr Francois termed Amartya Sen the greatest humanist and a great thinker. Hollande quoted extensively from Sen's works that spoke about problems faced by the poorest sections of the society.

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The Supreme Court today ruled that unsuccessful bidders and telecom companies whose licences were cancelled and didn't participate in fresh auction for 2G spectrum, will cease to operate forthwith.It said,telecom firms who continued operation after cancellation of licences will pay fee as per reserved price fixed for fresh auction in Nov 2012. A two judge bench further clarified that it was only concerned with the 1800 MHz and 800 MHz band and not with 900 MHz.

The apex court had on February 2nd last year cancelled 122 licences for the 2G spectrum and had directed the DoT to hold fresh auction for them within four months which has been extended by interim orders from time to time. The apex court on January 14th had extended till February 4 the January 18 deadline for existing operators of 2G spectrum to carry out operations. The deadline was further extended till further orders.

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The Gujarat High Court has rejected Narendra Modi government's contention that Centre's pre-matriculation scholarship scheme for students of minority community is discriminatory. In a majority decision, today the court directed the state Government to implement the scheme.Of the five judges of larger bench, three ruled in favour of the scheme, upholding its constitutional validity and said it cannot be equated with any kind of reservation, while two other judges ruled against it. The central government scheme is for students belonging to five religious minorities including Muslims whose parents have annual income below 1 lakh rupees.

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Majlis Itthehadul Muslimeen-MIM legislator Akbaruddin Owaisi has been granted conditional bail by two district courts separately in the alleged hate speech cases against him. Akbaruddin was arrested on 8th of January this year in cases registered at different districts relating to his alleged hate speech.

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The entire Kashmir valley remained under curfew today. According to police,the situation by and large remained peaceful. People offered their Friday prayers in local mosques. If everything goes well relaxation in curfew will be given tomorrow.

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For news updates, follow us on Twitter @ airnewsalerts. You can also visit our facebook page All India Radio News for more news and events.

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A meteor crashing in the Urals of central Russia has reportedly injured over 950 people, including 200 children. The shockwave blew out windows and rocked buildings as the meteor streaked across the sky above Ural Mountains and crashed on the ground. A fireball was seen streaking through the sky above the city of Yekaterinburg, followed by loud bangs. Much of the impact was felt in another city, Chelyabinsk, some 200km to the south.

According to Russian Emergency Situations Ministry, 514 people have sought medical attention in the disaster area, 112 of whom have been hospitalised. The Chelyabinsk region, about 1,500km east of Moscow, is home to many factories, a nuclear power plant and the Mayak atomic waste storage and treatment centre.

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Negotiators and Government interlocuters of BASIC countries - Brazil,South Africa,India and China, met in Chennai today to pave the way for the ministerial meeting of the 14th BASIC Conference beginning tomorrow. Our Correspondent reports that the meeting began with the attendance of all the Basic Countries and some invitees of the G -77 countries.

The conference which meets four times a year provides a platform for coordination on issues related to climate change. BASIC has emerged as an important grouping in the climate change negotiations and has acted as a key voice of developing countries. Not only the BASIC Countries but also the BASIC plus approach is also expected to strengthen the adoption of document which will be the outcome of the conference. JoyChennai/AIR NEWS CHENNAI.

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Delhi High Court today refused to provide relief to former Haryana Chief Minister and Indian National Lok Dal Chief Om Prakash Chautala on his plea for interim bail on health grounds. Chautala, five-time Chief Minister, has been lodged in Tihar Jail since January 16 after his conviction and sentence to ten years in jail for illegally recruiting 3,206 junior teachers 12 years.

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In Jharkhand, three alleged naxals of PLFI faction have been lynched to death by a group of villagers. The incident occured near a village under Sadar police station of Gumla district in the morning.According to reports, the three alleged naxals had misbehaved with the women yesterday night, and kidnapped two youths when their attempts were resisted. Today early morning, the villagers set out to search, and after finding the alleged naxals with the kidnapped youths, killed them on the spot after freeing the youths. Police later recovered two pistols and six rounds of ammunition of the dead from the spot.

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Sugar could be de-controlled soon. The Centre is likely to take a decision in the next 15 days on giving freedom to the 80,000 crore rupees sugar industry to sell it in the open market. Food Minister K V Thomas disclosed this in New Delhi today .We spoke to Economist, Anshuman Tiwari on the implications of decontrol of sugar.

"The Net result of this whole mechanism and the de-control will be that one, government is going to keep distributing sugar through the Ration shops but the sugar will not be purchased from the market directly. There will not be any levy obligation for the companies. Levy obligation means that companies will have to give a certain percentage of the production to the government on a cheaper price for distribution through the public distribution system. So now government will buy the sugar form the market. Companies will be completely free to sell the sugar to the market. It seems that it is going to given close to 3,000 crore rupees relief to the whole sugar industry. "

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THE WORLD OF BUSINESS

Falling for the second straight day, the Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange declined 29 points, or 0.2 percent, to close at 19,468, today, after poor results of some blue-chip companies. The Nifty fell 10 points, to 5,887. Stock markets in Japan, Hong Kong, South Korea and Singapore ended mixed. The rupee weakened 30 paise, to a one-month closing low of 54.22 against the dollar. Gold fell 100 rupees, to 30,625 rupees per ten grams in Delhi. But silver rose 100 rupees, to 57,100 rupees per kilo. And Brent crude oil futures dropped below 118 dollars a barrel, while US crude fell 22 cents, to 97.10 dollars a barrel. Pradeep Kumar, AIR News

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England beat New Zealand by 4 wickets in Mumbai to finish third in the ICC Women's World Cup Cricket. Sri Lanka thrashed South Africa by 87 runs to finish fifth.

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The News Services Division of All India Radio in its weekly "Current Affairs" programme tonight will bring you a discussion on " Corporate governance and responsibilities towards investors" This can be heard on Rajdhani, FM Gold channels and additional frequencies from 9.30 p.m.

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In Uttar Pradesh, fourth important bathing festival of Maha Kumbh, Basant Panchami was celebrated with great enthusiasm and religious fervor. Our Correspondent reports that the saint who died in the fire last evening belongs to Rajasthan.

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The 27th Surajkund International Crafts Mela concluded today . Haryana Governor Jagannath Pahadia was the chief guest at the concluding- function.

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The upper reaches of Kashmir got fresh snowfall while the plains were lashed by rains today. It brought down day temperature across the Valley by couple of degrees