Sensex closes 124 points lower, RIL, L&T drag
Mumbai, July 28 (IANS) A benchmark index for Indian equities closed 124 points lower as selling intensified in the last hour of trade.

Heavyweights Reliance Industries and L&T dragged the index.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 18,077.85 points, closed at 17,952.83 points (provisional), 124.78 points or 0.69 percent down from its previous close at 18,077.61 points.

At the National Stock Exchange (NSE), the broader 50-share ... Read More

Exports from special economic zone zoomed 121 percent
New Delhi, July 28 (IANS) In sharp contrast to the slowdown in India's external trade last fiscal, exports from special economic zones (SEZs) grew by a whopping 121.4 percent, the commerce ministry said Wednesday.

Exports from SEZs during 2009-10 stood at Rs.2,20,711.39 crore ($49 billion). India's total exports during the same period was down 4.7 percent at $176.5 billion.

During the first quarter of the current fiscal, SEZ exports have touched Rs.58,685.46 crore, an over 68 ... Read More

NDDB to invest Rs.17,000 crore to boost milk production
New Delhi, July 28 (IANS) The National Dairy Development Board (NDDB) is planning to invest Rs.17,000 crore as part of a 15-year national plan to usher in a second White Revolution to meet the growing demand for milk, which is expected to reach 180 million tonnes by 2021.

The first phase of the plan, scheduled from April 2011 to March 2017, will involve an expenditure of Rs.1,600 crore, for which a credit line from International Development ... Read More

NSE to explore business opportunities with LSE
Mumbai, July 28 (IANS) India's National Stock Exchange (NSE) Wednesday inked a letter of intent with the London Stock Exchange Group (LSEG) to evaluate business opportunities, including licensing and trading of key benchmark indices on each other's exchange.

"As part of the Letter, both exchanges declared their intent to explore the feasibility of an agreement whereby FTSE Group may licence the FTSE 100 Index to the NSE, and whereby the NSE may licence the S&P CNX ... Read More

Britain to ease nuclear trade with India
New Delhi/Bangalore, July 28 (IANS) Britain is gearing up to give licenses to its civil nuclear firms to do business with India and does not see the lack of a nuclear liability legislation a hindrance.

Civil nuclear cooperation will figure in talks British Premier David Cameron will have with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in New Delhi Thursday, said official sources.

Britain's Business secretary Vince Cable, accompanying Cameron in his maiden India visit, Wednesday indicated that ... Read More

Open for business, Britain seeks new partnership with India
Mumbai, July 28 (IANS) Britain Wednesday declared it is "open for business" with India and announced that Exim Bank will be granted a licence to operate in the country and the State Bank of India will base its European headquarters in London.

"I would like to see Indian banks establishing themselves even more prominently as big players in City of London and throughout the UK," Chancellor of Exchequer John Osborne said.

He called for greater Anglo-Indian ... Read More

New affordable range of Shahnaz Husain products
New Delhi, July 28 (IANS) There's good news for women who wish to use Shahnaz Husain's products but hesitate due to their exorbitant prices, as the renowned beauty expert has launched a new and more affordable range of beauty products.

A new range of ayurvedic cosmetic products, priced between Rs.75 to Rs.203, called "Shahnaz forever" has been launched to cater to the middle-income segment.

"People often say that Shahnaz Husain's products are highly priced and are ... Read More

'Scarlett threatened by local few weeks before death'
Panaji, July 28 (IANS) In a new twist to Scarlett Keeling's brutal death, her boyfriend told a Goa court that she and her family were threatened by a local named Shanti a short while before she was found sexually assaulted and killed at the Anjuna beach in February 2008.

The British holidayer's boyfriend Julio Lobo, 27, also told the Goa Children's Court (GCC) earlier this month that both Scarlett, 15, and her mother Fiona Mackeown were ... Read More

Star Alliance 'moves under one roof' at Delhi's Terminal 3
New Delhi, July 28 (IANS) Star Alliance, the global pact among 28 airlines in which Air India is a member-elect, has become the first such interline pact to establish a common infrastructure node at the new terminal at the Indira Gandhi International Airport here.

Terminal 3 started full-fledged commercial operations Wednesday.

Nine Star Alliance member-carriers offer more than 70 flights daily to 10 global hubs in nine countries from the airport here and the integration of ... Read More

American woman found dead in Ghaziabad
Ghaziabad, July 28 (IANS) A 73-year-old American woman was found dead in her rented home in Ghaziabad Wednesday, police said.

The woman, identified as Arma Graham, was found dead in the morning by the house owners, an official said.

The house owner, Ranjit Sharma, told the police that Graham was not keeping well and she had taken some medicines from a local doctor Tuesday night.

"We found her dead in her room in the morning," Sharma ... Read More

India to be asked for views on immigration cap
By Venkata Vemuri

London, July 28 (IANS) Amid reports here that Britain may consult India on the proposed permanent immigration cap on non-EU workers, Indian-origin Labour MP Keith Vaz says he will be writing to New Delhi in his capacity as chairman of British parliament's home affairs select committee, inviting its views on the cap.

"We will welcome the views of the Indian Government and I will be writing to Indian ministers asking them to share their ... Read More

BAE gets 500 mn pound order for Hawk jets for Indian forces


Bangalore, July 28 (IANS) In a move underlining the importance of BAE Systems’ presence in India, the company has secured a new order, worth over 500 million pounds, with Hindustan Aeronautics Limited (HAL) for an additional 57 Hawk advanced jet trainer (AJT) aircraft to be built under licence in India.

Of these, 40 are for the Indian Air Force (IAF) and 17 for the Indian Navy.



The final terms and conditions for the ... Read More

Personal computers sales grew 18 percent last fiscal
New Delhi, July 28 (IANS) Sales of personal computers, including desktops and laptops, saw a 18 percent rise in the last fiscal at over 8.03 million units, an industry lobby said Wednesday.

The industry hopes that the overall PC sales will cross 9.35 million units in 2010-11, registering a 16 per cent growth.

"The total PC sales between April 2009 and March 2010, with desktop computers, notebooks and netbooks taken together, were 8.03 million ... Read More

Nextgen management is the big challenge for IT companies
Chennai, July 28 (IANS) Managing the next generation of employees is the major challenge that human resources (HR) managers are going to face in the coming years, senior officials of information technology (IT) sector said here Wednesday.

"Pay hikes, bonus and designation do not largely matter but an appreciation in public for the work done carries more weight amongst the new generation. They work on the power of collaboration. Companies have to provide such collaborative tools. ... Read More