New Delhi, May 9: Inflation crept up to a nearly four-year high of 7.61 per cent, impelling the government to think of more administrative measures to keep prices down such as goading cement manufacturers to cut rates.

"More administrative steps will be taken as and when necessary," Finance Minister P Chidambaram said on Friday, as inflation rose to a 42-month high in the week ended April 26 on costlier tea, spices, fruits, vegetables and some manufactured products. ...Read More

Ahmedabad, May 09: The hearing in the Sreesanth-Bhajji slapgate row concluded here on Friday. The hearing went on for around 60 minutes during which time both the players were subject to several questions on what transpired on the day. The report will be forwarded to BCCI President Sharad Pawar on Monday. Both the players were reportedly satisfied with the hearing, which took place in the presence of BCCI secretary Niranjan Shah.

Refusing to comment on the report, Shah said, "It is a serious report. It will go to the President and the discipine committee before deciding on the further course of action. ...Read More

BERLIN: The Dalai Lama says he understands why Tibetan exiles were angry that the Olympic torch reached the top of Mount Everest but had advised them against protesting.

Exiled Tibetan officials and rights group argue that taking the flame up Everest on Thursday is in bad taste and not in keeping with the spirit of the Olympics.

China effectively closed off the region over concerns protesters would try to disrupt the assault on Everest, sitting astride the border of the Chinese region of Tibet and Nepal.

But in Nepal, police said they detained 210 pro-Tibet protesters on Thursday.

"If the times were quiet, I would not get excited about it. But as things are, I understand the protests, of course without supporting them," the Dalai Lama told Germany's Der Spiegel magazine in an interview conducted on May 6 and published on Friday.
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New Delhi: The Supreme Court, which has ordered the reinstatement of AIIMS director P Venugopal, has termed as "naked discrimination" and "one man legislation" the Centre's controversial Act which prematurely retired the eminent cardiologist.

In its 58-page judgment released on Friday, the bench of Justices Tarun Chatterjee and H S Bedi said Venugopal would be entitled to his pay and other emoluments "as he was getting before premature termination of his office from the date of his order of termination".

The 66-year-old Venugopal, whose five-year term is due to end on July 2, was eased out of office last November following an amendment to the AIIMS Act fixing 65 years as the age of superannuation.

Venugopal and Health Minister Anbumani Ramadoss were engaged in a bitter turf war over the control of the prestigious institute. ...Read More