World Series Hockey(WSH)

World Series Hockey (WSH) is an initiative of Indian Hockey Federation with the objective to reinvigorate hockey in India and to make it a ‘sport of choice’ for youngsters in the country. It was to be played in India among eight franchisee-based teams between 17 December 2011 to 22 January 2012, but later was postponed to 29 February 2012 owing to Olympic qualifiers. The entire event will take place on ‘home and away’ basis culminating into multi header Playoffs. Australian Dennis Meredith, a member of the FIH panel of Tournament Directors is the Technical Director of the WSH.


Teams participating:
Bhopal Badshahs
Chandigarh Comets
Chennai Cheetahs
Delhi Wizards
Karnataka Lions
Mumbai Marines
Pune Strykers
Sher-e-Punjab

China sets 7.5 per cent growth target, stressing stability

China on Monday set its growth target for 2012 at a lower-than-expected 7.5 per cent, in an indication that its focus during a crucial transition year would be on maintaining stability and achieving more balanced growth.

Premier Wen Jiabao told the opening session of the National People’s Congress (NPC), the Chinese Parliament, that the government would place an emphasis on “making progress while maintaining stability”, looking to address the dual challenges of transforming the economy as well as “social conflicts” rather than focus merely on high growth.

The 7.5 per cent target is the first in eight years that has fallen below 8 per cent, long seen by Chinese officials as the minimum level of growth needed to maintain internal stability.. The Chinese economy does, usually, exceed the annual targets set by the government, and is expected to surpass the 8 per cent figure this year as well. The economy grew by 9.2 per cent in 2011, down from 10.4 per cent in 2010.

Putin wins presidential election marred by reports of violations

Elections watchdog agency receives over 3,000 complaints of violations

Prime Minister Vladimir Putin has won Russia's presidential election on Sunday.

Mr. Putin has got 62 per cent of the 85 per cent votes counted, the Central Election Commission said. Exit polls conducted by two leading pollsters gave Mr. Putin 58-59 per cent. Mr. Putin needed to win more than 50 per cent to avoid a runoff.

Communist leader Gennady Zyuganov came second with over 17 per cent of the votes. The other three candidates polled less than 10 per cent each.


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NTPC to invest Rs.25,000 crore in two Odisha projects

NTPC hopes to break the ground for its two proposed super thermal power projects (STPP) with 1,600 MW capacity each at Darlipali in Sundargarh and Gajmara in Dhenkanal district this year.

The company plans to invest more than Rs.25,000 crore in the two projects. “We have already been served demand notice for occupying land at Darlipali. About 1,632 acres is required for the project,” said Jaydeb Nanda, Regional Executive Director of NTPC's (East-II) zone, addressing a press conference here on Saturday. It would be a super critical power plant, the first of its kind to be set up in Odisha, Mr. Nanda said.

“To ensure the upcoming project gets uninterrupted raw material, NTPC will source 7 million tonnes per annum coal from Dulunga and 12.5 million tonnes from Pakri Barwadih blocks allotted to the company,” he said. The project would depend on Hirakud reservoir for sourcing water.

Similarly, according to Mr. Nanda, the proposed Gajmara project would require 1,039 acres in Dhenknal district.

At present, NTPC generates 3,460 MW of power from the State. It hoped to add another 4,500 MW from its three upcoming projects, including Darlipali and Gajamara. It has also proposed to add 1,320 MW capacity at its Talcher facility.

No talk of shut down: Kingfisher

Trying to scotch speculation of a shut down, cash-strapped Kingfisher Airlines on Sunday said it was in talks with tax authorities to get the accounts of the airlines un-frozen and asked its pilots, skipping flying duties, to fall in line.

But pilots protesting delay in payment of salaries claimed that Kingfisher CEO Sanjay Aggarwal had warned them during a meeting on Thursday that the extreme step could be resorted to, indicating the airlines’ closure, if they don’t resume duties.

“Sanjay Aggarwal met with a group of pilots to appeal to them not to stay away from flying duties which would potentially affect the operating schedule. At no time was there any suggestion that Kingfisher Airlines would shut down,” a statement by Prakash Mirpuri, vice president, corporate communications of the airlines, said.

“We are trying our very best to cooperate with the tax authorities and get our accounts un-frozen at the earliest so that normalcy could be restored, employee salaries paid and further aircraft recoveries started,” he said.

BrahMos cruise missile successfully test fired

The Army on Sunday successfully test fired the 290-km range BrahMos supersonic cruise missile at the Pokharan range here to operationalise the second regiment of the weapon system in service.

“In conformity and pursuit of operational and strategic surface to surface missile capability development, the second BrahMos unit of Indian Army has been operationalised. The Indian Army unit successfully launched BrahMos missile and destroyed the preselected target in the field firing ranges in Rajasthan,” an Army spokesperson said here.

The test was witnessed by senior Army officials including Vice Chief Lt. Gen. Shri Krishna Singh and Director General Military Operations (DGMO) Lt. Gen. A.K. Chaudhary.

206 killed in Republic of Congo blasts

After a weapons’ depot caught fire, blasts flattened many buildings in the northern part of Brazzaville and sent more than 2,000 fleeing their homes.

Blasts rocked the capital of the Republic of Congo Sunday morning after a weapons’ depot caught fire, officials said, killing at least 206 people and forcing thousands to flee.

A morgue in Brazzaville took in 136 bodies Sunday afternoon, as more continued to arrive. A local hospital reported at least 237 patients wounded in the blasts.