- In the big story today, former President APJ Abdul Kalam has decided not
to contest for the post of President despite efforts by the Trinamool
Congress and BJP to persuade him to enter the fray.
The predecessor to current President Pratibha Patil told Advani that his
conscience was not permitting him to contest.
In a statement to media, he said he has considered the present political situation and decided not to contest… we have a CNN-IBN report.
- The Reserve Bank of India on Monday kept the repo rate and the cash reserve ratio unchanged at 8.0 per cent and 4.75 per cent respectively, dashing market hopes of a 25 basis point cut. The move which gave priority to checking inflation over growth, disappointed industry as well as retail borrowers who were expecting the cut.
We have Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee‘s reaction to the same.
Kalam told Advani that hisconscience was not permitting him to contest. PTI
- Rating Agency Fitch Ratings has revised India’s outlook to negative from
stable. Its Long-Term Foreign- and Local-Currency Issuer Default Ratings
that is IDRs- have been affirmed at ‘BBB-’ and Short-Term Foreign Currency at
‘F3′. India’s Country Ceiling is also affirmed at ‘BBB-’.
This reflects heightened risks that India’s medium- to long-term growth
potential will gradually deteriorate unless structural reforms are
hastened.
- Sports Minister Ajay Maken has questioned the All India Tennis
Association’s decision to pair feuding former partners Leander Paes and
Mahesh Bhupathi for the Olympics, asking why just one team is being sent to
the event where the country can send two.
Just before recording, news was in that Bhupathi says he does not want to
partner Paes because the latter backstabbed him and he owes a commitment to
Bopanna, who has been his partner for the last 7 months.
What also needs to be taken into account is that if Sania Mirza gets a
wildcard, then it would be a dilemma for Bhupathi on whom to partner– his
French open mixed doubles winning partner or Boppana.
- Well the Air India pilot strike is never out of the news— and as it
entered its 45th day, Aviation Minister Ajit Singh reiterated his readiness
to take back the sacked pilots provided they called off their agitation
unconditionally and returned to work.
- Google has just released its annual transparency report for the year 2011
and it has emerged that the Indian government’s requests for content removal
went up by 49%. Google said that a lot of these requests were aimed at
content that displayed protests against social leaders and were critical of
a local politician.
- Over to sport now and apart from the Bhupathi-Paes-Bopanna news, we have
the Euro 2012. After the group of death consumed the Netherlands last night,
it remains to be seen whether Italy and Spain can find a way to the quarters
too. Croatia are up against Spain and Italy will face the Republic of
Ireland.
- And finally, Bollywood diva Madhuri Dixit has had a star named after her
thanks to a group of loyal fans. The certificate by Star Foundation reads:
“A celestial body in the sky above has been named in honour of Madhuri
Dixit-Nene and is officially located in the constellation Orion.”
