Gold prices fell by Rs 30 to Rs 12,070 per 10 grams in the bullion market here today on reduced offtake amid weak global trend.
Marketmen said sluggish demand against adequate supply and reports of weak global markets mainly led to decline in gold prices. Buying activity in gold also reduced owing to off marriage and festival season and some investors shifted their funds from gold to rising equity market, they added.
Global trend which normally set prices band here in domestic markets, fell by 4.40 dollar to 880.45 dollar an ounce and silver by 10.5 cents to 16.71 dollar in overseas markets. Standard gold and ornaments lost Rs 30 each to Rs 12,070 and Rs 11,920 per 10 grams respectively, while sovereign, remained flat at Rs 9,875 per piece of eight gram. In similar fashion, silver ready dropped by Rs 350 to Rs 22,850 per kg, but silver weekly-based delivery gained Rs 210 to Rs 23,200 per kg.
Silver coins also traded lower by Rs 100 to Rs 26,600 for buying and Rs 26,700 for selling of 100 coins on reduced offtake by coins makers.
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Monday, May 12, 2008
Sunday, May 11, 2008
Marina beautification on course
Structures for nine of the 14 proposed galleries along the Marina as part of the beach beautification project have been completed.
Besides landscaping work, two of the four proposed toilet blocks have also been completed, a Chennai Corporation official told The Hindu. With nearly 40 per cent of the work done, this stretch was likely to be ready in six months, the official said. The stretch from Rajaji Salai to Napier Bridge would be ready latest by August 15, as at least 60 per cent of the work had been completed.
More toilet blocks in the proposed parking lot and other areas are coming up. Work is progressing on footpaths, a sunken court and paved platform. Three islands near the War Memorial building are also being built.
The Corporation had planned new pathways, service lanes, landscaped lawns and seating for visitors at the beach. Renovation of parking lots, lawns, footpaths and service lanes between Kamarajar Salai and the beach are part of the proposals for the three-km stretch.
Hat-trick hero
Chennai Super Kings paceman L. Balaji is congratulated by his team-mates after claiming a hat-trick, the first in IPL, to end the contest against Kings XI Punjab at the M.A. Chidambaram Stadium in Chennai on Saturday. Balaji took five for 24 as the host won by 18 runs to register its sixth win in eight games. He was adjudged Man of the Match
Manmohan: hope nation will heed Kalam’s counsel on nuclear deal
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday expressed the hope that the country “will listen to the voices of wisdom” on the India-U.S. civilian nuclear cooperation agreement.
Asked about the remarks of the former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam favouring the nuclear deal with the U.S., Dr. Singh said: “He was intimately associated with Pokhran-II and is a distinguished scientist and former President. I hope the country and the people will listen to his advice.”
Asked if the Left would heed Mr. Kalam’s advice, Dr. Singh smilingly repeated his comment: “I hope the country and the people will listen.”
The Prime Minister was speaking to reporters after the Padma Awards presentation ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The former President, who had played a pivotal role in the 1998 Pokhran-II nuclear explosion during the National Democratic Alliance regime, said on Friday that the country should go ahead with the nuclear deal as it “does not compromise India’s sovereignty.”
Mr. Kalam said India could “any time withdraw, if any national security need arises in future.” He said since India did not have enough uranium resources, it should look to getting it from countries which had it in abundance.
Asked about the remarks of the former President A.P.J. Abdul Kalam favouring the nuclear deal with the U.S., Dr. Singh said: “He was intimately associated with Pokhran-II and is a distinguished scientist and former President. I hope the country and the people will listen to his advice.”
Asked if the Left would heed Mr. Kalam’s advice, Dr. Singh smilingly repeated his comment: “I hope the country and the people will listen.”
The Prime Minister was speaking to reporters after the Padma Awards presentation ceremony at the Rashtrapati Bhavan.
The former President, who had played a pivotal role in the 1998 Pokhran-II nuclear explosion during the National Democratic Alliance regime, said on Friday that the country should go ahead with the nuclear deal as it “does not compromise India’s sovereignty.”
Mr. Kalam said India could “any time withdraw, if any national security need arises in future.” He said since India did not have enough uranium resources, it should look to getting it from countries which had it in abundance.
Friday, May 9, 2008
'Kol, Chennai airport modernisation delay'
Civil Aviation Minister Praful Patel today said the commencement of modernisation of Kolkata and Chennai airports had been delayed by a couple of months, but the process of shortlisting of construction firms and related activities were on.
"There has been a delay of a couple of months in Kolkata and Chennai... But we are continuing with the parallel process of shortlisting construction and other companies. It is an overlapping process," Patel said here. Asked about CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury's appeal for Prime Ministerial intervention to check privatisation of the process through the "backdoor", he said the terminals would be "managed and maintained by the Airports Authority of India."
"There has been a delay of a couple of months in Kolkata and Chennai... But we are continuing with the parallel process of shortlisting construction and other companies. It is an overlapping process," Patel said here. Asked about CPI(M) leader Sitaram Yechury's appeal for Prime Ministerial intervention to check privatisation of the process through the "backdoor", he said the terminals would be "managed and maintained by the Airports Authority of India."
Class XII: pass percentage up to 84.4
The overall pass percentage of students who took the State Board Class XII (HSC) examinations this year has gone up to 84.4 per cent. An increase of 3.4 percentage points from last year’s 81 per cent, this is the highest pass percentage recorded in the State since 2003.
Declaring the results here on Friday, Director of Government Examinations Vasanthi Jeevanandam said 87.3 per cent of the girls had passed, while boys recorded a pass percentage of 81.3.
A total of 5,87,994, students appeared for the Class XII examinations this year in schools across the State.
School Education Minister Thangam Thennarasu told The Hindu that he was very happy with the results. “We have had a series of subject-wise review meetings since the time quarterly examinations got over. Teachers have been focussing on students who did not perform too well in those examinations and have helped them score high.”
Declaring the results here on Friday, Director of Government Examinations Vasanthi Jeevanandam said 87.3 per cent of the girls had passed, while boys recorded a pass percentage of 81.3.
A total of 5,87,994, students appeared for the Class XII examinations this year in schools across the State.
School Education Minister Thangam Thennarasu told The Hindu that he was very happy with the results. “We have had a series of subject-wise review meetings since the time quarterly examinations got over. Teachers have been focussing on students who did not perform too well in those examinations and have helped them score high.”
Azhagiri acquitted in murder case
M.K. Azhagiri, elder son of Chief Minister, M. Karunanidhi, and 12 others accused in the murder of former Dravida Munnetra Kazagam Minister, ‘Pasumpon’ T. Kiruttinan, were acquitted by a Chittoor court on Thursday.
Delivering the judgment in a packed court hall, Principal District and Sessions Judge P. Durga Prasad held that the charges against the 13 accused were “not proved” and declared them “not guilty.” The accused included Deputy Mayor of Madurai Corporation P.M. Mannan, and several other cadres of the ruling DMK.
Mr. Azhagiri and others were booked under various sections including 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder), 109 (abetment to commit an offence) of IPC. The trial court examined 82 of the 114 persons named as witnesses in the case. The police had thrown a security blanket around the court as a precautionary measure.
Delivering the judgment in a packed court hall, Principal District and Sessions Judge P. Durga Prasad held that the charges against the 13 accused were “not proved” and declared them “not guilty.” The accused included Deputy Mayor of Madurai Corporation P.M. Mannan, and several other cadres of the ruling DMK.
Mr. Azhagiri and others were booked under various sections including 120 (B) (criminal conspiracy), 302 (murder), 109 (abetment to commit an offence) of IPC. The trial court examined 82 of the 114 persons named as witnesses in the case. The police had thrown a security blanket around the court as a precautionary measure.
Tuesday, May 6, 2008
Chennai emerging as hub of modern art
Teeming with a young breed of high salaried professionals, once conservative Chennai is fast emerging as a hub of modern art as young artists from across the country are making a beeline to cash in on the new wave of interest in paintings.
There has been an emerging trend among the young professionals classified as High Networth Individuals (HNI) which mainly included top management staff of IT and ITES companies, to buy paintings as an investment option, industry experts said.
Lalit Kala Akademi Regional Secretary R M Palaniappan told PTI the akademi had hosted about 50 to 60 painting exhibitions of young painters in last year. The number of buyers for paintings had increased drastically and the young artists find the city a perfect platform to sell their works.
There has been an emerging trend among the young professionals classified as High Networth Individuals (HNI) which mainly included top management staff of IT and ITES companies, to buy paintings as an investment option, industry experts said.
Lalit Kala Akademi Regional Secretary R M Palaniappan told PTI the akademi had hosted about 50 to 60 painting exhibitions of young painters in last year. The number of buyers for paintings had increased drastically and the young artists find the city a perfect platform to sell their works.
Monday, May 5, 2008
Round-the-clock traffic signals at select spots
Automatic traffic signals on select arterial roads, including Anna Salai, in the city will function round-the-clock from Tuesday.
Traffic police have decided on this measure to curb over-speeding and reduce accidents. They would be on patrol duty to ensure that motorists complied with the rules. Other important roads on which the signals would be operated at night include E.V.R. Salai, 100-feet Road and Sardar Patel Road, traffic police officers told The Hindu.
Drivers found ignoring the traffic signal would be punished as surveillance cameras fitted at these points would facilitate the police to identify the violators, officers said.
Though vehicle movement considerably reduced beyond 11 p.m. at the junctions, overspeeding is common on a relatively free road, say traffic police. Many of the accidents reported between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. were major.
According to the officers, drivers found overspeeding or driving rashly during night hours would invite severe punishment. In cases of drunken driving, the vehicles would be detained and the accused sent to government hospital for medical examination. Letting them off after a penalty or severe warning would not suffice to curb drunken driving, some traffic police officers had suggested to the top brass. In the wake of Kamarajar Salai witnessing traffic snarls, in the evenings over the past few weeks, the police have decided to restrict vehicles on the stretch along the Marina during weekends.
Traffic police have decided on this measure to curb over-speeding and reduce accidents. They would be on patrol duty to ensure that motorists complied with the rules. Other important roads on which the signals would be operated at night include E.V.R. Salai, 100-feet Road and Sardar Patel Road, traffic police officers told The Hindu.
Drivers found ignoring the traffic signal would be punished as surveillance cameras fitted at these points would facilitate the police to identify the violators, officers said.
Though vehicle movement considerably reduced beyond 11 p.m. at the junctions, overspeeding is common on a relatively free road, say traffic police. Many of the accidents reported between 11 p.m. and 5 a.m. were major.
According to the officers, drivers found overspeeding or driving rashly during night hours would invite severe punishment. In cases of drunken driving, the vehicles would be detained and the accused sent to government hospital for medical examination. Letting them off after a penalty or severe warning would not suffice to curb drunken driving, some traffic police officers had suggested to the top brass. In the wake of Kamarajar Salai witnessing traffic snarls, in the evenings over the past few weeks, the police have decided to restrict vehicles on the stretch along the Marina during weekends.
Aircel to invest $4bn in upgradation
Mobile Service Provider Aircel, which is 74 per cent owned by Malaysia's Maxis Communications, is aiming to invest an amount of $4-5 billion in beefing up the existing network and also in rolling out its service in mobile operations in the remaining circles by 2010.
Aircel invested close to $500 million in 2007 and aimed to double it by 2009. Aircel launched its GSM services in Kolkata, its tenth circle, on Monday.The Kolkata launch completed Aircel's eastern region footprint.
Aircel will have a 200-seater customer care centre providing service in Kolkata and Durgapur to back up 1,200 retail outlets in Kolkata. Aircel had 7,000 towers now and aims to acquire 15,000 more towers either by merger or acquisitions at a cost of $1.6million.
Aircel aimed to roll out Wimax in Kolkata for corporate clients and also launch BlackBerry services within two to three months.
Aircel invested close to $500 million in 2007 and aimed to double it by 2009. Aircel launched its GSM services in Kolkata, its tenth circle, on Monday.The Kolkata launch completed Aircel's eastern region footprint.
Aircel will have a 200-seater customer care centre providing service in Kolkata and Durgapur to back up 1,200 retail outlets in Kolkata. Aircel had 7,000 towers now and aims to acquire 15,000 more towers either by merger or acquisitions at a cost of $1.6million.
Aircel aimed to roll out Wimax in Kolkata for corporate clients and also launch BlackBerry services within two to three months.
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