I don’t want new players: Scolari

LONDON - Chelsea coach Luiz Felipe Scolari does not expect to make any January signings at Stamford Bridge after sanctioning the $17 million move of Wayne Bridge to Manchester City.

Neyveli Lignite to raise Rs.18.5 bn

CHENNAI - The Rs.36.38-billion ($744 million) mining-cum-power company Neyveli Lignite Corp (NLC) will raise Rs.18.5 billion to fund its expansion projects.

Himachal Pradesh formulating environment master plan: Dhumal

SHIMLA - Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Prem Kumar Dhumal Friday said the state government was formulating a master plan to address environmental issues.

ICICI Bank, LIC Housing cut home loan rates

MUMBAI - Two more lending institutions - ICICI Bank and LIC Housing - Wednesday cut their interest rates on home loans by up to 75 basis points (bps).

Bollywood’s balance sheet goes for a toss in 2008 (Yearender - 21)

MUMBAI - Only six genuine hits of 127 releases - with the ratio of success to failure at 5:100 in any given year, the Bollywood story was no different in 2008. But what made 2008 stand apart for the $2 billion film industry was that it saw staggering losses of Rs.5 billion (over $100 million).

‘Razzle Dazzle…’ a comedy about politics, dance and much more

NEW DELHI - After raking in more than $2 million at the box office abroad, Australian comedy ‘Razzle Dazzle: A Journey into Dance’ is going to set the dancing mood this New Year in India with its release in theatres this Friday.

Chhattisgarh plans health insurance for 3.5 mn families

RAIPUR - The Chhattisgarh government Tuesday announced it would provide health insurance cover to about 3.5 million impoverished families.

Hillary Clinton’s strategist ends ties with Zardari’s party: Report

WASHINGTON - The global public relations firm Burson-Marsteller, headed by Hillary Clinton’s campaign strategist Mark Penn, has quietly ended a two-year relationship with the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP), according to a US media report.

BJP ‘reconciling accounts’ after cash goes missing at headquarters

NEW DELHI - The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) is in a tizzy over the Rs.26 million (Rs.2.6 crore) that reportedly went missing on Christmas Day from its national headquarters. Though party workers were Tuesday furiously speculating about who could be the culprit, the spokesperson said accounts were being ‘reconciled’.

Madonna’s world tour is the highest-grossing jaunt

LONDON - Pop diva Madonna’s recently concluded ‘Sticky + Sweet’ world tour has been voted as the highest-grossing US jaunt of the year.

After months of smoking ban, Chhattisgarh yet to file a case

RAIPUR - Chhattisgarh police, yet to register a maiden case against a smoker even after three months of ban on smoking in public places, say they have more serious jobs in hand in the Maoist insurgency-hit state.

Industry calls for push to affordable housing

NEW DELHI - Describing the government’s decision to provide 5 percent interest subsidy on housing loans taken by the economically weaker sections (EWS) as ‘a move in the right direction’, an industry lobby Sunday said it would boost demand of affordable housing.

Uttar Pradesh police chief evasive on murder probe progress

LUCKNOW - The probe was under way into the murder of a government engineer allegedly by a ruling party legislator Wednesday, Uttar Pradesh police chief Vikram Singh said here Tuesday but refused to provide any details.

Beckham ends deal with Pepsi

LONDON - Footballer David Beckham has ended his deal with Pepsi after a 10-year association with the brand.

9 injured in China earthquake

KUNMING - An earthquake measuring 4.9 on the Richter scale early Friday injured nine people in the southwestern Chinese province of Yunnan along the border with Myanmar.

Bihar sacks 15,000 teachers for faking degrees

PATNA - The Bihar government has sacked 15,000 teachers for having submitted fake degrees and certificates for recruitment in state-run schools, officials said Friday.

Japan’s industrial production plummets

TOKYO - Japan’s industrial output suffered a record fall in November, as unemployment numbers rose and slowing inflation rates caused deflation fears, officials said Friday.

Christmas celebrated in Kerala in traditional style

KOTTAYAM - After attending the midnight mass, Christians across Kerala got up early Thursday and headed for the dawn mass, heralding Christmas celebrations with traditional fervour and style.

Chandigarh hotels cancel Christmas, New Year parties

CHANDIGARH - Come Christmas and New Year, and this city gets into party mode. But this year all prominent hotels and even clubs and discotheques have cancelled celebrations in the wake of the shocking tragedy in Mumbai a month ago.

Kannada star Puneet Raj Kumar to dance with dad’s heroines

BANGALORE - Kannada actor Puneet Raj Kumar’s forthcoming film ‘Raaj - The Showman’ is set to have an interesting dance sequence where he will shake a leg with yesteryears heroines who had worked with his father, the late Rajkumar.

Stricken Jackson moves into multimillion dollar mansion

LONDON - A 25 million pound ($37 million) mansion is the Thriller star Michael Jackson’s new home.

Madras High Court stays screening of Aamir starrer ‘Ghajini’

CHENNAI/MUMBAI - The Madras High Court Tuesday stayed the release of the much-awaited Aamir Khan-starred Hindi film ‘Ghajini’, two days before it was to hit the screens worldwide after the producers of the Tamil film on which it is based filed objections.