New Delhi, Dec 24 :Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit Wednesday inaugurated four projects in the Trans-Yamuna area with an aim to provide world-class infrastructure to the city.

Dikshit inaugurated ITO Chungi underpass, Shastri Nagar Pushta flyover, Geeta Colony bridge and Raja Ram Kohli Marg flyover, a statement from the chief minister's office.

Her son Sandeep Dikshit, an MP from east Delhi, said that agencies like DUAC (Delhi Urban Art Commission) and others must become partners in developmental schemes instead of raising objections.

The head of Mozilla, the company owning open source Firefox browser, Mr. Jay Sullivan has informed that very soon Firefox is going to launch a browser for mobile, Fennec, which will be initially available for Nokia's N900 phone.

The Finance Minister, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee has informed that the economy is expected to rise by 7.5 to 8 percent during the current financial year, while he expressed concern on the rising food prices in the country.

The Finance Minister presented a review in the parliament in the last week, which stated that economic growth rate during this year is expected to go beyond the 7.75 percent mark as compared to the 6.7 percent registered in the 2008-09 period.

Before the global recession started, Indian economy was growing at 9 percent, which decreased to 6.7 percent during 2008-09.

In a survey, by the Associated Chambers of Commerce and Industry (Assocham), it has been noticed that the social networking site Facebook has become a headache for the employers at the offices in India, as the employees spend a substantial part of the office timing on the social networking sites. This has badly hit the productivity of these firms.

ASSOCHAM has found in its survey that office employees spend one hour on the social networking sites like facebook, which has resulted a loss of 12.5% in the productivity. The employees have been reported to use the sites like Orkut, Facebook, Myspace and Linkedin for romancing.

BCCI has announced that the left hand blaster batsman, Yuvraj Singh won't be there to join the Indian Cricket team for the fifth ODI against Sri Lanka, due to a finger injury.

Bengal's Manoj Tiwary has been included in the team as the replacement for the Yuvraj Singh, as BCCI found it irrelevant to arrange a player for the replacement by the flight.

Regarding the issue, the secretary of BCCI, Mr. N. Srinivasan said, "Due to the finger injury sustained earlier, Yuvraj Singh has been advised rest and therefore will not play in the fourth and fifth ODI matches against Sri Lanka."

The Indian left arm medium pacer, Irfan Pathan after leading the Baroda team as captain, seemed delighted while talking to reporters on the occasion of a brand promotion event. He said that it was new experience for him, and the responsibility which is attached with the position of the captain has introduced him with a new facet of cricket.

The year 2009 has not been a good time for the cricketer as far as his international cricket career is concerned. Irfan Pathan was dropped out from the Indian cricket team after T20 world cup in England and after that an injury kept him away from the cricket for a period of

The economy of New Zealand reported a growth rate of just 0.2 percent in the three months to September, reporting a very sluggish growth rate according to official data released today by Statistics New Zealand. The GDP growth for the quarter is less than the forecasts of 0.3 per cent and 0.4 per cent by the leading economists and the central bank.

Tehran, Dec 23 : The judiciary commission of the Iranian parliament Wednesday threatened providers of dating websites in the Islamic state with harsh penalties, Fars news agency reported.

The commission's spokesman Farhad Tajari said that those running such websites should know that they were committing a crime and could face legal action and harsh penalties.

Tajari called on all relevant organisations and ministries to harshly confront what he called illegal and immoral websites.

He added that the telecommunications ministry should cooperate to identify such websites.

Hyderabad, Dec 23 : Hours after Home Minister P. Chidambaram made a statement on the Telangana issue, Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS) chief K. Chandrasekhara Rao Wednesday resigned as MP while five party legislators also sent their resignations to the assembly speaker

Rao sent his resignation to Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar stressing the need to hold consultations with all political parties on the formation of a separate state.

TRS sources said KCR, as Rao is popularly known, faxed his resignation to protest the government move to put the Telangana issue on the backburner.

Jammu, Dec 23 : The fifth working group on Jammu and Kashmir set up by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh submitted its report Wednesday and recommended that the people of the state decide whether it should retain the special status under Article 370 of the constitution or not.

"It is for the people of the state of Jammu and Kashmir to decide how long to continue Article 370 in its present form and when to make it permanent or abrogate (it)," the first recommendation of the group said.

"The matter being 60 years old should be settled once and for all," it added.

Gandhinagar, Dec 23 : The premier Indian Institute of Management-Ahmedabad (IIM-A) has decided to give recruiters more time to study, evaluate and interview students before handing them appointment letters.

The change in the appointment process was mooted by the institute to give students and their potential recruiters an option to choose the best talent so that both parties gain more in the long run.

"The move essentially aims at a better match-making process, ensuring a better fit between the students and the firms," said Saral Mukherjee, faculty chairman at IIM-A, Wednesday.

New Delhi, Dec 23 : Having wrested the initiative to form the next government in Jharkhand by emerging as the single largest grouping in the state assembly along with its ally Jharkhand Vikas Morcha-Prajatantrik (JVM-P), the Congress was Wednesday weighing its options of forming the next government.

The Bharatiya Janata Party, which is likely to scrape through as the single largest party after the five-phased assembly polls Nov 25-Dec 18, has decided to "watch" the situation thrown up by a split verdict and strong performance of the Shibu Soren-led Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM).

Hyderabad, Dec. 23 : Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) Chief K. Chandrashekhar Rao on Wednesday evening gave a call for Bandh across Andhra Pradesh in protest of the U-turn by the Centre on creation of Telangana issue.

Giving a call for closure, K. Chandrashekhar Rao or KCR on late Wednesday evening said: “ Home minister has betrayed us.”

“I will resign tomorrow,” Rao was quoted by a private channel.

Hyderabad, Dec 23 : The central government's latest statement Wednesday on Telangana, stressing the need to hold consultations with all political parties on the formation of a separate state, evoked mixed reactions in Andhra Pradesh.

While the ruling Congress party leaders welcomed the statement made by Home Minister P. Chidambaram late Wednesday evening, saying it would help in resolving the issue amicably, the main opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leaders in Telangana alleged that the Congress had again betrayed the people of the region.

Chandigarh, Dec 23 : In a bid to provide medicines at subsidized rates to poor people, Chandigarh administration would open stores where drugs would be available at cheap rates, an official said here Wednesday.

"The facility of Jan Aushadhi will be provided at Government Medical College and Hospital, Sector 32, Government multi-specialty hospital, Sector 16 and at two other civil hospitals. They will provide generic medicines at one-fifth to one-tenth rate of the branded medicine," said a government spokesperson.

New Delhi, Dec 23 : The Editors Guild on Tuesday strongly condemned the practice of ‘paid news’ being followed by some media houses in the country and called upon editors in the country to desist from publishing any form of advertisement which masquerades as news.

Many members of the Guild, during its annual general body meeting, have expressed deep shock and serious concern over the reports of ‘paid news.’

Kolkata, Dec 23 : Cricketers Sachin Tendulkar and Sourav Ganguly were Wednesday given lifetime passes by Railway Minister Mamata Banerjee to travel free in air-conditioned first class coaches with their families.

Banerjee handed over to the duo lifetime achievement cards at a function where Tendulkar was felicitated for completing 20 years in international cricket.

"We are giving Sachin lifetime achievement card from the railways. He and his family can now travel free all over India throughout life in AC first class coaches. We are giving similar lifetime achievement card to Sourav also," Banerjee said at the programme.

New Delhi, Dec 23 : India and Bhutan's relations are a model for an ideal bilateral partnership, visiting King of Bhutan Jigme Khesar Namgyel Wangchuck said here Wednesday.

"Despite vast differences in size and population, our relationship stands as a model of partnership and cooperation," the 29-year-old king said in his address at the Madhavrao Scindia Memorial lecture held at the auditorium of the Teen Murti Bhavan.

New Delhi, Dec 23 : The US embassy here has posted a message on its website on changes in Indian tourist visa regulations that affect travellers who wish to enter India within two months of their last departure from the country.

The advisory, posted Monday, was issued in the wake of reports the US embassy has received about "inconsistencies" in the way the new visa rules are being allegedly implemented by Indian authorities.

New Delhi, Dec 23 : The government Wednesday assured the Organising Committee (OC) of the 2010 Commonwealth Games of smooth passage for the Queen's Baton Relay that is currently in Africa.

Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao made the assurance during a visit to the Games headquarters here during which she met OC chairman Suresh Kalmadi, an OC statement said.

She said she was confident that Delhi would stage a memorable Games.