And news that should give the Chinese indigestion: The Dalai Lama was today named as the winner of the prestigious Templeton Prize 2012 for his exceptional contribution to affirming life's spiritual dimension. 

The exiled Tibetan spiritual leader has vigorously focused on the connections between the investigative traditions of science and Buddhism as a way to better understand and advance what both disciplines might offer the world, a release from the John Templeton Foundation said. 

The 1.1 million pounds prize will be presented to the Dalai ama at the St Paul's Cathedral in London on May 14.

At the Brics summit, speaking to reporters, a spokesperson for the Chinese govt strongly opposed what they believe to be the Dalai Lama's attempt to instigate extreme views and said it was not in tune with the Buddha's teachings

Just in case you've missed this story on Indian Express: Islamic seminary Darul-Uloom Deoband has said in a fatwa that divorce given in an inebriated condition over phone is a valid "talaq". The fatwa has been issued by Darul Ifta (fatwa department of the seminary) on March 13 in reply to a query posted by a person, who enquired whether talaq given in an inebriated state would be considered valid and if yes then what could be done under such circumstances.

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India's multi barrel rocket launcher weapon system 'Pinaka' which could neutralise a large area with a rapid salvo of rockets was today successfully test fired at Proof and Experimental Establishment (PXE) at Chandipur about 15 km from here. 

"It was a routine trial by army personnel and there were six rounds of successful test-fire today," an official of Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) said soon after the trial at the rocket firing pad.

The political leadership in any other institutional democracy would have fired General V.K. Singh in the wake of his relentless fusillade of revelations targeting the government - the latest salvo being the leaked letter to the Prime Minister in which he presented a grim picture of the force's battle-preparedness.

Read more on the Daily Mail

Team Anna today extended full support to Army Chief V K Singh, alleging that he was targeted for not "toeing" the government line on issues. 

Activist Arvind Kejriwal alleged government has killed almost every institution by "planting its loyals". "Those who refuse to toe govt line, like army chief and CAG, are targeted. We fully support army chief's struggle. We are proud of him," Kejriwal wrote on Twitter. 

He said the government appeared to be at war with the armed forces and the people of India. 

Referring to the remarks against the army chief, he said, "Politicians, rather than discussing precarious security preparedness of India, are playing politics."
Another Team Anna member Kiran Bedi said it appeared that the Army Chief was surrounded by "senior officials with doubtful integrity".

Leaders of the BRICS group of emerging market nations pressed Western powers to cede more voting rights at the IMF this year and flayed the rich world's reflationary monetary policies for putting global economic stability in jeopardy.

Read the reuters report.

From the Sun, UK. Hazel Lebby, 37, says she was shocked to discover her daughter Hannah had been denied a school lunch after she fell behind in her dinner payments to St Thomas's School in Mitcham, south London.

Now she has threatened to take her child out of school.. Read

A dad is being hunted by cops -- for chaining his teenage son to an electricity pole by the neck. The irate Cambodian father wanted to punish his 13-year-old lad after he skipped school to play computer games online.

Read the story on the Sun.

Man of the moment, Army Chief Gen V K Singh,  paid obeisance at the cave shrine of Vaishnodevi in Trikuta hills, Jammu. He was on a two-day visit to the Kashmir Valley to review the preparedness of the force on LoC.

He was accompanied by his wife Bharti Singh to the shrine. Gen Singh flew in from Jammu to Katra, base camp of the cave shrine and then to Sanji Chat helipad close to the shrine and offered prayers for about one hour last evening.

Ironically, as the CBI looks into Army Chief General V K Singh's letter seeking probe into the allegations of corruption against Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag, Defence Minister A K Antony disclosed today that the official has been
recommended for promotion as a Commander of a sector. 

However, the Minister said he was not aware of the Army Chief referring a complaint of corruption levelled against the Lt Gen by a Trinamool Congress to CBI. "The Army headquarters sent a proposal to send him as Army Commander in one sector.

"I think the proposal is of March 22 to make him Army Commander. The Defence Secretary cleared it and when I checked up today in my office, it is pending. So, this is my information. The other thing (CBI inquiry) I don't know," he said.

With the Mamata Banerjee government curtailing the number of newspapers to be bought by its offices and libraries, the CPI-M today said "seeds of fascism" were being sown in West Bengal. 

"She (Mamata) wants that only what she says should get in to print and not anything else. This shows that seeds of fascism have been sown in the state. But her statements will not change history and neither will the realities change," CPI-M leader Sitaram Yechury said here when asked about the decision.

Yechury said the erstwhile Left Front government not only allowed buying of all newspapers but also gave them advertisements "impartially". The Trinamool Congress government, through a recent circular, announced that no newspapers, barring the eight named in it, would be bought henceforth by government officesand state-funded libraries.

Sheela Bhatt adds that China strongly opposed what they believe to be the Dalai Lama's attempt to instigate extreme views and said it was not in tune with the Buddha's teachings. Speaking against self-immolations, China said it once again reminded India that it will not permit Indian territory for political use.

It said it was regrettable that Tibetan activists were creating problems for the Indian government and it appreciated the steps taken to ensure a smooth and safe Brics summit.

Read: Tibetan activists arrested ahead of Brics 

Sheela Bhatt reporting from the Brics summit says that Chen Xu, director of Asian Affairs, speaking on the issue of Tibet says that both India and China are reaping the benefits of development and talks on border disputes have been smooth.

Talking about the self immolation and death of the Tibetan Jamphel Yeshi in Delhi, he said China mourns the loss of innocent lives.

The first "book of cancer knowledge" detailing how hundreds of different cancer cells respond to anti-cancer agents has been published, which scientists say
will speed up the search for new cancer drugs. 

The cancer "encyclopedia", published in journal Nature, is a step towards tailoring cancer medicine to a patient's genetic profile, scientists from around the world said. 

Update on the London Olympics.

Clarifying that the government has not asked athletes to boycott the London Olympics over the Dow Chemicals sponsorship, Sports Minister Ajay Maken today said that the matter has been pursued at a diplomatic level with the host nation. 

"India has not asked its athletes to boycott the London Olympics over Dow Chemicals sponsorship," Maken said in response to a question by N K Singh in the the Rajya Sabha. 

"The matter had also been taken up through diplomatic channel with the Government of UK," the Minister added. 

While the UK government has taken the position that the sponsorship by Dow was an arrangement between the International Olympic Committee and Dow Chemicals Company, the world governing body as well as the London. Organising Committee have indicated their inability to drop Dow as a sponsor of the upcoming Games.

Union Minister Agatha Sangma today asked the Delhi Police to show "sensitivity and respect" in dealing with people in the wake of reports that sleuths are questioning any person with "Tibetan features" as part of their efforts to prevent protests during Chinese President Hu Jintao's visit.

Sangma, who represents Meghalaya's Tura constituency, also said people have every right to protest peacefully and it was "sad" that the people from the Northeast face problems from the Delhi Police.

"Sensitivity should be there when dealing with people. I wouldn't say that it should be only because people are from  Northeast and people are from Tibet," the Minister of State for Rural Development, who belongs to Nationalist Congress Party, told reporters outside Parliament House.

"If people are protesting peacefully, they have every right to do so. I think it is very important that the Delhi Police should treat them with little more respect...and little more calmer approach," she said reacting to reports that Northeast people were harassed in markets, residential areas and streets and some of them taken for questioning.

Also read: Tibetan activist dies after battling for life for two days

Social networking giant Facebook has hired an engineering student here for a fat annual pay package of Rs 1.34 crore, one of the biggest offers made to
alumnus of any technical institution of the country.

According to P Chakravarti, Director of the Motilal Nehru National Institute of Technology (MNNIT), a B.Tech student from the institute, who has requested that his name be withheld for "security reasons", received a letter on March 27
from Facebook confirming his appointment and the annual pay package on offer was stated to be USD 262,500 (around Rs 1.34 crore).

In world news: Investigators says deaths of migrants adrift in the Mediterranean exposes the double standards in valuing human life.

Read the report on the Guardian.

Meanwhile, the BJP today said the government should also take "immediate" note of the issues raised by Gen V K Singh as they are "frightening" in nature. "Leakage of letter is also an important aspect which has to be inquired into and people responsible for that should be dealt with firmly. But at the same time, the more important issue is about the issues raised by the Army Chief in hisletter to the Prime Minister," BJP leader Venkiah Naidu said. 

"These issues which were raised are  frightening. They speak of unpreparedness and also lack of ammunition, lack of other equipment by the India Army," he said. As far as leakage is concerned, let there be an inquiry to find out the truth," he said. 

Ever since Watergate and the infamous tapes that sank President Richard Nixon, revelatory recordings with a whiff of intrigue have become the inevitable accompaniment to scandal.

On the Wall Street Journal.

A Delhi court has taken cognizance of Lt Gen (Retd) Tejinder Singh's complaint against army chief VK Singh and three others in the defamation case. Tejinder Singh has accused the army chief of misusing his position. The court has fixed April 10 for pre-summoning of the evidence.

Tejinder Singh on Tuesday refuted allegations that he had offered a bribe to Army Chief V K Singh and said that no conversation related to any purchase or deal took place the last time he had met him. Read the rediff report.

Also see Sheela Bhatt's report: I am not army chief's chum: Lt Gen Singh.

In an interesting case, ICICI Prudential has been directed by a consumer forum here to pay Rs 7.15 lakh to one of its insurance policy holders for not informing him that his cheque for second year's premium had been dishonoured and not giving him the opportunity to renew his life-time pension scheme. 

The District Consumer Disputes Redressal Forum held that the ICICI Prudential Life Insurance Co Ltd ignored the principle of "natural justice" as it was duty bound to inform the complainant (Ashok Kureel) about bouncing of his cheque.

"The conduct of insurance company was not in accordance with natural justice. It should have informed the complainant about the dishonour of the cheque and he should have been called upon to make the payment for renewal of the original policy," the forum said.

Antony said he was aware of the Suhag issue and the army chief had informed him about the allegations, but much like the Tejinder Singh issue, the army chief did not want the matter to be pursued.

In case you missed this...

Army chief  General VK Singh has brought another corruption allegation to light. According to reports in the Indian Express, General Singh yesterday forwarded a letter sent by Trinamool MP Ambika Banerjee, calling for probe against Lt Gen Dalbir Singh Suhag in connection with the 'procurement scam', to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

The CBI today confirmed receiving the letter which was written by Banerjee in May 2011.

In the letter MP Banerjee spoke of the existance of a 'procurement scam' in the Special Frontier Force, when Suhag was its Inspector General.

Lt General Dalbir Singh is presently third in line to be Army Chief. Banerjee has also alleged payoffs for the purchase of night-vision devices, communication systems, weapons as well as parachutes, reported Indian Express.

On Firstpost.com: It must be abundantly clear why Gen VK Singh today finds himself in an unholy mess. He has violated the Omerta Code of the Power Circle. The one that dictates that once you've made it to the posh club of power insiders, you don't talk about some things, such as the gravy train that everyone rides on and feeds off.

Read

Days after her government's green signal to the Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa today said the plant is expected
to commence production in two months. 

"The Kudankulam Nuclear Power Project is expected to commence production in two months", she said in the state assembly, elaborating on steps to increase energy availability to the power crisis hit state.

The government had recently given its go ahead to the Indo-Russian project at Kudankulam, where work was stalled for several months, following protest by anti-nuclear activists over safety concerns. Work on the first two units, each capable of producing 1000 MW, is almost complete.

See-sawing between Brics and the Army chief...  

At the Brics summit, in an initiative to promote trade in local currencies, the BRICS nations today signed two agreements to provide line of credit to business community and decided to examine the possibility of setting up a development bank on lines of multilateral lending agencies. 

The agreements were signed by officials of five  countries -- Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa -- at the fourth BRICS summit here. "The agreements signed today by development banks of BRICS countries will boost trade by offering credit in our local currency," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said in a media statement after the meeting.

The Master Agreement on Extending Credit Facility in Local Currency and the Multilateral Letter of Credit Confirmation Facility Agreement are being perceived as a step towards replacing the dollar as the main unit of trade between them.

Such intra-BRICS initiatives, according to officials, will not only contribute to enhanced trade and investments among the nations but would also facilitate economic growth in difficult economic times. As regards the initiative to set up a BRICS Development Bank on the lines of multilateral lending agency, Singh said the proposal would be examined by the finance ministers. 

Intra-BRICS trade is about USD 230 billion and has the potential of more than doubling to USD 500 billion by 2015.

Back to the VKS-AKA issue. 

On MK Bhadrakumar's blog: I  had written a fortnight back that the 16-billion dollar deal for the Medium Multi-Role Combat Aircraft is unravelling. This is exactly what is happening, as the latest developments indicate -- with Defence Ministry officials raising questions about the manner in which the decision to award the contract to France's Dassault was taken. 

Read

Sergio Leo, part of the foreign media entourage sitting next to Sheela Bhatt says the Brazil president is on a diet.

Sheela Bhatt tells us that Chinese prez Hu Jintao looks slimmer and older since she last saw him during the PM's visit to China.

The moot point is that Russia, China, India spoke with restraint, but South Africa was more forthcoming. All countries have their own agenda, but India and Russia are less enthusiastic to push out the dollar and euro from the world market.

barkha dutt @BDUTT  Sources tell me that when many Congress members pushed for removing Army Chief, Antony said NO and said "I will not have blood on my hands"    

Ramesh Srivats @rameshsrivats  "Prestige of the Forces" is the military equivalent of "Dignity of the House". Just a pompous phrase to discourage any criticism.  

Mrityunjoy Kumar Jha @Mrityunjoykjha  Atleast General trying to expose corrupts while in the job..not like others who first quit and then try to "expose"...

Back to the AKA and VKS saga. TV repors say the CBI has not received the audio tape with the alleged bribe recording.

Just in: BRICS representatives have signed an agreement for extending credit facilities in local currency.

Antony says he is unaware of VKSingh's letter to the CBI and he heard of it through newspaper reports.

He says the prestige of the armed forces should be protected and at no cost should we demoralise our soldiers.

Antony says he has NEVER been embarrassed by the course of events, but the fact remains that the Army Chief's letter leak is anti-national. And whoever leaked the letter will not be spared.

Antony says, "Some time back, the Army chief told me about receiving a
complaint against a Lt General. I told him if there is anything specific, please take action.

He says defence has no relation with politics and it's proven by the fact that the army chief is still at work.

Antony says, "We have zero tolerance for corruption. In the procurement process, if we find any malpractice at any stage, we will not hesitate to cancel it, says the Defence Minister.

"All three service chiefs enjoy government's confidence and whoever leaked the letter, it is anti-national. It only helps enemies and we will take strongest action under laws after going into the root of the leak," says Antony.

Meanwhile, Defence Minister A K Antony today said that expenditure on defence is bound to increase as the armed forces need to have access to the latest technologies and equipment to counter any threat. "With the projected growth of the Indian economy expected at a trajectory of 8-10 per cent for the next two decades, expenditure on defence in absolute terms is bound to
increase," Antony said inaugurating the seventh edition of International Land and Naval Defence Systems Exhibition-Defexpo-12, in Delhi.

Antony said India needs substantial step up in allocation for modernisation of defence forces.

BRICS countries basically say, they favour an open and merit-based process for selection of World Bank Chief.

The Brics report has been released in what has been a very elegant, formal and planned performance. Zuma ends his speech.

The PM thanks all delegates and says there is a convergence of interests. Two agreements are to be signed.

Hu Jintao, continuing with his speech at the BRICS summit, says, differences between the countries should be used as an opportunities and we should share the fruits of our development and maximise the impact of BRICS.

Hu Jintao says international development issues have become more pronounced with people of all countries looking for lasting peace. He says China seeks a win-win solution in a globalised economy and it was therefore necessary to balance the economy.

Medvedev says BRICS countries have unique cultures and the BRICS business council should pick up.

Russia, says Sheela Bhatt, was more balanced, but not over-enthusiastic on the issue of BRICS banks.

Now, China president Hu Jintao speaks and first thanks the PM for hosting the summit.

After the PM, Brazil president  Dilma Rousseff speaks. She highlights the issue of biodiversity and also emphasises on the bank of Brics.  

Russian President Dmitry Medvedev's turn next. He says all countries should turn to international law and should not impinge on the sovereignty of other countries. He refers to America's stance on Iran and Syria. He says Russia supports India, Brazil and South Africa's claim to enter UNSC. Medvedev says Russia looks to a stable currency system.

9. PM says we have discussed West Asia and all of us live under the threat of terrorism and from piracy from the seas around Somalia.

10. PM discusses the need to restore stability in Afghanistan and importance of sustained international commitment to its future.

7. Need green growth, transfer of technology needed and access to world markets, says Dr Singh. There should be equality in development, which should necessarily be inclusive.

8. Ideas for urbanisation needed

4. BRICS should complement each other, trading barriers should go.

5. BRICS should have access to capital and should have a role in the World Bank. It is necessary to get this idea through.

6. The PM pointed to a lack of movement in UNSC reform.

Addressing the meet, PM raises 10 points, some of which are:

1. Each country of BRICS is unique, we are doing a lot in education, but we want to learn from other countries as well.

2. Issues regarding supply of water need attention.

3. Cooperation in sustainable development should be looked at.

Story on the almost-forgotten BRICS summit as the Army Chief steals its thunder.

Report on the WSJ: Sitting at the BRICS summit in New Delhi, it's not amiss to spare a thought for the booming global economies who are not part of the club and are a little annoyed by it.

Read

Consider this. On December 17, 2010, Mohamed Bouazizi, a young Tunisian street vendor, set himself on fire and started a dramatic remaking of the political landscape. The striking of a match brought change not only in Tunisia, but also in Egypt and Libya, and even what is happening in Syria.

On the other hand, since March 2011, about 29 Tibetans, mostly Buddhist monks and nuns, have self-immolated in Tibetan parts of China. In March 2012 alone, seven people self-immolated, and Tibetan exiles in India have been setting themselves on fire. The political result? Nothing.

On cnn.com

Also see: Tibetan activist dies after battling for life for two days

Read the schedule

The Indian army's saga of shame continues. Ironically, the chief of the army is inextricably linked to this unfolding tale. First, it was a pointless squabble over the army chief's date of birth. Something that could have been corrected and resolved within a few minutes was made to drag on to an unseemly legal battle between the army chief, V.K. Singh, and the government of India. No sooner had the dust died down over this controversy that Mr Singh chose to burst another bombshell. 

Read the editorial in the Telegraph

These two in reality are the core issues: statecraft and national security; that is why they are central to our concerns, also in part explanatory of the shemozzle that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) has made in the discharge of its responsibilities. It is self-evident that there has to be demonstrable good sense in managing public responsibility. Whereafter, axiomatic that a full understanding, due appreciation and timely responsiveness to the ingrained sensibilities of the armed forces must not only be observed, this should be demonstrably so.

Read

barkha dutt @BDUTT  Former Navy Chief Admiral Ramdas weighs in on the debate and backs Army Chief. Blames the Ministry of Defence for the leak

barkha dutt ' @BDUTT  Army Chief's scathing statement almost dares govt to prove he is behind leak. Says whoever leaked his letter shd be punished "ruthlessly"

Army Chief General VK Singh has today rejected allegations that he is responsible for the leak of a confidential letter written by him to the Prime Minister, warning that India's security is at risk because the army's equipment is obsolete.

'This is an outrage! Official communication with the PM, RM or anybody for that matter with the COAS is privileged information. The leaking of the letter should be treated as high treason. This cynical approach to tar my reputation has to stop. The source of the leak has to be found and dealt with ruthlessly," said the army chief today via a mailed statement. The letter was leaked to the media and was reported yesterday. 

Read the full report on NDTV.com

The government is seeing a 'rogue' general in its army chief. Like Barack Obama in the US who sacked his chief of Afghanistan operations, "runaway' Gen. Stanley McChrystal in May last year, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is seeing a general warring on Raisina Hill.

For two days in a row, defence minister A.K. Antony has had to defend himself in Parliament for actions of the army chief -- the latest being the leak of a letter that Gen. VK Singh wrote to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh pointing out critical shortages in the military arsenal.

More on the Telegraph.

Chief drops new scam bomb: asks CBI to probe serving Lt General (Indian Express)
Sends TMC MP's letter to CBI, wants probe against Lt Gen Dalbir Singh, who is in line to be chief. Read

Govt angry, but Army chief's dismissal unlikely (The Times of India)
Sources said that while the government leaders favoured keeping all options on the table, the dismissal of Gen Singh was not an immediate possibility. Read

Pressure on govt to sack Army chief, may ask him to 'go on leave' (Hindustan Times)
Sources said that showing the general the door was not on the government's mind but they did not rule out the option of asking him to go on forced leave".

Read

Beant Singh's killer Rajoana gets a reprieve as Centre bows to Akali pressure (The Times of India)
President Pratibha Patil accepted a clemency petition from Punjab CM Parkash Singh Badal on Wednesday, a move that is seen to have the Centre's concurrence. Read

From today: Building BRICS for a new world (Hindustan Times)
With the BRICS summit starting on Thursday, the leaders of five emerging economies are all set to unveil a blueprint that will further their economic clout as well as strike political positions on global issues. Read