Shortage of fuel — both gas and coal —was the only reason for the growing electricity scarcity in the country, particularly in the south, Central Electricity Authority chairman A.S. Bakshi said here today.

After SP supremo Mulayam Singh Yadav, his son and UP chief minister Akhilesh Yadav today launched a blistering attack on the Congress, alleging anybody who does not act according to its wishes faces “persecution” through the CBI.

Jennifer Lopez’s performance at the opening of India’s Premier League was reportedly axed because of her diva like demands. The 43-year-old singer is said to have insisted on a private plane and dozens of hotel rooms for her huge entourage, including her own stylists, assistants and chef for the opening gig, reported Sun online.

He has relinquished the Delhi Daredevils captaincy after last season but Virender Sehwag feels that his decision will have no bearing on his approach as he again shoulders the burden of being the batting mainstay of the franchise in the sixth edition of IPL.

The Cabinet Committee on Investments, which was set up in January for clearing major infrastructure projects, is expected to give its nod for a number of projects within the next three weeks, Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia has said.

Former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said he felt a little “insulted and humiliated” standing before a judge in a Karachi court, where he appeared to seek extension of his pre-arrest bail in a series of cases.

Firing a fresh salvo at the Samajwadi Party, Union minister Beni Prasad Verma has said that Mulayam Singh Yadav’s party will win only four seats in the Lok Sabha polls and there will be a “funeral procession for the party. Beni, who recently triggered a storm by stating that Yadav allegedly has “terrorist links”, said “the Congress will fight all the 80 Lok Sabha seats in UP and will win 40. “We will not let the BJP win more than 10 seats. Behenji (Mayawati) will win 36. And of whom you are talking about (SP) will win four seats and there will be a funeral procession for that party,” the Congress leader told reporters here.

Saudi Arabia’s new labour policy, which is expected to affect expatriate workers of the state, has not created a panic situation and India is trying to find a solution to the issue based on its cordial relations with that country, Kerala chief minister Oommen Chandy said today.

A section of cable operators said they have decided not to provide services for 48 hours starting Friday night to protest against digitalisation and government neglect.

Turning on the heat, erstwhile UPA ally Trinamul Congress on Friday demanded the immediate resignation of the Manmohan Singh government, saying it is in a minority in Parliament and has no moral right