With the government focusing on developing smart cities, C-DOT has developed CCSP(C-DOT Common Service Platform) which can be deployed on any off-the-shelf generic server platforms or cloud infrastructure. This platform from C-DOT will enable the smart cities to reap all the benefits of using a standards compliant horizontal service layer and thus be more efficient, economical and future proof.

Recognising C-DOT’s R&D strengths, an India-European Union project called ‘India-EU Cooperation on ICT-Related Standardisation, Policy and Legislation’ is organising a workshop on “Future proof smart cities with a common service layer: a standards driven approach” here Thursday.

Some of the global smart cities will be sharing the standards driven approach they have adopted for building smart cities in their countries.

The workshop aims to provide a platform where foreign and Indian experts from IoT and M2M forums, academia, R&D, industry and senior officials from Ministries of Communications, Urban Development and Electronics and Information Technology and cities named in Indian Smart Cities project can interact to share knowledge and experiences. It is also planned to enrich the interaction by inviting City Councillors from Europe and Korea who have actually implemented smart city projects in their respective cities.

Indian teenager Velavan Senthilkumar advanced to the semifinals of the West Rand Open, a PSA event, in Roodepoort, Johannesburg.

Senthilkumar, a finalist at the Parkview Open in South Africa recently, continued the good run and reached the last four with a 7-11 11-5 11-3 11-6 win over fifth-seed Lyed Fuller of England last night.

The Chennai boy, a qualifier, upset top-seed Aqeel Rehman of Austria 11-7 8-11 11-8 11-8. He had also beaten him at the Parkview Open recently.

Earlier in the qualifying phase, Senthilkumar had beaten Guhan Senthilkumar in the first round and Zeeshan Khan in the second and final round, according to a press note from SRFI here.

However, Senthilkumar's compatriot Harinder Pal Sandhu, seeded two, went down in the second round.

After beating French player Enzo Corigliano 11-6 11-6 11 -6, he was sent packing by Egypt's Mohamed Elsherbini, a qualifier. Elsherbini won 12-10 9-11 11-7 12-10.

The Supreme Court Thursday cancelled the conditional bail given by Patna High Court to Bachcha Rai, the main accused in Bihar Board toppers’ scam. The apex court said Rai, arrested in June 2016 after he had surrendered before the Bihar police, should not be released from the jail right now.

In February this year, the Patna High Court had decided that Rai would get bail if a lower court did not make a decision on him within a month. The Nitish Kumar government had moved the Supreme Court against this order and sought cancellation of Rai’s conditional bail.

He is currently lodged in the jail along with the other accused in the scam, former chairman of the Bihar School Examination Board Lalkeshwar Singh and his wife Usha Sinha.

Bachcha Rai, alias Amit Kumar, is the secretary-cum-principal of the college, which several of the state toppers had attended. Rai is also a known supporter of the Rashtriya Janata Dal. Another accused in the scam, Diwakar Prasad, was found dead at his home in Panchwati Nagar in December 2016.

Prasad used to own a printing press in Patna, which was raided in connection with the case. A few stacks of answer sheets had been confiscated from the premises.

The Rs 8-crore Bihar School Examination Board tender scam surfaced after news channels aired interviews with examination toppers, whose  incorrect answers to questions related to their subjects exposed a nexus of corruption. The education board had cancelled the results of arts topper Ruby Rai and science topper Saurabh Sresth and asked all 14 top-scorers to appear for a re-test.

One of the most underrated player featuring in the IPL 2017, Hashim Amla, finally excelled to his best as he smashed his maiden IPL century to lift Kings XI Punjab to 198/4 in their innings against Mumbai Indians at the Holkar Cricket Stadium in Indore on Thursday.

The 34-year-old batsman hit six sixes and eight boundaries in his illustrious 60-ball knock.

Punjab are currently riding a losing streak of three matches, while Mumbai have won four matches on the trot.

Amla's establishing knock has posted a tough challenge against Mumbai as their top-order hasn't impressed must so far in the tournament.

Mumbai skipper Rohit Sharma's call to bowl first after winning the toss backfired him as besides opener Amla, KXIP captain Glenn Maxwell and Shaun Marsh also contributed 40 and 26 runs respectively to help Punjab pile a big total.

Pacer Mitchell McClenaghan led Mumbai's bowling attack, claiming two big wickets in the shape of March and Marcus Stoinis (1). 

Krunal Pandya and Jasprit Bumrah chipped in by taking the scalp of Wriddhiman Saha (11) and Maxwell respectively.

The most successful club in English football, Manchester United, haven't had much reasons for celebration in recent years as they have struggled mightily after legendary Alex Ferguson retired in 2013.

Hundreds of millions have been spent in overhauling the squad. High-profile managers have been signed, but they seem unable to dominate the English Premier League as they used to.

That is why the summer of 2017 will in all probability be the most crucial phase in recent memory for the Red Devils. For, quite a few high-profile stars are expected to walk out of the door and The Statesman looks at the ones most likely to be getting the boot (pun intended).

Zlatan Ibrahimovic

He’s spoken openly in the past few weeks that he is still weighing his options and while the club may want him, does their top-scorer want them? He may not admit it publicly, but the uncertainty surrounding the Red Devils’ participation in the Champions League is a major concern. 

At 35, he doesn't have many major moves left and after proving himself in the English Premier League, Ibra can move anywhere he wants. 

Considering he is a free agent, there will be no hefty fee involved and should he continue to stall on a contract, expect plenty of takers for the veteran Swede. 

And of course, United continue to be heavily linked with the likes of Romelu Lukaku and Antoine Griezmann, suggesting that the English giants are preparing for life beyond their mercurial striker.

Interested parties: Los Angeles FC (MLS) , Chinese Super League clubs

Transfer Possibility: High

Wayne Rooney

How the mighty have fallen.
Technically still, Manchester United and England captain, the 31-year-old is struggling to get into either XIs. 
A shadow of his former self, Rooney is almost certain to leave Old Trafford this summer, having made just nine starts this season. 
He lacks pace, his first-touch often lets him down and the fact that he is on an enormous wage makes him the first player Jose Mourinho will want to get rid off as soon as the transfer window opens. While his commercial presence is considerable, Rooney just isn't what he was on the pitch several years ago. Perhaps a swap deal with Lukaku could be arranged in a sensational return to his boyhood club, but will he be willing to take a substantial wage cut? If not, then the only realistic options for him would be crossing the Pacific for the MLS or travelling to the Far East to ply his trade in the cash-rich Chinese Super League.

Interested Parties: Everton, MLS, Chinese Super League

Transfer Possibility: Extreme

David de Gea

United’s MVP of the season for three years in a row, there is no disputing he is the best goalkeeper in the English Premier League right now (Quite possibly, in the world too!). 
Real Madrid have been hovering for a few seasons now and a faulty fax machine will only be able to hold out for so long. Even if United qualify for the Champions League, expect the allure of Los Blancos to be too much for the 26-year-old Spaniard. Regularly competing for a treble, sunny Spanish weather, the opportunity to be back in his hometown (and closer to pop-singer girlfriend Edurne) make it an easy choice for the 26-year-old custodian.

2017 could be the year Gianluigi Buffon’s world record transfer fee for a goalkeeper is broken and this time, United won’t be able to hold out till the transfer deadline.  

Interested parties: Real Madrid

Transfer Possibility: Extreme

Anthony Martial

It’s safe to say after a blistering debut season in which he scored 17 goals in all competitions with the Red Devils, Martial’s stock has nosedived in the 2016-17 season. On the periphery of Jose Mourinho’s squad due to a combination of niggling injuries, poor form and personal issues, the 21-year-old has been the subject of some stinging public criticism from his manager as well. What many people forget is that he is still very young and should he chosen to knuckle down and work hard. There isn't anything that can stop him from becoming the next Stretford End legend.

The question, however, is that is he willing to put in the hard yards and let his boots do the talking?

Most of Europe’s elite, including Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid, are said to be keeping tabs on the jet-heeled Frenchman in case the situation worsens for the talented winger under Mourinho.

Interested parties: PSG, Real Madrid

Transfer Possibility: Not so high

Juan Mata

A fine player, no doubt but one who doesn't fit into Jose Mourinho’s game plan it seems. The final (and most expensive) signing of the ill-fated David Moyes’ era, Mata had been struggling for minutes at Chelsea (Which was managed by Mourinho). Since his high-profile transfer to Manchester, the diminutive Spaniard hasn't exactly set the pitch alight with his performances on the pitch. Perhaps because Mourinho doesn't trust him enough to give him a consistent run in the starting XI or maybe because United’s current system doesn't suit the 28-year-old or perhaps a combination of the two. He’ll be out of a contract by 2018 so unless United want to let him go for free on a Bosman, they need to offload Mata in the summer. The problem is, that at the price United will want to sell him at, there may not be too many seekers.

Interested parties: Valencia, Besiktas

Transfer Possibilities: Extreme

Luke Shaw

After making a £31.5 million-pound in 2014 from Southampton to United, the pressure was on then-teenaged Shaw to deliver on his immeasurable potential. Three seasons have passed and both Louis van Gaal and his successor Jose Mourinho have publicly criticised the full-back’s work ethic and fitness on several occasion. If one manager singles you out, it could be forgiven, but two managers for the exact same reason? That means there is a serious problem and while he may well publicly say he is working on his fitness and everything, it remains to be seen if Shaw is in Mourinho’s long-term plans.

United’s rivals Arsenal lack a quality left-back at the moment and could be persuaded to swoop in for the 21-year-old and while Stoke City and Crystal Palace are said to be interested as well, Shaw would have to take a massive pay cut if he is to move to either side.

Interested parties: Arsenal, Stoke City, Crystal Palace

Transfer Possibility: Low

The BJP believes in the innocence of its leaders in the Babri Masjid case, party leader Ravi Shankar Prasad said on Thursday and rejected as "imaginary" a question on whether the Supreme Court order will impact the possible candidature of L K Advani and Murli Manohar Joshi in the presidential and vice presidential polls.

"We believe in the innocence of our important leaders, including Advani ji and Joshi ji…They have been facing trial and they will face trial in terms of process of law," he told reporters here.

Asked whether the SC order asking them to face trial will impact their candidature for the posts of the President and the Vice President, elections for which are due in the next few months, the Union minister said he would not respond to "imaginary" questions.

While the term of President Pranab Mukherjee is coming to an end on July 24, the term of Vice President Hamid Ansari ends on August 10.

Top BJP leaders Advani, Joshi and Uma Bharti will be tried for criminal conspiracy in the 1992 Babri Masjid demolition case as the Supreme Court had on Wednesday allowed a CBI plea for restoring the charge against them.

The apex court, however, noted that Rajasthan Governor Kalyan Singh enjoys constitutional immunity and can be tried only after he ceases to hold the office. Singh was the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh in 1992.

Prasad said the case relating to the demolition is not a new one and had been on since 1993.

"It has gone through various stages of justice…It was a Supremer Court order which said cases in Lucknow and Rae Bareli should go on separately. Now the court has said that the two cases be clubbed together. Both are the Supreme Court's orders. The Supreme Court is supreme," he said.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Thursday said regional parties were enough to check the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP).

Banerjee, however, said it was too early to form a federal front to counter the BJP nationally.

"It is our continuous process to unite the regional parties. We want all regional parties to unite to strengthen the federal structure in the country," said the Trinamool Congress (TMC) President.

She slammed the BJP for dividing the country over religion, caste and creed.

"They divide Hindus and Muslims, they divide Hindus and Sikhs and even Hindus. We have to counter this," she said.

Banerjee said she and her Odisha counterpart Naveen Patnaik did not discuss politics during their meeting here.

"Today I paid my homage to late (former Chief Minister) Biju Patnaik. I knew him very well. He was very fond of me. We did not discuss politics. Politics is a 365 days affair… I wished Naveen Patnaik good health and wished his party to do better," she said.

Patnaik said: "It was a courtesy call. We did not discuss politics."

Banerjee, on a three-day visit to Odisha, visited Jagannath Temple at Puri on Wednesday. 

She also visited Apollo hospital here to inquire about the condition of TMC MP Sudip Bandyopadhyay, arrested for alleged involvement in a chit fund scam.
 

Two Swaraj India candidates contesting the upcoming MCD polls have ditched the party to join the BJP.

The party has sacked Amrita Rashmi, candidate from ward No 24S Bapriola under the South Delhi MCD, after BJP leaders were found to be campaigning for her.

"After it was brought to our notice, we immediately sacked Amrita Rashmi from the party," Swaraj India spokesperson Anupam said.

Its other candidate Twinkle Kalia is being supported by the BJP.

Known for driving an ambulance to ferry road accident victims to hospital free of cost, Kalia is contesting from Ward No 81N in Kishan Ganj under the North MCD.

"Kalia said, she wants be a joint candidate of the BJP and Swaraj India. This was unacceptable to us as we don't want to be seen in alliance with the BJP," Anupam added.

Interestingly, if the two candidates win, there is a legal lacuna that will help the two escape action under the anti-defection law.

"Although they are Swaraj India candidates, they technically remain independent as we have not been alloted a common symbol.

"Had the State Election Commission alloted us a common symbol, such a problem would not have taken place," Anupam added.

In both the seats, the BJP nominees were disqualified after scrutiny of nomination papers.

Interestingly, the BJP also expelled its candidate Savita Khatri from Narela after sacked AAP Delhi minister Sandeep Kumar was found to be campaigning for her.

Kumar was sacked from the Arvind Kejriwal government after his name cropped up in an alleged sex scandal. He was later arrested over rape charges.

Contesting its maiden polls, Swaraj India has fielded 211 candidates, of which 111 are women. Twenty-four of its candidates were disqualified during scrutiny of nomination papers.

With maximum temperatures being recorded between 42 to 45.5 degrees at most places in the northwestern plains on Thursday, heat wave conditions swept through Haryana and Punjab.

In Haryana, Narnaul town sizzled at 45.5 degrees while Hisar saw a high of 45 degrees Celsius.

While temperature in Narnaul was eight degrees above normal, in Hisar it was seven degrees Celsius above what is normal for this time of the year.

Heat wave conditions prevailed over most parts of Haryana and Punjab on Thursday, according to the Met Office.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) officials said that it was unusual for temperatures to go so high in April since peak summer months in the northern plains were May and June.

The maximum temperatures were seven to eight degrees above normal, the officials said here.

Amritsar city in Punjab recorded a high of 43 degrees, eight degrees above normal. Patiala and Ludhiana in Punjab were at 43.7 and 43.1 degrees Celsius.

Chandigarh recorded the maximum of 41.6 degrees Celsius while Ambala in Haryana saw a high of 42 degrees. Met department officials said heat wave conditions would prevail over the region in the coming days.

National passenger carrier Air India has requested the Delhi Police to hasten its inquiry over the airline's complaint against Shiv Sena MP Ravindra Gaikwad, who had assaulted one of the airline's staffer.

According to sources in Air India, the slow progress of the case — which occurred nearly a month ago — has affected the morale of the airline's employees, leading to a "loss of faith" in the rule of law.

"Our CMD (Chairman and Managing Director) had written a letter to the Commissioner of Police of Delhi two days back (April 18)," the Air India source said.

"… the letter mentioned that AI's complaint about the recent assault by the Shiv Sena MP has been converted into a FIR and that all of AI's employees have been called in for questioning and that the police have also taken the CCTV footage."

The source added: "Unfortunately, the MP against whom the complaint has been lodged has neither been called for questioning nor any action taken against him. Because of the slow progress of the case, the morale of employees is getting down and they are losing faith in the rule of law."

The source said the letter was "hand-delivered" to the office of the Commissioner of Police, Delhi.

On March 23, the flag carrier had placed a ban on flying Shiv Sena MP Gaikwad aboard its planes, after he assaulted a senior manager of AI.

Following the ban by AI, other private air passenger carriers also imposed a similar restriction on the Shiv Sena MP. However, the ban was subsequently lifted on advise of the Civil Aviation Ministry after Gaikwad expressed "regrets" in the Lok Sabha over the March 23 incident.

He, however, refused to apologise to the Air India senior manager whom he admitted he had assaulted.

Actress Raveena Tandon says that when it comes to religion, the Hindi film industry is the most secular one as compared to others.

Raveena, who was in the capital on Thursday to promote her new film Maatr, was asked about singer Sonu Nigam's comments demanding a ban on loudspeakers during azaan.

After his comments, Sonu shaved his head and apologised earlier this week.

"If we look at the current scenario of our country — whether you look at people of any religion — fanaticism is wrong. We have always lived as a secular and strong country and we should be allowed to do so," Raveena told reporters here.

"If Diwali firecrackers are being controlled, I promote that. But it doesn't mean I am becoming communal. It depends on each person's individual thinking what they think and what they find.

"In a way, I do believe that we need to go towards a modern, more secular and liberal India. Fanaticism is wrong," she added.

While talking about Bollywood, Raveena said: "I have been born and brought up in the entertainment industry. My father (Ravi Tandon) was a film director. I got food from my father, then my husband (Anil Thadani) and myself. I respect my industry a lot. 

"I am not saying this because I am connected to it. I don't think any other industry in India is secular as much as the entertainment industry. We don't see who comes from where and which caste. Talent and hard work are recognised."

Directed by Ashtar Sayed, the story of Maatr deals with rape and violence against women in Indian society.

The film will release on Friday.

India on Thursday said it had sought consular access to former Indian Navy officer Kulbhushan Jadhav, who has been awarded death sentence by a Pakistan military court, for the 15th time since it was worried about his location and condition.

"India has now asked for consular access to Jadhav for the 15th time. India awaits formal response from Pakistan to its two demands – consular access and details of the trial proceedings against Jadhav," MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay said. "We don't know anything about Jadhav's location or condition in Pakistan… it is a matter of concern for India,’’ he added.

"Pakistan claims there have been legal proceedings against Jadhav. If there have been, we would like to see them," the spokesperson said.

Pakistan's Deputy High Commissioner Syed Haidar Shah was called by the External Affairs Ministry on Wednesday which reiterated that Jadhav was innocent and false charges were framed against him.

The Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) claimed on Thursday that it was set to win 218 of the 272 municipal wards in Delhi in Sunday's election.

AAP leader Ashish Khetan told the media that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which has controlled the civic body for 10 years, would be left with 39 wards and the Congress eight.

Independent candidates and smaller parties would corner a huge 11.5 per cent of all votes but win just seven seats, he said.

Khetan said these figures had emerged after a professional agency interviewed around 31,000 voters in Delhi on who they planned to vote for in the civic polls.

The AAP, which rules Delhi, would grab 51.2 per cent of all votes, 3.1 per cent less than what it got when it swept 67 of the 70 assembly seats in 2015, he said.

The BJP would get 28.1 per cent of the votes and the Congress 9.2 per cent, he said.

According to Khetan, 61 per cent of the respondents blamed the municipal corporation for the lack of cleanliness in Delhi and 60 per cent said corruption in the civic body was a major election issue.

Most of those interviewed were happy with the AAP government's work in the health and education sectors, for slashing power tariff and for providing 20,000 liters of water free to every household.

While sending out a clear message to Beijing that Arunachal Pradesh was and would remain a part of the Indian territory, India on Thursday indicated that it might take part in the ‘One Beat One Road’ Summit being hosted by China next month.

‘’Assigning invented names to the towns of your neighbour does not make illegal territorial claims legal,’’ MEA spokesperson Gopal Baglay said when asked for response to China’s decision to rename six places in the North-eastern state, which Beijing calls ‘South Tibet’.

He confirmed that India had received an invitation from China for participating in the OBOR Summit, a signature initiative of President Xi Jinping. The invite was being considered.

Although China has invited Prime Minister Narendra Modi for the summit, India is said to be considering asking its envoy in Beijing to attend the meet. Nearly 30 Heads of State or Government are likely to participate in it.

India has already lodged its protest with China over the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), which is seen as part of the OBOR initiative, since it passes through Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK). New Delhi is expected to reiterate this position if it takes part in the OBOR Summit.

Veteran actress Sridevis upcoming thriller drama film Mom has been slated for release on July 7.

Sridevi will be making a comeback with Mom after five years. She was last seen onscreen in English Vinglish. 

The movie, which was earlier scheduled to release on July 14, will now hit the screens on July 7, read a statement on behalf of the makers.

Directed by Ravi Udyawar, the film has been backed by Sridevi's husband Boney Kapoor and Zee Studios.

The film also features Nawazuddin Siddiqui and Akshaye Khanna.

The Central Bureau Of Investigation (CBI) on Thursday filed a chargesheet in a corruption case against suspended Chhattisgarh official BL Agrawal.

The chargesheet was filed before link Special Judge Anju Bajaj Chandna as the concerned special Judge Virender Kumar Goyal was on leave.

The court has listed the matter for April 24 for further proceedings.

Agrawal, an Indian Administrative Service officer and then Principal Secretary (Higher Education) in the Chhattisgarh government, was arrested by the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) on February 21 on charges of trying to "settle" a case being probed by the central agency against him.

He is currently in judicial custody.

Hyderabad-based Syed Burhanuddin was arrested on February 23 for helping Agrawal to settle the case.

Agrawal's brother-in-law Anand Agrawal and Bhagwan Singh, a resident of Greater Noida in Uttar Pradesh, are also accused in the case.

The CBI registered an FIR on February 18 against the accused officer, Singh, Burhanuddin and others on the charge of criminal conspiracy and under the Prevention of Corruption Act.

The CBI claimed the Agrawal had agreed to pay Rs.1.5 crore to Burhanuddin as gratification for helping him in a pending case.

At least forty shops, a camp office of security forces and many structures were destroyed in a devastating blaze in Jammu and Kashmir's Doda district on Thursday.

"40 shops, three government buildings, a residential house and a camp office of the Sashastra Seema Bal (SSB) were destroyed in a fire in Bhalessa area of Doda," an official said.

Fire tenders were pressed into service to douse the flames, he added.

"No loss of life occurred during the massive fire although property worth millions has been destroyed in this incident."

The cause of the fire is yet to be ascertained.