Pervez Musharraf still under probe in Lal Masjid case

Islamabad:  Beleaguered former Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf is still under probe in the Lal Masjid case and the impression that he has been given a clean chit is "totally wrong", a top police official has said."The Islamabad Capital Territory police are still investigating charges against former president Pervez Musharraf in Ghazi Abdul Rashid (Lal Masjid cleric) murder case. The impression that ICT police have cleared him in the murder case is totally wrong," Sikander Hayat, Inspector General Police (IGP) Islamabad, told reporters.

Hayat said that the complainant had failed to produce witnesses against the accused (Musharraf) as promised earlier during the due course of time.This is what the police investigation team told the court that released the accused on bail, he said."The complainant could produce only two out of 20 witnesses as promised earlier," Hayat said yesterday, adding that the police were still investigating the case.Musharraf was released on bail by a court on Wednesday after nearly six months of house arrest and the status of his house as a sub-jail was de-notified.

Hayat said police commandos and the rangers were still performing duties at Musharraf's residence as it was the duty of ICT police to provide the former president foolproof security, The Nation reported.Musharraf, 70, has been living under house arrest in his farmhouse in Chak Shehzad, on the outskirts of Islamabad, declared sub-jail by the authorities.He has been under arrest at the palatial farmhouse, guarded by nearly 300 security personnel, including soldiers and snipers.

Musharraf was army chief when he took power in a 1999 coup and later became president. He stepped down after the Pakistan Peoples Party won the election in 2008.Besides the Lal Masjid case, Musharraf has been granted bail in three other cases over the assassination of former premier Benazir Bhutto in 2007, the killing of Baloch leader Akbar Bugti in a 2006 military operation and the imposition of emergency in 2007.

The cases were filed after he returned to Pakistan from self-exile in March to revive his political career. However, a court barred him from contesting polls for life.Musharraf is still on the Interior Ministry's Exit Control List which bars him from travelling out of Pakistan and his party has claimed he will return to active politics.After Musharraf recently submitted surety bonds to the Supreme Court and came closer to possible release, Islamabad Police arrested him last month in the Lal Masjid case.Musharraf, who was then army chief and President, had ordered the crackdown on extremists holed up in the Lal Masjid in 2007. About 100 people, most of them extremists, were killed in the operation.

On the orders of the Islamabad High Court, a case was registered against Musharraf on September 2, charging him with the murder of the cleric and his mother.The case was filed after the cleric's son filed a complaint with police and approached courts.

Sensex down 157 points to two-week low on Fed tapering concerns

MUMBAI: The benchmark sensex dropped 157 points to the lowest level in almost two weeks as overseas stock markets turned weak on expectations that the US Federal Reserve would start tapering its stimulus programme sooner than expected.

Consumer durables, banking and refinery sector stocks declined, while realty and capital goods shares attracted buying. HDFC, Maruti Suzuki, ONGC and Bajaj Auto were the major losers on the index.

A weak trend prevailed in Asian and European markets on concerns the Fed would reduce its bond-buying programme earlier than anticipated following initial signs of strength in the US economy. Cautious investors booked profits, leading to a fall in stocks globally, including in India.

Shami reverse-swings India to fabulous win

KOLKATA: Pacer Mohammad Shami gave an awesome exhibition of reverse swing to cap a dream debut with five second innings wickets as India inflicted an innings defeat on a hapless West Indies inside three days in the first Test to mark a fabulous start to the Sachin Tendulkar farewell series on Friday. Scorecard Shami followed up his 4-71 performance in the first innings with a 5-47 show in the second to claim an enviable match haul of 9-118 -- the best ever by an Indian pacer on debut. Shami's performance propelled India to an innings and 51-run victory in the first Test at the iconic Eden Gardens. Offie Ravichandran Ashwin followed up his exploits with the bat (124) with admirable figures of 3-46. Needing 219 runs to escape the ignominy of an innings upset, the West Indies collapsed like a pack of cards in the final session -- 98 minutes into the post tea session -- to be bundled out for 168. Veteran Shivnarine Chanderpaul (31 not out; 101 b, 2x4) put up a gritty resistance, but in the end ran out of partners. In the morning, Ashwin struck his second Test ton (124) and extended his seventh wicket stand with Rohit Sharma (177) to a staggering 280 to enable the hosts finish at a mammoth 453.

 The visitors had notched up 234 in their first innings. Beginning their second knock in the post-lunch session, the West Indies raised the promise of a fightback by reaching 101/1, courtesy a 68-run second wicket stand between Darren Bravo (37; 78 b, 4X4) and Kieran Powell (36; 83 b, 5x4), but Ashwin began the Caribbean demolition by foxing Powell with a flighted delivery that hit the batsman on the pad plumb in front of the stumps. Shami - after a listless effort in his first spell - returned with a vengeance close to tea, and saw the back of Marlon Samuels (4) with one that reversed and got him leg before. In the second over after tea, Bravo tried to cut Ashwin, who had pitched outside the off stump, and the ball dipped into the hands of a diving Rohit Sharma at point. The West Indies were then 120/4. Shami then jagged one back after pitching on a length just outside the off stump, inducing an inside edge from Windies wicketkeeper Denesh Ramdin (1), which was lapped up by his Indian counterpart. With half the side gone, Chanderpaul (23) and skipper Darren Sammy (8) tried to put up resistance briefly, but they crumbled in Shami's 11th over - the 49th of the innings. The Bengal pacer again pitched on a length outside the off stump, and got the ball to reverse, uprooting Sammy's middle stump.

 Two deliveries later, Shane Shillingfored got a similar ball which unsettled the off stump by breaking through the gate. There was a further tragedy for the Caribbeans after the next delivery. Shami again extracted reverse swing, and Veerasammy Permaul (0) was struck on the pads. As the Indian fielders appealed, Permaul took a few steps out of the crease, but the alert Dhoni was quick to throw down the stumps to get a run out decision. The writing on the wall was more than clear, and the West Indies were reeling at 152/8. The formalities were soon completed with Ashwin claiming Tino Best (3) and Shami castling Sheldon Cottrel (5). Earlier, Resuming at 354/6 overnight, Ashwin and Rohit batted fluently to notch up a stand of 280 - an Indian highest for the seventh wicket - which catapulted the hosts to a strong position. Ashwin, who had taken the partnership to 200 in the morning's second over with a streaky boundary off Best, brought up his delightful 100 in the fourth over by pushing the same bowler through the sweeper cover. Reaching the three-figure mark, a visibly ecstatic Ashwin punched the air as Tendulkar clapped in appreciation in the dressing room balcony. The landmark was reached off 159 balls. All the four wickets in the morning session were equally shared by the visiting spinners on a track which played slow but gave turn. Shillingford (6-167) claimed his fifth five-wicket haul in 11 Tests. Left armer Veerasammy Permaul (2-67) was the other successful bowler. Rohit finally departed as he deliberately padded an offering from Permaul which pitched around the off stump and turned away. Aswhin was claimed by Shillingford with a flighted delivery which beat the batsman and dislodged the middle stump.

Samsung launches Galaxy Golden with 2 screens at a mammoth price of Rs 51,900

Korean mobile phone major major Samsung Electronics today launched a golden coloured dual screen flip smartphone the Galaxy Golden series that has been priced at Rs 51,900. The Galaxy Golden smartphone is equipped with two 3.7 inch screens.

"While Galaxy Golden's outer screen enables the users to make and receive calls, flipping the phone open brings up the inner screen and a large 3x4 keypad with big and bold keys to help users operate the phone with greater ease," the company said in a statement.
Samsung Electronics said the design is aimed at making the smartphone easy to use and operate.
Galaxy Golden also comes with a 'hidden receiver' that allows users to take calls without opening the folder and provides high quality sound in noisy areas.The device is powered by 1.7GHz dual-core processor, has 1.5 GB RAM and is based on the Android 4.2 Jelly Bean operating system.
Galaxy Golden has 8 mega pixel rear and 1.9-mega pixel front camera and comes with 16 GB internal memory.

"With its innovative dual display and premium golden finish, Galaxy Golden brings together the best of touch and type experience on a smartphone," Samsung Mobiles and IT Country Head Vineet Taneja said.

Apple sells 33.8 million iPhones, but revenue disappoints Wall Street

Apple Inc’s profit and margins slid despite selling 33.8 million iPhones in its September quarter, and greater China revenue climbed just 6 percent even though two smartphone models hit store shelves in its second-largest market last month. The unremarkable quarterly numbers prompted some disappointed investors to cash in recent gains in the stock, which slid 5 percent at one stage after-hours on Monday. Wall Street had hoped for a stronger beat on quarterly sales after the company predicted in September that its revenue and margins would come in at the high end of its own forecasts.

Chief Executive Tim Cook predicted a “really great” holiday season: a crucial time for Apple as its new iPads go up against Amazon.com Inc’s Kindle Fire and its new iPhones compete with lower-cost gadgets made by Samsung Electronics and other rivals using Google Inc’s Android software. Sources have said demand for Apple’s $100 cheaper, brightly hued iPhone 5c lagged sales for the top-tier 5s, spurring concerns about the iPhone’s market positioning and its ability to compete with a growing profusion of lower-cost rivals. The iPhone 5c is available in the United States starting at $99 with a contract, or $549 for an unlocked model with no contract.

In particular, some investors worry Apple may have missed a chance to jumpstart sales and fend off Samsung in China with an even more affordable phone. The company has ceded ground steadily to Samsung and homegrown competition like Huawei and Lenovo, but needs to stake out a bigger spot in the world’s top cellular market to rekindle growth. Revenue from China, Hong Kong and Taiwan climbed just 6 percent to $5.7 billion in the quarter, despite the 5c and 5s going on sale in September. The previous-generation iPhone 5 began selling in the country only in December, meaning comparisons should have benefited from a more typical year-ago quarter, analysts said.

Sales grew by about 24 percent from the previous quarter, or by about $1.1 billion. But that lagged the roughly $1.4 billion that Apple managed to tack on in the December quarter of 2012. “It does raise the question, how well is Apple doing really, in China?” said JMP Securities analyst Alex Gauna. “Apple is a very healthy company,” he added. But “if you look at the last few quarters, and even with the guide, it’s not much of a growth company.” Cook told analysts on a conference call that results from China were “pretty good” but acknowledged room for improvement. “We obviously want to do better,” he said.
HOPING FOR MORE Cook did not address the overall popularity of the 5c on his call with analysts but mentioned there was “a very significant backlog” for the more expensive 5s. The world’s most valuable tech company said on Monday it expected revenue of $55 billion to $58 billion this quarter, outpacing Wall Street’s forecast for about $55.65 billion. Gross profit margin for the fourth quarter ended September was 37 percent, down from 40 percent a year ago as intense competition from the likes of Samsung took a toll. That was roughly level with analysts’ average 36.9 percent forecast. “We would have expected higher gross margins,” said Morningstar analyst Brian Colello. “With the higher price phones and clear preference toward the 5S, we were all expecting more of a gross margin boost for the December quarter.” Shares in Apple, which have gained 17 percent since its upbeat forecast last month, slid as much as 5 percent on Monday before recovering after Cook said the company will continue studying its capital-return program, addressing recent demands by investors to share more of its cash hoard.

 The stock was down 1.2 percent at about $523.43 after hours. Beyond the holiday quarter, some investors still hold out hope that the company that upended the cellphone industry and popularized tablet computing can again dream up a revolutionary device, returning Apple to the stellar growth of past years. The company is increasingly hard-pressed to fend off rivals. Strategy Analytics estimated on Monday that Apple’s market share slipped to 13.4 percent in the calendar third quarter from 15.6 percent previously, while Samsung led with 35.2 percent. As growth tapers off, some shareholders have become increasingly aggressive at seeking a bigger return of cash – the company ended the September quarter with $146.8 billion in cash plus short-term and long-term marketable securities. Billionaire Carl Icahn, who owns 4.7 million Apple shares, has led the charge, demanding the company initiate a tender offer to buy back $150 billion of its stock. Cook told analysts the company will continue to seek shareholder input on its capital return program, and will announce any changes in the first part of the new calendar year. Apple said it sold 33.8 million iPhones last quarter, roughly in line with expectations for 33 million to 36 million. It sold 14.1 million iPads during the quarter, up very slightly from 14 million in the year-ago quarter, and moved 4.6 million of its Mac computers, down from 4.9 million a year ago. Revenue was $37.5 billion, ahead of Wall Street’s average forecast of $36.8 billion, according to Thomson Reuters I/B/E/S. Earnings per share slid for the third straight quarter to $8.26, but ahead of analysts’ average estimate of $7.94. “They had already preannounced and people got euphoric in recent weeks. It wasn’t a massive blowout,” said Shannon Cross of Cross Research.

Ranchi's Sitiyo village the new terror address?

Azamgarh in Uttar Pradesh, Bhatkal in Karnataka … and now will Sitiyo in Jharkhand, practically in Ranchi's backyard, be known as the new address of Indian Mujahideen (IM) terror?
Investigators probing Sunday's blast in Patna say all four suspects -- Mohammad Imtiaz Ansari, Mohammad Tarique Ansari, Mohammed Toufiqe Ansari and Mohmmad Noman -- belong to a village that lies just over 2km from Ranchi. And it was here the conspiracy to attack Patna was hatched.
The group's boss is alleged IM operative Mohammad Tahseen Akhtar, a resident of Bihar and an aide of IM leader Yasin Bhatkal. Akhtar gave the suspects lessons in making improvised explosive devices (IED).

related story

The arrest of Imtiaz in Patna on Sunday provided the key break. In the evening, his house in Sitiyo was raided.
"We found electric fuses, wires, a handbook on making pressure cooker bombs, JIhadi literature and a photo of Osama bin Laden," said additional director general of police SN Pradhan.
Experts are working on a pen drive and some CDs that were found in the house as well.
The arrest of Imtiaz also led to the detention of Toufiqe, Tarique and Noman. Police claim all of them are in the age group between 21-25 years. Imtiaz is an uncle of Toufiqe's, who died in Patna on Monday morning.
Akhtar had been frequenting Ranchi and had met Imtiaz a couple of months ago, said additional director general of police SN Pradhan.
Eight unidentified people supported the IM module in their execution of the Patna plan, said a senior police officer on condition of anonymity.
Jharkhand's vulnerability as a potential terror centre was first established in 2002. Two Pakistani terrorists - Zahid and Salim -- who were allegedly involved in the Kolkata American Centre attack -- were gunned down in Khirgaon village of Hazaribagh district.
Later, the state was found to have a link with the banned Students Islamic Movement of India (SIMI) too. In 2011, SIMI's Madhya Pradesh chief Abu Faizal was arrested from a house in Jamshedpur.
In 2012, police arrested a Kashmiri youth from Hazaribagh's Palwal area, who was allegedly planning attacks in Delhi.
In March 2013, one Manzar Imam was arrested in Ranchi in connection with the 2008 Ahmedabad serial blasts.

Shia cleric: Narendra Modi not a political untouchable for Muslims

Lucknow: Narendra Modi is not a political untouchable for Muslims, and can win their votes if he 'changes himself' and shows that he cares for them, a prominent cleric has said in Uttar Pradesh.

Maulana Kalbe Sadiq, one of the country's tallest Shia clerics today told NDTV, "What (Mr Modi) did was wrong, but if he is willing to change then we are also willing to change. My religion says that (if) any criminal expresses regret then we should overlook the mistakes."

In poll season, the comment marks a significant boost for the Gujarat chief minister who spent years as a political pariah over the 2002 communal violence in which hundreds of Muslims were killed in his state.

Asked if Mr Modi should apologise for the riots, the Muslim leader said, "It's childish to demand an apology. He should display in his character and through his actions that he cares for Muslims. If I see that Modi is making changes then I will back him. I can't say this for all Muslims, but I will personally back him."

As the BJP's presumptive prime minister campaigns for the state polls and the national elections due by May, the party has launched a drive to showcase Mr Modi's 'secular' persona by pulling in more Muslims for rallies and other events.

Maulana Sadiq is the vice president of the All India Muslim Personal Law Board and a noted scholar widely respected for his progressive views.

Many also see in his comments a warning for Samajwadi Party leader Mulayam Singh Yadav, who counts Muslims among the party's loyal voters but has lately faced criticism over his son and Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Akhilesh Yadav's handling of last month's communal clashes in Muzaffarnagar.

A section of Muslims in Gujarat have in the past come out in support of Mr Modi and his development mantra, saying that the community must move on and support progress. But their voice is not seen as representative of the larger community.

The cleric's support for Mr Modi coincides with a huge controversy over Congress leader Rahul Gandhi's comment at rally on Thursday that Pakistani agencies approached young Muslims whose families had suffered in the Muzaffarnagar riots.

Raikkonen fined for speeding in pit lane

Kimi Raikkonen of Lotus was on Friday fined 400 euros for speeding in the pit lane during the first practice session of the Indian Grand Prix at the Buddh International Circuit (BIC) in Greater Noida.

According to an FIA statement, the Finn breached Article 30.12 of the FIA F1
sporting regulations by exceeding the pit lane speed limit by 3.4kmph, the limit of which is 80kmph. "The competitor (Lotus F1 team) is fined 400 euros," the statement read.
Defending champion Sebastian Vettel of Red Bull set the pace by registering a new lap record in the first practice session of the 2013 Indian Grand Prix.
Vettel made a perfect start to his preparations by pipping his teammate Mark Webber by 0.188 seconds.
Vettel, who won the 2011 and 2012 Indian GPs, recorded his best timing of 1:26.683s in just his second lap of the day.
The German, who has a chance to clinch his fourth world title this weekend, edged past team-mate Webber (1:26.871s), Mercedes' Nico Rosberg (1:26.899s) and Lotus's Romain Grosjean (1:26.990s) to emerge as the quickest on a hazy morning.

Border Security Force to make fresh efforts to have flag meeting with Pakistan Ranger

Border Security Force is likely to make fresh efforts to have a flag meeting with its counterpart Pakistan Rangers to defuse tension along the International Border in the wake of heavy firing from across the border.
The Home Ministry has asked the Border Security Force to try to hold a flag meeting with Pakistan Rangers as soon as possible to reduce tension along the border in Jammu and Kashmir where heavy exchange of fire has led to killing of two persons and injury to over two dozen others since last week.

At the same time, highly placed sources said, the border guarding force has been given direction to retaliate with equal measure any unprovoked firing from across the border. There have been two attempts by the BSF to hold flag meetings with the Pakistan Rangers this month -- on October 18 and October 20 -- but on the both occasions, the border guarding force of Pakistan did not turn up.

Firing from across the border has become a matter of concern for the government and steps are being taken to evacuate villagers living close to the border to safety till the tension continues, sources said. The BSF has been asked to ensure that there was minimum inconvenience to border population during the skirmishes. Three civilians were injured as Pakistani troops opened fire and shelled 17 border out posts and hamlets along the IB overnight, resulting in heavy exchanges till the wee hours today.
A total of 11 civilians have been injured in the Pakistani firing since yesterday.

Narendra Modi takes on 'shahzada' Rahul Gandhi

Jhansi, Uttar Pradesh: Narendra Modi today derided Rahul Gandhi, the Congress Vice President, for alleging that an intelligence officer has told him that young Muslim men whose families were affected in the communal riots in Muzaffarnagar are in touch with Pakistani agencies, including the ISI, who want to recruit them to work against India.

"Who is this shahzada (prince)? Why are intelligence officers briefing him?" Mr Modi asked at an election rally in Jhansi in Uttar Pradesh.

Mr Gandhi's comment, made at a rally in Madhya Pradesh on Thursday, has provoked a barrage of criticism, with the BJP accusing him of questioning the patriotism of Indian Muslims.

The Congress leader has been accusing the BJP of instigating  September's communal violence in Muzaffarnagar in Western Uttar Pradesh in which nearly 50 people were killed.

Mr Modi returned fire today. He made an offer to the people of Uttar Pradesh. "You gave the Congress 60 years, try us for just 60 months," said the BJP's candidate for prime minister.

Mr Modi said that India's most populous state has been destroyed by the "trinity of SABKA"  -an acronym he coined for the Samajwadi Party, the Bahujan Samaj Party, and the Congress.

Mr Modi, 63,  who is serving his fourth term as chief minister of Gujarat, said  that the Congress had ruined Uttar Pradesh with corruption, while the Samajwadi Party is crippled with dynastic politics, and Mayawati's Bahujan Samaj Party is mired in the cult of her personality.

Rahul Gandhi's statement on youths being in touch with ISI 'most unfortunate'

Muslim clerics on Friday slammed Congress vice president Rahul Gandhi's statement that some Muslim youths from riots-ravaged Muzaffarnagar in Uttar Pradesh were in touch with Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI, and said these were "most unfortunate".
Maulana Saif Abbas Naqvi, a prominent Shia cleric, said such statements not only painted the Muslim community in bad light but also strengthened the communal forces. He said these were a "grave insinuation" on millions of peace loving and patriotic Muslims in the country.
He also alleged that instead of understanding the plight and pain of the riot victims, the Gandhi scion was playing politics with the communal riots and the victims.
Shahar Qazi, Maulana Abul Irfan Miyan Farangi Mahali, said the statement of Rahul Gandhi was "most unfortunate" and demanded an immediate and unconditional apology from the Congress leader.
"It does not behove leaders of a national party like the Congress to give such cheap and hurtful statements against the Muslims...we are patriotic and would do anything for India" he said in a statement.
Maulana Kalbe Sadiq, senior vice-president of the All-India Muslim Personal Law Board, also said that anyone who casts aspersions on the integrity and loyalty of the minorities for the country was doing a great dis-service to the country and the Muslims.
At an election rally in Indore Thursday, Rahul Gandhi had made a sensational claim that singed by the riots and killings in Muzaffarnagar district of the state, many Muslim youth were in touch with Pakistan's intelligence agency ISI (Inter-Services Intelligence). The riots and communal violence in the district in September had left 62 dead and 43,000 homeless.

Sachin Tendulkar prepares Wankhede for farewell Test

Sachin Tendulkar is trying to ensure that his mother has no difficulty getting to the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) president box from where she is expected to watch her son play his 200th and final Test match.
As he arrived for the Mumbai Ranji team's practice session on Monday, Tendulkar spoke at length with MCA officials about providing a ramp at the entrance to the box.
Tendulkar, who had ascertained that the lift to the box wasn't big enough to accommodate his mother's wheel-chair, was not happy with the temporary metal ramp that the MCA showed him.
The batsman's mother, Rajni, has never seen him play at a stadium, and has made an exception for his farewell Test.
India will play the West Indies at Tendulkar's home ground from November 14 to 18.
MCA joint secretary Nitin Dalal told The Indian Express that all arrangements would be made in the coming days. "We will make sure that everything is taken care of and every assistance is provided to Tendulkar's family. His mother is in a wheelchair and we will prepare the ramp so that she can enter the president box without any problem," he said. The entire Tendulkar clan is expected to be at the
Wankhede for the Test.
200@WANKHEDE: PORTRAIT & CUTOUTS
What MCA decided at its meeting on Monday
A PAINTING is what Sachin Tendulkar wants as his farewell gift. MCA will send an artist to his home on Tuesday, and the batsman will choose what kind of portrait he wants
SACHIN TENDULKAR GYMKHANA will be the new name for MCA's Kandivali Club at Mahaveer Nagar
SACHIN'S CUTOUTS from his early days till date will be placed in and around the Wankhede for the 200th Test

Nokia unveils first Lumia phablets, tablet

ABU DHABI: Finnish manufacturer Nokia today entered two new segments, unveiling its first tablet and phablets. The new products, showcased at an event in Abu Dhabi, will help the company make its presence felt in the two booming markets.

Nokia Lumia 2520 is a Windows RT-based tablet with a 10-inch 1080p HD display with Gorilla Glass 2 protection. It has a 6.7MP rear camera with Zeiss lens and 2MP front unit. It runs on the 2.2GHz quad-core Qualcomm Snapdragon 800 processor and has 2GB RAM and 32GB internal storage; it also supports microSD cards up to 32GB.

Other key features of the device include 4G LTE connectivity, 8,000mAh battery and free SkyDrive storage. It comes preloaded with free apps like Nokia's Storyteller and Video Director as well Microsoft Office. The tablet will come in red, white, cyan and black colours. Similar to Microsoft Surface, Lumia 2520 pairs with a Nokia Power Keyboard. The keyboard with a touchpad also contains an extra battery for up to five hours extra use, plus two USB ports.

The Windows RT 8.1 device priced at $499 will ship later this year. The tablet will first launch in the US, UK, and Finland, followed by other countries shortly after.

Nokia Lumia 1520 and Lumia 1320 are its first phablets, with screens measuring 6-inch. Both devices run on Microsoft Windows Phone 8 operating system with the recently unveiled GDR3 update. Lumia 1520 has been priced at $749, while Lumia 1320 will cost $339, excluding taxes.

The new Lumia 1520 has a Full HD (1920x1080p resolution) display and is powered by a 2.2GHz quad-core Snapdragon 800 chipset. It sports a 20MP PureView camera with OIS and has 2GB RAM, 32GB expandable storage, 3,400mAh battery and NFC. It will compete against the likes of Samsung Galaxy Note 3, HTC One Max and Sony Xperia Z Ultra. Apple is also said to be testing a handset with 6- inch display.

Lumia 1320, on the other hand, is an affordable phablet with a 720p display. It runs on a dual-core Krait processor unlike Lumia 1520's quad-core chip and has 1GB RAM, 8GB internal storage and supports microSD cards up to 64GB. The 4G LTE-enabled phablet has a 5MP rear camera and a VGA front-facing unit.

Powered by a 3,400mAh battery, this device will be available in orange, yellow, black and white colours. Nokia Lumia 1320 will launch early next year in China and Vietnam, followed by more Asian and European countries. It will take on rival products like Samsung Galaxy Mega 5.8 and Huawei Ascend Mate.

Nokia also announced that popular imaging app Instagram is coming to Windows Phone platform in coming weeks.

The event also saw the new range of Asha smart feature phones being introduced, namely Asha 500, Asha 502 and Asha 503.

Nokia Asha 500 comes both in single and dual-sim variants and sports a 2.8-inch screen. It has a 2MP rear camera and is powered by a 1,200mAh battery. The phone will ship for $69 in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and Middle East.

Nokia Asha 502 is a dual-sim handset with a 3-inch screen and 5MP rear camera with LED flash. Powered by a 1,010mAh battery, this device will ship for $89 in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe and Middle East.

Both these Asha phones have Wi-Fi and 2G connectivity and can support up to 32GB microSD card.

The third entrant to the range Asha 503 has both single and dual-sim variants. It sports a 3-inch display with Corning Gorilla Glass 2 and a 5MP camera with LED flash. It is the only Asha handset to have 3G connectivity, along with 2G and Wi-Fi. Other features include support for microSD cards up to 32GB and 1,200mAh battery. The phone will ship for $99 in Africa, Asia-Pacific, Europe, Latin America and the Middle East.

All three devices will come in bright red, bright green, yellow, cyan, white and black colours. The company also announced that Asha 500, 501, 505 and 520 will get the popular messaging platform WhatsApp.

After the Microsoft deal, which is due to close in the first quarter of next year, the new products will still carry the Nokia brand but become part of Microsoft's drive to become a major player in global consumer devices.

As onions inch towards Rs. 100 a kg, onions make India weep

The onion, a staple of most Indian dinner tables, is inching towards Rs. 100 a kilo in the festival season. It is also election season and a worried government is now considering importing onions from China and Egypt to bring down prices.

Traders say excessive rain has ruined crop in major onion producing states like Maharashtra, Gujarat, Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, leading to a shortage. Food Minister KV Thomas today also asked onion producing states to crack down on hoarders, promising that prices would come down soon.

"Prices have to be stabilised. Prices will come down in a few weeks," Mr Thomas said, adding that he is in discussions with Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar on the onion crisis and that they are considering importing the staple.

Mr Thomas said the problem is most acute in Delhi, where people are paying Rs. 90 for a kilo of onions in retail markets. Delhi votes for a new government in 43 days. In 1998, the ruling BJP lost the assembly elections to the Congress, primarily because onion prices had shot up to Rs. 60 a kg. The Congress has ruled the national capital ever since.

"Did you congratulate the government when the price of onions fell?" asked Congress spokesperson Meem Afzal today, also claiming that he had seen onions being sold at Rs. 55 a kg at a Daryaganj market in Delhi "when the media was reporting that the price was Rs. 75-80."

The situation is not much better in other markets. In Chandigarh and Bhopal onions cost Rs. 80 a kg. People in Bangalore are paying relatively less at Rs. 60 for a kilo. Traders say onion supplies are less than half the country's monthly demand of 9-10 lakh tonne.

A 323% jump in onion prices had pushed September inflation to a seven-month high, raising chances of another bank rate hike later this month. All bad news for consumers just before the Dussehra-Eid-Diwali festival season.