The government on Monday asserted that there was no move to impose set-top boxes on the cable television users but asked the opposition not to stall the efforts to bring the conditional access system.
Kolkata's cable operators and multi-system operators have termed the rates (to be applicable in the CAS regime) forwarded by Star, Sony, and ESPN to the Centre as 'impracticable'.
However, it said the athletes said were eligible to compete at the 1988 Olympics as the banned substances had been present "in low concentration".
Expecting the Reserve Bank of India to maintain stable and soft interest rates in credit policy, State Bank of India on Wednesday hinted at further cut in home and consumer loan rates.
The government is likely to extend up to September 30 the 45 per cent duty cut on set-top boxes required for viewing pay channels under conditional access system.
The Cable Operators United Front on Wednesday claimed to have blacked out services in around 40 lakh (4 million) homes across the four metros, protesting that the Rs 72 for the free-to-air package post-conditional access system was "too low".
The government appears to be going flexible on the conditional access system with a "soft launch" on July 15, and is not likely to make the set-top boxes mandatory for viewing pay channels from this date.
In a bid to make high cost conditional access system affordable to consumers, the government has withdrawn 16 per cent excise duty on set-top boxes.\n\n\n\n
Maria Sharapova's reduced suspension for a doping violation is set to provide a healthy boost to her bank balance with corporate sponsors reaffirming their commitment to the Russian player. The 29-year-old can return to the court next April after the Court of Arbitration for Sport reduced her two-year ban by nine months on Tuesday. Sharapova's stunning admission in March that she had tested positive for meldonium at the Australian Open, and her subsequent ban by the International Tennis Federation, saw a number of sponsors distance themselves from her.
Tejinderpal Singh Toor clinched the men's shot put gold with a record-shattering throw to open India's medal account in athletics in the Asian Games, in Jakarta, on Saturday.
South African Caster Semenya's long and controversial reign as the queen of middle distance running looks set to be ended this year not by a track rival but by a new hyperandrogenism rule that will stop her from running 800 and 1500 metres races.
The key airbase at Panagarh in West Bengal has been renamed as 'Air Force Station Arjan Singh' in honour of the Marshal of the Air Force, who turned 97 on Friday.
Banned Serbian tennis player Viktor Troicki was "innocent" of a doping violation and the country's Davis Cup team supported him, World No 1 Novak Djokovic said on Tuesday.
Shuttler PV Sindhu raised serious hopes of breaking India's long-awaited medal quest in the Rio Olympics by storming into the semifinals of the women's singles event with a stunning straight games win over London Games silver medallist Wang Yihan of China.
News of all that transpired on and off the football field.
FIFA has rejected a demand from a presidential candidate to use transparent voting booths at next week's election to ensure delegates do not photograph their ballot papers when they choose the head of football's world ruling body.
The IOC seems reluctant to ban the entire Russian team from next month's Olympic Games, despite mounting concern over doping violations, the co-author of the report that led to Russia's ban from track and field events said on Wednesday.
Double Olympic champion Valerie Adams feels the suspension on Russian athletes from the Rio Games is a positive step towards eradicating doping and the New Zealand shot putter has called for a life ban on drug cheats.
Barcelona defender Martin Montoya is eyeing a move to the Premier League having decided to leave the Catalan club in the January transfer window, his agent said.
Finding is part of a survey conducted by Janaagraha Centre for citizenship and democracy
As the world celebrated Halloween on Monday, our favourite tennis stars and footballers didn't want to be left behind in all the celebrations.
Maria Sharapova will probably have to win 10 matches to claim a second Wimbledon title this year after deciding on Friday not to request a wildcard for the championships.
News of all that's transpired on and off the football field
Real Madrid and city rivals Atletico have dismissed reports in Spanish media of a possible FIFA ban from the next two transfer windows over breaches of rules on the signing of foreign Under-18 players.
A Moscow anti-doping laboratory which was to be used during next year's Sochi Winter Olympics will have its accreditation suspended by the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) unless it improves the way it operates by December 1.
Veteran American Kristin Armstrong claimed a third consecutive road time trial gold to deny former Russian doper Olga Zabelinskaya what would have been a controversial triumph on a rain-soaked course at the Rio Games on Wednesday.
Prasanna D Zore/Rediff.com reports on the chaos facing taxpayers with the income tax department making changes to ITR 2 and 3 forms just before tax-filing deadline.
The World Anti-Doping Agency cut the doping ban on Russian Liliya Shobukhova by seven months on Monday, saying the marathon runner had provided "substantial assistance" and was eligible for a lighter sentence.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) wants to give more power to the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) in the fight against drug-cheating by athletes, it said on Saturday.
Swiss prosecutors have opened a criminal investigation into Jerome Valcke, the banned former FIFA secretary general, and Nasser Al-Khelaifi, the chief executive of Qatar's beIN Media, over World Cup broadcasting deals.
It was indeed a poignant moment to see an uniformed Arjan Singh rising out of his wheelchair and using a walking stick to march up to President APJ Abdul Kalam's coffin
The top four European leagues will each have four guaranteed places in the Champions League group stage from 2018/19 under changes announced by European soccer body UEFA on Friday.
A summary of sports events and persons who made news on Thursday.
While some say the five-times Grand Slam champion, initially banned for two years after testing positive for Meldonium, has done her time some fellow players are angry the red carpet is being rolled out.
She should win her place thanks to good results, says Radwanska
The department had sent SMSes and emails to 18 lakh people who made suspicious deposits of over Rs 500,000 during the 50-day demonetisation period.
The 24-year old central midfielder, who has made three international appearances for Macedonia, failed the test after Dinamo's 2-1 home win over Arsenal in their Group F opener on September 16. The Ademi ban was a second blow for Dinamo in quick succession after the club's chief executive Zdravko Mamic was arrested on Wednesday for player transfer irregularities.
