Lucknow, Mar 6 : Chief Election Commissioner of India N Gopalaswami has asserted that Indian Administrative Service (IAS) and Indian Police Service (IPS) officers would act as observers during the ensuing general elections.

Addressing a press conference here on Thursday at the end of a brief tour of Uttar Pradesh by the members of Election Commission, Gopalaswami clarified the stance taken by the Election Commission on the reported scarcity of IAS officers for observer duty.

New Delhi, Mar. 6 : Indian Premier League chairman Lalit Modi has rejected reports that the IPL 2009 is moving out of the country if the government doesn't provide enough security.

"Reports of moving venues out of India are rubbish. IPL is a domestic tournament and will stay so," said Modi.

Various media reports had claimed that the UAE and some Western countries are ready to host the cash-rich Twenty20 event, and that Modi was threatening the government about the possibility of moving it overseas.

Technology is changing at a faster pace day-by-day, and it always bring good news for all. And especially those who are gizmo buffs benefited the most.

This time, Samsung launched its first 8 megapixel touchscreen phone, named Pixon M8800 for Indians.

The new member in Samsung’s touchscreen portfolio offers maximum image resolution of 3264x2448 with auto-focus, face-recognition, Wide Dynamic Range, Advance Shake Reduction, GPS geo-tagging support, and WSVGA and VGA video recording at 30fps.

New Delhi, Mar 6 : Pakistan's former President Pervez Musharraf will arrive here this afternoon to attend the ''India Today'' Conclave.

Musharraf will share the dais with several dignitaries including External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, Tibetan spiritual leader the Dalai Lama and Bollywood star Shah Rukh Khan.

This year's theme of the conclave is `Challenges of Change'.

The former President is also scheduled to visit the Aligarh Muslim University for a lecture.

New York  - A set of artefacts that once belonged to Indian independence icon Mahatma Gandhi sold for 1.8 million dollars at auction in New York on Thursday.

Gandhi's iconic round-rimmed spectacles, a 1910 silver Zenith pocket watch, sandals, a bowl, a "thali" (plate) and letters of authenticity were bought by an Indian bidder.

Tony Bedi placed the winning bid in the room at New York's Antiquorum Auctioneers despite protests in India and an injunction from a New Delhi court seeking to halt the sale.

Bidding began at 20,000 dollars and rose to the final price within seven minutes.

New Delhi, Mar 5 : The Indian government on Thursday rejected a proposal by the US collector to halt the controversial auction of Gandhi's iconic round glasses.

Union Minister of State for External Affairs Anand Sharma said India cannot enter into such agreements where it involves specific areas of allocation of resources.