On Thursday, the networking bigwig Cisco Systems announced its intentions of taking over the San-Francisco, California-based Pure Digital Technologies, the manufacturer of the popular Flip Video camcorder.

The San-Jose, California-based Cisco plans to strike a $590-million-in-stock deal with Pure Digital. In exchange, Cisco will gain all the Pure Digital shares, as well as a robust gadget startup that would further its foray into the consumer marketplace. The deal would likely close in Cisco's fiscal fourth quarter, ending July.

In a significant move, the Government of India on Friday announced Air Marshal Pradeep Vasant Naik, the vice-chief of the Air Staff, as the next IAF chief.

"Air Marshal Naik will take over after the present chief retires from service on May 31,” said a government official.

Naik would be succeeding Air Chief Marshal Fali Homi Major, who retires on May 31.

As per the rules and regulations, the Government makes the appointment for the top job two months before it falls free.

Born on July 22, 1949, Naik joined the Air Force on June 21, 1969 as a fighter pilot. He has taken part in the 1971 War against Pakistan and has flown the MiG 21 and MiG 23.

The multiple Oscar-winning film Slumdog Millionaire is ready to hit Chinese theatres on March 26.

Lots of films produced in the tinsel town fail to benefit from the propering Chinese cinema market due to the annual quota, and others are thrown out by the censor board.

Chinese censors are cautious of uncomplimentary delineations of the country and its public, explicit sex and aggression and receptive topics including Tibet.

However, “Slumdog Millionaire” cleared Chinese censors without problems.

With a view to fulfill its fuel requirement, country’s biggest thermal power generating company, NTPC has decided to import 12.5 million tons of coal in the next financial year (FY-09-10).

Speaking on the sidelines of a CII event here, VS Sampath, Power Secretary said, “We have set a coal import target of 35 million tons for power utilities in 2009-10 against the earlier planned 25 million tons.”

Addressing a blow to Indian professionals looking for employment in the US, the Obama Administration declared supplementary measures for employing foreign experts under the H-1B visa work program making it harder for the companies getting federal bailout to appoint overseas workers.

These measures come about 10 days before the US citizenship and immigration services (USCIS) starts accepting petitions for new H-1B visas for the fiscal year beginning Oct. 1, 2009, reports agency sources.

It seems that Pakistan cricket problems after the 3/3 Lahore attacks on Sri Lankan cricketers are not going to be ease in the coming days as the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is battling hard to find any sponsors for the up-coming ODI series against Australia scheduled in Abu Dhabi and Dubai from April 22.