From Malta hijack to Dangal release: 5 key developments

In other news, GST Council keeps dual control for next time

Business Standard brings to you a list of five key developments across the country.

Libyan plane hijacking in Malta ends

Hijackers claiming to have a grenade took over a Libyan plane today and diverted it to Malta before releasing everyone on board and surrendering to authorities, officials said. "Final crew members leaving aircraft with hijackers," Maltese Prime Minister Joseph Muscat said on Twitter. Minutes later, he added: "Hijackers surrendered, searched and taken in custody".

Wadia files criminal suit against Tatas

Nusli Wadia, the former independent director on the board of Tata Steel and Tata Motors, on Friday filed a criminal defamation suit against Tata Sons Interim Chairman Ratan Tata, the company and its directors. Larsen & Toubro Chairman A M Naik,  Godrej group director Tania Godrej-Dubash will be among others who would be witnesses to Wadia’s good character. The suit has been filed, in the court of additional chief metropolitan magistrate, against a special notice to remove Wadia from the boards of the Tata firms for purportedly acting in concert with former Tata Sons chairman Cyrus Mistry and galvanising other directors against the Tatas.

GST Council meet

The tricky issues of division of administrative turf over assessees between the Centre and states — which can make or break the roll-out of the goods and services tax (GST) on April 1 — was not taken up by the GST Council during its two-day meeting that ended Friday. All other provisions of the draft model GST Bill and compensation Bill were cleared. The next meeting of the Council, on January 3 and 4, will try to resolve the issue of dividing the administrative powers between the Centre and states, but signals given by state governments on Friday suggest that it would be a difficult task.

ONGC to buy 80% stake of GSPC

State-run Oil and Natural Gas Corporation Ltd (ONGC) on Friday approved the plan to acquire the entire 80 per cent participating interest of Gujarat State Petroleum Corporation Ltd’s (GSPC) block in the Krishna- Godavari basin at $995.26 million. ONGC will also pay part consideration of $200 million to GSPC towards future consideration for six discoveries other than the Deen Dayal West Field, which will be adjusted upon valuation of the discoveries subsequent to approval their field development plans by the Directorate General of Hydrocarbons. 

Dangal review

In recent times, a surfeit of real-life stories were imitated in Hindi cinema, namely Sarbjit, Dhoni, Mary Kom, Neerja. While some inspired to a certain extent, others seemed to have lost the plot in one way or the other. What makes Dangal stand apart is the fact that it sticks to a view that seems grandiose even in 2016— women are no less than men.  Aamir Khan is his typically terrific best as the once-upon-a-time-good wrestler Mahavir Singh Phogat of Haryana who is dejected after having four daughters and no son to take his legacy in the akhada ahead.