Will 'firmly support' new Pak PM: China

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Mon, 25 June 2012

Timeline Refresh

23:18 Will 'firmly support' new Pak PM: China

The Hindu reports: China on Monday said it would 'firmly support' Pakistan amid political uncertainties in the country, pledging to work with the newly appointed Prime Minister to strengthen the two countries' 'all-weather partnership'.

Read the full story here

22:32 Explosion in car in Delhi creates panic

The radiator of a car exploded in the national capital's Safdurjung Enclave area at around 10 pm, creating panic in nearby areas, TV channels report.

The explosion occurred following the white Hyundai Accent's radiator getting overheated, officials told TV channels. Police and forensic teams have rushed to the explosion site.

AP reports: United Nations envoy Kofi Annan said that Iranshould be involved in efforts to end the escalating violencethat has claimed thousands of lives and forced hundreds of thousands of people from their homes.

Annan, the joint UN-Arab League envoy, told reporters yesterday that he was working to convene a so-called 'contact group' meeting on Syria in Geneva on June 30.

The growing rift and war of words with key National Democratic Alliance ally Janata Dal-United today led BJP president Nitin Gadkari to ask all party functionaries and alliance partners to"exercise restraint" while airing views on coalition-related issues.

Gadkari's statement has come against the backdrop of comments by BJP secretary Balbir Punj against the JD-U today.Punj had said that the BJP has not outsourced to anybody to define who is secular and Prime Ministerial material in the party.

"The BJP is of the opinion that notwithstanding the divergence of opinion in the NDA on the issue of the Presidential election, the NDA has performed a historic role and shall continue to do so in order to navigate the country out of its presentproblems," Gadkari said.

He maintained each constituent of the NDA "mutually respects"the stand taken by other coalition partners.

'Psycho Stapleton', a Briton who admitted shooting Indian student Anuj Bidve on December 26 last laughed and ran away after the incident, the Manchester Crown Court was told on the first day of his trial today.

Kiaran Stapleton, 21, had earlier pleaded guilty to manslaughter on the grounds of diminished responsibility, but not guilty of murder of Bidve, 23.

His plea was not accepted by the Crown Prosecution Service and he now stands trial for murder.

Stapleton 'smirked or laughed' after he walked up to Bidve and shot him through the head, the Crown Court was told during the day's proceedings today.

Stapleton approached Bidve and his friends in the street in Salford and asked them at least once what the time was. One of the group answered and without warning Stapleton produced a gun, put it to the head of Bidve and fired a shot,which killed him, the court was told during the trial that isexpected to last 12 days.

The Bidve family has travelled from Pune to attend the trial.

20:53 US SC upholds key Arizona immigration clause

The United States Supreme Court has upheld a key part of a tough Arizona immigration law that would give new powers to the police to check the immigration status of people stopped and arrested, the BBC reports.

However, three of four challenges brought by the Obama administration were upheld by the court.

The US government had argued the law infringed on federal rights to oversee immigration policy.

A provision known as Section 2(B), that requires police to make a "reasonable attempt... to determine the immigration status" of anyone who is stopped for another violation, was upheld by the Supreme Court.

The court ruled it was too early to tell whether the clause caused a conflict with federal laws, but added that the provision could be open to legal challenge again at a later date, the report said.

Read full report here

20:47 Virbhadra Singh meets Sonia

Union Minister Virbhadra Singh, who was slapped with charges of conspiracy and corruption in a 23-year-old case, today met Congress President Sonia Gandhi, triggering speculation of his resignation.

Reacting to the framing of charges, Singh had earlier in day said "the evidence is concocted. The CD has not been authenticated. They have not compared my voice".

Asked whether he would resign, he said "I don't care for my office at all. I don't want to embarrass my party and the prime minister. As and when the occasion arises, certainly I will take appropriate action".

AICC general secretary in-charge for Himachal Pradesh Chaudhary Birender Singh, however, said, "There has been no direction so far to Vibhadra Singh to resign. The judgement of the special court is being studied."

20:07 RBI measures minimal, rues India Inc

The Reserve Bank's measures to stem the rupee fall received mixed reactions with PMEAC Chairman C Rangarajan saying the steps will attract capital inflows and will have an impact on the currency, while India Inc termed the steps as "minimal".

The RBI today raised the FII limit in government bonds by $ 5 billion to $20 billion and allowed Indian companies to avail External Commercial Borrowings up to $10 billion for repayment of rupee loans and fresh capital needs.

"These measures will help enhance capital inflows into the country. It will also have some effect on the rupee...the moves have to be seen in the context to support rupee," Rangarajan said.

India Inc said that these steps are "minimal" as the industry was hoping for "strong actions" at this time.

A Delhi court today ordered for production of two alleged Indian Mujahideen operatives before it from a Bangalore jail on a plea by the city police for their interrogation about their suspected role in various terror cases.

Chief Metropolitan Magistrate Vinod Yadav issued a production warrant against Bihar natives Kafil Akhtar and Kamal Hasan, who are currently lodged in Bangalore's Centraljail.

"Issue production warrants for both the accused to be executed through superintendent of prisons, returnable on July 11," the court said.

Janata Party president Subramanian Swamy on Monday alleged there were "informal forms" of Emergency in the country that might lead to a "bigger problem".

On the occasion of 37th anniversary of imposition of Emergency, Swamy said, "The futile attempt made by Indira Gandhi to follow the policies of Soviet Union and establishing dictatorship in the country was successfully countered by people like J P Narayan, Morarji Desai and other leaders".

"Today, we need to fight strongly against the informal forms of Emergency in our country which might lead to be a bigger problem in future," said Swamy.

The Rashtrapati Bhavan today defended its decision to grant mercy to some death row convicts, saying the power to pardon is not a private act of grace by the President but a part of the constitutional scheme of things.

"Article 72 does confer on the President the power to grant clemency. However, in the exercise of these powers, the President is not supposed to act on her own judgment but ismandated to act in accordance with the aid and advice of the government in terms of Article 74 of the Constitution. The advice of the government is binding on the Head of State," the Secretariat said in a statement.

18:42 Centre unveils measures to boost inflows

The government on Monday announced various steps including a hike in FII limit into sovereign debt and liberalising overseas borrowing norms for exporters, but failed to arrest slide in rupee and stock markets.

The foreign institutional investors FIIs can now invest $20 billion into government securities (G-Sec), against the present limit of $15 billion.Within this limit, sovereign wealth fund, insurance funds, pension funds, foreign central banks and multilateral agencies can participate.

The lock-in period for FII investment up to $10 billion into G-Secs has been reduced to three years from five years, according to the finance ministry.

"Tomorrow I will give my last message," said Pranab Mukherjee, less than 24 hours before he resigns as the finance minister to contest the Presidential poll.

Mukherjee has always been obliging to media personnel waiting for his comments outside his North Block office.

Rarely has the outgoing finance minister disappointed reporters by not offering any comments.

"Tomorrow I will give my last message," said Pranab Mukherjee, less than 24 hours before he resigns as the finance minister to contest the Presidential poll.

Mukherjee has always been obliging to media personnel waiting for his comments outside his North Block office.

Rarely has the outgoing finance minister disappointed reporters by not offering any comments.

Janata Party chief Subramanian Swamy today claimed that NDA's Presidential candidate P A Sangma would emerge victorious in the July 19 poll as it will be held through secret ballot.

"The constitutional mandate of secret ballot which allows MPs and MLAs to challenge their party line and resort to their conscience vote will help Sangma to sail through to victory. My party is completely sure about it," Swamy said after a book launch in the capital.

A day after Sangma said it was not right to rule him off before the Presidential polls, Swamy said Sangma is a representative of 10 crore tribals in the country and that he deserves to win.

17:51 Striking AI pilots seek PM's intervention

The deadlock over the 49-day-old strike by over 400 Air India pilots persisted today with the Government asserting that they have to return to work "unconditionally" and the pilots seeking Prime Minister's intervention to end the crisis. "We want them to come back.

All they have to do is to come back unconditionally to work. They never gave a notice (of a strike). High Court said it is illegal. I don't even know what the issues are. They don't know themselves. What can we do?" Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh told reporters here. The pilots, who went on a 48-hour hunger strike at Jantar Mantar here, alleged that the minister was speaking in one voice and the airline management in another.

"There is a clear disconnect between the two," Tauseef Mukadam, joint secretary of the Indian Pilots Guild (IPG), which is spearheading the agitation, said. They blamed the management for taking steps like grounding planes, which were leading the airline to lose market share.

17:29 Prez poll: CPI(M) justifies support to Pranab

The CPI(M) today justified its support to UPA Presidential poll nominee Pranab Mukherjee, saying abstention would have not only meant "lining up" with Trinamool Congress but also blunted its intervention in the emerging political scenario.

Noting that both ruling UPA and opposition NDA had been "weakened" as manifested in the way they dealt with the presidential poll, party General Secretary Prakash Karat said it was "necessary to utilise the conflicts and fissures within the ruling alliance between the bourgeois parties. Abstention at this juncture will not help in this regard."

Karat's views in an article in the forthcoming issue of party organ 'People's Democracy' came close on the heels of the expulsion of a youth leader, Prasenjit Bose, who had protested CPI(M)'s support to Mukherjee saying it as a "grave error which will harm the party and disturb Left unity."

The article also came in the wake of some Left parties like CPI, RSP and CPI-ML (Liberation), deciding to abstain from voting in the Presidential poll. "Abstention in this case would mean lining up with Mamata Banerjee and Trinamool Congress in West Bengal. This would be politically damaging and unacceptable. ... It would (also) blunt the intervention of the party in the developing political scenario," Karat said.

17:13 Journalists protest against growing attacks

Journalists across the country today protested against the rise in number of attacks against their community members and demanded enactment of a comprehensive law to curb the trend.

In Delhi, a delegation of National Union of Journalists (India) presented a memorandum to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh demanding a comprehensive Journalist Protection Act for journalists' protection. "Over 190 attacks on journalists have been documented in different states in the recent past.

There is need for a comprehensive Act with clear provisions of registering complaints in police stations on intimidation, attack or torture of journalists," the memorandum said.

17:01 Mamata, BJP should support Mukherjee: Digvijay

With candidates mooted by Mamata Banerjee to contest the Presidential poll not entering the fray, Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh today asked the Trinamool Congress chief to support UPA nominee Pranab Mukherjee.

Speaking to reporters here last night, Singh said Banerjee along with Samajwadi Party president Mulayam Singh Yadav had come up with three names for the President's post and as they were not contesting, she should now back Mukherjee.

Banerjee along with Mulayam had suggested the names of former president A P J Abdul Kalam, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, and former speaker Somnath Chatterjee for the president's post. Mulayam had later declared his support to Mukherjee. While speaking to reporters at Shivpuri today, Singh advised the BJP to support Mukherjee to pave the way for his unanimous election.

India will soon have more passport offices to meet the growing demand of the key international travel document. "Yes, we have now 77 additional Passport Sewa Kendras (PSK) over and above the 40 we have had for a long time and we are going before the cabinet for having more passport kendras. That is in the pipeline," External Affairs Minister S M Krishna today said.

He was talking to reporters during a surprise visit to a passport centre here to check the facilities available for the common people. Sources said the country will have 350 post offices which will employ ex-servicemen to help the illiterate and collate documents and help in applying on-line for a fee of Rs 100.

Such facilities will be helpful in rural areas as these will eliminate middlemen, they said. During the visit, the Minister talked to the people and heard their complaints. After hearing a complaint from a social activist about problems faced by the illiterate people in getting passports, he instructed the Additional Secretary-concerned in to address the issue.

16:33 BCCI snubs ICC; says DRS not foolproof

Despite ICC's call for the universal acceptance of the Decision Review System (DRS), the BCCI on Monday refused to change its stand on the use of the technology, saying it was still not "foolproof".

ICC's Chief Executive Committee today recommended mandatory use of the DRS in Tests and one-dayers.

The technology has been consistently opposed by the cricket's financial powerhouse and the influential BCCI on Monday said that its stand remains unchanged.

"We wish to clarify that while the DRS was discussed at the meeting, the BCCI's stance on the same is unchanged. The BCCI continues to believe that the system is not foolproof," BCCI Secretary Sanjay Jagdale said in a statement.

"The Board also sticks to its view that the decision on whether or not to use the DRS for a particular series should be left to the Boards involved in that series," the statement added.

The CEC met as part of the ICC Annual Conference and "recommended to the Boards the universal application of the DRS after being satisfied with the technology enhancements provided by new Hotspot cameras and the results of the independent research on ball tracking conducted by Dr Ed Rosten, an expert in computer vision technology."

Ahead of the foreign secretary level talks with Pakistan, India on Monday said that it did not expect "big solutions" to six-decade-old problems at a time when that country is going through "many upheavals" and needed space to settle down.

"These problems have been there for the last 60 years and you do not expect big solutions in six days or six weeks or in six months," External Affairs Minister S M Krishna said when asked about little progress made in the peace talks with Pakistan.

He underlined the need to keep up the dialogue process with Pakistan which was going through many upheavals.

"I think whole thrust is to keep Pakistan engaged and keep talking to them. They are also going through many upheavals in that country. So we will have to provide space for them to settle down and India which is a country which is stable and growing, will have to think," he said.

Asked whether India would take up the issue of ceasefire violations along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir, Krishna said the two countries need to make sincere efforts to live as good neighbours.

Egypt's Islamist president-elect, Mohammed Mursi, has pledged to strengthen ties with Iran to build a "strategic balance in the region," according to an interview excerpt given by an Iranian news agency on Monday.

"Part of my agenda is the development of ties between Iran and Egypt that will create a strategic balance in the region," Mursi, who comes from Egypt's long-repressed Muslim Brotherhood, was quoted as saying by Iran's Fars news agency.

Fars, which is close to Iran's powerful Revolutionary Guards, said the full interview would be published later.

It said Mursi spoke with a Fars reporter in Cairo on Sunday before results were released giving him victory in the election to be Egypt's next president.

Although Mursi resigned from the Muslim Brotherhood to take the top job, Israel is wary of his election, fearing his Islamist record could jeopardise its three-decade peace deal with its huge neighbour.

Any tie-up between Egypt and Iran would alarm Israel and its ally the United States.

15:20 Prez polls: Sangma seeks Jagan's support

Presidential candidate P A Sangma on Monday sought the support of YSR Congress Party to his candidature and alleged that he was prevented from personally meeting Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy in jail.

Sangma met YSR Congress honorary president and Jagan's mother Y S Vijaya Lakshmi and other important leaders of the party at her residence here and urged them to support him.

"I had a very very fruitful discussion with them. I appealed to them to support my candidature in the coming Presidential election. They assured me that very soon that they would be calling the party office bearers meeting and the final decision taken", he told reporters.

He expressed confidence that the YSRCP would support his candidature for the post of President.

YSRCP has 17 MLAs in the Andhra Pradesh Assembly in a house of 294.

Meanwhile, Sangma went to the Chanchalguda jail, where Jagan was lodged in connection with an alleged disproportionate assets case, but could not meet him.

Sangma claimed that he was given time to meet Jagan at around 9 am, which was postponed to 11 am.

The meeting was, however, cancelled possibly at the intervention of "state government authorities and Union government authorities", he alleged.

The Reserve Bank of India, in consultation with the central government, has decided to introduce the following measures with immediate effect:

It has been decided to allow Indian companies in manufacturing and infrastructure sector and having foreign exchange earnings to avail of external commercial borrowing for repayment of outstanding Rupee loans towards capital expenditure and/or fresh Rupee capital expenditure under the approval route. The overall ceiling for such ECBs would be $10 billion.

The existing limit for investment by Securities and Exchange Board of India registered foreign institutional investors in Government securities (G-Secs) has been enhanced by a further amount of $5 billion.

This would take the overall limit for FII investment in G-Secs from $15 billion to $20 billion.

In order to broad base the non-resident investor base for G-Secs, it has also been decided to allow long term investors like Sovereign Wealth Funds (SWFs), multilateral agencies, endowment funds, insurance funds, pension funds and foreign central banks to be registered with SEBI, to also invest in G-Secs for the entire limit of USD 20 billion. The sub-limit of USD 10 billion (existing USD 5 billion with residual maturity of 5 years and additional limit of USD 5 billion) would have the residual maturity of three years.

The terms and conditions for the scheme for FII investment in infrastructure debt and the scheme for non-resident investment in Infrastructure Development Funds (IDFs) have been further rationalised in terms of lock-in period and residual maturity.

Further, Qualified Foreign Investors (QFIs) can now invest in those mutual fund (MF) schemes that hold at least 25 per cent of their assets (either in debt or in equity or both) in infrastructure sector under the current USD 3 billion sub-limit for investment in mutual funds related to infrastructure.

Annan, the joint UN-Arab League envoy, told reporters yesterday that he was working to convene a so-called 'contact group' meeting on Syria in Geneva on June 30.

14:32 Arunachal flood situation worsens

The flood situation in Changlang, Lohit, Dibang Valley and Upper Subansiri districts of Arunachal Pradesh has worsened with most rivers flowing above the red mark.

In Changlang district, 75 Chakma families were trapped in Bijoypur village,with Army help being sought, Bordumsa additional district collector Kento Riba said today.

"We are seeking Army help to rescue the stranded families. But the Army has not arrived because of inclement weather," Riba said. "If the downpour continues, the situation will worsen."

14:30 UK: Anuj Bidve murder trial begins today

The trial of 'Psycho Stapleton', a Briton accused of the murder of an Indian student Anuj Bidve on December 26 last in Salford begins in the Manchester Crown Court on Monday.

The trial of Kiaran Stapleton, 21, is expected to last 12 days.

On June 1, he had pleaded "guilty to the manslaughter of Anuj Bidve on the grounds of diminished responsibility, but not guilty to murder". However, official sources said it was not accepted by the Crown.

Bidve, a post-graduate student of Microelectronics at Lancaster University, was shot dead from close quarters when he was spending Christmas holidays with his friends in Manchester.

He was on his way from his hotel walking through Ordsall to the Boxing Day sales in Manchester city centre with a group of other Indian students when he was killed.

The Bidve family has travelled from Pune to attend the trial of Stapleton, who described himself as 'Psycho Stapleton' in a court hearing in January.

The Supreme Court today declined to stay the trial in the disproportionate assets case involving AIADMK chief J Jayalalithaa and her aide Sasikala.

The trial is being heard daily in a special court in Bengaluru.

Jayalalithaa and others are accused of amassing wealth disproportionate to their income during her tenure as Tamil Nadu chief minister in 1991-96.

Sasikala moved the Supreme Court after the trial court and Karnataka high court refused to give certain documents pertaining to the case to her. Sasikala's lawyer told the court she had already answered 599 questions put forward by the prosecution and 1000 more are expected. He said to answer these questions, the documents, which are a part of the case, are needed He wanted the trial to be stayed till those documents are given to Sasikala.

The SC asked the lawyer to point out a few questions which Sasikala could not answer for want of these documents. The lawyer sought time to give the details and the case has been adjourned.

However, the SC declined to stay the trial and said, 'We can't give any interim relief and the trial will continue.'

A Pakistani court today constituted a larger bench to hear a contempt of court petition against President Asif Ali Zardari while a lawyer filed a plea in the Supreme Court challenging the president's immunity and holding of dual offices.

Lahore High Court Chief Justice Umar Ata Bandial constituted the larger bench that will hear the petition accusing Zardari of contempt of court for not quitting the political office of head of the ruling Pakistan People's Party.

The bench, which will be headed by Bandial, will hear the case on June 27.

Earlier, Bandial had issued a notice to the principal secretary to the president in connection with the case.

13:41 Seven Indians go missing off Oman

Seven Indians on board a fishing boat have gone missing from Masirah waters in Oman and may have been kidnapped by pirates, a media report has said.

According to the report, the coast guard in the country have been informed and the hunt is on to locate them despite adverse weather conditions. The missing Indians are all said to be from Tamil Nadu.

"They went for fishing as usual but have not returned yet. What I suspect is that they been hijacked by pirates," Saeed Rashid, owner of the fishing boat, told Times of Oman newspaper.

The boat reportedly went missing from al-Ashakara coast on Thursday evening.

13:39 Investors await Pranab's parting gift

Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Monday said that his ministry and the Reserve Bank will soon announce certain steps, as investors await the measures that are expected to check rupee slide and improve markets.

"I think notifications are going to be issued. In the morning I discussed (those) with Secretary, Economic Affaris (R Gopalan). They are going to issue circular...RBI is going to issue the circular," he told media persons in New Delhi.

The sharp decline in rupee against the US dollar is a cause of concern and there are expectation that steps would be announced to boost the domestic currency.

The rupee, however recovered 71 paise against the dollar at 56.44 in early trade today on selling of American currency by banks amid expectations that RBI may announce steps to boost the local currency.

The economic growth has also fallen to a nine-year low of 6.5 per cent in 2011-12 and industrial output continues to be sluggish with a mere 0.1 per cent growth in April. Inflation too remained at an elevated level of 7.55 per cent in May.

The measures would be announced on a day when global agency Moody's has retained outlook on India's rating at stable despite slowdown in GDP growth rate, saying that it is unlikely to be even a medium-term feature.

13:35 Amarnath yatra begins

The annual Amarnath yatra began with pilgrims from both the base camps starting their journey to the cave shrine where Jammu and Kashmir Governor N N Vohra offered prayers amid holy chants.

"The pooja was held inside the cave shrine this morning, marking the beginning of this year's yatra to the holy cave of Amarnathji," chief executive officer of Shri Amarnath Shrine Board Naveen K Chaudhury said.

The pilgrims began their journey from both the Baltal and Nunwan base camps.

13:33 Pranab's D-day for filing nomination: June 28

Pranab Mukherjee will file his nomination papers for the presidential poll on June 28, says Congress media department chief. Details soon.

Meanwhile, at the Congress Working Committee meeting to bid farewell to the outgoing finance minister, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said Mukherjee's absence will be felt, he discharged many duties in government.

13:29 ICC CEC recommends mandatory use of DRS

The International Cricket Council's Chief Executive Committee on Monday recommended mandatory use of the controversial Decision Review System, an innovation that has been consistently opposed by the BCCI, in Tests and one-dayers.

The CEC met for two days on June 24 and 25 as part of the ICC Annual Conference and "recommended to the Board the universal application of the DRS after being satisfied with the technology enhancements provided by new Hotspot cameras and the results of the independent research on ball tracking conducted by Dr Ed Rosten, an expert in computer vision technology."

Dr Rosten tested the accuracy and reliability of ball tracking in a recent Test series and concluded that the results were "100 per cent in agreement with the outcomes produced from his assessments."

CEC recommended that, subject to the Members' ability to finance and obtain the required technology, DRS should be mandatory for all Tests and ODIs.

"Furthermore, Hotspot cameras must be included in the minimum requirements (two cameras) alongside ball tracking technology.

12:55 Jagan's judicial remand extended till July 4

A CBI court in Hyderabad on Monday extended till July 4 the judicial remand of YSR Congress chief Y S Jaganmohan Reddy in connection with a disproportionate assets case.

Jagan, who appeared before the judge through video conference from Chanchalguda prison where he is lodged, had earlier requested the court that he be allowed to appear in the court in person.

However, the court rejected his memo and directed the prison authorities to produce him through video conference.

When Jagan was last produced before the court, the police brought him in a police van, instead of the bullet-proof vehicle it used earlier.

Objecting to the manner in which he was brought to the court, Jagan had complained to the court and said despite being an MP and president of a political party, he was treated like an ordinary criminal though he was still an accused and no charge against him was proved yet.

The CBI, probing the assets case against Jagan, had arrested the 39-year-old MP on May 27.

Special Judge (anti-corruption ) B L Soni, on Monday, has framed charges against Union Minister Virbhadra Singh and his wife Pratibha Singh, a former MP in the graft case registered against the two by the state Vigilance and Ant-corruption Bureau on the basis of a controversial audio-CD in 2009.

Virbhadra Singhs lawyers had argued that available evidence on record and the Vigilance report doesnt warrant framing of corruption charges and the case should be dropped. They asserted that the case was frivolous and was registered on the basis of an audio cassette, whose origin, source and authenticity were unknown.

Two key witnesses in the case, both industrialists - whose reference was also in the audio-cassettee had also filed a petition in the high court, but their pleas were dismissed.

Virbhadra had filed three writ petitions in the high court to seek quashing of the FIR or transferring the investigations to the CBI but his pleas were not allowed.

Two key witnesses in the case, both industrialists - whose reference was also in the audio-cassettee had also filed a petition in the high court, but their pleas were dismissed.

Virbhadra had filed three writ petitions in the high court to seek quashing of the FIR or transferring the investigations to the CBI but his pleas were not allowed.

How "normal' is Jammu and Kashmir? Ok, so the tourists are back in droves, there has not been any major incidents of violence, so is everything hunky-

In an interview with Greater Kashmir, Prof Amitabh Matto points out the calm is deceptive: 'Anyone who has lived in the Kashmir or observed it closely for some time will recognise that it is a tinderbox, and could be in flames at the slightest provocation and the surface calm would vaporise in an instant. And for real and durable peace you have to address the deeper issues, the conflicts, and ensure that there is not just resolution, but real justice. After all, families of those who were killed will not forget their anger & hurt in a hurry or forgive the perpetrators until they see that justice is done. And, of course, all this has to be contextualised within the larger political dimensions of the problem,' he says.

For the full interview, click here.

There was no end in sight to the 49-day-old Air India pilots strike with the government on Monday making it clear that they have to return to work "unconditionally" and the pilots insisting that sack orders be withdrawn immediately.

"We want them to come back (to work). All they have to do is to come back unconditionally to work. They never gave a notice (of going on strike). High Court has said it is illegal. I don't even know what the issues are. They don't know themselves. So, what can we do?" Aviation Minister Ajit Singh said.

The pilots, who are on a 48-hour hunger strike in New Delhi, alleged that the minister was speaking in one voice and the airline management in another.

"There is a clear disconnect between the two," Tauseef Mukadam, Joint Secretary of the India Pilots Guild spearheading the agitation, told reporters.

"On the one hand, the minister says come back to work, on the other hand they are talking about more terminations. There is a disconnect between what the minister says and what the management is doing," he said.

Singh said the ministry is reviewing all the routes to check where Air India is losing money.

North Korea has reacted angrily to the use of its flag during live-fire drills by South Korea and the United States, calling it "a grave provocative act", CNN reports.

The comments from Pyongyang on Sunday came after the allies held military drills last week less than 50 kilometers (30 miles) away from the North Korean border, involving more than 2,000 military personnel.

An unidentified North Korean foreign ministry spokesman accused South Korea and the United States of firing "live bullets and shells" at the flag, according to a report by the state-run Korean Central News Agency.

The act was "the most vivid expression of their hostile policy," the spokesman said.

Senior BJP leader LK Advani writes on his blog: In political circles, it is fashionable these days to raise the question: should not an election to this high constitutional office be a unanimous election, based on a consensual agreement arrived at between Government and the Opposition? This question is often hurled at us in the BJP as if by deciding to support Shri Sangma sponsored by two eminent Chief Ministers against Congress' Pranab Mukherji, we are doing something improper. I hold that the answer to this question depends entirely on the attitude of the ruling party.' Click here to read more on the BJP's decision to back PA Sangma against the UPA's Pranab Mukherjee.

12:04 37 years since Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency

37 years ago to the day, Prime Minister Indira Gandhi imposed Emergency on the nation, setting off a cataclysmic chain of events that culminated in her being voted out two years later. Political commentator Inder Malhotra wrote two years ago on rediff.com, that 'the material fact is that if Indira Gandhi's Emergency proved anything at all, it established that India would be governed, to the extent it can be governed, democratically or not at all.' Click here to read the piece.

North Korea has reacted angrily to the use of its flag during live-fire drills by South Korea and the United States, calling it "a grave provocative act", CNN reports.

The act was "the most vivid expression of their hostile policy," the spokesman said.

Former Maharashtra Chief Minister and Union Power Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde on Monday appeared before a two-member commission probing the Adarsh Society scam.

Shinde was the chief minister between 2001 and 2003 when he cleared many files including allotment of land to Adarsh. It was during his tenure that the housing society received its most controversial clearance - a fake green go-ahead - which has led the Environment Ministry to call for the building's demolition.

Former chief ministers Vilasrao Deshmukh and Ashok Chavan are scheduled to appear before the commission later this month.

The scam pertains to alleged irregularities in construction and allotment of apartments in the 32-storeyed high rise, originally meant for families of Kargil War heroes, in the upmarket Colaba area in south Mumbai.

The Congress Working Committee -- the party's apex decision-making body -- began its meeting in New Delhi on Monday. The meeting has been convened to bid farewell to the party's veteran leader and presidential candidate Pranab Mukherjee.

Besides Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress president Sonia Gandhi, other senior Congress leaders were present in the meeting. With this meeting, the curtains will formally come down on Mukherjee's nearly five-decade-long association with Congress.

11:21 India's rating outlook stable: Moody's

Moody's Investors Service on Monday said it was maintaining a stable outlook on India's Baa3 rating as problems such as slower growth and higher inflation were long-standing and already factored into the outlook.

The agency said that global and domestic factors, including potential shocks in agriculture, could keep India's growth below trend for the next few quarters. But it felt recent negative trends were unlikely to become permanent or even medium-term features of the Indian economy.

"Furthermore, the impact of lower growth and still-high inflation will deteriorate credit metrics in the near term, but not to the extent that they will become incompatible with India's current rating," Moody's said in a report.

At least 16 people were killed and more than 11 lakh people affected after downpours triggered flash floods and mudslides in China's southern and northern regions over the past three days.

Floods triggered by rainstorms have killed six people, affected the lives of more than 4.5 lakh people, destroyed some 1,000 houses and inundated almost 17,000 hectares of cropland in the Guangxi Zhuang autonomous regions, a government spokesman said.

Economic losses were estimated at 128 million yuan ($20.3 million) the spokesman said, adding local authorities have launched relief operations.

Local meteorological authorities forecast that more heavy rainfalls will hit parts of Guangxi on Monday.

Since Saturday rainstorm-triggered floods also affected three counties in the Ulanqab city in Inner Mongolia.

10:37 Sensex cross 17,000 mark; up 144 points

The BSE benchmark Sensex gained over 144 points in early trade on Monday to cross the 17,000 level on buying by funds and retailers after Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee on Saturday said the government will announce measures to improve market conditions.

The 30-share barometer, which had gained lost 60.05 points in the previous session, recovered by 144.16 points, or 0.84 per cent, to trade at 17,116.67 with all sectoral indices, led by realty and metal, trading in positive zone.

Similarly, the wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty moved up by 34.20 points, or 0.67 per cent, to 5,180.25.

Brokers said trading sentiments turned better on expectations that the government will announce measures to revive economy and check free-fall in the rupee, triggering buying by funds as well as retail investors.

10:06 26/11 handler Abu Hamza arrested

The Delhi Police has arrested Abu Hamza alias Saeed Zabi alias Zabi Ansari, an Indian Mujahideen operative who is suspected to have been one of the handlers who was giving instructions to the 26/11 terrorists in Mumbai.

The Delhi Police and the Intelligence Bureau had been keeping a watch on Hamza's movements.

After getting a tip-off that he was returning to India, the police arrested Hamza from the Delhi airport four days back itself.

His arrest was confirmed on Monday morning.

With Hamza comes a host of information ranging from the IISC attack and the more important 26/11 attacks.

Sources in the Intelligence Bureau say that Hamza, who has been heading the Lashkar-e-Tayiba operations in Kashmir since a year, was looking to conduct a recee on some places.

Hamza will remain in police custody till July 5.

The historic Dastageer Sahib shrine in old Srinagar was gutted in a big blaze early Monday morning.

As per latest reports the fire has now spread to some adjoining homes as well even though fire tenders were battling to control the blaze.

The two-century-old shrine located in the Khanyar locality of Srinagar was an epitome of Kashmir architecture laden with ornate Khatamband ceilings and elaborate carvings with grand chandeliers adorning the main prayer hall.

The shrine contained holy relics of the revered Muslim saint of Bhagdad Sheikh Syed Abdul Qadir Jeelani. The shrine also housed the relics of other Muslim saints.

The shrine is thronged by thousands of people from across the Valley on the annual Urs every year to observe the birth anniversary of the 11th century patron saint, Sheikh Abdul Qadir Jeelani.

08:46 Congress to bid farewell to Pranab today

Capping a long and distinguished political career, senior congress leader Pranab Mukherjee is all set to say a farewell to active politics now that it is clear that he would be the next occupant of the sprawling and opulent Rashtrapati Bhavan.

Congress President Sonia Gandhi has convened a meeting of the Congress Working Committee at 11 am on Monday to bid a formal and fond farewell to Mukherjee from the Congress party and from active politics.

The meeting of the CWC will formally and officially put on record the party's gratitude for the services delivered by Mukherjee to both the party and the government and the stellar role he has played in the last 8 years of steering the UPA out of its myriad political crisis from time to time and giving a middle of the road approach to the extreme reformist tendencies of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

On June 26, Mukherjee would resign from the government where he is currently the finance minister and is expected to sever ties with the Congress when he resigns from the party as well.

As the official candidate of the UPA, Mukherjee would file his nomination papers on June 28 in the presence of the Congress president and the prime minister along with leaders and representatives of the allies, who are supporting him in his bid for the presidentship

08:18 News as it happens

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