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Mon, 06 May 2013
Italy's Ex-Premier Giulio Andreotti Dies at 94

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23:52   Italy's Ex-Premier Giulio Andreotti Dies at 94
Giulio Andreotti was one of postwar Italy's most powerful men: He helped draft the country's constitution after World War II, served as its premier seven times and spent 60 years in parliament.

But the Christian Democrat who was friends with popes and cardinals was also a controversial figure who survived corruption scandals and allegations of aiding the Mafia: Andreotti was accused of exchanging a "kiss of honor" with the mob's longtime No. 1 boss and indicted in what was called "the trial of the century" in Palermo. He was eventually cleared.
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23:11   Advani flags off Chhattisgarh CM's 'Vikas Yatra'
Senior BJP leader L K Advani today flagged off Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Raman Singh's state- wide 'Vikas Yatra' which will cover over 6,000 km and conclude on June 20. 

Advani flagged off the campaign this afternoon from Dantewada district in Bastar region after offering prayers at the famous Danteshwari temple, official sources said here. The CM's mass contact programme comes just six months ahead of the Assembly elections.
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22:03   Mamata meets President, discusses ponzi schemes scams
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee called on President Pranab Mukherjee at Raj Bhavan tonight and is understood to have taken up the issue of expediting the presidential assent to a new bill to protect depositors' interest in the aftermath of the multi-crore rupees ponzi schemes scam in the state.

She was with the President for an hour but did not speak to the mediapersons waiting outside.
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21:46   Railway bribery case: CBI likely to quiz Bansal
The Central Bureau of Investigation is likely to seek clarifications from railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal in connection with the alleged bribery scandal related to posting of suspended railway board member (staff) Mahesh Kumar involving the minister's nephew Vijay Singla.

CBI sources said agency is questioning Singla and his associates to understand "the role of authority which was supposed to change Kumar's discipline from member (staff) to member (electrical) and allow him to continue with additional charge of general manager (west)."
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21:36   Don't allow SRK inside Wankhede: MCA writes to Mumbai police
The Mumbai Cricket Association has informed a local police station to prevent Kolkata Knight Riders principal owner Shah Rukh from entering the Wankhede stadium, when his team takes on Mumbai Indians, in Mumbai tomorrow.

"We wrote a letter to Marine Lines police station today asking them not to allow Shah Rukh Khan inside the stadium tomorrow (when Kolkata Knight Riders play Mumbai Indians). This was after the police had asked us to send a letter to that effect," MCA president Ravi Savant told reporters.
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21:29   After China pullout, India to beef up security along LAC
After the pullout by Chinese troops from Daulat beg Oldi area of Ladakh, infrastructure development programme along the Line of Actual Control is expected to be stepped up besides beefing up of the presence of Indian army there.   

Frequency of patrolling along the LAC is also expected tobe enhanced as per the new measures being contemplated by the government, sources said here today.   

The government is also planning to give final clearance to a Rs 84,000 crore army proposal for raising the Mountain Strike Corps along the northeastern borders which will include deployment of IAF assets as per army's plans, they said.
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21:00   Ladakh pullback: India put intense pressure on China
NDTV reports: With the 20-day stand-off with China near the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh finally over after intense negotiations via diplomatic channels, government sources today said that China was asked to be ready to face the consequences and no deal was struck with it.

Sources say India put intense pressure on China and said, "We are willing to let the relationship (between the two countries) sink."

Read the full story here

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19:25   Wind up Press Council or revamp it: Par panel
Regretting lack of "effective" government action to tackle paid news, a parliamentary panel has suggested constitution of a stutory body such as media council to look into the content of both print and electronic media with powers to take strong action or revamping PCI.

Asking the I & B Ministry to act swiftly on the paid news syndrome, the Parliamentary Standing Committee on IT suggested either the Press Council of India should be wound up on the constitution of the media council or it should be revamped with powers to take care of the print media, while a similar statutory body should be set up for the electronic media.

"In both the cases, media oweners or interested parties should not be part of the proposed media council or in the revamped PCI," the standing committee said in its report tabled in Parliament today.

The committee's suggestion came as it noted the poor disposal status of paid news complaints by PCI wherein 11 of the 40 cases have been closed because of lack of pursuance.

It said PCI should function like a regulatory authority so that it can adjudicate the paid news cases and award penalties to guilty indivudials and organisations.
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19:02   One more held in Bangalore blast case
One more person has been arrested here in connection with the April 17 blast near BJP office in Bangalore that left 16 persons injured, the police said today.

He is the third person to be arrested from the city. Valyal Hakeem and Asghar Ali were arrested on May 3 in connection with the case and taken to Bangalore. 

Based on their interrogation, a special police team from Karnataka, with assistance of 'Q' branch of police here, arrested one Sulaiman, police said, adding, he was taken to Bangalore today.
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18:44   Postman builds Taj Mahal
Retired postman builds mini Taj Mahal in Bulandshahr as a monument to his late wife. Read more
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18:37   Delhi gang rape: Witness examination to be over this month
Delhi Police today said the process of examining the witnesses and presenting prosecution evidence in the gory December 16 gang-rape case would be completed by this month.

Police said the the defence counsel will present its witnesses next month which will be followed by arguments to help the the special court to arrive at the finality of the case, that rocked the nation.

The 23-year-old girl was raped and brutally assaulted by six men, including a minor, after beating her male friend on December 16 last year. She died in a Singapore hospital on December 29.

All the six accused were arrested in a week's time and the charge sheet was filed in a fast track court in the first week of January. The main accused Ram Singh allegedly committed suicide in Tihar jail in March.
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18:13   Terror strikes Bangladesh
Offices, shops in downtown Dhaka burnt, looted; 3 dead; over 200 hurt. Read
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17:46   Pakistan: NO Indian prisoners of war in our prisons
Pakistan High Commission says there are NO Indian prisoners of war in their jails. Reports say there are 54 PoWs in Pakistani prisons. India had said that it would hold bilateral meetings with Pakistan over the issue of the safety of Indian prisoners in Pakistani jails in the aftermath of the brutal killing of Sarabjit Singh in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail. 
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17:37   Russian helicopter carrying 10 crashes in Siberia
A Russian helicopter carrying 10 people, including senior rescue service officials, has crashed in the Irkutsk region of southern Siberia, an emergencies ministry spokeswoman said today.it was carrying several tonnes of explosives being used to break up ice on rivers.
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17:32   Ahmedabad, one of India's most segregated cities
Some Hindu property developers in Ahmedabad, the commercial hub of the Indian state of Gujarat, are looking to expand to a customer base they have typically avoided: Muslims. Many Indian cities are segregated, but Ahmedabad is more so than most. Read
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17:27   Case against Dhoni for posing as Lord Vishnu
A case has been registered in a local court against Indian cricket team captain Mahendra Singh Dhoni for allegedly "denigrating" a Hindu god and "hurting" the religious sentiments of the Hindus.

The 6th Additional Chief Metropolitan Magistrate (ACMM) Choori Khan registered a case under section 295 (injuring or defiling place of worship with intent to insult the religion of any class) along with 34 of the Indian Penal Code against Dhoni on a complaint filed by social activist Jayakumar Hiremath.

In his complaint, Hiremath alleged that by posing for an advertisement in a business magazine as Lord Vishnu holding several things including a shoe in his hands, Dhoni had denigrated the Hindu god and hurt religious feelings of the Hindus.
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17:23   SBI, LIC involved in money laundering: Cobrapost
An online magazine ''Cobrapost'' has accused the State Bank of India (SBI), the Life Insurance Corporation of India (LIC) and various other banks and private insurers of indulging in money laundering. Earlier in March, Cobrapost had accused India's leading private banks ICICI, Axis and HDFC of being involved in money laundering.


Through a sting operation, Cobrapost exposed that these leading private banks were helping customers convert black money into white, which the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) had initiated investigations into.


According to reports, Cobrapost has named and accused various banks in the country such as SBI, Bank of Baroda, Punjab National Bank, Canara Bank, IDBI Bank, Indian Bank, Yes Bank, Federal Bank and Dhanlaxmi Bank in its second sting operation. The online magazine also named insurers such as LIC, Reliance Capital, Birla Sunlife and TATA AIG.


Termed as "Operation Red Spider 2", Cobrapost states that the operation, "establishes beyond doubt that money laundering is not confined to private banks, and is not an aberration, as is being made out in certain quarters in the wake of the first expose on March 14 in which HDFC Bank, ICICI Bank and Axis Bank were shown involved in money laundering; it is rather endemic overarching the entire banking system and insurance sector, without exception, however shocking it might be"
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17:15   Amartya backs food bill, blames opp for Parliament disruption
Nobel laureate Amartya Sen today sought to blame the opposition for disruption in Parliament, saying they were "bursting debates" and "killing arguments" in the House as he backed the Food Security Bill in its present form. Sen, an eminent economist, said the essence of democracy is to have arguments and there is a need for skillful presentations of what the issues are.

At a press conference along with activists on the Food Security Bill here, he said, "There are things on which opposition may have different views. They should debate the issue...rather than disrupting proceedings. In Parliament they are killing arguments. If the Opposition succeeds in bursting Parliamentary debate, they should be held responsible it." Sen said he is "shocked at media being not able to play up the issue of non-discussion in Parliament".
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17:13   Inside Man
The convenient opinions of Attorney General Goolam Vahanvati. Read
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17:11   Two dead, 20 injured in election rally in Pakistan
BBC: At least two people are reported to have died in an explosion at an election rally in north-west Pakistan. The blast is believed to have happened near the stage at a rally of Jamaat Ulema Islam, a religious party, in Kurram Agency. Local journalists report that at least 20 people were injured.

Also read: Pakistan faces bloodiest elections.
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16:58  
The government will try to pass the Food Security Bill tomorrow.
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16:34   Chit fund scam: Two more agents commit suicide, toll nine
Just in: TV reports say there have been two more suicides in connection with the Saradha chit fund scam in West Bengal. A 65-year-old man kills himself after his son raked up a debt of Rs 1 crore and was gheraoed by depositors. In another case, the CMD of one of the chit fund companies, committed suicide after he is unable to pay depositors. The suicide count, since the scam broke last month, has gone up to nine.

The body of Jagdish Roy, whose son Bidhan used to operate a chit fund firm and owed over Rs.1 crore to investors, was found hanging at his house in North 24 Parganas district's Sodepur on Sunday night. His family alleged that angry investors had ransacked his house a few days ago and assaulted him.

In Hooghly district's Chinsurah, Jayanta Sarkar, who used to run a small deposit- seeking firm, hanged himself Sunday night. Police said that over the last few days, Sarkar was hounded by angry investors demanding their money back.

In another case of distressed agents and collective scheme operators committing suicide, 30-year-old Sanjay Sarkar, an agent with a chit fund company, ended his life. Police have found suicide notes from both Jayanta and Sanjay Sarkar.
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16:22   BJP chorus over 'Mamu' Bansal in Parliament today
With his nephew landing him in a political soup, beleaguered Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal today got an unusual sobriquet - "mamu" - in the Rajya Sabha.

The minister was repeatedly addressed as "mamu" by Parshottam Rupala (BJP), a close aide of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi, while his party members created uproar in the Well seeking his ouster along with that of the Prime Minister.

Without naming Bansal, Rupala repeated "mamu" numerous times amid sloganeering by his party colleagues. "O Mama...desh ko mamu mat banao...Mama isteefa do (Uncle, Don't befool the nation...Please resign uncle)," were Rupala's terse comments on Bansal, sending many in the visitors' galleries into laughter.

Rupala's comments also surprised members of a visiting Parliamentary delegation from Maldives in the special box. Rupala kept shouting "Mamu...mamu" and even gestured at Deputy Speaker P J Kurien, who finally adjourned the House.

Incidentally, Bansal is the maternal uncle (mama) of Vijay Singla who was caught by the CBI while allegedly accepting a Rs 90-lakh bribe from a top Railway Board official, both of whom have been arrested by the investigating agency.
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16:14   BJP: Bills will be passed only if ministers quit
Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha, Sushma Swaraj, says the government should first answer questions raised by the opposition and then pass bills in Parliament. Bills should not be passed when Parliament is not functioning properly.  "The government is trying to kill democracy by passing bills like this," says Swaraj.  "Allies have also raised objections to rushing the food bill through Parliament. What the government is doing is diverting attention from scams by passing bills," she says. "We will allow bills to be passed only after the law minister and the rail minister resign," she says. 

Read: The good and the bad of the Food Security Bill
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16:07   Khaled Hosseini's third book out on May 21
Khaled Hosseini, the author of 'The Kite Runner' and 'A Thousand Splendid Suns' --  both international number 1 bestsellers with 38 million copies sold worldwide -- is out with his third book -- And the Mountains Echoed. 

"My earlier novels were, at heart, tales of fatherhood and motherhood. My new novel is a multi-generational family story as well, this time revolving around brothers and sisters, and the ways in which they love, wound, betray, honour and sacrifice for each other," said Hosseini. 

It's also the first time Khaled Hosseini is being published exclusively in India, says Bloomsbury, the publisher.

If you haven't read Hosseini, do so now, and you will be richer for the experience. And the Mountains Echoed, will be launched on May 21.
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15:59   The grateful dead
Iftikhar Firdous, on a Pakistan coffin maker: "Death is my business, and its booming". Read
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15:55   When Marx wrote to Ghalib
On a day when his home will be thrown open to the public as a national memorial: It was an historical encounter between two intellectual giants of the nineteenth century, Mirza Ghalib and Karl Marx. It took Abida Ripley 15 years to fish out the details of their correspondence which reflects the acute contrast of their thoughts. Read
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15:32   Ignition trouble and after
Jail, families thrown into trauma, grim future: the sacked Maruti labourers still harried. Read

Also read: Marutis Modern Times clash
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15:10   Deadline for JPC probing 2G scam extended
The UPA government has extended the deadline for the Joint Parliamentary Committee (JPC) probing the 2G spectrum scam to present its final report. The panel has to submit its report before the end of the Budget session, which concludes on May 10. The report can now be submitted in the monsoon session.
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15:01  
Is Dubai the center of the world (again)? Read the report on CNN.
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15:00   China tacitly acknowledges withdrawal of troops from Ladakh
Tacitly acknowledging the withdrawal of its troops from Depsang Valley in Ladakh, China today said the "stand off incident" with India was resolved through "fruitful consultations", keeping the larger interests of bilateral relations in mind.

"Following the stand off incident at the border area, China and India with the larger interests of bilateral relations in mind have taken a cooperative and constructive attitude," Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Hua Chunying said.


The two sides exercised restraint and properly handled the incident through relevant mechanisms, diplomatic channels and border meetings, she said.


In her first comments after the decision of the two countries to withdraw troops from the Daulat Beg Oldi (DBO) area after a 20-day stand off, Hua said, "As far as I know relevant consultations have been fruitful".
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14:46   Pakistan envoy reaches Chandigarh to meet injured prisoner
Haq was admitted to the Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research in Chandigarh on Saturday night and remains on on ventilator. Doctors say chances of his survival remain bleak. Pakistani High Commission officials visited Sanaullah, at the PGIMER after India granted consular access to them on Friday night.

Sanuallah is serving a life term after being convicted under TADA provisions following his arrest in 1999.
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14:43   Pakistan envoy reaches Chandigarh to meet injured prisoner
Pakistan High Commissioner Salman Bashir arrives in Chandigarh to see Sanaullah Haq, who was attacked by his fellow Indian inmate in a Jammu jail on Friday. Haq is in a deep coma, said doctors, adding that the 52-year-old is critical and on ventilator support. The Indian convict, who had allegedly attacked Haq, was sent to 7 days of police custody on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the death of Sarabjit Singh after a brutal assault in a Pakistani jail will cause a "setback" to the efforts to build relations with Pakistan and that there may be a "pause" in the engagement with it, feels External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid. India will have to have a "calibrated" approach towards Pakistan and work to ensure that its mindset vis-a-vis this country changes for the better, he said.

In an interview to PTI, Khurshid said the incident involving 49-year-old Sarabjit, who was severely injured in a Lahore jail, had agitated common people of India and it will take time to overcome.


Regrettably, Sarabjit's death came just few months after another distressful incident in which Pakistani troops killed two Indian soldiers, including beheading one, in a cross-LoC attack in Jammu and Kashmir, he noted.


"It is unfortunate that it (Sarabjit's death) has happened. We can't tone down our feelings that have been expressed publicly by ordinary people. And obviously when you feel a sense of hurt and distress, it takes a little time to overcome," Khurshid said.


"What something like this does is that it causes a setback to the momentum of work you have done to bring about greater and more meaningful relationship. I think, obviously, the recent events will do the same," he said when asked whether the Indian prisoner's death would have an impact on India-Pakistan relations.
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14:28   No horn, please! OK!
India's quixotic campaign to stop honking: Activists hit streets trying to get drivers to lay off horns; it's like a sickness. Read
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14:25   MEA: China agrees to pull back to pre April 15 position on LAC
External Affairs Ministry spokesperson  Syed Akbaruddin's tweets updates on the China incursion. "Status quo ante along Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Western Sector of the India-China boundary as it existed prior to 15 April, 2013. Flag meetings have been held to work out the modalities and to confirm the arrangements.


Former US deputy secretary of state Strobe Talbott on Twitter: Defusing of Himalayan face-off may be sign that China's new leadership wants to concentrate on internal challenges, avoid external conflict.
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14:24   Rioting and rubble: What's behind the turbulent times in B'desh
Tens of thousands of Islamists rampaged through Bangladesh's capital today, countering even larger crowds that turned out earlier this year to oust conservative forms of Islam from Bangladeshi politics. Read
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14:23   Pakistan elections: why feudal ties no longer bind for voters
On the campaign trail in Punjab, aristocratic candidates are finding their name and status no longer guarantee victory. Read
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14:21   15 fishermen attacked by Lankan navy
Fifteen fishermen, who put to sea from here, were today attacked allegedly by Sri Lankan Navy when they were fishing near Dhanuskodi, fisheries department sources said. The fishermen were fishing near a sand hillock in Indian waters when the Lankan Navy came in two boats and allegedly beat them up with sticks, said Plavumin Thiyakarajan, Assistant Director, Fisheries department. The Lankan navy personnel told them they were fishing in Lankan waters and sent them back with a warning, officials said.
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14:12  
Rajya Sabha has been adjourned for the day; Lok Sabha till 3 pm as BJP stalls proceedings demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
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14:11   Maya supports Bansal: Not appropriate for him to resign
It was "not appropriate" to seek resignation of Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal over the bribery scandal before CBI files a final report on the issue after its investigations, BSP chief Mayawati said today.


"The issue is being investigated by the CBI and it should not prolong its probe in this case and keep its report before the nation as soon as possible. "Till the time CBI report does not come out, it would not be appropriate to ask for the resignation of the Railway Minister in a hurry," she told reporters outside Parliament House complex.


The BSP supremo was asked to comment on the opposition demand for Bansal's resignation after his nephew was held by the CBI for allegedly taking bribe for appointment of a Railway Board member.
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14:05   Turnover of Bansal sons' firm goes to Rs 152 crore in 5 years
Himachal Pradesh-based Theon Pharmaceuticals Ltd, owned by railway minister Pawan Kumar Bansal's wife, Madhu, and sons, Amit and Manish, saw its turnover rise from zero to Rs 152 crore - period that also saw Bansal's political graph soaring. Read the full story here.
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13:54   Intel alert over terror attack on US consulate in Mumbai
The Western Naval command headquarters has alerted the city police about the threat of a bomb attack on the US consulate in Mumbai on July 21. The intelligence was shared with reference to an anonymous letter received by the consulate-general and American Centre in Kolkata, threatening to attack both places. Read the full story on the TOI.
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13:26   Rare Painting of Prophets footprints to be auctioned
A rare painting of the footprints of Prophet Muhammad will go under the hammer and is expected to fetch 10,000-15,000 pounds at a British auction later this month.


The painting made during the 18th century Ottoman Empire will be auctioned at the Mullock's Auctions. Mullock's auctioneer, Richard Westwood Brookes said "The painting is of the finest quality and an extremely important piece of Islamic heritage".

According to written and oral sources, Prophet Muhammad left imprints of his bare feet on a number of stones. Some of these footprints are preserved in situ, where they were left by the Prophet and other footprints were moved and later preserved in mosques, shrines, and tombs of prominent Muslim figures.
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13:18  
The submission made by CBI director Ranjit Sinha contradicts the stand taken by the Law Minister and AG, who had refuted the allegation that they had suggested changes in the draft report. The affidavit said the changes made in the draft report on the suggestion of the Law Minister and Vanahvati have "neither altered the report nor shifted the focus of inquiries in any manner".
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13:10   Running a prison is womens work
For Vimla Mehra, running one of the world's largest prison complexes is like managing a big household."Women can do it better, because it's just an application of natural work that we do at home,' Ms. Mehra told The Wall Street Journal's India Real Time on a recent afternoon. Read
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12:49   Law minister to PM: Yes, I made changes to coal report
CNN IBN: Law minister Ashwani Kumar meets PM Manmohan Singh after the CBI files its nine-page affidavit and admits he made changes to the coal probe report. CBI director Ranjit Sinha has maintained in this affidavit that only minor changes were made and names of accused and suspects were not removed from the report. 
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12:46   Centre must give exact ground position in Ladakh region: Omar
Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today said the Centre must clarify the ground situation in Ladakh region following withdrawal of the Chinese troops from Daulat Beg Oldi sector.

"Some amount of clarity from Government of India, particularly from the Ministry of Defence, would be desired so that we would know exactly what the ground position is. But the fact that the Chinese have withdrawn is something we welcome," Omar told reporters in Srinagar.

Referring to media reports about both India and China pulling back troops from the stand off point at Daulat Beg Oldi sector yesterday, the CM said while the Chinese withdrawal from the area was understandable, he could not apprehend where the Indian troops pulled back from in the area.
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12:38   Fresh protests against acquittal of Sajjan Kumar
Over 200 Sikhs today staged a protest near Parliament House blocking traffic for about an hour against the acquittal of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 riots case and demanding capital punishment for him. Holding placards and shouting slogans against Congress, the protesters, including women, squatted at Vijay Chowk which is just a few metres away from Parliament House where a large number of police personnel were deployed.


The angry protesters, numbering between 200 and 250, blocked traffic for about an hour after which they were taken into custody by police who took them to a nearby police station. The capital has been witnessing protests since last Tuesday after a court acquitted Kumar in an anti-Sikh riot case.
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12:37   Between life and death, the crucial difference
Had the court known that Pratibha Patil was not told of the dissent in the Bhullar case, the outcome of his appeal might have been similar to that of Das's plea punishment execution Had the court known that Pratibha Patil was not told of the dissent in the Bhullar case, the outcome of his appeal might have been similar to that of Das's plea. Read
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12:32   Crime and punishment the Bihar story
In other stories: The Telegraph's Debaashish Bhattacharya: Once a hotbed of murders and kidnappings, Bihar's crime rate has come down spectacularly in recent years. finds out how the state police pulled off the metamorphosis. Read
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12:25   Accused, suspects' names NOT removed from coal report: CBI
CBI chief extends unconditional apology to court for any inadvertent omission or commission, assures it of independent probe in coal scam. Ranjit Sinha says no names of accused or suspects were removed from the coal probe report, neither was the central theme of the report or the focus of the report changed. "Only technical changes were made in the report," says the CBI director. 
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12:06  
The affidavit also states that the joint director of the CBI kept the CBI director informed about changes. 
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12:02   CBI director aplogises unconditionally to SC for omissions
CBI director Ranjit Sinha apologises to the Supreme Court for 'inadvertent omission' in not stating that changes were in fact made in the coal probe report. "I extend my unconditional apology to the Supreme Court," says Sinha. But he says the CBI's manual is silent on whether status report can be shared. Law minister, coal ministry official and the officials from the PM's office made only minor changes, says Sinha. 
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11:48   PMO official, ASG, Attorney General were present: CBI
The nine-page affidavit filed by the CBI in the Supreme Court also says changes in the status report were made on the suggestions given by Attorney General and the PMO official. Former ASG Harin Raval and Attorney General G E Vahanvati
were present in the meeting with the law minister, says affidavit.The meeting was held on March 6. "Minor changes were made in the report by the law minister, the PMO officials, coal ministry officials and the attorney general." says the affidavit.
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11:41   CBI tells SC: Law minister made changes to coal report
CBI director Ranjit Sinha files a nine-page affidavit in the Supreme Court on tje coal scam. The CBI is to tell the Supreme Court whether changes were made to the draft report on the coal probe and who had asked for the changes -- the law ministry, coal ministry or the PMO, or all of them. CBI tells the Supreme Court that the law ministry removed a paragraph critical to the PMO. The attorney general, law ministry and the PMO saw the report as did law minister Ashwani Kumar, who was shown the report at his behest. 
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11:32   Spoon of Chini in bitter brew
The 'acne' of a Chinese incursion in eastern Ladakh faded today with troops from both sides pulling back from the face-off point at Raki Nala. But what 'ointment' was applied to the acne  -- as foreign minister Salman Khurshid had called the encampment by the Chinese in territory claimed by India -- was not known. Government sources would only confirm that the stand-off was over after negotiations and that the withdrawal was mutual. Read
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11:26   Kudankulam plant safe, begin operations this month: SC
More on the Supreme Court verdict on the Kudankulam nuclear plant. The Supreme Court says that the plant is safe and secure and it is necessary for larger public interest and economic growth of the country. "Nuclear power plants are needed in the country for the present and future generations. We ask the relevant authorities to endeavour to withdraw criminal cases against those protesting the plant's commissioning," the Supreme Court said and gave 15 guidelines on commissioning, safety and security and environmental issues concerning the plant.
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11:19   Raj Babbar new Congress spokesperson, Rashid Alvi dropped
The Congress party has dropped Rashid Alvi from its panel of spokespersons while inducting three new faces and retaining the existing three. The three new spokespersons are Raj Babbar, Bhakta Charan Das and Meem Afzal.


Renuka Chowdhary, PC Chacko, Sandeep Dikshit have been retained in the panel while Mohan Prakash and Shakeel Ahmed make a comeback. Ahmed was earlier relieved of the post when he was made CWC in charge of West Bengal and Jharkhand.


While Babbar is a Lok Sabha MP from Firozabad (Uttar Pradesh), Das, a former Union minister, is a Lok Sabha MP from Kalahandi (Orissa).
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11:15  
Parliament adjourned till noon as BJP stalls proceedings demanding resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. 
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11:02   SC gives green signal to Kudankulam N-Plant
The Supreme Court will has pronounced its verdict on a plea seeking stay on commissioning of the controversial Kudankulam nuclear plant and its scrapping. The SC has given its nod to the commissioning of the Kundankulam Nuclear Power plant this month. The SC says the plant has been set up for the welfare and sustainable growth of the people.

A bench of justices K S Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra, which had reserved the verdict following marathon arguments in the last three months, delivered the judgement today. 

A batch of petitions was filed by anti-nuclear activists challenging the project on the ground that safety measures recommended for the plant by an expert body have not been put in place.

They also raised various questions pertaining to the disposal of nuclear waste, the plant's impact on the environment and the safety of people living nearby, besides other issues linked to the controversial plant.
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10:54   Border row high on bilateral agenda with China now
Though the Chinese troops' withdrawal ended the stand-off in Ladakh, the Sino-Indian boundary dispute will loom larger in the upcoming bilateral engagement during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's visit than it would ordinarily have. Read
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10:47   Why should the people of Bengal suffer from lung cancer
Mamata Banerjee has announced a Rs 500 crore relief package to assuage those who lost their money to the Saradha chit fund.As West Bengal is dancing on the edge of bankruptcy, this money will be raised from taxes on tobacco. Having already seen their savings go up in smoke the people of West Bengal must now puff away whatever is left, says T V R Shenoy. Read
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10:45   SpiceJet soars 8 pc in early trade as Jhunjhunwalas buy stock
Shares of SpiceJet today surged 8 per cent in early trade as ace investor Rakesh Jhunjhunwala and his wife Rekha picked up 25 lakh shares of the budget carrier for an estimated Rs 10 crore.

After making a bullish opening, shares of the company further jumped 8 per cent to Rs 43.75 as the trade progressed on the BSE. Jhunjhunwalas together bought 25 lakh shares of SpiceJet through open market transactions on Friday, as per merchant banking sources.

The shares were purchased on an average price of Rs 38.94 apiece, valuing the transaction at Rs 9.73 crore.
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10:34   Spies of Punjab, 'shown steps of gold'
For one Sarabjit Singh, whose death brought politicians to his funeral and financial assistance for his family, the Punjab countryside is dotted with scores of men knocking on the doors of courts seeking compensation for the years many of them spent in Pakistani jails, and recognition of their services as spies for India.

Neither the government nor his family has ever acknowledged that Sarabjit -- who died this week after being attacked by fellow prisoners in a Lahore jail -- was a spy. 

Indeed, in the years before the campaign for commutation of the death sentence he received in 1991 gained momentum, none of the men who now say they were spies dared to approach the courts. 

Most melted back into the poverty-stricken lives they left before joining the dangerous world of espionage whose golden rule -- if you are caught you are on your own -- was, they claim, never disclosed to them. But Sarabjit's saga slowly emboldened many former spies in Punjab and Jammu to file petitions, none of which have been viewed positively by the courts so far.

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10:02   Sensex up 39 points in early trade
The BSE benchmark Sensex today rose over 39 points in early trade on fresh buying by funds as well as retail investors in select stocks.

Besides, a firming trend in the Asian markets also buoyed the trading sentiment in Mumbai.

The 30-share index, which had lost 160.13 points in the previous session, recovered by 39.42 points, or 0.20 per cent, to 19,615.06, with stocks of metal, IT and consumer durable sectors leading the rise in early trade.

Similarly, the wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty rose by 9.95 points, or 0.17 per cent, to 5,953.95.

Brokers said besides expectations of better earnings by some more companies, a firming trend in the Asian region following weekend gains on the US markets on strong jobs data, influenced the sentiments here.

In the Asian region, Hong Kong's Hang Seng index was up by 0.96 per cent in early trade today, while Japan's financial markets are closed today. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average ended 0.96  per cent higher in Friday's trade.
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08:50   SC verdict on Kudankulam nuclear plant today
The Supreme Court will on Monday pronounce its verdict on a plea seeking stay on commissioning of the controversial Kudankulam nuclear plant and its scrapping.

A bench of justices K S Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra, which had reserved the verdict following marathon arguments in the last three months, will deliver its judgement. 

A batch of petitions was filed by anti-nuclear activists challenging the project on the ground that safety measures recommended for the plant by an expert body have not been put in place.

They also raised various questions pertaining to the disposal of nuclear waste, the plant's impact on the environment and the safety of people living nearby, besides other issues linked to the controversial plant.

The Centre, Tamil Nadu government and Nuclear Power Corporation of India Ltd, which operates the plant, had refuted all the allegations on safety and security aspects. 
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08:45   Jammu and Kashmir govt to open in Srinagar today
Amidst a call for general strike to protest against the spurious drug scam, the Jammu and Kashmir government is all set to start functioning from Srinagar on Monday after shifting from winter capital Jammu.

Raj Bhavan, Civil Secretariat and other offices were closed in Jammu on April 26 and scheduled to reopen in Srinagar on Monday as per the darbar move, a century-old practice under which government functions six month each in the two capitals. 

It will function in the summer capital till late October and then move to Jammu, the winter capital of the state, in the first week of November. 

Authorities had made all necessary arrangements including security to ensure smooth functioning of the offices in the Kashmir Valley, which witnessed a spurt in militant activities, including a suicide attack on a CRPF camp earlier this year. 

While most of the Kashmir-based government employees associated with the Civil Secretariat and other departments
arrived in the Valley on April 27, Jammu-based employees have been arriving in Srinagar since Saturday.

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