LIVE
Tue, 07 May 2013
China sends large fleet to disputed islands: Media
Timeline Refresh
23:49 Traders from Maharashtra to join strike from tomorrow: FAM
Traders associations from 24 municipal corporations in a meeting of its presidents have decided to launch an indefinite trade bandh across the state, Federation of Associations of Maharashtra (FAM) said today.
"At our meeting against Local Body Tax (LBT) with presidents of traders' associations from 24 municipal corporations, it has been decided to launch an indefinite trade bandh across the state from Wednesday," FAM president Mohan Gurnani told PTI here.
Wholesale and retail traders from from Mumbai, Thane and Nagpur have been on an indefinite strike since last fortnight in protest against imposition of LBT.
23:19 Won't allow political interference in Presidency: Mamata
The West Bengal government today assured the Presidency University that no political interference would be allowed in the premier institution and there would be an impartial probe into the vandalism there.
"The chief minister (Mamata Banerjee) has assured me that no political interference will be allowed in the Presidency University," the varsity Mentor Group chairman Sugata Bose told reporters here after a meeting with the CM.
Presidency University had witnessed vandalism allegedly by Trinamool Congress workers on April 10 which had left many students injured and the ruling party and opposition trading charges against each other for it.
23:13 China sends large fleet to disputed islands: Media
China has sent one of its largest recorded fishing fleets to disputed islands in the South China Sea, state-run media said today, amid tensions over Beijing's assertion of its claims in the region.
A flotilla including 30 fishing vessels set sail yesterday for the Spratly Islands, an archipelago disputed between China and other countries including Vietnam and the Philippines, the China Daily reported.
The fleet left China's southern province of Hainan for a 40-day trip to the region, the report said, and includes two large transport and supply ships.
22:52 President Zardari sends bouquets to Imran Khan
Journlaist Mirza Waheed tweeted: Chairman @ImranKhanPTI is stable, alert, awake and conscious. Other scans going on.
PPP Official tweeted: President Zardari sends bouquets to Imran Khan in Shaukat Khanam Hospital with prayers
Journalist Anup Kaphle tweeted: PML-N leader Nawaz Sharif has announced that his campaign will cancel all events tomorrow in light of Imran Khan's injury.
22:16 Bribery case: Railway Minister denies any relation with Garg
In response to a report in a section of media, Railway Minister P K Bansal today clarified that Ajay Garg, an alleged middleman in the Rs 10 crore bribery case, has no connection with him.
"He is not even a relative, much less a nephew. There is no question of any relations with him," Bansal said. Garg was today arrested after he surrendered before a Delhi court, which remanded him in CBI custody till May 9.
The court allowed the custodial interrogation of Garg who surrendered before the court after "coming to know through media reports that the CBI is searching for him in the alleged bribery case."
22:09 Food security bill stalled in Parl, Pawar plays mediator
NDTV reports: As the government tried to push through the food security bill
and the Opposition refused to vote on it until the two ministers smeared
by scandal -- Ashwani Kumar and Pawan Bansal -- are sacked.
Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, chief of key UPA ally -- the Nationalist Congress Party -- has taken up the mantle of mediator. Once opposed to the food bill himself, Pawar has reportedly reached out to the Left and the BJP and is trying to work out a compromise and get the bill through.
Read the full story here
Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar, chief of key UPA ally -- the Nationalist Congress Party -- has taken up the mantle of mediator. Once opposed to the food bill himself, Pawar has reportedly reached out to the Left and the BJP and is trying to work out a compromise and get the bill through.
Read the full story here
21:31
Journalist and filmmaker Beena Sarwar tweeted at 9:10 pm: According to doctors treating @ImranKhanPTI at Shaukat Khanum Hospital' he is out of danger.
21:23 Imran Khan in hospital, is conscious, tweets ex-wife Jemima
The tweets from the former wife of Imran Khan:
Jemima Khan (@Jemima_Khan) tweeted at 8:56 pm: This from IK's nephew: "@HniaziISF: Chairman reciting kalma in ambulance- he is fine - plz just pray"
He's in hospital and conscious now.
Jemima Khan (@Jemima_Khan) tweeted at 8:56 pm: This from IK's nephew: "@HniaziISF: Chairman reciting kalma in ambulance- he is fine - plz just pray"
He's in hospital and conscious now.
21:15 'Did you search Bansal, Kumar for missing phone?'
A correspondent from Delhi reports: BJP MP Yashodhara Scindia created a flutter in Parliament's Central Hall on Tuesday when she misplaced her mobile phone.
She searched for her phone while peeking under desks and also sought help from the security personnel.
Janata Party leader Dr Subramanian Swamy asked her cheekily if she has searched Congress ministers Pawan Bansal and Ashwani Kumar.
The high drama ended when a security man found the phone and returned it to Scindia.
21:11 Antony, Ravi discuss fate of Bansal, Kumar
A correspondent from Delhi reports: Defence Minister A K Antony spent a lot of time in Parliament's Central Hall on Tuesday. He was seen talking to Kerala Congress Members of Parliament.
Antony also reportedly discussed the fate of his ministerial colleagues -- Pawan Bansal and Ashwani Kumar -- with fellow Kerala Congress leader Vayalar Ravi.
21:09 Congress plots revenge on BJP CMs
Gossip in Delhi's political corridors suggests that the UPA, under fire over numerous corruption cases, wants to extract revenge by exposing scams about chief ministers belonging to main opposition party BJP.
Alert BJP MPs are now trying to find out which central agency -- the CBI, CBI, ED, CBDT -- will be tasked to conduct raids on these CMs.
20:43 Railway bribery case: CBI intercepts over 1,000 calls
The CBI has intercepted over 1,000 phone calls in the last two months in connection with the railway bribery scandal, agency sources revealed on Tuesday.
20:42 Dislodge Congress-NCP govt in Maharashtra: BJP
Assuring BJP workers that 2014 will be "our year", Maharashtra unit president Devendra Fadnavis today asked them to prepare for a battle to dislodge the Congress-NCP government in Maharashtra.
"No compromise. There will be no compromise. We will adopt the path of sangharsh (struggle) and shun the politics of tadjod (compromise)," Fadnavis said.
20:40 President Pranab helps UPA avert major crisis
A correspondent reports from Delhi: President Pranab Mukherjee has saved the UPA government from a major constitutional crisis.
In his brief direction to the government, the President reportedly sorted out the confusion created by the possible advancement of the Finance Bill.
Buzz is that President Pranab had to intervene through Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar and explain the possible constitutional crisis if the Finance Bill is not passed.
But political watchers point out that this was ideally the task of Union Law Minister Ashwani Kumar.
Why did President Pranab ask Kumar to come to Rashtrapati Bhavan? Should not the department of legislative affairs in the law ministry have been on alert?
Or should not Finance Minister P Chidambaram, who is also a legal luminary, anticipated such a constitutional crisis?
20:40 Four UN peacekeepers abducted in Syria
Four United Nations peacekeepers, reportedly from the Philippines, were abducted from the ceasefire zone bordering Syria on Tuesday.
The four men were abducted by an armed group at Golan Heights, an area between Israel and the civil war-hit country.
20:16 Imran Khan falls off stage, rushed to hospital
Cricketer-turned-politician Imran Khan on Tuesday fell off while he was being lifted to a stage in Pakistan during an election rally.
He has an injury in the back of his head, said media reports.
Khan fell off while he was being lifted to a 20-feet stage and the makeshift lift collapsed.
Khan was carried off the stage by his supporters in a semi-conscious stage and taken to a local hospital.
19:55 China reports four more bird flu deaths, toll 31
Four more people have died in China from a new strain of bird flu.
The toll due to the H7N9 virus is 31 now and the number of people infected is 129.
Two people died in Jiangsu province, besides one each in Zhejiang and Anhui provinces, taking the toll to 31 in the two-month long crisis.
The number of cases also has gone up to 129 with the detection of two more cases in Fujian province.
19:53 Govt sets up 39 special NIA courts across the country
Amid the demand for the expeditious trial of terror cases involving Muslim youth, the Centre has set up 39 special courts across the country to take up cases registered by the National Investigation Agency.
Minister of State for Home R P N Singh told Parliament that under the NIA Act, the central government has set up 39 special courts to take up terror-related cases.
19:51 CM assures of impartial probe into Presidency incident
West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee today assured Sugato Bose, chief of the Presidency University mentor group, of an impartial probe into the vandalism incident in the prestigious institute.
She also told him that there would be no political interference in the issue.
"We had demanded an impartial investigation into the unfortunate incident. The chief minister assured me that an impartial probe will be conducted into that incident," Bose said.
19:35 Ashwani exchanges a few words with Sonia
A correspondent reports from Delhi: Beleaguered Law Minister Ashwani Kumar was seen escorting Congress President Sonia Gandhi from the Central Hall of Parliament to the main gate.
As SPG guards enveloped the Congress president, Kumar managed to get in a few words, while fellow party leader Rajiv Shukla also competed for Gandhi's attention.
But neither of them could match Gandhi's brisk pace.
19:31 MPs vote for Parliament's finance panels
A correspondent reports from Delhi: The Central Hall on Tuesday witnessed the presence of a number of MPs from the Congress, the BJP and the Left parties.
The MPs had not flocked to Parliament due to party whips.
They were there to vote in the election of Parliamentarians to finance committees like the Public Accounts Committee and the Committee on Public Undertakings.
19:29 Pawar brings grandchildren to Parliament
A correspondent reports from Delhi: Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar was seen introducing his son-in-law Sadanand Sule and his grandchildren to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Parliament on Tuesday.
Dr Singh duly inquired about which schools Pawar's grandchildren attended and about their academic progression.
19:25 Another Union minister involved in 2G scam?
The Central Hall in Parliament was abuzz about a 300-page letter by a Supreme Court advocate about a senior Union minister, addressed to Joint Parliamentary Committee chief P C Chacko, and the 2G scam.
The letter talked about how the concerned minister helped a private TV channel amass wealth. Interestingly, the letter has been in the public domain and the petitioner was dubbed a mentally disabled legal luminary.
19:21 Will stall Rajya Sabha, says BJP, AIADMK
A correspondent reports from Delhi: BJP leader Ravi Shankar Prasad and AIADMK Leader Dr V Maitreyan on Tuesday threatened to stall the proceedings of the Rajya Sabha if the government tried to push through either the Right to Food Bill or the Land Reforms Bill.
19:16 Lakshmi Parvathy attends unveiling of NTR's statue
A correspondent reports from Delhi: The presence of Lakshmi Parvathy, wife of late Andhra Pradesh politician N T Rama Rao, came as a surprise to many in Parliament
Parvathy was there to attend the unveiling of the statue of N T Rama Rao by Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar.
It is a known fact that Telugu Desam Party chief and NTR's son-in-law Chandrababu Naidu and Lakshmi Parvathy do not get along.
19:14 Sonia reaches out to Sushma, but cameras missing!
A correspondent reports from Delhi: Congress President Sonia Gandhi on Tuesday reached out to BJP leader Sushma Swaraj; she was seen walking with one hand on the latter's shoulder in Central Hall of Parliament.
Since cameras are not permitted at the venue, the perfect moment for a photo-op was captured by some enthusiastic Parliamentarians on their mobile phones.
The Special Protection Group urged the MPs not to telecast or circulate the footage due to security concerns.
19:02 Gujarat police book ex-BJP MLA in cheating case
Former BJP MLA Gopaldas Bhojwani and his two sons have been booked today for cheating a city realtor with over Rs 4 crore, police said.
"A case of cheating has been registered against Gopaldas Bhojwani and his two sons Mukesh and Naresh on the complain filed by Shaival Reality Pvt Ltd director Naresh Patel. Further investigation is going on," said Senior Inspector Ashok Pandya.
Another director of Shaival Reality is Dr Mayur Desai, who is the son-in-law of former BJP chief minister Keshubhai Patel, who parted ways with Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi and formed the Gujarat Parivartan Party.
19:01 Guj govt opposes minority scholarship scheme in SC
The Supreme Court on Tuesday did not give any interim relief to the Gujarat government on its plea opposing the Centre's pre-matriculation scholarship scheme for students of minority communities.
The apex court decided to give an early hearing to the state government's appeal challenging the Gujarat high court verdict upholding its constitutional validity.
19:00 Bribery case: CBI arrests Singla's business partner
A Delhi court on Tuesday remanded Ajay Garg, the business partner of Vijay Singla, to CBI custody till May 9.
Garg was arrested by the agency after he surrendered on Tuesday evening.
The CBI custody of three accused -- Vijay Singla, Narain Rao Manjunath and Sandeep Goyal -- was also extended till May 9.
Singla, the nephew of Railway Minister Pawan Bansal, is mired in a massive bribery case.
17:45 Drunk passengers to be barred from entering Delhi Metro
Delhi Metro may soon stop entry of drunk commuters on trains with the DMRC planning to provide alcometers to CISF personnel manning the entry to the facility.
In a joint pilot test conducted recently by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and CISF at Rajiv Chowk Metro station in central Delhi, use of alcometers were found to be successful in detecting drunk passengers, an official said.
Alcometer is a device to detect alcohol consumption by analysing breath. "It was found that some passengers who came to the Metro stations drunk claimed that they are on medication and hence they are smelling of alcohol. DMRC gave us few alcometers for testing and it was found successful," a CISF official said.
In a joint pilot test conducted recently by Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) and CISF at Rajiv Chowk Metro station in central Delhi, use of alcometers were found to be successful in detecting drunk passengers, an official said.
Alcometer is a device to detect alcohol consumption by analysing breath. "It was found that some passengers who came to the Metro stations drunk claimed that they are on medication and hence they are smelling of alcohol. DMRC gave us few alcometers for testing and it was found successful," a CISF official said.
17:41 Lalu would not have taken Gujarat CM's courtsey call: Modi
Senior BJP leader and Deputy Chief Minister Sushil Kumar Modi today claimed that the RJD supremo Lalu Prasad would not have received the telephone call of Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi had he known about the identity of the caller in advance.
"Prasad would not have taken Modi's phone call to enquire about his health if he had known in advance that it was the Gujarat Chief Minister who would be speaking to him," Sushil Modi told reporters.
"The injured RJD supremo thought that it was I who had called him to enquire about his health and not the other Modi," the Deputy Chief Minister claimed. "I did speak to him later in the day on Saturday and found out about his condition," Modi said.
"Prasad would not have taken Modi's phone call to enquire about his health if he had known in advance that it was the Gujarat Chief Minister who would be speaking to him," Sushil Modi told reporters.
"The injured RJD supremo thought that it was I who had called him to enquire about his health and not the other Modi," the Deputy Chief Minister claimed. "I did speak to him later in the day on Saturday and found out about his condition," Modi said.
17:22 Apex court blow to AICTE: Pvt colleges slip out of control
Private colleges will no longer require permission of the All India Council for Technical Education (AICTE) to conduct MBA and MCA courses, ruled the Supreme Court on Thursday. This could, yet again, lead to mushrooming of colleges vying to offer these lucrative courses. More
17:08 Sonia hugs Sushma in Central Hall, Parl logjam may end
CNN IBN reports that the Congress is in back-channel talks with the BJP to ensure that the Parliament logjam ends and the Food Security Bill is passed. Sonia apparently met Sushma Swaraj in the Central Hall of Parliament and hugged her. The BJP has deputed Anant Kumar to head the back channel talks. So far, Anant Kumar has spoken to NCP chief Sharad Pawar, a key ally of the Congress, who has spoken to the PM. Pawar also met SP leaders urging that the Food Security Bill be passed.
If BJP agrees to attend, the government will call and all-party meeting headed by the prime minister, and sort out the issue. The BJP raised a ruckus in Parliament today asking for the resignation of the PM and the two tainted minsiters -- Ashwani Kumar and PK Bansal.
If BJP agrees to attend, the government will call and all-party meeting headed by the prime minister, and sort out the issue. The BJP raised a ruckus in Parliament today asking for the resignation of the PM and the two tainted minsiters -- Ashwani Kumar and PK Bansal.
16:56 Overcrowded Tihar pins all hopes on Mandoli jail
Asia's largest prison at Tihar is bursting at the seams. Its official capacity is 6,250 prisoners but it has been forced to keep more than 13,000 inmates leading to many complications. Delhi Prisons Authorities are hoping that the commissioning of Mandoli jail in the near future will solve the problem of overcrowding. Read
16:51
The four accused in the railway bribery case -- Vivek Kumar, Dharmendra, Rahul Yadav and Samir Sandhir -- have been sent to 14-day judicial custody by a Delhi court.
16:28 Attacked Pakistani prisoner sinks further, has jaundice
The condition of Pakistan prisoner Sanauallah Haq has deteriorated. He is reportedly suffering from jaundice. Two members of his family prisoner saw min at the Chandigarh hospital where he was admitted after being attacked in a Jammu jail. Haq's relatives - brother-in-law Mohammed Sehzaad and nephew Mohammed Asif - are on a 15 day visa, and were received by the officials of Pakistani High Commission at the Attari border.
Haq's relatives urged the Indian government to release him so that they could take him back to Pakistan. The prisoner, meanwhile, continues to be "critically sick" and in "deep coma", a medical bulletin issued by PGIMER said.
Haq's relatives urged the Indian government to release him so that they could take him back to Pakistan. The prisoner, meanwhile, continues to be "critically sick" and in "deep coma", a medical bulletin issued by PGIMER said.
16:04 K'taka results tomorrow: Will Cong get complete majority?
With exit polls widely predicting a Congress victory in Karnataka Assembly elections, the burning question now is whether the party would gain majority on its own, as counting of votes is taken up tomorrow.
Some of these polls have put the Congress tally in the 224-member House at anywhere between 110 and 132, with the ruling BJP a distant loser; 113 seats would be required for majority. Now, the recurrent question being asked is if there will be a situation where the Congress falls short of numbers. Some leaders of Karnataka Janatha Paksha (KJP) of former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa have said in private that the party is ready to support a Congress government,if it comes to that.
Some of these polls have put the Congress tally in the 224-member House at anywhere between 110 and 132, with the ruling BJP a distant loser; 113 seats would be required for majority. Now, the recurrent question being asked is if there will be a situation where the Congress falls short of numbers. Some leaders of Karnataka Janatha Paksha (KJP) of former Chief Minister B S Yeddyurappa have said in private that the party is ready to support a Congress government,if it comes to that.
16:00 CBI to appeal against Sajjan Kumar's acquittal in riots case
CBI will challenge before Delhi High Court the acquittal of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar in a 1984 anti-Sikh riots case by a city court as it has found "strong grounds" which could form basis of its petition.
CBI sources said here today that the agency is likely to wait till the court pronounces its verdict on the quantum of sentence for those found guilty in the case.
District and Sessions Judge J R Aryan had on April 30 acquitted Kumar in the 29-year-old case in which he was accused of murder and of instigating a riotous mob that killed five Sikhs in Delhi's cantonment area.
Five others -- Balwan Khokkar, an ex-councillor, Mahender Yadav, an ex-MLA, Kishan Khokkar, Girdhari Lal and Captain Bhagmal -- were convicted for their involvement in the riots that had broken out after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.
CBI sources said here today that the agency is likely to wait till the court pronounces its verdict on the quantum of sentence for those found guilty in the case.
District and Sessions Judge J R Aryan had on April 30 acquitted Kumar in the 29-year-old case in which he was accused of murder and of instigating a riotous mob that killed five Sikhs in Delhi's cantonment area.
Five others -- Balwan Khokkar, an ex-councillor, Mahender Yadav, an ex-MLA, Kishan Khokkar, Girdhari Lal and Captain Bhagmal -- were convicted for their involvement in the riots that had broken out after the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on October 31, 1984.
15:58 Young, Urban, Educatedand Choosing Not to Vote
Karnataka, which has 43.6 million registered voters, and its capital, Bangalore, voted to elect a new government, and results will be in later in the week. While the rest of the state recorded a 70 percent turnout, in the country's startup and technology hub of Bangalore, which has 7 million registered voters, only one in two voters turned up at the polling booth. Read
15:52 BJP remains adamant on dismissal of Ashwani Kumar, Bansal
The BJP Parliamentary Party, which met in Delhi today said that it would support the government in passing the Food
Security Bill 2011 and the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and
Resettlement Bill 2011 provided Union Law and Justice Minister Ashwani
Kumar and Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal are asked to step down
from their respective offices.
BJP leader Gopinath Munde said the main opposition party would allow the passage of Food Security Bill and the Land Acquisition, Rehabilitation and Resettlement Bill after the resignation of Bansal and Kumar.
15:32 The Human Cost of Stalemate in Parliament
How many people in India could die of hunger because of Parliament's failure to pass a national food security law? That's the question Nobel Prize-winning economist Amartya Sen wants answered. Read
15:23 Naxals manufacturing improvised grenades, RPGs: Govt
Naxals are manufacturing improvised hand grenades and rocket propelled grenades (RPGs) in their arms manufacturing units, Lok Sabha was informed today.
Minister of State for Home RPN Singh said as per reports available, the improvised grenades are manufactured by CPI (Maoist) in their stronghold areas of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar.
He said some of the steps taken to bust these manufacturing units include ban on CPI(Maoist), deployment of forces at strategic locations, firm police action against such unlawful activities and intensified intelligence-based anti-Naxal operations.
"Besides, the central government closely monitors the situation and issues advisories to the Left Wing Extremism- affected state governments to keep a check on such activities," he said.
Minister of State for Home RPN Singh said as per reports available, the improvised grenades are manufactured by CPI (Maoist) in their stronghold areas of Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand and Bihar.
He said some of the steps taken to bust these manufacturing units include ban on CPI(Maoist), deployment of forces at strategic locations, firm police action against such unlawful activities and intensified intelligence-based anti-Naxal operations.
"Besides, the central government closely monitors the situation and issues advisories to the Left Wing Extremism- affected state governments to keep a check on such activities," he said.
15:17 31 women found abandoned in Metro, rly stations in Delhi: Govt
Thirty one women were found abandoned at Metro and railway stations in the capital this year, the government said today. According to Minister of State for Home Affairs Mullapally Ramachandran, a total of 164 women were found abandoned in such facilities in the capital during the period between 2011 and April 30, 2013. While 31 were found till April this year, 73 women were found abandoned last year and 60 in 2011, he said in a written reply in Lok Sabha.
15:05
The court will pronounce the order on Ajay Garg's surrender application at 4 pm.
15:04 Bribery case: Bansal's nephew Ajay Garg surrenders
Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal's nephew Ajay Garg a close aide of his other nephew, Vijay Singla, reaches the Delhi court to surrender. Garg was questioned in Chandigarh today. CBI investigators had launched a massive manhunt to nab Garg after questioning Singla in the bribery case. Garg owns a multi-crore company which supplies electrical goods to the railways.
The CBI on Friday had arrested the nephew of the Railway Minister for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 90 lakh to fix a top railway appointment.he CBI on Friday had arrested the nephew of the Railway Minister for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 90 lakh to fix a top railway appointment.
The CBI on Friday had arrested the nephew of the Railway Minister for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 90 lakh to fix a top railway appointment.he CBI on Friday had arrested the nephew of the Railway Minister for allegedly accepting a bribe of Rs 90 lakh to fix a top railway appointment.
14:24 Queen to miss Commonwealth summit in Sri Lanka
Buckingham Palace confirmed the decision is part of a move to review the long haul travel currently undertaken by the Queen, who is now 87. The palace confirmed the Prince of Wales will go to the meeting, which takes place every two years, in her place. Read
14:20 Am I an Immigrant Writer?
Amit Majumdar writes: I learned recently, to my surprise, that I had written a novel about the immigrant experience. The novel I thought I'd written was simply about a mother and daughter, but the inside flap of the book jacket made it clear I had "written anew the immigrant experience.' Read more
14:16 Thrashed Pak prisoner's relatives reach Amritsar
Two members of the family of Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah Ranjay, who got critically injured in a scuffle with another inmate in a Jammu jail, arrived in Amritsar via the Wagah-Attari border.
Ranjay's relatives - brother-in-law Mohammed Sehzaad and nephew Mohammed Asif - are expected to reach Chandigarh by late afternoon.
According to television reports, the relatives, who are on a 15 day visa, were received by the officials of Pakistan High Commission at the Attari border.
Till Monday evening, Sanaullah continued to be "critically sick" and in "deep coma", said a medical bulletin from Chandigarh''s Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER). Pakistan High Commissioner Salman Bashir visited Sanaullah at the hospital yesterday and said his chances of survival seemed bleak.
Demanding an impartial probe into the attack on Sanaullah, Bashir said, "We want him to be repatriated to Pakistan." However, India on Monday said the Pakistani prisoner's medical condition is such that it does not permit any movement.
"My understanding is that the doctors had examined the condition of the Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah Ranjay and they felt his condition is such that it does not permit any movement. So, medical condition is such that it precludes any movement of the prisoner," MEA official spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said.
Ranjay's relatives - brother-in-law Mohammed Sehzaad and nephew Mohammed Asif - are expected to reach Chandigarh by late afternoon.
According to television reports, the relatives, who are on a 15 day visa, were received by the officials of Pakistan High Commission at the Attari border.
Till Monday evening, Sanaullah continued to be "critically sick" and in "deep coma", said a medical bulletin from Chandigarh''s Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER). Pakistan High Commissioner Salman Bashir visited Sanaullah at the hospital yesterday and said his chances of survival seemed bleak.
Demanding an impartial probe into the attack on Sanaullah, Bashir said, "We want him to be repatriated to Pakistan." However, India on Monday said the Pakistani prisoner's medical condition is such that it does not permit any movement.
"My understanding is that the doctors had examined the condition of the Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah Ranjay and they felt his condition is such that it does not permit any movement. So, medical condition is such that it precludes any movement of the prisoner," MEA official spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said.
13:51 CBI questions another nephew of Bansal
The CBI has begun questioning Ajay Garg, another nephew of railway minister Pawan Bansal, who was reportedly present along with Vijay Singla and Sandeep Goyal when the bribe amount of Rs 90 lakh was being delivered in the 'jobs for sale' scandal. Garg has been named by the CBI in its FIR and is said to be the main link in the scandal. Garg is being questioned in Chandigarh.
13:44 An empty grave awaits remains of the last Mughal emperor
In a marble enclosure adjoining the dargah of Sufi saint Khwaja Bakhtiar Kaki at Mehrauli, an empty grave or 'Sardgah' marks the site where Bahadur Shah Zafar had willed to be buried alongside his Mughal predecessors. Yet, the late emperor died when he was in exile in Yangon where he was transported to be lodged in a junior British officer's garage and his remains continue to be across the border in Myanmar till today. Read
13:36 SRK won't go to Wankhede, wants KKR to focus on game
Shah Rukh Khan will not attend the KKR game at Wankhede today, he doesn't want his team to be distracted. That's settled the issue. The Maharashtra Congress wanted MCA to rethink their five-year ban on the actor after the brawl last year.
13:34 Security guard who took on SRK will be absent
Vikas Dalvi, the security guard of the Mumbai Cricket Association (MCA) who dared to stop Shah Rukh Khan from entering the Wankhede Stadium during the last IPL season, will not be on duty for the Mumbai Indians versus Kolkata Knight Riders match today. Read
13:16
Lok Sabha has been adjourned till tomorrow as BJP stalls proceedings demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.
13:08 Cong core group meeting ends
The Congress core group meeting has ended. The PM does not want either Ashwani Kumar or PK Bansal to resign, nor will Parliament be adjourned sine die. The party will also make fresh attempts to get the Food Security Bill passed.
12:54
After the House was adjourned, top leaders of BJP, CPI(M) and some other parties were seen huddled together in some serious discussion. Even Trinamool Congress leader Sougata Roy was seen talking to BJP leaders. However, it could not be known what was being discussed.
12:51 How Ram lost his Tej
In other stories: Bodyguards of actor Ram Charan Tej, son of Union Minister Chiranjeevi, assaulting software engineers for reportedly not giving way to the actor's Aston Martin at a free left turn near a traffic junction in Banjara Hills on Sunday afternoon. See
12:46 Maharashtra Cong asks MCA to allow SRK in Wankhede
The Maharashtra Congress has requested the Mumbai Cricket Association to lift the five-year ban imposed on Kolkata Knight Riders (KKR) owner Shah Rukh Khan. The MCA has said that the band imposed last year stands and he will not be able to attend his team's IPL match against hosts Mumbai Indians at the Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai today. The Mumbai police says allowing Shah Rukh Khan into Wankhede stadium is an internal matter of the MCA.
The Bollywood super star was banned for five years from entering MCA premises, including the Wankhede Stadium, by the Association's Managing Committee, headed by the late Vilasrao Deshmukh, on May 18 last year after he was involved in a skirmish with security staff and officials of the cricket body following KKR's victory over Mumbai Indians two nights earlier.
Khan, however, denied he had misbehaved and maintained he reacted only after children, including his kids, were "manhandled" by the security staff at the stadium.
The Bollywood super star was banned for five years from entering MCA premises, including the Wankhede Stadium, by the Association's Managing Committee, headed by the late Vilasrao Deshmukh, on May 18 last year after he was involved in a skirmish with security staff and officials of the cricket body following KKR's victory over Mumbai Indians two nights earlier.
Khan, however, denied he had misbehaved and maintained he reacted only after children, including his kids, were "manhandled" by the security staff at the stadium.
12:28 Bhullar's wife seeks stay on his execution
The wife of 1993 Delhi blast convict Devinderpal Singh Bhullar has approached the Supreme Court seeking a stay on his execution till the court decides on his review petition. More
12:27 Parliament logjam: Sonia, Kamal Nath, Ahmed Patel meet PM
Sonia Gandhi, Kamal Nath and Ahmed Patel meeting the prime minister now over the deadlock in Parliament.
12:15 Why is the Pakistan election so important?
On May 11, as Pakistan makes first ever democratic transition in its entire history it is not only momentous for the embattled country but also extremely significant for India. What is it that is up for change and what are the openings for India are to be grasped quickly to replace the language of conflict with gestures of cooperation. Read
12:08
And Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till 2 pm. Both the houses want the PM to resign.
12:06
Both houses of Parliament have resumed at noon, after the first adjournment and Lok Sabha pips Rajya Sabha in the adjournment stakes. LS has been adjourned till 1 pm.
12:04 BJP leaders huddle in Advani's room over Food Security Bill
BJP leaders are in a huddle in LK Advani's room to discuss the Food Security Bill. The opposition has said it will not pass the bill till law minister Ashwani Kumar and rail minister PK Bansal resign.
Amid uproar over several scams, government today sprang a surprise over the Opposition in the Lok Sabha by taking up the ambitious National Food Security Bill for consideration despite protests. The Parliament was adjourned today over the same issue.
Yesterday, a brief debate was held amid an unprecedented din with members from Left and Right in the Well denouncing "dictatorial ways" of the government in pushing through the much talked about legislation when Parliament is paralysed over various scams. BJP members were joined by Left members in denouncing the Congress-led coalition.
Amid uproar over several scams, government today sprang a surprise over the Opposition in the Lok Sabha by taking up the ambitious National Food Security Bill for consideration despite protests. The Parliament was adjourned today over the same issue.
Yesterday, a brief debate was held amid an unprecedented din with members from Left and Right in the Well denouncing "dictatorial ways" of the government in pushing through the much talked about legislation when Parliament is paralysed over various scams. BJP members were joined by Left members in denouncing the Congress-led coalition.
11:35 Jammu: BSF foils infiltration bid in Samba sector
Border Security Force (BSF) troopers foiled an infiltration bid from Pakistan at Samba sector of the border near Jammu on early Monday, an official said. Troopers guarding the Ballad border post, about 55 km from Jammu, noticed some movement around 5am and opened fire to challenge a group of people trying to infiltrate across the border into India.
"Our troops opened fire to challenge them. The firing went on from 5.10am to 5.35am," the official said.The infiltrators were pushed back into Pakistani territory and an extensive search operation was launched for any person who might have sneaked in, the official said. Read
"Our troops opened fire to challenge them. The firing went on from 5.10am to 5.35am," the official said.The infiltrators were pushed back into Pakistani territory and an extensive search operation was launched for any person who might have sneaked in, the official said. Read
11:28 Temperatures will continue to risein North India: Met
With the summers setting in, the Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) has warned that temperature will continue to rise in the days to come and heat wave will grip parts of North India.
"The temperatures have gone up to three degrees above normal in most regions. Uttar Pradesh is right now the hottest in North India. Within a week East UP is likely to experience a heat wave," IMD official M Duraiswamy was quoted as saying on Tuesday. The Met Department further informed that Rajasthan has been the hottest in this season, with Churu recording a maximum of 45 degrees Celsius.
"The temperatures have gone up to three degrees above normal in most regions. Uttar Pradesh is right now the hottest in North India. Within a week East UP is likely to experience a heat wave," IMD official M Duraiswamy was quoted as saying on Tuesday. The Met Department further informed that Rajasthan has been the hottest in this season, with Churu recording a maximum of 45 degrees Celsius.
11:25 Salman NGO to send tankers to drought-hit Marathwada
Actor Salman Khan has joined the list of celebrities and politicians who are doing their bit to supply drinking water to Maharashtra's drought-hit Marathwada region. Khan has undertaken to supply 2,500 tankers of water to Aurangabad and other towns in the region that are reeling under one of the worst droughts the state has ever faced, through his non-profit organisation Being Human. Read more
11:20 JEE results expected at 4pm
Joint Entrance Examination (JEE) 2013 scores are expected to be declared at 4 pm today. Conducted by the Central Board of Secondary Education, JEE (Main) 2013 scores will determine admission to the National Institutes of Technology (NIT) and the Indian Institutes of Information Technology (IIIT) and other deemed Universities. Candiates can check their scores on the website www.jeemain.nic.in.
11:10 Attacked Pak prisoner's family arriving in India
Two members of the family of Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah Haq, who is in a Chandigarh hospital after being attacked in a Jammu jail, are coming to India Tuesday to meet him, Pakistani officials said in New Delhi.
The two family members would arrive in Chandigarh via the Wagah-Attari border, the Pakistan high commission said in a statement.Sanaullah, who was undergoing imprisonment at Jammu's Kot Bhalwal Jail, was attacked Friday by an Indian prisoner.
The Pakistani was flown from Jammu to Chandigarh for treatment.He was admitted at the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh.Till Monday evening, Sanaullah continued to be "critically sick" and in "deep coma", a medical bulletin said.
The attack took place a day after Sarabjit Singh, an Indian prisoner in Pakistan, succumbed to grievous injuries following a murderous assault in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail.
The two family members would arrive in Chandigarh via the Wagah-Attari border, the Pakistan high commission said in a statement.Sanaullah, who was undergoing imprisonment at Jammu's Kot Bhalwal Jail, was attacked Friday by an Indian prisoner.
The Pakistani was flown from Jammu to Chandigarh for treatment.He was admitted at the Post-Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) in Chandigarh.Till Monday evening, Sanaullah continued to be "critically sick" and in "deep coma", a medical bulletin said.
The attack took place a day after Sarabjit Singh, an Indian prisoner in Pakistan, succumbed to grievous injuries following a murderous assault in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat Jail.
11:05 Parliament adjourned till noon
The opposition stalls the Parliament again. Rajya Sabha has been adjourned till noon after the BJP raised a ruckus -- they want the PM, law minister Ashwani Kumar and rail minister Pawan Kumar Bansal to quit. Lok Sabha has just been adjourned as well.
11:03 How India played hardball with China
After initial diffidence and a sense of confusion, India had to play diplomatic hardball to get China to withdraw its troops from Depsang Bulge in eastern Ladakh, which officials claimed was secured without giving any concessions to China, even though New Delhi has agreed to bring down a structure that was erected as "retaliation" to the Chinese incursion. Read
11:00 China's cyber spying targets US government: Pentagon
China has engaged in widespread cyber espionage in a bid to extract information about the US government's foreign policy and military plans, said a Pentagon report issued Monday. Read
10:55 The false allure of liberating the CBI
A law minister's mistakes cannot be used to introduce an institutional imbalance by creating an autonomous policeman through judicial intervention. Read
10:54 Making sense of the Depsang incursion
China's new activism on the border dispute provides an opportunity to take stalled negotiations forward. Read
10:50 Work in progress
It took several flag meetings on the ground and much diplomatic energy on both sides but the abatement of tension near the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh came not a day too soon. The Chinese troops who had set up tented positions around Daulat Beg Oldi inside Indian territory some three weeks ago have withdrawn; Indian troops who pitched their tents in response to this provocation have also withdrawn. Read
10:49 Border breach sets up Indian turf war
The Chinese army exploited "glaring deficiencies' in the pattern of deployment by Indian forces in eastern Ladakh to get inside Indian territory and set up a camp before dismantling it yesterday, according to a post-mortem in the defence establishment. Read the full story
10:17 Sensex gains 90 points in early trade
The BSE benchmark Sensex gained nearly 90 points in early trade today on sustained buying by funds and retail investors mainly in oil and gas, power, realty and IT sector stocks.
Rising for the second straight session, the 30-share barometer rose by 89.34 points, or 0.45 per cent, to 19,762.98. In yesterday's session, Sensex had gone up by 98 points.
The wide-based National Stock Exchange index Nifty traded 22.90 points, or 0.36 per cent, higher at 5,993.95.
Brokers said the sentiment remained firm on sustained buying on hopes of encouraging IIP data for March to be released later this week and a mixed trend in the Asian trade.
In the Asian region, Japan's Nikkei gained 0.28 per cent to trade at nearly five-year high, while Hong Kong's Hang Seng fell by 0.14 per cent in early trade today. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average, however, ended 0.03 per cent lower in yesterday's trade
09:42 Three US women missing for years found alive
Three young women who disappeared about a decade ago have been found alive in the US state of Ohio, police say.
Amanda Berry disappeared aged 16 in 2003, while Gina DeJesus went missing at the age of 14 a year later.
They and Michele Knight, 32, who vanished in 2002 at the age of 20, were found in a house in the city of Cleveland, police confirmed. All are said to be in good health in hospital.
09:41 Railway scandal: Bansal's staff under scanner
Even as Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal continued to be under scanner in connection with the alleged bribery scandal involving his nephew Vijay Singla, CBI sources have said that the agency was looking into the possibility of involvement of Railway Ministry officials in the scam.
CBI sources said Bansal's senior personal staff could be called in for questioning over the next several days.
The agency will try to find out answers to some questions related to the posting of suspended Railway Board member (staff) Mahesh Kumar.
A leading English daily reported on Tuesday that the CBI is questioning Singla and his associates to find out "the authority" which would have promoted Kumar.
Singla is reported to have spoken to an officer in Bansal's office over phone during the period when Kumar, a senior railway official, was allegedly discussing paying a bribe of Rs 10 crore to change his discipline from Member (staff) to Member (Electrical) and allow him to continue with additional charge of GM (West).
09:26 Fresh extension to JPC on 2G scam
The Joint Parliamentary Committee on 2G scam is set to get a fresh extension.
After the Rajya Sabha adopts the motion, likely to be moved today, the term of the Joint Parliamentary Committee will be extended till the end of the Monsoon session.
The Lok Sabha had on Monday unanimously adopted the resolution to this effect
This will be the fifth extension to the JPC set up in March, 2011. The term of the committee was scheduled to end on May 10.
The resolution, moved by panel chief P C Chacko, was adopted unanimously.
The resolution to extend the tenure of the JPC was added as a supplementary agenda after Chacko and Parliamentary Affairs Minister Kamal Nath consulted Lok Sabha Meira Kumar on the issue.
Chacko had recently said that if he could not convene a meeting of the JPC, he would individually consult the members to get their backing for the resolution seeking extension.
09:04 Don't let SRK enter Wankhede stadium, cops told
The Mumbai Cricket Association has informed a local police station to prevent Kolkata Knight Riders principal owner Shah Rukh from entering the stadium, when his team takes on Mumbai Indians, in the city on Tuesday.
"We wrote a letter to Marine Lines police station asking them not to allow Shah Rukh Khan inside the stadium on Tuesday (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.
The Bollywood superstar was banned for five years from entering MCA premises, including the Wankhede Stadium, by the Association's Managing Committee, headed by the late Vilasrao Deshmukh, on May 18 last year, after he was involved in a skirmish with security staff and officials of the cricket body following KKR's victory over MI two nights earlier.
Shah Rukh, however, denied he had misbehaved and maintained he reacted only after children, including his kids, were "manhandled" by the security staff at the stadium.
08:51 Aarushi case: Talwars' to give statement today
The special CBI court hearing the Aarushi-Hemraj murder case will record statements of the dentist couple Rajesh and Nupur Talwar on Tuesday.
Special CBI judge Shyam Lal rejected the defence counsel's plea, which demanded that 13 other witnesses including ADG (law and order) and the then CBI Joint Director Arun Kumar also be called to record statements.
The court rejected defence plea and ordered to record the statements of the Talwar couple, who are the main accused.
Statement of CBI investigating officer AGL Kaul, the last prosecution witness, has already been recorded.
The CBI had told the court that teenager Aarushi Talwar's murder five years back was carried out by her parents Rajesh and Nupur Talwar and no outsider was present.
In his deposition before the Additional Judge, Kaul, who headed the CBI probe, had told the court that their investigations revealed no evidence of any third person's entry in the house.
08:49 Delhiites in for severe traffic jams today
Delhi Police on Monday night issued an advisory asking motorists to avoid Rafi Marg, near Vijay Chowk, as it will remain closed for public from Tuesday due to the VVIP movement near Parliament.
According to the traffic advisory, police said general traffic, including buses, shall not be allowed to ply on Rafi Marg between round abouts of Sunehri Masjid and Rail Bhawan.
"Due to ongoing parliament session, large number of VVIPs/motorists are visiting Vijay Chowk, Parliament House, Rafi Marg and surrounding areas. Section 144 CrPC has been imposed. Rafi Marg has been closed from 7th May onwards," Anil Shukla, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic), said in the advisory.
Motorists are advised to follow Janpath and Mansingh Road to cross Rajpath from North to South and South to North, he said.
General public are advised to avoid the above mentioned routes and co-operate with and follow the directions of the traffic policemen to avoid inconvenience, he said.
The advisory came hours after Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde said he has asked Delhi Lt Governor Tejinder Khanna to seek a report from Delhi Police Commissioner Neeraj Kumar on how Sikhs protesting the acquittal of Congress leader Sajjan Kumar managed to reach near Vijay Chowk and block traffic.
03:31 Border tensions between India and China remain: Pentagon
In light of the recent Chinese incursion in Ladakh, the Pentagon today informed the US Congress that tensions remain between India and China on their long border while noting that Beijing's use of force in territorial disputes has varied throughout its history.
"Despite increased political and economic relations over the years between China and India, tensions remain along their shared 4,057 km border, most notably over Arunachal Pradesh (which China asserts is part of Tibet, and therefore of China), and over the Aksai Chin region at the western end of the Tibetan Plateau," the Pentagon told the Congress in its annual report on China.
03:30 Boston bombing suspect's friend to be released
A magistrate judge today agreed to release a friend of Boston Marathon bombing suspect Dzhokhar Tsarnaev from federal custody while he awaits trial for allegedly lying to federal investigators probing the bombings.
Robel Phillipos, 19, was charged last week with lying to investigators about visiting Tsarnaev's college dorm room after the bombings. The University of Massachusetts Dartmouth student faces a maximum of eight years in prison if convicted.
03:30 Chechnya strongman calls Boston suspects 'devils'
Chechnya's strongman leader Ramzan Kadyrov today called the two ethnic-Chechen Boston Marathon bombing suspects "devils" who had nothing to do with his republic on the southern edge of Russia.
"Today I can say in all confidence that Tamerlan and Dzhokhar (Tsarnaev) are real-life devils -- complete devils," Interfax quoted Kadyrov as telling reporters in Chechnya. "Tamerlan, thank god, was killed," he said. "Dzhokhar has been detained. Otherwise, they could have brought grief to the families of completely innocent people."
03:17 Aircraft crashes in a fireball at Spanish air show
A historic jet plane crashed into a hangar and exploded in a fireball at an airshow southwest of the capital Sunday, severely injuring its pilot who later died in the hospital, officials said.
A spokesman for Spain's Defense Ministry said the pilot, Ladislao Tejedor Romero, 35, an experienced jet pilot and assistant to Defense Minister Pedro Morenes, died of his injuries in the serious burns unit of Getafe hospital.
02:29 Senior BSkyB executive dies in UK boat accident
A senior executive of British broadcaster BSkyB and his eight-year-old daughter were killed in a speedboat accident in the holiday resort town of Cornwall.
51-year-old Nicholas Milligan, his 39-year-old wife, a four-year-old boy and two girls aged 10 and 12 were airlifted to Derriford Hospital in Plymouth with a range of injuries, some of which Superintendent Jim Colwell of Devon and Cornwall Police described as "life threatening" as well as "life changing".
02:08 Alleged Auschwitz death camp guard arrested
A 93-year-old man who was deported from the U.S. for lying about his Nazi past was arrested by German authorities Monday on allegations he served as an Auschwitz death camp guard, Stuttgart prosecutors said.
Hans Lipschis was taken into custody after authorities concluded there was "compelling evidence" he was involved in crimes at Auschwitz while there from 1941 to 1945, prosecutor Claudia Krauth said.
01:53 Nigerian military jet crashes killing 2
A Nigerian military jet crashed killing two crew in Niger republic while fighting against al-Qaeda-linked insurgents in northern Mali today. Nigerian troops are the largest among the West African regional force in the country divided by militants in the north who were stopped from taking over the capital by French forces who started an armed campaign on January 11.
"The crashed plane is an Alpha jet supporting the mission in Mali but stationed in Niger," Nigerian Air Force spokesman, Air Commodore Yusuf Anas said adding that a probe has commenced to find out the actual cause of the incident which took place about 60 km west of Niger capital, Niamey.
01:18 Bangladesh violence worsens, 37 killed
The death toll in the raging violence in Bangladesh shot up to 37 as marauding members of a radical Islamic outfit demanding a tougher blasphemy law clashed with police near the capital city, prompting a ban on public rallies and two right-wing TV channels.
The newly-floated Hefazat-e-Islam or 'Protectorate of Islam' enforced its "Dhaka siege" programme yesterday to mount pressure on the secular Awami League-led government to implement their 13-point demand, including the enactment of a blasphemy law to punish those who insult Islam and its Prophet.
00:26 Bangladesh building collapse toll hits 675
Bangladeshi police are investigating possible murder charges against the owner of a shoddily built factory that collapsed nearly two weeks ago after the wife of a garment worker crushed in the accident filed a complaint.
The development comes as officials said today that the death toll from the country's worst industrial disaster had reached 675.
Sheuli Akter, the wife of Jahangir Alam, filed the complaint with Dhaka magistrate Wasim Sheikh, saying her husband and other workers were "pushed toward death" by building owner Mohammed Sohel Rana and two others.
00:25 Outcry over Guantanamo grows, as does hunger strike
Free them or put them on trial. Thus urges a petition to President Barack Obama over the prisoners held at Guantanamo, jailed and in limbo for more than a decade.
The petition launched by Guantanamo's former chief military prosecutor Colonel Morris Davis has been signed by more than 145,500 people for the president to bring some kind of closure to the fate of the terror suspects at the US prison on the eastern tip of Cuba.
At Guantanamo prison, the men in indefinite detention seek to draw attention to an unprecedented hunger strike nearly two-thirds of them are waging. Today, the stir enters its fourth month with prison officials saying that 100 of the "war on terror" detainees were observing the strike, out of a total of 166.
00:20 FBI says 'terror attack' thwarted in rural Minnesota
The FBI today said it has thwarted a terror attack in a small town in Minnesota after discovering home-made bombs and guns in the home of a local man. The agency provided few details, saying the investigation into Buford 'Bucky' Rogers, 24, was "ongoing".
"The FBI believes that a terror attack was disrupted by law enforcement personnel and that the lives of several local residents were potentially saved," the agency said in a statement.
00:19 Syria threatens to hit back after deadly Israel raids
Israeli air raids on Syria at the weekend killed at least 42 soldiers, a watchdog said today, fuelling international concern over a spillover of the conflict, as Damascus warned it would strike back.
UN human rights investigator Carla del Ponte, meanwhile, said that rebels have used the deadly nerve agent sarin in their fight to oust Syria's regime, although inspectors later said there was no conclusive proof as yet.
"At least 42 soldiers were killed in the strikes, and another 100 who would usually be at the targeted sites remain unaccounted for," Syrian Observatory for Human Rights director Rami Abdel Rahman told AFP.
00:14 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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