Monday, August 17, 2009

Supreme Court issues notice to Centre on pleas challenging verdict on gay sex

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ew Delhi, Aug 17 (ANI): The Supreme Court on Monday issued notice to the Centre on petitions seeking stay of a Delhi High Court verdict legalising gay sex.

Two petitions were filed Christian Apostolic Churches Alliance and S K Tijarawala, a disciple of Baba Ramdev.

The matter, which was heard by a bench, headed by Chief Justice K G Balakrishnan, will now come up for hearing on September 14.

The apex court asked the government to file its reply.

On July 20, the apex court had refused to stay the High Court''s judgement stating that it would wait for the Government to come forward with its response on the issue.

The apex court had asked the Central Government to file its response within eight weeks on the verdict of the Delhi High Court to decriminalise the homosexual behaviour of consensual adults, which was a crime as per Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code.

While hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) filed by Astrologer Manoj Kumar Kaushal, the apex court had refused to give stay to the Delhi High Court''s verdict.

On July 2, a two Judge bench of the Delhi High Court gave ruling to decriminalise the homosexual behaviour.

NAZ Foundation, and other NGOs had filed a petition questioning the criminalisation of homosexual behaviour under Sec 377 of IPC.

But the Centre told the court that there id no change in its stand taken before the Delhi High Court, but to consolidate the opinions of the various departments it need some time.

Attorney General, G.E. Vahanavati said the Government has not filed any affidavit as yet.

Meanwhile, the Union Government has remained non-committal about its stand on the High Court verdict which has been opposed by different sections of society, including religious leaders of all communities and a child rights body, gay rights activists have drawn up a detailed strategy to defend the verdict. (ANI)

Omar Abdullah appeals to Centre to withdraw AFSPA from Kashmir

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ew Delhi, Aug 17 (ANI): The Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Monday appealed to the Centre and all the political parties to take a pragmatic view on the lifting of the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) the state.

Speaking at the chief ministers conference on internal security here, Abdullah also pressed the Centre to withdraw the special anti terror laws imposed in the state.

Abdullah said that AFSPA played an important role in providing legal protection to the army and other paramilitary forces during the years when insurgency was at its peak in the state, but now it is time for shunning the extreme positions keeping the changed situation of the state in view.

"Even though this is a highly emotive issue which has provoked extreme positions, I would like to request that a pragmatic view about the continuation of the AFSPA be taken with a view to removing its applicability from those districts in the state where terrorist or insurgent activities are minimal or insignificant, " Abdullah said without naming the Defence Ministry and the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) who are advocating the continuation of the AFSPA in Kashmir.

Abdullah urged the Union Home Ministry to take adequate precautions while dealing with internal security, so that no one in society should feel alienated.

Abdullah asked the Union Government to look beyond its role of providing paramilitary forces to any state as a response to internal security as most problems have a political origin and, need a political strategy for a solution. (ANI)

Maya meets PM, demands Rs 2000 cr for power supply

Uttar Pradesh
Chief Minister Mayawati on Monday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and demanded Rs 2000 crore to pay for the 10 hours of power supply in 58 drought-hit districts of the state.

She said the state government was buying power at the rate of Rs 8 per unit to provide 10 hours of power supply to the drought-hit districts including Bundelkhand and demanded that the Centre pay Rs 2000 crore needed for buying power, official sources said here.

Mayawati also sought a "positive response" from the Centre in approving a Rs 7789 crore package submitted by the state government to the Agriculture ministry to carry out various long-term and short-term measures.

According to sources, the CM also referred to the A S Samra Committee recommendations regarding infrastructure development in drought-prone areas.

She sought a positive response from the Prime Minister on a Rs 3866 crore package sent by the UP government to the Centre to set up power and irrigation facilities in the drought prone and drought hit districts based on the Samra committee recommendations.

She lamented that the Centre has provided UP only with Rs 15.5 crore package to develop communication network, including roads in naxal prone districts. UP had demanded Rs 84 crore for the purpose.

Mayawati also informed Singh that UP has prepared a standard operating procedure (SOP) to deal with incidents like the Mumbai terror attacks.

Auto strike in Delhi, commuters hit hard

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ew Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) Majority of the around 55,000 auto-rickshaws in the capital went off the roads today as part of a two-day strike to protest the government's crackdown on drivers operating without permits, licenses and pollution control certificates.

Drivers belonging to 17 unions, including Bharatiya Tipahiya Chalak Sangh, Capital Autorickshaw Drivers Union and Rashtravadi Tipahiya Chalak Sangh, are participating in the strike, which created trouble for many commuters who were caught unawares.

Bharatiya Tipahiya Chalak Sangh president Sobran Singh Rajput said their protest was not meant to harass public but to fight against the government's policies which he claimed were "damaging" their livelihood.

However, some three-wheelers were seen operating as not all unions were participating in the strike.

Commuters had a tough time on the streets as many of them had no prior knowledge about the strike.

* Maha seeks Rs 500 cr to fight terrorism, Naxalism

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ew Delhi, Aug 17 (PTI) Facing a threat from both urban and Naxal terrorism, Maharashtra today demanded over Rs 500 crore from the Centre for projects to strengthen and upgrade its capabilities to fight the menace.

"Maharashtra is under threat from urban terrorism on the west and Left wing terrorism on the East," Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said while addressing the Conference of Chief Ministers on Internal Security here.

Listing his various demands, Chavan sought Rs 100 crores for upgrading and setting up training institutions such as anti-naxal training academy Alpha Hawks at Nagpur and Urban terrorism Institute at Pune.

Demanding choppers for carrying out aerial surveillance, he said, "given the length of the coastline, two helicopters having day and night flying capability may be provided to us for conducting aerial patrolling".

PM's speech at Chief Ministers' Conference on Internal Security

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ranscript of PM's speech at Chief Ministers' Conference on Internal Security

"I am happy to be here with you today and warmly welcome all of you to this important Conference. The importance of this Conference cannot be over-emphasized. The many serious challenges to our internal security call for careful deliberation and sincere action. I hope this Conference will not only be a forum for exchange of ideas but will also result in building a broad-based consensus on what needs to be done in many crucial areas of our internal security.

We had last met in January this year. A number of steps were discussed in that meeting and I am happy that a substantial amount of work has been done in the subsequent period. I congratulate my Cabinet colleague Shri P Chidambaram for single minded pursuit of the objectives that we had collectively agreed in general. I understand that four regional hubs of the National Security Guard have been established and operationalised at Mumbai, Kolkata, Chennai and Hyderabad. Two Regional Centres of the NSG will shortly be established at Hyderabad and Kolkata. A National Investigative Agency has been established. I request the Chief Ministers to extend all possible cooperation to this Agency to make it a truly effective instrument in our fight against terrorism. Quick Response Teams and Special Intervention Units are being set up at the State level to enhance the speed of response to terrorist attacks. A major effort is being made to improve intelligence gathering and dissemination both at the Central and State levels. A well-calibrated Coastal Security Scheme is being put in place. But we obviously need to do much more and we shall. The challenges posed by asymmetric warfare and terrorism as also the Left Wing Extremism can only be met through new ideas and more resolute actions and determination. We need to be ahead of the curve if we are to succeed as we must.

Coming to specific challenges, cross-border terrorism remains a most pervasive threat. We have put in place additional measures after the Mumbai terrorist attack in November last year. But there is need for continued vigilance. There is credible information of ongoing plans of terrorist groups in Pakistan to carry out fresh attacks. The area of operation of these terrorists today extends far beyond the confines of Jammu & Kashmir and covers all parts of our country.

In dealing with the terrorist challenge we need to be prepared for encountering more sophisticated technologies and enhanced capabilities. We also need to guard our sea frontier as vigilantly as our land border.

Left wing extremism is another serious challenge. Later today the Home Minister will hold a separate meeting on this subject. But I would like to emphasize the growing intensity of the problem. There have been heavy casualties inflicted recently on security forces by Naxalite groups. There are also indications of yet more offensive action by these groups. The problem of Left Wing extremism is indeed a complex one. There is a need for a balanced and nuanced strategy to deal with it. On the one hand the State should discharge its responsibilities and obligations and re-establish the Rule of Law in areas dominated by the Naxalites. At the same time we should work towards removing the causes which lead to alienation of people and problems like Naxalism.

I would like to make a mention of the situation prevailing in Jammu & Kashmir and some of the States in the North-East. The situation in Jammu & Kashmir has, during the past few years, seen substantial improvement. Figures of violence have been steadily declining and are today at an all-time low. But there are some disturbing trends on the horizon. Levels of infiltration which had come down very substantially have seen a surge this year, alongside an increase in attempts at infiltration. The infiltrators appear more battle-hardened, better equipped, and in possession of sophisticated communications.

There are also signs of a revival of over-ground militant activities. Attempts are being made to link isolated and unconnected incidents - such as those which occurred in Shopian, Sopore, Baramulla - to create an impression of a groundswell of anti-national feeling. All this shows that efforts to disturb the current status quo have not been given up. Fortunately, the annual Amarnath Yatra passed off without incident, a tribute to the secular character of the people of J&K.

In the North East there is an overall improvement but the situation in some states particularly in Assam, Manipur and Nagaland remains problematic and worrisome. Assam and Manipur account for a disproportionately large number of violent incidents reported from the North East, with the latter's share being as high as 30%. In Assam, the Centre had sanctioned an amount of Rs 750 crore for development of Bodo areas. But the utilization of these funds remains unsatisfactory. The resettlement and rehabilitation of those affected by the violence in the Bodo areas and North Cachar Hills is a matter of concern. Manipur is plagued by a large number of militant outfits. The Government of Manipur needs to put in place appropriate mechanisms for increased participation of people in developmental projects.

I would request the Chief Ministers of all the North Eastern States to pay particular attention to the implementation of infrastructure projects. There is also a need in the North East for more emphasis on pro-active State police forces rather than exclusive reliance on the Central Para Military Forces and Army. The resources for policing need to be enhanced substantially. Manipur has increased the number of sanctioned posts at the police station level but a large number of them remain unfilled. All the States in the North East would do well to ensure the representation of all groups and communities in their police forces and carry out recruitment to these forces in a transparent manner.

As far as the communal situation is concerned, we have reasons for satisfaction. In the past five years, no serious communal incidents have occurred. But some States like Maharashtra and Karnataka need to exercise greater vigil to maintain communal peace. Karnataka, in particular, has witnessed a number of communal incidents during this year. What is more worrisome is that the incidents were not limited to one or two districts. Like in other areas of internal security, we must all be on our guard against attempts by communal fanatics to accentuate communal tensions, disturb the peace and weaken the fabric of our inclusive society.

We are all aware that most issues pertaining to internal security require a coordinated response by the Centre and the States acting in concert. The importance of this can not be over-emphasized. A piece meal approach will simply not work given the nature of challenges we face. Not only do we need more information sharing, we also need synchronized action. Let me assure all the States that the Centre will not be found wanting in this regard.

We are committed to assist the States in all possible ways in dealing with the challenges of internal security. We will also do our utmost in facilitating inter-State coordination. I would urge States to take more initiative for coordinating action with other States.

I do recognize that States often face constraints of resources. But ultimately we must all bear the burden of our shared sense of responsibility. It must also be recognized that there are limits to what the Central Government can provide. I hope that the expectations of the States from the Centre would be guided by a consciousness of their own obligations as well as a sense of practical realism.

In conclusion, I look forward to the deliberations of this conference and I sincerely hope they will help to evolve a consensus about a concerted strategy and action programme for meeting the challenges to our internal security. I wish your deliberations all success and I thank you."

Delhi court convicts four in Buddha Jayanti rape case

ADelhi court on Monday convicted four members of the prestigious President's Bodyguards (PBG) in the six-year-old Buddha Jayanti Park gang rape case.

Harpreet Singh and Satyender Singh have been found guilty of raping a 17-year-old student of a Delhi University college while two others -- Kuldeep Singh and Manish Kumar - are convicted of abduction and conspiracy.

The quantum of sentence against the accused will be announced on August 22.

Four more Swine Flu cases detected in Meghalaya, Northeast tally goes up to nine

Aug 16
The number of Swine Flu cases is increasing day by day in the Northeast. With the confirmation of four more cases in Meghalaya on Sunday, the total number of Swine Flu rose to nine. On Saturday, two cases were confirmed in Mizoram while another case was confirmed in Guwahati. After the confirmation of a Swine Flu positive case detected in Guwahati, four more cases of A (H1N1) cases were confirmed in Meghalaya on Sunday. With this, the total umber of swine flu cases in the Northeast rose to nine and the tally goes to five in Meghalaya. The first positive of Meghalaya was detected in a footballer on August 11. The footballer, a SAI player, had returned from the United Kingdom recently. The footballer had stayed in the SAI hostel for some days. The ‘contact tracing’ by health authorities to find out persons who came into contact with the 17-year footballer, appears to have failed, with three of the patients whose throat swab sample report was stated to be positive are people who were in close contact with the footballer. The four positive cases confirmed on Sunday include a Class VII student friend of Tongper, a ward boy of the Shillong Civil Hospital where Tongper is admitted, and a boarder of the Sports Authority of India hostel where Tongper stayed after returning from United Kingdom. The fifth case is a lady from Shillong working in Pune. The sample reports of the four cases were received on Saturday night from the NICED, Kolkata. Confirming it, Director of Health Services KH Lakiang said all are undergoing treatment at their respective homes to avoid further spread of the virus. So far, the health department has treated over 150 people, most of whom who had no flu-like symptoms but had come into contact with Tongper. The SAI complex, housing around 80 boarders, and officials, were kept in isolation and they have been instructed not to move out for another ten days. Apart from Meghalaya, two Swine Flu cases have been detected in Mizoram, one in Manipur and one in Assam. In Assam also, the number of suspected Swine Flu cases are increasing daily. While three people have been quarantined at the Mahendra Mohan Choudhury hospital of Guwahati, two were kept at the isolation ward of Jorhat covil hospital and one in Silchar Medical College hospital. Significantly, none of these have got infected in Assam. Meanwhile, the doctors attending Dhiraj Yadav, who as tested positive on Saturday said his condition has improved. The samples of his sister, brother-in-law and his niece also sent for test. On the other hand, a doctor attending Dhiraj has also developed symptoms of Swine Flu. However, his report has not come yet. Meanwhile, the doctors have appealed to the people not to get panicked and asked to take preventive measures instead. They also urged the public to avoid going to public places like shopping malls, theatres, multiplexes etc. The increase in the number of Swine Flu positive cases in the Northeast has created panic among the common people. With Meghalaya reporting five cases, there is also possibility of people coming from the neighbourng state carrying the deadly virus to Guwahati. Surprisingly, the Assam government has not taken any step to screen the people coming from Meghalaya till date. Therefote, the possibility of the deadly disease taking a pandemic turn could not be ruled out.

Rickshaw-pullers in Manipur under police scanner

Aug 16
Crippled with protests and militancy, Manipur is showing no signs of let-up in violent activities. What NETV will bring to light today will surely shock many, as it reveals a dangerous trend of carrying out extortion activities in Manipur. Cycle Rickshaw first came into existence in India in the early forties of the last century. But in Manipur, the cycle rickshaw came to exist in the early 1950s. Traditionally, cycle rickshaw is the cheapest and easiest mode of transportation for the people of Manipur. There are more than thirty thousand rickshaw pullers in Manipur and about fifteen thousand rickshaws pullers are concentrated in Imphal city alone. Many of these rickshaw pullers are the only bread earners of their families… In fact unemployed youths taking up rickshaw-pulling as a means of employment is another sorry chapter in Manipur altogether. Given the choice between starvation and militancy, many youths chose the hard way… choosing to shun guns…but if many of them have turned to the jungles, there is frustration, vengeance and various reasons for drifting away. A state torn apart by militancy, and where anyone can be one…not even the rickshaw pullers are spared. Now again they are caught between the crossfire of militants and security forces. Theirs troubles have doubled even tripled. First they have to bribe on many occasions to the concerned officials for licence… then there is a choice to face the police baton on the roads or pay the hard earned money to a corrupt cop…And as if to deal the final blow…militants have from time to time used the poor man’s vehicle to carry subversive acts…And now they are under police scanner all for the wrong reasons…a crime they never committed. Imphal Police has warned the people of the State to be careful while hiring a rickshaw for ride or renting out rooms to rickshaw-pullers. This warning was issued after two hardcore militants were caught in the guise of Rickshaw-Pullers. As in other parts of the country, rickshaws are a common sight in Manipur and there is nothing suspicious about them; or is there? These two impoverished-looking individuals could easily get away as rickshaw-pullers. This is actually how they were operating their extortion racket in and around Imphal bazaar until they were caught recently by the combined team of Bishnupur Police Commandos and 193 Battalion of BSF while trying to kidnap a person for ransom in Bishnupur district in Manipur. Two pistols were recovered from the two hardcore KCP cadres who posed as rickshaw-pullers. Concerned at the modus operandi of the armed activists, authentic rickshaw-pullers see this trend as threat to their livelihood. Many poor people and jobless youths depend on rickshaw as a means of sustenance, others take up rickshaw-pulling as a last resort. If the latest trend of using rickshaws for extortion continues, it could pose serious security problems in Manipur and more so there will be increase in vicious circle activities of bribing to escape, fake encounters, police highhandedness all for a reason…militancy has to be done away with. But then again the rickshaw pullers will continue to be always at the receiving end…and their lives left at the mercy of those with the weapons and power?

PM warns of terror attack from Pakistan

Japanese economy beats recession

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okyo, Aug 17: By posting positive numbers for the second quarter, Japan announced its revival from recession.

Buzz up!
Reporting a growth of 3.7 per cent on an annual basis, Japan joined countries like Germany and France which posted positive numbers last week.


The world's second largest economy bounced back on exports Japan's GDP grew under 1 percent during the three-month period and trade went up 1.6 percent.

The economy has seen a bottoming out of global demand, which has pushed out net exports ... especially in high tech industries and basic materials, such as chemical, steel and so on because of Chinese demand," said Hiromichi Shirakawa, chief economist in Japan for Credit Suisse.

This comes after Japan's GDP stood 15.4 percent lower in Jan-Mar quarter from the same time period last year.

The current uptick announced by Japan's Cabinet Office mean the the country has battled the worst of the recession.

I don''t feel like stepping into the US again, says King Khan

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hicago (USA) Aug 16(ANI): Bollywood superstar Shah Rukh Khan said on Sunday that he does not feel like stepping on American soil any more, but it is the love and affection of millions of his fans in that country which would bring him back again and again.

The American Indian audience were stunned when Khan announced this. Khan also ruled out seeking an apology for the incident.

Khan was detained and questioned by US immigration officials on Saturday after his arrival in Newark International Airport, in New Jersey.

Khan was in the US to attend a South Asian related programme.

Driving straight to the venue of the function in Atlantic City, Khan told the audience "I was treated shabbily just because I happened to have Khan as my last name."

Khan expressed displeasure at immigration official for not allowing him to use the cell phone to contact and inform local organisers.

Meanwhile, the United States has denied the allegations that Khan was detained and questioned for two hours at the airport because of his name or Asian identity.

US Customs and Border Protection spokesperson, Elmer Camacho said the allegations were untrue and added that Khan was inspected because his baggage had not yet arrived.

"His documents and papers were checked and found to be in correct order," Camacho said.

Khan performed at the South Asian Film Carnival in Chicago along with other Bollywood stars such as Saif Ali Khan, Kareena Kapoor, Katrina Kaif and Diya Mirza. (ANI)

Australians have some of the world''s foulest mouths: Expert

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ellington, Aug 17 (ANI): From celebrity chef Gordon Ramsay to the Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, everyone seems to be swearing in Australia.

And according to a language expert, people Down Under have foul mouth.

Roly Sussex, a professor of applied language studies at the University of Queensland, pointed out the Rudd''s saying "shitstorm" on national television in March.

The professor believes it is indicative of the casualness with which slang is accepted in the country of kangaroos.

"The sort of words that Mr Rudd has been using in the media are completely unacceptable for President Barack Obama to be using," Stuff.co.nz quoted him as saying.

He said: "The sort of words that Mr Rudd has been using in the media are completely unacceptable for President Barack Obama to be using," Professor Sussex said.

"Some people even thought the Prime Minister''s use of the S-word in the media made him sound more like an everyday person."

He gave the example of Tourism Australia''s 2006 campaign too, which went: "Where the Bloody Hell Are You?"

Sussex said: "That had trouble in England because of the word ''bloody'' and it had trouble in Canada because of the word ''hell''. Neither caused the slightest trouble in Australia."

He further suggests that Aussies have "laid-back" approach to life unlike people in America.

He explained: "We have become much less church-oriented and that''s a definite difference between us and the US."

According to his personal experience, Roly believes that use of slang has become more common.

He said: "When I was at school in Melbourne in the 1950s, using ''bloody'' was terrible and people would get physically punished for it. Nowadays, you can hear both the F-word and the C-word on Sex and the City."

Meanwhile, Australian Liberal senator Cory Bernardi, who was part of a Senate inquiry into swearing on TV, thinks that social standards has "dropped enormously" which could lead to a conservative backlash.

The inquiry gave 10 recommendations to the Australian Communications and Media Authority, which will look over the code of practice regulating free-to-air television next year. (ANI)

Pak military has to re-examine its long standing animus against India: Expert

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slamabad, Aug.17 (ANI): A noted defence analyst and economist, and a frequent contributor of articles to the Dawn newspaper, has said the Pakistan military has to re-examine its long standing animus against India.

According to Ahmad Faruqui, while Pakistan has been languishing in the backwater of history, plagued by the backlash engendered by the proxy war in Kashmir, India has grown by leaps and bounds.

He also said that for militarism to retreat completely in Pakistan, some structural changes would need to be made in the body politic.

“Unless some structural changes are made in the body politic, it is quite possible that a future Bonaparte will move to suspend the constitution, fire the cabinet, dismiss parliament and rule implicitly or explicitly through the dint of arms,” said Ahmad Faruqui, adding that four other factors needed to be considered to ensure that the scourge of militarism is excoriated.

First, the military needs to stay focused on defending the country. The primary enemies are the proponents of religious extremism. Their power to disrupt normal developmental activities and to terrorise the population has grown in the last few years. The army needs to neutralise this threat by taking out the ringleaders and by liquidating their henchmen who are beyond negotiation.

Second, the military has to be held accountable for all its actions, like any other branch of government, to the people, as represented by parliament. It cannot be above the law.

Third, the military has to take orders from the civilian administration and not the other way around. It can advise the government on military matters, but it cannot make defence or foreign policy. That is the province of the elected rulers.

And fourth, the military cannot view the rest of the country as a marketplace within which to place its retired officers and servicemen. They have to compete for those jobs like everyone else.

The longer-term threat to the national security of Pakistan arises from poverty, not from India, Faruqui said.

“The Indian threat has been played up countless times to feed the ambitions of the military to grow its strength, to acquire sophisticated weaponry and to seize the commanding heights of the economy,” he added.

This five-point plan will take time to accomplish. And its goals won’t be achieved by Supreme Court judgments or acts of parliament. Success will require the collective resolve of the people of Pakistan, he concludes. (ANI)

India swine flu death toll rises to 28

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une, Aug 17 (ANI): Three more died of the deadly swine flu virus taking the country''s swine flu death toll to 28.

A 36-year-old woman succumbed to the virus at the Sassoon General Hospital in Pune late on Sunday night. This is the thirteenth swine flu death in Pune.

Two women, both aged 27, succumbed to the deadly virus in Bangalore.

Meanwhile, 152 fresh cases of swine flu have been reported from different parts of the country.

The maximum 97 cases were reported from Maharashtra, of which Mumbai reported 60 and Pune 18.

Eleven cases have been reported from Delhi and 10 from Bangalore.

With this, the total number of swine flu cases has now gone up to 1707.

Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has said that the Central Government is coordinating with the State Governments in controlling the swine flu situation, and added that there is no need for panic or disrupt daily life.

Dr. Singh said some parts of India are facing increased cases of swine flu, but there was no need to panic. (ANI)

PM wants answers over Imphal 'fake' encounter

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n angry PM is taking action on a video of an alleged fake encounter and has asked the Manipur CM to meet him on Tuesday.

Sanjit, a surrendered militant, was shot dead inside a shop on a busy Imphal road.

The police claims he tried to attack them. Except that the Tehelka magazine pictures showed Sanjit apparently unarmed and accompanying Manipur commandos without protest.

A pregnant woman was also killed in the July 23rd firing. Her 2-year-old baby was pulled away from her body.

The video footage available with intelligence agencies shows that the woman and the former militant were killed in a busy market area, apparently without any provocation and in full public view.

Pushed on the defensive, the state chief minister has already suspended six policemen for their role in the alleged fake encounter. But the agitation demanding Ibobi Singh's resignation shows no signs of ending.

A 36-hour general strike has now been called in the Imphal valley starting on Tuesday, putting further pressure on the chief minister.

According to sources, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wants Chief Minister Ibobi Singh to explain why his police acted with such impunity.

Rains continue to drench North India

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eather remained pleasant in most parts of North India as rains continued to drench the region, including the national capital, keeping mercury at comfortable levels.

Heavy to moderate rain was recorded at many places in Uttar Pradesh, as a result of which there was decline in average temperature by four-five degrees, Met office said.

Nagina area of the state recorded maximum rainfall of 155 mm, followed by Dhampur which witnessed 127 mm of rainfall.

Rains in Qazigund, Pahalgam and most parts of Jammu region brought respite to the people of Jammu and Kashmir from sweltering heat.

The desert state of Rajasthan was also drenched with several parts of the state receiving incessant rains. Capital Jaipur since yesterday recorded 34.1 mm of rainfall while Churu, Kota and Ajmer received 20.5 mm, 8.8 mm and 2.3 mm of rainfall respectively.

With a maximum of 38 degree Celsius, Bikaner remained the hottest place in the state, the Weathermen said.

In Delhi, incessant showers kept temperatures down with the maximum settling at a comfortable 30.5 degrees.

Light showers were recorded in some places in Punjab and Haryana, with mercury settling a few notches below normal.

The picturesque hill state of Himachal Pradesh, however, saw marginal rise in mercury despite widespread rains across the state.

State capital Shimla recorded 31.8 mm rain till this evening, but recorded a day temperature of 21.6 degree Celsius compared to yesterday's 18.4 degrees.

Is Vasundhra Raje losing support?

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fter days of standoff, BJP president Rajnath Singh on Sunday told the media he had asked Vasundhara Raje to quit as Rajasthan's Leaders of Opposition.

"The BJP Parliamentary Board believes that Vasundhara Raje will act on the positive statements she made and obey the party's decision. I have conveyed that decision to her. I have asked her to submit her resignation."

It was a strong signal from the BJP president that his word will be obeyed by former Rajasthan CM Vasundhra Raje.

It's also a message to Raje loyalists to fall in line.

But Rajnath set no deadline for Raje to quit -- perhaps allowing her more time.

Earlier in the day, Raje issued a conciliatory statement saying she had never said anything against the BJP or any leaders of the party nor has she ever thought of starting a new party. Raje also asserted that she can never think of damaging a party for which her mother had contributed immensely.

Observers say this softened tone is the result of dwindling support as over 2 dozen of the MLAs supporting Raje have now switched sides.

Says Ashok Parnami, the BJP MLA from Jaipur: "I am a BJP worker, I will be loyal to the BJP. We are with the party organisation and will do whatever they say."

Raje critics insist her refusal to resign amounts to indiscipline and say her arrogance is damaging the party's image.

The compromise formula now has ensured that both Raje and Rajnath save face. But this bitter battle is just one episode in the ongoing war within the BJP.

Pak terror groups planning fresh attacks: PM

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rime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday said that there is credible information that terrorist groups based in Pakistan are planning to carry out fresh attacks in India and advocated the need for utmost vigilance.

"There is credible information of ongoing plans of terrorist groups in Pakistan to carry out fresh attacks," the Prime Minister said.

Addressing the chief ministers conference on internal security, the PM said that a coordinated response between the Centre and the states to meet internal security challenges is the most important thing before the nation.

He began by asking states to extend all possible help to the NSG hubs being set up across the country and said that cross border terrorism remains the most pervasive threat.

He further cautioned the Northeastern states, not just about security challenges but also infrastructural problems.

Speaking on the situation in Jammu and Kashmir, the PM said there has been an improvement but there still remain some disturbing trends with infiltrators more battle hardened and better equipped.

Drought forces Bundelkhand farmers to migrate

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undreds of farmer families in drought-hit Bundelkhand are being forced to migrate to other parts of the country in search of livelihood.

A bad monsoon and poor irrigation facilities have severely affected the farmers, particularly marginal farmers and landless labourers whose only concern now is the next meal.

Most landless labourers are heading towards the nearest railway station to board either a Delhi or a Bhopal-bound train.

Cash aid for Bangladesh jockeys

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undreds of Bangladeshi boys who worked as camel jockeys in the United Arab Emirates have begun receiving compensation from the Gulf state.

Many of the boys, who were trafficked and lived on camel farms for years with no contact with their parents, broke limbs falling from the camels.

The boys, who were as young as three, say they were starved by the camel owners to keep their weight down.

The Gulf state outlawed the use of child jockeys in 2002.

Then the UAE government agreed with the UN Children agency, Unicef, to co-operate on the "repatriation, rehabilitation and reintegration" of children involved in the sport.
Some 900 boys, many of whom are now young men, are due to receive compensation, ranging between $1,000 and $10,000 each.

The boys were prized as jockeys by the camel owners and race organisers because they were so small and because it was relatively easy and cheap get hold of them.

Munna, who is now in his 20s, and his two brothers who were also camel jockeys, have just received compensation from the UAE government of about $5,000.

He says he fell from a camel, which then trod on his arm and broke it - he says it still hurts and he cannot do any heavy work. "I suffered a lot there. It was a terrible place. No amount of money would be enough to erase those memories. But at least with this, I can start a little business. [The compensation] is good, but nothing would be enough," he said.

Another jockey, Salman, said life on the "camel farms" in the UAE was hard.

"The camels used to kick us. When we rode the camels the owners would tie our legs to the saddles. But I would still fall off and get injured. Each time I fell off they put me back on the camel, then I fell off again, then they put me back on," he said.

"My life was really hard. I thought I would never learn to ride - but when I didn't want to get back on, the foreman used to beat me."

Salman said the organisers would give the boys tablets to run the races.

"Every week they used to give us tablets and every three months also they would inject us. They did this so we lost weight," he said.

Most say they were tricked into going to the Gulf state to work as camel jockeys.

"We had no idea that's what we were going to do when we went to Dubai," says Munna.

The use of children under 15 as camel jockeys was banned in the UAE in 2002. They were later replaced by robots.

Karzai's warlord links challenged

Afghan President Hamid Karzai has been challenged about his alliances with warlords in a live TV election debate.

Ahead of Thursday's presidential poll, Mr Karzai was taken to task by two rival candidates, ex-ministers Ramazan Bashardost and Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai.

But Mr Karzai defended his alliances in the 90-minute debate, saying they served the interests of national unity.

Meanwhile, Abdul Rashid Dostum, an ex-warlord who was Mr Karzai's military chief-of-staff, has returned to Kabul. The Uzbek commander arrived from Turkey, where he has been living in exile since last year.

An official at the US embassy in Kabul said questions remained about Mr Dostum's alleged involvement in human rights violations.

Also on Sunday, the Taliban warned voters to boycott this week's poll or risk becoming caught up in militant attacks on voting stations.


Thursday's vote is for a president and members of the provincial council.
Backroom deals?

The televised head-to-head was the first debate the Afghan president has participated in for the forthcoming election.

However, the man seen as Mr Karzai's strongest challenger, former Foreign Minister Abdullah Abdullah, did not take part.

Mr Karzai is tipped as the leading candidate in a crowded field of several dozen contenders vying to win a five-year term.

Mr Bashardost, an outspoken anti-corruption campaigner and former planning minister, who is seen as the third most-popular candidate, attacked the incumbent over his political allies.

"There are those who claim they are fighting warlords, but today warlords have the main role in their campaign, and [one] is their first vice-president. This is not acceptable for the people of Afghanistan," said Mr Bashardost.

Mr Karzai has chosen Mohammed Qasim Fahim, a former Tajik warlord, as his number two on the presidential ticket.

Ex-finance minister Mr Ghani also took aim at Mr Karzai's alliances, saying: "I have not struck any deals with any warlord, have not given any ministry, governor's position, or a part of Afghanistan to any of them."

Correspondents say many Afghans and diplomats fear any backroom deals made in an effort to help Mr Karzai's election campaign could empower old warlords and set back efforts to improve Afghanistan.

But Mr Karzai told his two rivals: "If for the national interest, for progress, for national unity, avoiding war... there is need for more such convenience, once again I will seek that. A thousand times I will do that."