1400 HRS.
19-05-2013
19-05-2013
THE HEADLINES:
- Entire gamut of India-China relations including the boundary question to be discussed during Chinese Premier Li Keqiang's meeting with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in Delhi this evening.
- BCCI orders internal probe into the allegations against three cricketers arrested for spot fixing; spells out other measures to check the menace.
- Uttar Pradesh government orders CBI probe into the death of terror accused Khalid Mujahid.
- Brisk polling reported in local body polls in Punjab.
- Severe heat wave conditions prevail in North-west, Central and eastern parts of the country.
- The India's Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna take on America's Bryan brothers in the title clash of the Rome Masters Tennis today.
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The entire gamut of India-China relations including the
boundary question, would be on the table when Chinese Premier Li Keqiang
and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh meet in Delhi this evening for talks.
Premier Li Keqiang is arriving in the National capital today on a 3 day
official visit to India at the invitation of Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh. A large business delegation is also accompanying him. Joint
Secretary (East Asia) Gautam Bambawale said the two Prime Ministers will
talk on key international, regional and bilateral issues. He said since
Chinese incursion being the recent occurrence, it will also be
discussed.
In an interview to Chinese state-run news agency, External Affairs
Minister Salman Khurshid has said that India is ready to write a new
chapter of its relationship with China. He said the two countries should
align their positions in many areas despite differences. Mr Khurshid
also said that this visit is special because it is the first visit
abroad by the Chinese premier since he assumed office in March.
External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Syed Akbaruddin said New
Delhi is highly hopeful that the visit will enhance mutual trust and
understanding between the people and leadership on sensitivities of two
countries. He said India has accorded priority to relations with China
which needs to be carefully nurtured and India-China relations are
important for the 21st Century as it evolves into both regional and
global significance.
Chinese analysts in Beijing say, the visit of the Chinese Premier
aimed at breaking new ground amid recent border stand-off, could also
focus on the need for settlement of border dispute besides boosting
trade.
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The Uttar Pradesh government orders CBI probe into death of
terror accused Khalid Mujahid. The serial blast accused Khalid died
yesterday in Barabanki while returning from Faizabad where he was taken
by the police for a court case. His uncle Zaheer Alam Falahi demanded
for a CBI probe which was readily accepted by the state government.
Falahi also lodged an FIR in Barabanki Kotwali today against 42 persons
including Ex DGP Vikram Singh, ex ADG Brijlal, the then senior police
and administrative officers Manoj Kumar Singh, Sanjeevnath Sinha, S
Anand and others for conspiracy of murder of his nephew.
Our Lucknow correspondent quoting official sources reports, post
mortem was performed on the body of Khalid Mujahid but the doctors
reportedly could not reach on any conclusion about the cause of his
death. Therefore they decided to preserve the viscera of Khalid which
will be sent for further forensic examination. Principal secretary home
RM Srivastav said, the body has been handed over to the family members.
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The Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) has appointed
Ravi Sawani as the commissioner to probe into spot-fixing allegations in
the Indian Premier League (IPL). Briefing reporters after the meeting
of the Board's Working Committee in Chennai today, BCCI President N
Srinivasan said the Commissioner's report will be placed before the
Disciplinary Committee for action against the players involved in the
spot-fixing. He said life time ban will be imposed if the players are
found guilty. He said the BCCI has requested the Delhi Police Chief to
provide information about their probe in the case.
Mr. Ravi Sawani has
been appointed as the Commissioner to inquire into the allegations
against these players and his report will be placed before the
Disciplinary Committee of the BCCI for further action. We have also
requested the Commissioner of Police, Delhi to provide us with
information to help us to complete our domestic inquiry.
Mr Srinivasan said the Board has no powers of policing to control
the bookies. He said the agents of all cricket players will be
accredited and their access will be monitored closely. He also announced
that all the IPL teams will have anti-corruption unit officials.
"The Committee also decided that henceforth all player agents
have to be accredited by the BCCI. A system is to be introduced. There
will be an ACSU official appointed for each team who will be with the
team along with the security officer. Access to the players will be
monitored very-very strictly to the knowledge of the ACSU officer who is
with the team."
Mr. Srinivasan said the management of the Rajasthan Royals has
informed the meeting about their plans to file a case with the police
against the three players--S. Sreesanth, Ajit Chandila and Ankeet
Chavan.
Mr. Srinivasan said the Technical Committee of the BCCI briefed the meeting about the actions taken by it.
Replying to a question, Mr Srinivasan said that he has no other
information about more players being involved in the scandal. He
clarified that BCCI itself will not file any case.
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Union Minister for Housing and Urban Poverty Alleviation, Ajay
Maken who held sports portfoilo earlier, has said that the Board of
Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) should agree to come under the ambit
of RTI. On the social networking site, Twitter, Mr. Maken said that any
organization entrusted with the job of selecting a national team can
not call itself a private body. He said, the government’s stand to bring
BCCI under the RTI was intended to ensure transparency and make it
accountable to the people. Our correspondent reports, Mr. Maken’s
statement is significant in the wake of reported the spot fixing
incident in the Indian Premier League.
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In Chhattisgarh, two CRPF jawans were injured in an encounter
with Maoists this morning in Bijapur district. According to our
correspondent, a joint team of CRPF, District Force and Chhattisgarh
Armed Force was on a search operation in the forest of Basaguda area
when Maoists attacked them. The condition of injured jawans is reported
to be serious.
Meanwhile, 8 villagers including 3 children were killed when security forces opened fire at a gathering suspecting them to be Maoist. The incident took place on Friday night at Edakmeta village of Bijapur district in tribal Bastar region. Our correspondent reports, a joint team of Central Reserve Police Force, District Force and Chhattisgarh Armed Force raided the village following a tip off about the presence of Maoists. In the ensuing shoot-out, 8 people lost their lives.
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The National Human Rights Commission(NHRC) taking suo-motu
notice of the media reports that some village panchayats in Haryana have
banned girls from going to schools for the fear of eve teasing. The
Commission has sought an explanation from the Haryana Government. The
panchayats of Gadania, Kherki, Nihalawas, Kuksi, Pal and Palah villages
are perturbed over recurring instances of eve teasing and alleged
inaction by the police. The Pnachayats' decision will affect 400 girls.
The Commission has issued notices to the Chief Secretary and Director
General of Police seeking their reply in four weeks. The Commission has
also directed the Haryana DGP and Chief Secretary to submit the details
of all incidents of sexual harassment of girls over the past three
months in the state particularly in the six villages and preventive
action taken by the administration.
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In Punjab, brisk polling is in progress for 146 Panchayat
Samitis and 22 Zila Parishads amidst tight security. More than 40
thousand police personnel have been deployed for free and fair
elections. For the Zila Parishad, 760 candidates are in the fray. 5,786
candidates are contesting for Panchayat Samitis. Thirty candidates for
Zila Parishad and 229 candidates for Panchayat Samitis have been elected
unopposed. Over one crore rural voters are eligible to cast their votes
at 19,350 voting centres across the state. The counting of votes would
take place on May 21.
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Delhi has received 245 cusecs of water from Haryana during the
last two days. The water, released from Munak and Tajewala dams,
following a request from the Delhi Government. The request followed due
to dip in Delhi's water share from Uttar Pradesh on account of a breach
in Upper Ganga Canal. The breach has caused water shortage in parts of
East and South Delhi. Official sources said the National Capital is
expected to receive more water from Haryana in the next few days and the
situation is likely to become normal soon.
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Severe heat wave conditions continue to prevail over the
north-west, central and eastern parts of the country. Parts of Punjab,
Haryana, Delhi, Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Vidarbha, Madhya Pradesh,
Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh would experience heat
wave to severe heat wave conditions during the next three days. The MET
office predicts further increase of about two degrees Celsius in
maximum temperatures. Churu in Rajasthan recorded a maximum temperature
of above 48.5 degrees followed by Allahabad 48.3 degrees, Bikaner 47.2
degrees and Nagpur 47 degrees Celsius yesterday. The maximum
temperatures were 4 to 6 degrees above normal. According to weatherman, a
feeble western disturbance would affect the Western Himalayan region
from tomorrow.
Rain or thunder showers are predicted at many places over north-eastern
states and parts of West Bengal and Sikkim. Dust storms are likely at
some places in Rajasthan and Haryana.
Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 43.2 degrees Celsius
yesterday. This was 4 degrees above the normal. Today's maximum
temperature is likely to touch 44 degrees Celsius.
Barring a few places in eastern Uttar Pradesh, the entire state is
facing the intense heat-wave conditions. However there are clouds over
certain eastern districts including Gorakhpur, Azamgarh and Basti. A
report from our Gorakhpur correspondent:
"The normal life has been badly hit due to intense heat wave
in Central and Western parts of the state where the blazing Sun is
creating havoc. The temperature was well above 40 degrees in many
districts at 11 am.
The met office says that the heat wave condition will prevail during
next twenty four hours. However, an upper air cyclonic circulation
persists over east Uttar Pradesh . The met office has predicted
thundershower alongwith high velocity wind in terai and sub Himalayan
regions of the state. Salman Haider/ AIR news/ Gorakhpur."
Our Jaipur correspondent reports that normal life was adversely affected due to tremendous heat.
"Severe heat has forced people to stay at their homes. At most
of the places coolers and even Air Conditioners were felt ineffective.
According to MET office, this heat wave condition will continue till
next 48 hours in the state. Problems of drinking water and power cut
have also started in rural areas. Today even in the morning hours,
mercury crossed 43 degree Celsius in Kota and Churu. At Bikaner it was
43 and at Sriganganagar maximum temprature was recorded 42 degree
Celsius at 11 am. In Capital Jaipur today temperature was recorded above 41 degree Celsius. Anurag Vajpayee/ JAIPUR/ AIR NEWS."
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The Indian duo of Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna will lock
horns with America's top seeded Bryan brothers, Bob and Mike, in the
title clash of the Rome Masters Tennis tournament today. A report:
"Mahesh Bhupathi and Rohan Bopanna, who started playing
together again in March this year, reached their first ATP final of the
season, after defeating the Mexican-American combination of Santiago
Gonzalez and Scott Lipsky, 6-3, 7-6 in the semi-finals yesterday. Mahesh
Bhupathi has won this title twice -- once when he paired with Leander
Paes and the second when he partnered Max Mirnyi of Belarus. Tennis fans
will also have a chance to witness the classic rivalry between World
Number Two Roger Federer of Switzerland and six-time Rome Masters
winner, Spaniard Rafael Nadal, when they clash in the Men's Singles
finals today. Overall, Nadal holds a 19-10 edge over the Swiss, in what
many consider to be the greatest rivalry in tennis history. In the
Women's Singles, World Number One American Serena Williams will be
eyeing her fourth straight title, when she will take on Victoria
Azarenka of Belarus in the summit clash today. SAVVY HASAN KHAN,
FOR AIR NEWS."
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It was a 'red letter day' for the Indian mountaineering
fraternity as nine more climbers from North East India scaled the Mount
Everest and raised the tricolor yesterday. Tsering Wange, president of
Arunachal Mountaineering and Adventure Sports Association (AMASA)
informed today that the climbers started their summit push from the
South Col at 8 pm Friday night and climbed the whole night to reach the roof top of the world at 5.50 am Nepal standard time yesterday.
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A Chinese man kidnapped 23 years ago at the age of
five and sold to a family 1,500km from his home, has been reunited with
his family again, using Google Maps. Luo Gang, 28, from Sichuan
province, was abducted and taken to Fujian province. {}<><><>{}
