0815 HRS  

5th January , 2013

THE HEADLINES:

• Home Minister says  there was a general consensus to redefine the juvenile age from 18 years to 16 years in view of rape cases.
• Supreme Court seeks response from Centre and state governments for disqualifying legislators chargesheeted for rape and crimes against women.
• Election Commission reviews poll preparation ahead of Assembly elections in Nagaland.
• Indo-American pair of Sania Mirza and Bethanie Mattek Sands to play their women's doubles title clash at the Brisbane International today.

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Home Minister says that there was a general consensus in the meeting of Chief Secretaries and Directors General of Police of States in New Delhi to redefine the juvenile age from 18 years to 16 years to deal with the growing cases of sexual assault. Talking to reporters yesterday after the meeting, Sushil Kumar Shinde also impressed upon the states to increase women's representation in police force across the country. Mr Shinde announced that 10 women police constables and two sub inspectors will be  posted soon in every police station in Delhi to ensure better protection of women.  

He mentioned that there was a unanimity on the need for setting up fast-track courts in every state for speedy disposal of cases of sexual assault on women. Mr Shinde pointed out that some states favoured intensifying vigil through various ways, including motorcycle patrolling.

"Specifically, we have called them to be strict, vigilant as far as the women's harassment is concerned. And we have also told them to increase the patrol cars motorcycle patrol."

On death penalty in rape cases, the Home Minister said all suggestions put forward by the Chief Secretaries and DGPs would be considered by the Government. He said by April 2013, important citizen services will be launched.

The key component of any government project are the people of the country and with this mind, By April 2013, we will launch important citizen services, like online registration of complaints, tracking of FIR."

Home Secretary R K Singh said that officers who refuse to lodge FIRs in such cases should be suspended immediately.         

"There should not be any hesitation in promptly suspending any officer who refuses to lodge an FIR. Any refusal must immediately merit suspension."

The day-long conference convened by the Centre in the wake of the gang rape of a girl in Delhi, discussed threadbare various ways to check crime against women and take steps for their protection.

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After initially declining to hear a plea for disqualification of MPs and MLAs chargesheeted for rape and other crimes against women, the Supreme Court has
sought response from the Centre and state governments for  removing such legislators as people's representatives. A bench comprising justices K S Radhakrishnan and Dipak Misra, which had agreed to go into issues of fast track trial of rape cases and implementation of laws for safety of women, had earlier preferred not to go into the issue of legislators saying it was not in their jurisdiction.     

The apex court, which was hearing two PILs filed after the December 16 gangrape incident, also decided to go into the plea for seeking direction for termination of services of police and government officials who are convicted of charges of rape and other heinous crimes against women and children.

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The Supreme Court has called for a complete overhaul  of the system for curbing the spurt in crime against women, including rape and sexual harassment.

A bench of justices P Sathasivam and Ranjan Gogoi said that crime against women have increased despite stringent legislation to prevent other offences like bride burning, cruelty and suicide.    

The observation was made while upholding the conviction and life imprisonment awarded to two women and their mother who had burnt the victim to death.

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In Assam, 3 CRPF personnel were suspended for their alleged involvement in molestation of a woman at Chouldhowa area in Lakhimpur district. The Superintendent of Police of the district said that, a Special Investigation Team, SIT has been formed to look into the matter. One CRPF Havildar Mohan Singh was arrested yesterday for allegedly molesting the woman. Meanwhile, people from various walks of life condemned the incident and demanded stringent action against the culprits. Protest rallies were also held in Guwahati.

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The full bench of Election Commission has reviewed the poll preparedness in Nagaland, ahead of the upcoming Assembly Elections in the state. While interacting with media at Dimapur, Chief Election Commissioner VS Sampath said,  free and fair general elections will be held in Nagaland soon before the tenure of the assembly expires on the 18th of March this year. He said, the Commission is satisfied with the preparedness of the state for conduct of elections. The CEC also directed the transport commissioner to ensure that election vehicles are available particularly for the deficit districts.

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Iran has strongly pitched for deeper bilateral ties and increased cooperation in security and economic area with India, saying both countries face common threats and interests. Iran also stressed on the importance of the Chabahar Port and the energy security that it could provide vis-a-vis gas and oil. Talking to reporters inNew Delhi yesterday, Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council of Iran Saeed Jalili said, the future of the relationship between the two countries is very good and bilateral ties will grow. Asked if nuclear cooperation was part of the talks with his Indian counterpart National Security Adviser Shivshakar Menon during his three-day official visit, he said, nuclear issue was not part of discussion. Jalili added that Tehran believes the nuclear issue is important.

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Leaders of Sudan and South Sudan met in the Ethiopian capital Addis Ababayesterday in a fresh attempt to defuse tensions between the two countries. The talks are aimed at restarting the  cross-border flow of oil which could generate revenue badly needed by both nations. No details emerged as Sudan's Omar Hassan al-Bashir and South Sudan's Salva Kiir met in the presence of the Ethiopian Prime Minister who is trying to mediate between the two neighbors who came close to war in April.

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Intense cold claimed 21 lives in North India as temperatures plummeted to sub-zero levels at many places in the region.

Cold wave tightened its grip across Kashmir Valley as minimum temperatures plunged further with Srinagar witnessing the coldest night of the season at minus 4.3 degrees Celsius.

Eight people were killed due to cold in Punjab, Haryana and Chandigarh where the mercury dipped three notches below normal in most places. Hisar in Haryana remained the coldest place with a temperature of 1.9 degree celcius.

Bone chilling cold wave also continued in Himachal Pradesh. In Uttar Pradesh cold wave continues unabated as 13 more people succumbed to the chill in the state, taking the death toll this winter to 129.   More from our Correspondent

"Met office sources said that the maximum temperatures recorded were below normal by 5 to 10 degree Celsius over many parts of the state. More than 180 trains were running late on Friday due to inclement weather. Lots of trains were partially cancelled between stations witnessing fog. Night temperature continues to be at below  average of minimum in Gorakhpur,Varanasi, Allahabad, Kanpur, Lucknow and most of the western divisions. The Met department predicts dry weather and dense fog over many parts of the state, which would bring down the visibility to 50 meters or less, in the next two days. Merajuddin, AIR News, Lucknow.

The capital Delhi recorded the season's lowest minimum of 2.7 degrees Celsius yesterday.   

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Indraprastha Gas Limited, IGL has increased the price of CNG by one rupee and 55 paise per kilogram in Delhi. In other parts of the National Capital Region including Noida, Greater Noida and Ghaziabad, it has been increased by one rupee and 80 paise per kilogram. With this the new rate of CNG in Delhi  will be 39 rupees and 90 paise per kilogram. IGL said that the price of CNG has been revised primarily due to an increase in the overall input cost of natural gas being sourced by the company.

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India's Sania Mirza and her American partner Bethanie Mattek Sands will play their Women's Doubles title clash of the Brisbane International Tennis tournament inAustralia today. For the first title of the new season, the unseeded Indo-American pair will clash with German-Czech combination of Anna-Lena Groenefeld and Kveta Peschke.

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The Men's Singles and the Men's Doubles semi-final matches of the Chennai Open Tennis tournament will be played today. In the Men's Singles semi-final, Roberto Bautista-Agut of Spain will clash with Frenchman Benoit Paire, while Serbia's Janko Tipsarevic will take on Aljaz Bedene of Slovenia.

In the Men's Doubles semifinals, the German pair of Andre Begemann and Martin Emmrich will meet the Thai duo of Sanchai Ratiwatana and Sonchat Ratiwatana, while the American-South African combination of Nicholas Monroe and Raven Klaasen will play the Swiss-French pair of Stanislas Wawrinka and Benoit Paire.

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Today's Newspapers Headlines

Many leading dailies today have reported on the Apathetic attitude of the police and the public, in an interview given by the friend of the Delhi gang rape victim to a TV news channel. "Rape victims friend appears on TV, slams police, 'apathetic public'" reports the Indian Express. "Three PCRs wasted 30 minutes arguing about jurisdiction" reports the Times of India and adds that the cops did not lift the victim and that her friend had to lift her with his injuries.

The lowering of the age bar for juvenile delinquents from 18 to 16 at a high level meeting has also been highlighted by the newspapers. "Few takers for death penalty; many states want 16 as juvenile age bar", notes the Hindu. The Tribune adds "No consensus on death for rapists".

"While the entire country agitated over the Delhi gang rape, RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has said, rapes are mainly prevalent in urban India due to western influence and that such crimes do not happen in Bharat - rural areas", reports the Hindu. The Asian Age notes "RSS Boss, BJP draw flak for shockers".

The continuing cold wave in North India finds a mention in major news dailies. "It's close to freezing and there is no respite insight" reports the Hindustan Times. The Times of India notes "Delhi at 2.7 degrees celsius, Gurgaon 0.7 degrees celsius".

Indian Space Scientists' tryst with Mars will begin with the launch of a probe in October to explore the red planets atmosphere and search for life sustaining elements, reports the Pioneer.

Newspapers like the Hindu and the Asian Age have displayed on their front page a photograph of the 15-year old Pakistan activist Malala Yousafzai, who was shot in the head by the Taliban last October for advocating girls' education, emerging from the queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham on Thursday after she was temporarily discharged.

The Asian Age reports that Indian-American physician Ami Bera and the first Hindu US legislator Ms. Tulsi Gabbard on Friday were sworn in as newly elected members of the US House of Representatives. Ms. Tulsi Gabbard is the first to take oath of office in the US on the Bhagwad Geeta.

And finally, the Asian Age reports with the photograph of musicians playing John Lennon's Imagine in a memorial tribute to the 23-year old gang rape victim during a mass guitar Ensemble comprising 600 guitarists in Darjeeling on Thursday. The musical tribute to the gang rape victim was a bid to spread "Hope, peace and promise".