1400 HRS
13th January, 2013

THE HEADLINES

• Pakistani Army again resorts to heavy firing in Krishna Ghati sector along the Line of Control in Jammu and Kashmir last night.
• Three Maoists reported killed in an encounter with security forces near Bhadrachalam on Chhattisgarh-Andhra Pradesh border.
• Eight Telecom Operators to pay eight thousand crore rupees as Spectrum fee by Tuesday.
• In Mali, French air force stops the advance of Islamist rebels, driving them out of Konna.

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In Jammu and Kashmir, Pakistani Army again resorted to heavy firing on eight pickets in Krishna Ghati sector along the Line of Control (LoC) in Poonch district last night creating fresh tension. The firing started as Indian troops guarding the LOC observed movement of six to seven persons trying to head towards Indian territory. Defence spokesman Col RK Palta told our Jammu correspondent that Indian troops from their forward posts observed movement of 6 to 7 infiltrators heading towards Indian territory in Krishna Ghati sector at 9.25 pm. The troops opened fire to neutralize the infiltrators and the exchange of firing lasted for about 40 minutes. The spokesperson added that after firing by the Indian troops, movement of the infiltrators was not observed. He said there were no reports of casualties or damage on the Indian side.

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In Kashmir valley militants have again targeted Panchayat members and critically injured a lady Sarpanch in Sopur area. Zona Bano was fired at in her house last evening at village Hardshiva. She was shifted to hospital in Sri Nagar in a critical condition. It was the second attack on the panchayat member in the area within two days. Meanwhile, a labourer was also killed by unidentified militants in Aglar village of Pulwama district. The spate of fresh killings has come amid skirmish between India and Pakistani forces on line of control in recent days.

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In Andhra Pradesh, three Maoists are reported killed in an encounter with security forces in Nimmalagudem forest area in Khammam district this morning. According to district police, the police who were on combing operations encountered a group of Maoists. Initial reports said that during the cross firing eight Maoists reportedly got injured. The details are awaited.

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The Jharkhand Governor is likely to send a second status report to the Centre soon as the Congress and RJD seek more time for exploring the possibility for formation of a new Government in the state. In their separate meetings, the leaders of these parties urged the Governor not to dissolve the state Assembly. However, a delegation of left parties and the legislature party leader of AJSU, Sudesh Mahto, during their meeting with the Governor, favoured dissolution of the Assembly and holding of fresh elections. The Jharkhand Vikas Morcha Chief Babulal Marandi has also called for holding a fresh election in the state. The Arjun Munda Government while resigning had also recommended to the Governor to dissolve the Assembly after it was reduced to a minority following withdrawal of support by the JMM on the 8th of this month.

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Telecom operators have to pay the first instalment amounting over 8,000 crore one-time spectrum fee by Tuesday. Talking to AIR, Telecom Secretary R Chandrasekhar said that all the 8 telecom companies have to pay a total of 8,115.68 crore rupees. Vodafone has to pay around 2,093 crore rupees, followed by Airtel 1,758 crore rupees, BSNL 1,282.98 crore rupees and MTNL 916 crore rupees. In the case of Idea Cellular the amount is 810 crore rupees, Aircel 584 crore rupees, Loop Mobile 607 crore rupees and Reliance Communications about 63 crore rupees.

Our Correspondent reports that in November last year, the Government had decided that the telecom operators should pay for holding spectrum above 6.2 MHz retrospectively, from July 2008 to January 1, 2013. Initially, telecom firms were given 4.4 MHz spectrum along with the licence fee 1,658 crore rupees for their pan-India operations and later they were entitled to get additional 1.8 MHz on fulfillment of subscriber-based criteria.

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A local court in New Delhi will take up for cognisance tomorrow the charge sheet in the allocation of additional spectrum during the NDA regime. The charge sheet has named three telecom firms -- Bharti Cellular and two Vodafone firms as accused in the case in which the Department of Telecommunication (DoT) had allegedly allocated the additional spectrum resulting in the loss of Rs 846 crore to the exchequer.

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In Haryana, pronouncing his decision, Haryana Assembly Speaker Kuldeep Sharma today held as legal the merger of five MLAs of Haryana Janhit Congress . These five MLA`s Satpal Sangwan, Vinod Bhyana, Narender Singh, Zile Ram and Dharam Singh had joined Congress and helped the party in the formation of the Government in the State in 2009. The speaker had kept the decision reserved on Jan 3 after the final arguments were completed during hearing of the case. HJC Chief Kuldeep Bishnoi has decided to move court against speaker's order.

Notably, HJC had sought disqualification of these five members of the State Legislative Assembly from the membership of Vidhan Sabha under the 10th Scheduled of the Constitution for defecting the HJC and joining the Congress.

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akistan has agreed to hold brigadier level flag meeting tomorrow afternoon in Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir, Army PRO Col Jagdeep Dahiya told AIR today.

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In Mali, French air power has stopped the advance by Islamist rebels. Malian Defence Ministry spokesman told the media that the rebels have been driven out of Konna. The Islamist fighters who are in control of the north of the country since last March, had been threatening to push south. French President Francois Hollande has hailed the success of the operation, but ordered tighter security at home in case of reprisal attacks from Islamic extremists.

Military sources and witnesses in Mali said that more than 100 people including rebels and Government soldiers have been killed during French air strikes and fighting over the strategic town of Konna. Meanwhile, many African nations pledged troops on the ground, some as early as today. Britain has also promised technical support to the French intervention in Mali, but will not deploy any personnel in combat role.

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The Srilankan President Mahinda Rajapakse has dismissed Chief Justice Shirani Bandaranayake by ratifying parliament's recent vote to impeach her. Officials say, the letter signed by President Mahinda Rajapakse was delivered to Bandaranayake's office. The parliament, dominated by Mr Rajapakse's supporters, impeached her on suspicion of corruption - an allegation she denies. Bandaranayake, 54, faced an 11-member parliamentary committee in November which investigated 14 charges of financial and official misconduct against her. She was found guilty of professional misconduct the following month.

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The festival Lohri is being celebrated across the country specially in north India today. The festival marks the end of the cold chilly winter and welcomes the arrival of spring. The festival is considered to be important for newborns, new weds and for the farmers who offer their prayers to Sun God and fire God for a prosperous year ahead.

Our Correspondent reports that traditional dance and folk song programmes are being organized in different parts of the national capital. On this day, they light a bon fire in the evening and dance around it.

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One day before Makar Sankranti, an estimated 2.5 lakh pilgrims took the holy dip at Gangasagar, the confluence of the Ganga river with the Bay of Bengal, till this morning. Official sources said that thousands of pilgrims braving fog and chilling conditions,began taking the the dip since last midnight.

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In Uttar Pradesh the Kumbh Mela 2013 at Allahabad begins formally with its first bathing festival tomorrow. Mela administration has said that over one crore people would take a holy dip on the auspicious occasion of Makar Sankranti. More from our Correspondent:-

All Akharas from Dashnami, Bairagi and Udasin sects have reached at their camps into the Mela area. Shahi Entry of these Akharas to the Mela has been completed on Saturday with the Peshwai of Sri Panchayati Nirmal Akhara from Udasin sect. Above 20 bathing Ghats have been developed on the bank of river Ganga and the Sangam the confluence of river Ganga, Yamuna and mythical Saraswati for first bathing festival of Kumbh. First royal bathing of the Akharas would also be held on this occasion. Sunil Shukla, AIR News, Allahabad.

Kumbh Mela 2013 is spread over in the area of about 6000 hectare and it is more than 40 to 50 percent area in the comparison Kumbh and Ardh Kumbh Mela of 2007 and 2001.

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In Gujarat, 25th International Kite Festival kicked off this morning at Sabarmati River front in Ahmedabad this morning with Chief Minister Narendra Modi formally inaugurating the colorful annual festival.

Our Ahmedabad Correspondent reports that apart from 100 foreign kite flyers, more than 150 kite flyers from 10 different states of the country are participating in this event. For the first time, International Kite Festival has also been celebrated in some other cities of the state during the last one week.

Blue sky of Sabarmati river in Ahmedabad has been covered with colorful kites of different size and shapes- as more than 100 foreign kite flyers are enjoying kite flying with their Indian counterparts today. A record number of foreign kite flyers and kite makers from countries like UK, France, Italy, Singapore, Switzerland, Spain, Netherlands, Brazil, South Korea, Indonesia, Vietnam and Philippines are participating in the kite festival. International Kite festival has not only kept the kite flying tradition alive in Gujarat, but also boost the state economy in many folds. Yogesh Pandya, AIR News, Ahmedabad.

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In Tamil Nadu the rail link to Rameswaram has been disrupted following damage to the century-old railway bridge near Pamban coast when a barge towing a naval ship drifted and collided with it. Railway officials said that a part of the railway line on the British era bridge was damaged, forcing them to terminate trains from Chennai and other places to Rameshwaram at Mandapam. They said the damage to the railway line was being assessed and it would take some time before it was repaired.

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The Arab League Ministerial Council is meeting in Cairo today to discuss the situation in Syria and ways and means to increase the humanitarian assistance to the Syrian refugees. Ahead of the meet Lebanon has indicated that it will press for aid worth $180 million to assist Syrian refugees who have fled to Lebanon. Meanwhile Qatar Prime Minister has called for an Arab peacekeeping force to be sent to Syria to end the conflict there.

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In Cairo, unknown attackers threw petrol bombs at tents housing protesters outside the Egyptian presidential palace and fired rubber bullets at security forces, injuring at least 15 people. Officials and witnesses said four tents were burnt in the attacks and several protesters injured. According to the interior ministry one police officer and six soldiers were also wounded by rubber bullets. The Protesters opposing an Islamist-backed constitution have camped outside the residence of President Mohamed Mursi for weeks. Mursi had signed into law the first constitution since the overthrow of Hosni Mubarak in a 2011 revolution. The Constitution, which Mursi fast-tracked through parliament and a national referendum, was fiercely opposed by many of the liberals, secularists and leftists.

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In Japan, world's oldest living woman Koto Okubo has died at the age of 115. She had assumed the title of being world's oldest woman only last month. A Kawasaki City official said that Okubo died yesterday at a nursing home in the city. He said her relatives declined to release the cause of her death and family details. Born on 24th December 1897, Okubo held her title for less than a month following the death of Dina Manfredini of the United States.