1400 HRS. 

10th May, 2013

THE HEADLINES:

• Supreme Court sets aside Orissa High Court order quashing State Government decision to allot mining licence to South Korean firm Posco.

• India and China  should be able to resolve border issues much quicker in the future; says External Affaires Minister.

• AICC team arrives in Bangalore  to oversee state Congress Legislative Party meeting to elect new Chief Minister.  

• Industrial growth surges 2.5 per cent in March compared to a contraction of 2.8 per cent in the same month last year.

• Death toll in Bangladesh building collapse crosses 1,000.

• Sensex gains over 140 points in afternoon trade.

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The Supreme Court today set aside the Orissa High Court's order which had quashed the state government's decision to allot iron ore licence to South Korean steel major Posco in Khandadhar hills. A Bench headed by Justice R M Lodha asked the Centre to consider all the objections raised by various parties pertaining to the mega steel plant and take a decision. The Orissa High Court, on July 14, 2010, on the petition of Geomin Minerals, had set aside the state government's decision. The state government of Orissa challenged the orders of the High Court which has quashed the notification issuing iron ore mining licenses in over 2,500 hectares in the Khandadhar hills in Sundergarh district to Posco. The state government in January 2009 had recommended Posco to the central government for granting prospective licence for Khandadhar iron ore reserves. The Court was hearing cross appeals filed by the state government and a mine and mineral company challenging the Orissa High Court's order on the issue of iron ore mines.

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External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said today that China and India should examine the recent border stand off in Depsang Valley in Ladakh and be able to resolve such incidents much quicker in the future. Mr. Khurshid, who is in Beijing to hold talks with the Chinese leadership, told state-run CCTV in an interview that both sides have reasons to express satisfaction for resolving the issue, through mechanism put in place over the years. He made the comment while replying to a question about the 20-day stand off between the two sides after Chinese troops pitched tents in Daulat Beig Oldi sector in Ladakh. On the importance of the forthcoming visit of new Chinese Premier Li Keqiang to India, making it the first stop of his maiden foreign tour, Mr. Khurshid said, clearly if China thinks that their Premier should make the first stop in India, understandably, India feels the same way that China should have the highest billing. Yesterday, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi, during his meeting with Khurshid, discussed Li's visit to India from May 19th.

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AICC observers led by senior party leader A K Antony arrived in Bangalore today to oversee the Legislative Party meeting of the Congress for choosing the new Chief Minister of Karnataka. Among the observors are state incharge Madhusudan Mistry, former Chief Minister of Goa, Luizinho Faleiro and Union Minister Jitendra Singh.  Congress sources say that the Observers will hear the views of legislators on the probable candidate for the post of Chief Minister. More from our Correspondent.
 
"There is sea of activities infront of Congress office in Bangalore. The arrival of wining candidates from the KPCC office evoked victory shouts from Congress supporters who have gathered in large numbers here. The crowd and media persons are waiting in anticipation of the out come of the legislative party meeting that is in progress inside. Sources in the party  has said that visiting observers congratulated the wining candidate and there after holding one to one meeting with legislature seeking their opinion on the Chief Minister's candidate. With Devendra this is Sudhindra, AIR NEWS.The Congress has gained absolute majority by winning 121 seats in the recent election conducted for 223 Assembly constituencies in the state.

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President Pranab Mukherjee has said that innovation will be the key for all future growth. Addressing the 4th convocation of the Baba Saheb Bhimrao AmbedkarCentral University in Lucknow today, he said that education should be the medium for social change and progress.
 
"The progress made by us in the higher Education sector is significant that there are over six hundred fifty degree giving institutions and over thirty three thousands colleges in the country. During the eleven five year plan period sixty five new central institutions including twenty one central universities were established."
Stressing the need for quality education in India the President said that we have to develop our institutions to world level, so that two lakh Indian students who are studying abroad, are not compelled to go out from the country.  Later in the evening today, the President is scheduled to address a convocation of the Ganesh  Shankar Vidyarthi Memorial Medical college in Kanpur.

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In Madhya Pradesh, several parts of the state are facing heat wave conditions. Our Bhopal Correspondent reports that the mercury has crossed 42 degree celsius in several places.   
    
"Sun is spewing fire in several parts of state forcing people to remain indoors during the day time. Damoh, Naugaon and Khajuraho recorded maximum temperature of 45 degrees during the last 24 hours.  More than two dozen district recorded maximum temperature of more than 42 degrees.  In capitalBhopal streets wore a deserted look in the day. The Met Department has predicted that the temperature will increase in the coming days."Shariq Noor, AIR News, Bhopal.An intense heat wave is sweeping entire Uttar Pradesh. Allahabad remained the hottest place in the state where the maximum temperature was recorded 5 notches above normal at 46.3 degrees Celsius during the past 24 hours. The maximum temperature is varying between 40 to 43 degrees Celsius in most parts of the district. Normal life is badly hampered due to the soaring temperature and hot wind. A report from our Gorakhpur Correspondent:
   
"The blazing sun has compelled to people to remain indoors. Acute shortage of electricity in cities has caused drinking water crisis in city areas. People are coming out after covering their faces and body parts. Cases of heat strokes are also coming to hospitals. Voluntary organisation have arranged shelters and drinking water stall in cities to provide relief to people. "Salman Haider/ Gorakhpur/air newS."

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The Uttar Pradesh government has provided an ex-gratia payment of 50,000 rupees each to 41 families affected by Japanese Encephalitis in Gorakhpur. The Chief Medical Officer, Dr M P Singh distributed the cheques to 41 families belonging to Bhathat, Pipraich and Chargawan blocks. These include families in which a member has either died or has developed permanent disability due to Encephalitis. According to data available, over 20,000 patients of Japanese Encephalitis have died in the Terai region of Uttar Pradesh since 1978 when the disease surfaced in the area for the first time.

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Showing signs of recovery, the country's industrial output rose 2.5 per cent in March this year, on better performance of the manufacturing, power and capital goods sectors. Industrial production had contracted 2.8 percent in March last year.  The manufacturing sector, which constitutes over 75 percent of the Index of Industrial production, grew 3.2 per cent in March this year, according to official data released today. Power generation grew 3.5 per cent in March, and capital goods output rose 6.9 percent during the month. But factory output measured in terms of the index of industrial production grew just one per cent in the 2012-13 fiscal, compared to a growth of 2.9 per cent in the previous fiscal.

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The death toll in Bangladesh's worst industrial accident has crossed 1,000 , as recovery teams continue to find more bodies in the wreckage. The eight-storeyRana Plaza factory building  in Dhaka, collapsed on the 24th of April.  Authorities say about 2,500 people were injured in the accident and 2,437 people were rescued. The recovery operation is expected to finish today. The rubble will be shifted by bulldozers. Army Captain Shahnewaz Zakaria told reporters that 130 more bodies had been recovered from the rubble since yesterday morning.

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British prime minister David Cameron will fly to Russia to meet President Vladimir Putin today, as diplomatic efforts intensify to tackle the crisis in Syria. Russia has been a key ally of the Syrian president Bashar-al-Assad and has provided his forces with military support, while Britain and the United States have backed the rebels. However, Russia and the US have now agreed to a need for an international peace conference by the end of the month.

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The United States of America today said that it looks forward to a transparent and fair electoral process in Pakistan. The statement comes a day ahead of  Saturday's general elections in Pakistan. The State Department's acting deputy spokesperson Patrik Ventrell said in a press briefing that these elections will mark an important historic democratic transition,  of which the people of Pakistan can be very proud. He said that the US does not support any particular political party or individual candidate, and looks forward to engaging with the next democratically elected government.

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Union Information and broadcasting Minister Manish Tiwari today presented the Dada Saheb Phalke award to veteran Bollywood actor Pran this afternoon at his home in Mumbai. Union government had declared the award for Pran on April 12. The Minister visited his residence to present him the award as Pran could not travel to Delhi to receive the award due to ill health. The 93-years old actor has worked in films for 65 years and has to his credit about 350 films. Even the negative roles played by him, were appreciated by the audience. Mr Tiwari expressed great pleasure in honouring the veteran doyen of Hindi cinema.

"It's indeed a great honour for me that I have the opportunity of presenting the award to somebody whom we grew up watching on the screen."

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The Election Commission today held an all-party meeting to discuss the new Voter Verifiable Paper Audit Trail System, which will be used in electronic voting machines.  The system will release a printed-paper slip displaying the name of the candidate, a voter has cast his vote to. Talking to the media in New Delhi, BJP leader, Mukhtar Abbas Naqvi said, the party has asked the Commission to use Electronic Voting Machines, EVMs, fitted with the paper trail system in the ensuing Assembly elections and the next general elections.  Telugu Desam Party Chief N Chandrababu Naidu said, his party has requested the Election Commission to call an all-party meeting to discuss paid news, criminalization of politics and other issues.    

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Chemists across the national capital are observing a strike today against the Centre's new drug policy. They are demanding that no reduction should be made in trade margins as proposed in the policy. Terming the policy as unrealistic, they are also opposed to reduced profit margins of the chemists, maintenance preion records and installation of air conditioners in shops. In Odisha, about 17,000 medical shops remained closed today following the nation-wide strike.           

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In Uttarakhand, seven persons were killed and 16 other injured when a bus in which they travelling, fell into a gorge near Chowki Dagar of Kirti Nagar Block in Tehri district today. The injured have been admitted to Base Hospital in Srinagar- Garhwal, where the condition of a few is stated to be critical.

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The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange rose 28 points, or 0.1 percent, to 19,967 in early trade, this morning, on fresh buying by funds and retail investors, ahead of industrial output data. Later, after the release of the industrial data, the Sensex gained considerably more ground, and stood 141 points, or 0.7 percent in positive territory, to regain the 20,000 mark, at 20,080, in afternoon trade, a short while ago.  Other Asian markets in Japan, China, Taiwan, South Korea, Hong Kongand Singapore were trading mixed today. The US Dow Jones Industrial Average had ended 0.2 per cent lower in yesterday's trade.

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The rupee trimmed its initial losses today but still it quoted  down by 22 paise to 54.47 per dollar. In the early trade, it lost 32 paise against the dollar due to appreciation of the US currency. However, it recovered slightly due to some selling by exporters to quote 54.47 per dollar.