0815 HRS.

6^th November, 2013

THE HEADLINES:

• NIA claims to have solved Bodh Gaya blasts case with the recovery of a document from Ranchi.
• CBI arrests BJP MP Dinu Bogha Solanki in RTI activist murder case.
• Finance Minister exudes confidence that Country's current account deficit will be contained below 60 billion dollars this fiscal.
• India-Bangladesh joint retreat ceremony to be launched today at Petrapole-Benapole Border in West Bengal.
• Syria peace conference delayed as concerned parties fail to finalize date.
• First test match between India and West Indies to kick off in Kolkata this morning.

{}<><>{}

The National Investigation Agency, NIA claims to have solved the July 7th Bodh Gaya blasts conspiracy with the recovery of a document from Ranchi that details the entire planning. The NIA found from a lodge in Hindpidih area of Ranchi a chart that listed the men who allegedly planted 13 bombs in the temple complex of Bodh Gaya. Suspected Indian Mujahideen terrorists were staying in the lodge. The document shows that the blasts were planned by Indian Mujahideen's Tehsin Akhtar and Haidar Ali and included the same planters as in the October 27 Patna blasts. It also includes the name of Imtiaz Ansari, arrested after one of the bombs exploded at the Patna railway station.  A report:
 
Ranchi police and NIA are looking for more than 120 terror suspects, youth of Indian Mujahideen in the city and adjoining areas. Now, it is clear that not only the serial blasts of Patna  on 27th October and Bodh Gaya temple blast on 7th July but many other terror activities of other states were also planned and executed by suspected terrorists of Ranchi. An IG level officer of NIA has arrived in Ranchi to further probe the Ranchi module of IM which has grown massively over the last few years. Rajesh Sinha, AIR News, Ranchi.

                {}<><>{}  
                     

The BJP has alleged that the serial blasts at its rally in Patna were an attempt to liquidate the party leadership, including prime ministerial candidate Narendra Modi. The party demanded the Centre to take adequate measures to provide fool-proof security to Mr Modi. The BJP Parliamentary Board, which met in New Delhi last evening, took a serious note of the blasts at the Patna rally on October 27 which claimed six lives.

     {}<><>{}    

The Central Bureau of Investigation, CBI has arrested BJP MP from Junagarh, Dinu Bogha Solanki in connection with the murder of RTI activist Amit Jethwa. Earlier, Mr. Solanki  was questioned by a special team  CBI  in New Delhi and later he was booked by the agency. He was earlier given a clean chit by Gujarat Police. CBI had registered a case on the directions of the Gujarat High Court which in its order had criticized the state police for their shoddy investigations in the murder case. Amit Jethwa, an RTI and environment activist, was shot dead outside the Gujarat High Court in July 2010. 

{}<><>{}

Delhi Police has arrested Bahujan Samaj Party MP, Dhananjay Singh and his wife in connection with murder of their 35-year old maid. The 38-year MP, who already faces charges of murder, extortion and other offences under the Gangsters Act, was arrested yesterday on the charges of destruction of evidence in the case and mercilessly torturing another minor domestic help with sticks and rods.

{}<><>{}

Finance Minister P. Chidambaram has exuded confidence that the country's current account deficit will be contained below 60 billion dollar this financial year as against an earlier estimate of 70 billion dollars. Talking to  a Private TV channel, Mr. Chidambaram said inflation is a problem and food items like grains, fruit and vegetables are driving it. He said, the Government  will contain the fiscal deficit below the budgeted figure of 4.8 percent of the GDP.

 {}<><>{} 

Deputy Chairman of Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia has said that the worst is probably over for the Indian economy. He told reporters in New Delhi yesterday that the economy will perform better in the second half of this fiscal. Dr Ahluwalia said, the core sector performance does give some sign in this regard.

{}<><>{}

The second round of tripartite talks between the Centre, Assam government and the organizations demanding separate states will begin in New Delhi today. The talks will continue till the 12th of this month. Assam Home Secretary Mukti Gogoi said that the first meeting will be held with the Joint Action Committee for Autonomous State which is demanding an autonomous state merging Karbi Anglong and Dima Hasao district under Article 244 (A). More from our correspondent:
 
The core issue of the tripartite talks will be demand of separate states. In the second round, the centre and the Assam government will hold discussions with several organizations on the demands of Bodoland and Kamatapur states. Leaders of the organizations said, they will try to convince the centre why they need separate states.  The first round of talks was held in September in a positive atmosphere. Manas Pratim Sarma, AIR News, Guwahati.

{}<><>{}

In Andhra Pradesh, ruling Congress party has sent multiple reports to the Group of Ministers over bifurcation issues while some parties did not respond to its letter. The last date for giving a response ended yesterday. The GoM had written to eight political parties to send their responses on 11 issues that the GoM is considering with respect to the bifurcation of the state. State Congress President Satyanarayana has sent two different reports to the GoM last evening as the party leaders from both Telangana and Seemandhra insisted to send their views to the GoM. Leaders from Telangana region prepared a detailed report on sharing of resources, employees and law and order in favour of bifurcation, while the leaders from rest of the state insist there was no need to send responses under reference as they favoured united Andhra.  The next meeting of the GoM is scheduled for tomorrow.

        {}<><>{}

Congresss has released the second list of 82 candidates for Madhya Pradesh assembly elections. 48 new faces find place in the list. The party has denied ticket to seven sitting MLAs. A report from our correspondent:
  
Congress party has given ticket to Digvijay Singh’s son Jayverdhan Singh from Raghogarh. Now Congress has announced its 197 candidates for the 230 member state assembly. BJP has declared 147 candidates and its second list is likely to be announced today. Nominations would be filed till 8th of this month in the state. A total of 361 nominations have been filed so far. Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan filed his nomination papers from Budhni assembly segment. Shariq Noor, AIR News, Bhopal.

{}<><>{} 

The BJP has released its first list of 176 candidates for Rajasthan Assembly Elections. 30 women candidates find place in the list. Former Chief Minister and State BJP President Vasundhara Raje will contest from her traditional Jhalrapatan seat. 
  

{}<><>{}

The United Nations led talks between the US, Russia, France, Britain, China and the four neighboring countries of Syria have failed to set a date for an international peace conference to resolve the crisis in Syria. However, the UN Special envoy of Syria sounded a note of optimism saying all is not over yet. More from our West Asia Correspondent:
 

Despite three rounds of talks, no agreement could be arrived at when should the Geneva-II peace conference be held. The talks broke down over the role of the Syrian President Bashar-al- Assad and participation of Iran at the conference. Syrian opposition and the western nations say President Assad must step down and Iran can’t be a party to the negotiations. Syrian regime has ruled out any possibility of President Assad handing over power and Russia insists Iran must be part of any talks.The focus is on the roadmap for a sustains political transition adopted last year in Geneva. Atul Tiwary, AIR News, Dubai.

{}<><>{}

With only three days to go for the third attempt at Presidential elections in Maldvies, Progressive Party of the Maldives and Jumhooree Party have once again questioned the accuracy of the re-registration process and threatened not to sign the voter lists. President Waheed has called a meeting of all the candidates in his office today to discuss the issue. The United States and India have called on Maldives to hold the polls before the constitutional deadline of the 11th of this month, fearing political violence in the country.

{}<><>{}

A joint retreat ceremony between India and Bangladesh will be launched at Petrapole-Benapole Border in West Bengal today. Union Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde and his Bangladeshi counterpart Muhiuddin Khan Alamgir will be present on the occasion. The retreat ceremony is being launched on the lines of Attari-Wagha Border in Amritsar. Our correspondent reports that, the joint exercise is aimed at better cordial relations between the people of India and Bangladesh as well as two border guarding forces. 
 
For the first time in the history of India-Bangladesh  relations, the people of the two neighbouring countries will today get a chance to witness the ceremonial  lowering of their respective flags before sunset by their  border guarding forces. According to BSF, the Joint Retreat Ceremony will focus more on shared Bangla culture between the two Bengals to give a message of mutual understanding and harmony that exists between the two countries. Melinda Dias for AIR News Dhaka. 

{}<><>{}

Mahatma Gandhi's charkha that he used in Yerwada Jail during the Quit India Movement, was auctioned in the UK for over one crore rupees. The 8-decade old spinning wheel was sold for nearly double the expected price. Gandhi's last will was auctioned for over 19 lakh rupees at the specialist sale of historical documents and artefacts by the Mullock's Auction house in London yesterday. The auction house has refused to name the buyer.

{}<><>{}

    
The first cricket test of the two-match series between India and West Indies will begin today at Eden Gardens in Kolkata. All India Radio will broadcast a running commentary alternately in Hindi and English on the match. It can be heard from 8.30 AM on Rajdhani and FM Gold channels. This will be Sachin Tendulkar's penultimate Test match. Our Sports Desk has a report: 
  
After serving 24 years in the Cricket, legendary Batsman Sachin Tendulkar will play his farewell series. The penultimate Test match will be witnessed at the Kolkata's Eden Garden. Kolkata is pulling out all stops to give Sachin Tendulkar a grand farewell. The state sports ministry and the Cricket Association of Bengal have both made exhaustive arrangements to ensure a memorable send-off. A bigger-than-life wax statue of Sachin has been installed at the entrance of the dressing room. CAB will also present a silver 'banyan tree' with 199 gold leaves, at felicitation function on the final day. In the Midst of all the happenings Sachin Tendulkar is only focussed, determined for his performance more than anything. Meeqat Hashmi for Sports Desk.

{}<><>{}

Indian men's hockey team defeated Oman 3-0 to register their first win in the third Asian Champions Trophy at Kakamigahara, Japan. India will now play against Pakistan in their next league match tomorrow. 

{}<><>{}

NEWSPAPER HEADLINES

• The successful launch of the Mars mission has found coverage on the front pages of major newspapers this morning. Under the headline, "Mars, here we come", Hindustan Times writes that if the mission is successful, India will be the fourth country in the world and the first Asian country to reach Mars. The paper adds that at a cost of 450 crore rupees, India's Mars enterprise saw a reduced satellite assembly cost to a tenth of Nasa's.
• 152 Bangladeshi soldiers have been sentenced to death by a special court in one of the world's biggest-ever mass criminal trials for their role in the 2009 mutiny and massacre of 74 people, including top army officers, notes The Asian Age on its front page.
• Exiled Bangladeshi author Taslima Nasrin has lashed out at Aam Aadmi Party Chief Arvind Kejriwal following reports that Kejriwal had sought the support of Barelvi cleric Tauqeer Raza Khan who had issued a fatwa to behead Nasrin for criticizing Islamic practices, reports The Times of India.
• Mail Today writes that a detailed forensic analysis by the National Investigation Agency has nailed the Pakistan Government's imprint on fake Indian currency notes pumped into the country, adding that the paper used to print the counterfeit rupee notes is an excellent match with the legal tender of Pakistan.
• Around one-third of the global workforce employed in top IT companies is based in India - a sign of the fact that our country is virtually turning into the global IT headquarters, reports The Times of India.
• The Indian Express reports that Diwali pollution continues to envelop Delhi in a thick layer of smog even two days after the festival.
• And finally, US scientists claim to have developed a new cutting-edge software that predicts where burglaries are most likely to occur, anticipates crime patterns, especially the hot spots of crime, which can allow law enforcement agencies to engage in targeted prevention activities that could disrupt the cause of crime before it happens, writes The Times of India.

{}<><>{}

Explosions have been reported in China outside a Provincial office of the ruling Communist Party. The official Xinhua news agency said, the blasts in Taiyuan in Shanxi province were caused by a series of small devices. It said, one person had been injured. There are no other details so far.