0815 HRS
16th March, 2013

THE HEADLINES.

• No-Confidence motion against the Andhra Pradesh government moved in the state Assembly defeated by 142 to 58 votes.

• Petrol prices cut by 2 rupees a liter; no change in diesel prices.

• SEBI moves the Supreme Court seeking arrest of Subrata Roy of Sahara group following his failure to comply with court orders to refund money to investors.

• Airports across the country put on alert to prevent Italian Ambassador Daniele Mancini from leaving the country.

• Australia to resume their first innings at the overnight score of 273 for 7 against India in the third test at Mohali today.

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The no-confidence motion moved by the Telangana Rashtra Samithi and supported by the YSR Congress Party and others against the Congress government in Andhra Pradesh was defeated 142 to 58 votes. The division of votes was taken up in the Assembly past mid night after a marathon, 14-hour long debate. Speaker N Manohar declared that the No confidence motion moved by E Rajender had been defeated. Our correspondent reports that 64 members of the main opposition, TDP remained neutral.

With the main opposition party, Telugu Desam remained neutral over the no-confidence motion, the Kiran Kumar Reddy Government in Andhra Pradesh has sailed through comfortably on the expected lines. 142 members voted against the no-confidence motion in the House of 293-effective members. While 58 members including of TRS, YSR Congress, CPI, CPM and BJP voted in favour of the motion, 64 members mainly of the TDP remained neutral. The voting threw up few surprises with nine members of the Congress party and four of TDP violated party whips. 9-member MIM party and two members of TDP have been away from voting. Lakshmi, AIR News, Hyderabad.

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The Price of Petrol has been cut by 2 rupees per litre with effect from past mid-night, following a decline in international crude oil prices. The Indian Oil Corporation while announcing the price revision has said that there is no change in diesel price. The Price cut has also been implemented by all oil retailers including Hindustan Petroleum Corporation and Bharat Petroleum Corporation.

After including VAT, the reduction in price of petrol in Delhi comes to 2 rupees 40 paisa per litre while in Mumbai it comes to 2 rupees 52 paisa. Petrol will now cost 68 rupees 34 paisa in Delhi while 75 rupees 14 paisa in Mumbai. The cut in petrol price is likely to bring some relief for consumers.

Petrol prices have been hiked 21 times since the government deregulated the sector.

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Parliament has rejected the resolution passed by the Pakistan National Assembly on Thursday about the execution of Afzal Guru. The resolution passed unanimously by both Houses of Indian Parliament yesterday terms the Pakistani resolution as an interference in India's internal affairs. It calls upon Pakistan to desist from such acts of support to extremists and terrorist groups. The resolution reiterates that Jammu and Kashmir, including the territory under the illegal occupation of Pakistan is and shall always be an integral part of India.

India has called off the bilateral Hockey series between India and Pakistan which was due to be held from the 5th to the 15th of next month. The General Secretary of the Hockey India, Narendra Batra said that the decision has been taken on the instructions of the External Affairs Ministry.

The improvement in relations cannot be one-sided. I think, the other side establishment will also have to think about it. I am not going to blame Pakistan Hockey Federation but I don't think that India should be seen as a weak nation and, in hockey, we are not going to be affected.

A report from our correspondent:

Tensions between India and Pakistan are on the rise again following a series of provocation by Islamabad in the recent past. While the dust raised by the LoC incident is yet to settle down, the resolution passed by Pakistan National Assembly, a brazen interference in India's internal affairs, has added fuel to the fire. The response by the Indian Parliament, in kind, is a strong signal to Pakistan to stop meddling in India's internal affairs and work for the fulfillment of its promise not to allow its territory to be used by terrorists against India so that cordiality becomes the basis of bilateral relations. Ashok Handoo, AIR News, Delhi.

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Market Regulator SEBI has moved the Supreme Court seeking arrest of Sahara group promoter Subrata Roy Sahara and barring him from leaving the country after two companies of the group failed to comply with the court's order to refund 24,000 crore rupees to its investors. The Securities and Exchange Board of India yesterday mentioned the matter before a bench headed by Justice K S Radhakrishnan which agreed to hear its plea and posted the case for hearing in the first week of April. The regulator urged the court to allow it to take measures for the arrest and detention in civil prison of Subrata Roy Sahara and two directors Ashok Roy Choudhary and Ravi Shankar Dubey after giving reasonable opportunity of hearing. SEBI also sought direction that their passports be deposited with the Supreme court.

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Airports across the country have been put on alert to prevent Italian Ambassador Daniele Mancini from leaving the country. Talking to reporters outside Parliament, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid yesterday said the orders of the Supreme Court will be complied with by all government agencies. He said the matter will come up before the Apex Court again on Monday.

Whatever is normally necessary to do, in order to comply with Supreme Court judgements, is done by the government. That is the normal course could have been done. Now notice has been served. The Notice is being given for Monday. Let the proceedings take place on Monday, then we will know exactly what next step has to be taken.

The decision to alert the airports was taken by the Union Home Ministry a day after the apex court restrained the Italian Ambassador from leaving India without its permission. The court had taken exception to the Italian government's refusal to send back the two marines charged with the killing of two fishermen.

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President, Pranab Mukherji has said that progress in the health sector is the key to India's future. Addressing the 33rd convocation of PG I Chandigarh yesterday he said that a nation's productivity depends on the health and well-being of its citizens as economic growth that does not go hand in hand with reduction in avoidable mortality and ill health is neither sustainable nor desirable. Mr. Mukherji called for development of world class centres of excellence focussing not only on traditional specialties but also on cross-cutting themes such as infectious diseases, vaccine development and regenerative sciences.

We need to take health services closer to the homes of the family. Even the Primary Health Centre is too far by today's standards and need. We need out of the box management & administrative reforms to the health department at both, the centre and state level.

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The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will lay the foundation stone of the Gani Khan Choudhary Institute of Engineering and Technology at Malda district of West Bangal today. The UPA Chairperson Ms. Sonia Gandhi will also attend the function. After reaching Malda Dr. Singh and Ms. Gandhi will offer floral tributes at the grave of the late Congress leader Gani Khan Choudhary at his Kotwali residence. More from our correspondent.

The Union cabinet gave is approval for establishment of Gani Khan Choudhary Institute of Engineering and Technology as a centrally funded institution in Malda in the year 2008. The aim of setting up such institute was to cater to the various man power requirements in the region, with special emphasis on courses relevant to the local population such as food technology and sericulture. Arijit Chakraborty, AIR News, Malda.

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Congress Vice President Rahul Gandhi has said India cannot move ahead without a proper road network. Addressing a public meeting after laying the foundation of three new national highway projects at a cost of 303 crore rupees in Amethi yesterday, Mr Gandhi said, the entire country needs a good road and rail network for progress.

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A day before the extended deadline of March the 16th, the Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has signed a coalition deal with rival parties to form the next government. Mr. Netanyahu will notify the President about his new Government which will be sworn in by Monday, two days before President Barack Obama is due to visit the Israel. Our Correspondent has filed this report:

The new Government has the support of 68 MPs in the 120 member parliament. It consists of right wing Likud- Yisraeli Beiteinue combine and the centrist Yesh Atid party led by Yair Lapid , the Jewish Home party led by Naftali Bennet and the Hatnua party led by Tzipi Livni. For the first time in a decade, ultra orthodox parties are out of the ruling coalition. Likud -Beitenue combine retains the Interior, Defence and Foreign Ministries. Yesh Atid Party gets Finance and Education Ministries with Yair Lapid as the new finance minister. Naftali Bennet’s Jewish Home party bags the trade and housing portfolios. Tzipi Livni is the new justice minister and the negotiator with Palestinians. Atul Tiwary, AIR News.

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Australia will resume their first innings play at the overnight score of 273 for 7 against India in the third Cricket Test at Mohali today. Ravindra Jadeja bagged three wickets. For Australia, Ed Cowan scored 86 while David Warner made 71. Persistent rain at Mohali played spoilsport on the opening day on Thursday, as umpires decided to call off play. India is currently leading the 4-match series, 2-nil.

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Parliament rejecting the resolution passed by the Pakistan National Assembly on the execution of Afzal Guru is prominently covered on the front pages of most dailies.

New revelations regarding the recent fidayeen attack on the CRPF in Srinagar are highlighted in many papers. The Tribune, quoting police sources associated with the interrogation of a Pakistani militant writes, "Fidayeen attack 'revenge' against Afzal hanging". The Indian Express in a front page story writes that a surrendered militant who has been a high profile asset for several security agencies helped set up the fidayeen attack.

Army Chief General Bikram Singh's speech at a conclave organised by a prominent media house is widely noticed. The Asian Age reports him as saying "Time not ripe to lift Armed Forces Special Power Act". The Mail Today quotes him as saying "Pakistan cannot bleed us and shake hands".

Most papers report that the government has decided to put on hold the proposed changes to the UPSC civil Services exam format. "Pro-English UPSC changes on hold" reports the Times of India. Highlighting the opposition to these changes in the Lok Sabha, the Pioneer writes "MPs foil UPSC revamp plan".

In a special front page story, the Times of India reports that a Group of Ministers or GOM has decided not to raise the creamy layer bar of an annual income of four and a half lakh rupees for OBCs to be eligible for quotas in jobs and education.

The Asian Age in a front page special highlights the fact that the Pakistan Peoples Party led government will become the first elected government since the country was formed to complete its constitutional five year term today.

And finally, some encouraging news from the world of medicine...the Times of India cites a research study published in a medical journal to inform us that early diagnosis and rapid treatment of HIV patients maybe enough to achieve a functional cure.