0815 HRS
23rd  March, 2013

THE HEADLINES

• Two Italian marines accused of killing Indian fishermen off the Kerala Coast, return to India on last day of deadline set by the Supreme Court.

• Diesel costlier by 45 paise a litre.

• Commercial production of oil and gas from two new wells to begin today in Barmer district of Rajasthan.

• Nation pays homage to Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev on their martyrdom day.

• Lebanon Prime Minister announces resignation of his government.

• 20 people killed and more than 200 injured in a powerful tornado in Bangladesh.

• Australia to resume their first innings at 231 for 8 in the fourth and final Test against India in Delhi this morning.

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The Two Italian marines accused of killing two Indian fishermen off the Kerala Coast last year, have returned to India after New Delhi insisted on it. Massimiliano Latorre and Salvatore Girone arrived in New Delhi last evening on the last day of the deadline set for their return by the Supreme Court. The two marines had gone home last month to cast their votes but did not return as their country refused to send them back. This led to a diplomatic standoff between the two countries with New Delhi insisting on their return as they had given an undertaking to the Supreme Court. A sudden volte face by Italy prompted the Supreme Court to restrain the Italian Ambassador in New Delhi from leaving the country till further orders. With Italy reversing its decision of not sending back the two marines, the government has said it had assured that country that the accused in the fishermen killing case, will not face the death penalty and will not be arrested if they returned by the deadline of yesterday set by the Supreme Court.

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The External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid has said that there was no deal with Italy on the marines issue. Briefing reporters in New Delhi yesterday, Mr. Khurshid said that the return of the marines is a positive development and that New Delhi had kept all channels of communication open.

I think the dignity of judiciary in our country is preserved by what is essentially and voluntary act and decision taken at the Italian end and we have a valuable relationship with Italy and that such an incident did not derail our relationship

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Both Houses of Parliament were adjourned to meet on 22nd of April after the recess. The issue of Sri Lankan Tamils forced repeated adjournments of both Houses yesterday.

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Oil companies have hiked the price of diesel by 45 paise a litre excluding VAT. The revised rate came into effect midnight last night. Diesel will now cost 48.67 rupees a litre in Delhi and 54.83 rupees a litre in Mumbai. It will cost 52.57 rupees a litre in Kolkata and 51.78 rupees per litre in Chennai.

The government had in January authorised state-owned oil firms to hike diesel prices by small doses of up to 50 paise per litre every month till their losses on the fuel sale are completely wiped out.

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In Rajasthan, commercial production of oil and gas from two new wells will begin in Barmer district today. Petroleum Minister Veerappa Moily and Rajasthan Chief Minister Ashok Gehlot will inaugurate the wells - Aishwarya and Rageshwari. Our correspondent reports that oil production will touch two lakh barrels per day from this area after the two new wells begin the commercial production.

Three years ago Cairn India started oil production in Barmer district and at present two wells Mangla and Bhagyam are producing 1.7 lakh barrel crude oil per day, Now two new well Aishwarya and Rageshwari will contribute 25000 barrels more crude oil per day till end of the year. Rageshwari well will produce natural gas and is expected to release 50 lakh cubic feet gas per day. This time the gas is being used for power production and heating of gas pipeline. Barmer is producing countries 25 per cent oil and in next two year, Cairn India will dig hundred more oil wells in this region. HPCL and Rajasthan government have decided to set up a refinery also in Barmer district with investment of 37,000 crore rupees because the crude oil extracted from this area is being sent to refineries of Gujarat through a 600 km long pipeline. Anurag Vajpayee, AIR News, Barmer.

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The CBI has seized 16 more imported luxury cars as part of its probe into an alleged racket run by a Hyderabad-based businessman involving violation of customs law. The case came into limelight after CBI searches at DMK leader MK Stalin's residence in Chennai on Thursday. However, the SUV registered in the name of son of DMK leader MK Stalin remained untraceable. A CBI team also visited residence of Stalin's brother M K Alagiri looking for another imported vehicle which was allegedly purchased from Alex C Joseph, the mastermind. CBI sources said, the investigating agency recovered crucial property documents, locker details and other such material during searches at Joseph's home who is said to be on the run.

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In Andhra Pradesh, two persons were killed and 13 injured in an explosion at a house in Vikarabad town in Ranga Reddy district near Hyderabad last evening. Police said, a 40-year old woman and a four year old boy were killed in the blast. The injured have been shifted to various hospitals. Five of them sustained serious injuries. The cause of the blast is not yet known. Police suspect it was due to the storage of gelatin sticks in one of the houses in the Rajeev Grihakalpa colony of the town.

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The West Bengal government has announced two phase Panchayat elections in the state. State Panchayat Minister Subrato Mukherjee said in Kolkata last night that 14 districts of the state will go to poll on the 26th of next month, while elections in the remaining 3 districts of Malda, Murshidabad and North Dinajpur will take place on the 30th of April.

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The Nation pays homage to Shaheed Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev on their martyrdom day today. They were hanged on March 23rd in 1931 in Lahore by the British rulers for participating in the freedom movement. Our correspondent has more;

Pleople are paying tribute to the heroic martyrs, Shaheed-e-Azam Bhagat Singh, Rajguru and Sukhdev on their martyrdom anniversary today. Youth organisations of Punjab has given a message to the youth to participate in function being organised today at different places. Two state level function will be there at Hussainiwala in Ferozpur district near Indo Pak-border on the memorial of martyr in the morning and in the afternoon at Khatkar Kalan, ancestral village of Bhagat Singh in Shaheed Bhagat Singh Nagar distrct. Jaswinder Singh Randhawa, AIR News, Chandigarh

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In Pakistan, the task of choosing a caretaker Prime Minister to conduct the general elections has been entrusted to the Election Commission. The move comes after a parliamentary panel, comprising four members nominated by the Pakistan People's Party and its allies and four members from the main opposition PML-N failed to reach a consensus over the issue. The Election Commission has till Sunday to choose the caretaker premier who will then conduct the general elections which are be held on May the 11th.

Meanwhile, Pakistan's former military ruler Pervez Musharraf has said, he would definitely return home on Sunday to contest the upcoming elections in May and that he was prepared to risk any danger to his life.

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In Bangladesh, 20 people were killed and more than 200 injured when a powerful tornado ripped through more than a dozen villages yesterday. Quoting official sources our correspondent reports that 12 injured persons are in a critical condition.

The storm which lasted barely 15 minutes last evening left a trail of destruction in twenty villages of the three upazilas of Brahmanbaria District. Traffic on the Comilla Sylhet highway was disrupted as the road was blocked with several uprooted trees. Rail Communication between Dhaka and the three districts of Chitttagong, Sylhet and Noakhali had to be suspended as the tracks were blocked by fallen trees. Bangladesh Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina has directed the local administration authorities to take necessary steps for the rescue of people and also ensure proper relief for the affected people. This is Senthil Rajan for AIR News from Dhaka

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The Lebanon Prime Minister Najib Mikati has announced the resignation of his government. He made an announcement to this effect at a press conference in Beirut last night after a fallout in the government over the preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections and refusal to grant an extension to the Lebanon Police Chief. More from our correspondent;

After two years of doing a balancing act between the moderates and the hardline factions in Lebanon over the Syrian crisis, Najib Mikati has called it a day. At a press conference in Beirut he announced the decision and called for a National Dialogue to form a new government to rescue Lebanon. According to reports, the reason was that his cabinet ministers failed to agree on the preparations for the upcoming parliamentary elections. Besides, the Shiite militant group Hezbollah, which dominates the parliament opposed any futher extension to the Lebanon's police chief, Maj. Gen. Ashraf Rifi. Najib Mikati was appointed Prime Minister in 2011 after the Shi'ite group Hezbollah and its allies brought down the unity government of Saad al-Hariri. Atul Tiwary, AIR News

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People across India will join the world in observing earth hour today. Organised by the World Wide Fund for Nature, earth hour is celebrated every year to create awareness about conservation of energy and climate change. People will express their commitment to the planet by switching off their lights for one hour from 8.30 to 9.30 PM today. In Delhi, lights at Central Park and parts of Connaught Place will be switched off during this period.

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Australia will resume their first innings at the overnight score of 231 for 8 in the fourth and final Cricket Test against India in Delhi today. Peter Siddle on 47 and James Pattinson on 11 were at the crease when stumps were drawn yesterday. For India, Ravichandran Ashwin has so far claimed four wickets. Ravindra Jadeja and Ishant Sharma took two wickets each.

Earlier, the visitors won the toss and elected to bat. Michael Clarke, who was ruled out due to injury, was replaced by Shane Watson as Captain.