2100 HRS
13th March, 2013

THE HEADLINES:

• Group of Ministers clears Criminal Law Amendment Bill; Age of consent reduced to 16 years.

• Prime Minister cautions Italy of consequences if it does not return two marines facing trial for killing Indian fishermen.

• Five security personnel killed in a fidayeen attack in Jammu and Kashmir.

• Sensex falls 202 points to close at 19,362.

• Third cricket test between India and Australia to be played at Mohali from tomorrow.

• Three Indian archers advance into their individual finals of the first Asian grand prix archery championship in Bangkok.

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The Group of Ministers-GoM have cleared the Criminal Law (Amendment) Bill aiming at stringent punishment for sexual offences against women. It has recommended lowering of the age of consent for sex from 18 years to 16 years where as stalking and voyerism have been recommended to be made non-bailable offences.

The GoM today held a second round of meetings to evolve a consensus on certain provisions in the bill. The Union Cabinet had referred the Bill yesterday to the GoM headed by the Finance Minister P.Chidambaram. Talking to reporters in New Delhi after the GoM meeting, the Communication and IT Minister Kapil Sibal said that the Group of Ministers have reached a consensus over the bill.

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The Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today cautioned Italy of consequences for bilateral ties if it did not send back two marines facing trial in the country for the killing of two Indian fishermen. Saying that a bilateral relationship has to function on the basis of trust, Dr.Singh accused Italy of violating every rule of diplomatic discourse and termed as unacceptable, its decision not to send back the accused marines.

In a strongly-worded statement in both Houses of Parliament, where the government came under attack on the issue, he urged the Italian authorities to respect the undertaking given to the Supreme Court.

Our government has already made it clear that these actions of the government of Italy are not acceptable. Our government has therefore insisted that the Italian authorities respect the undertakings, they have given to the honourable Supreme Court and return the two accused persons to stand trial in India.

The two marines were permitted by the Supreme Court on February 22nd to go to Italy for four weeks to cast their votes in general elections following a written assurance by Italian Ambassador Daniele Mancini that they will return by March 22nd.

While the Prime Minister promised that the government will pursue through diplomatic channels the efforts to bring the marines back to India, Mancini insisted his country has not gone back on its assurance to the Supreme Court. Talking to reporters in Delhi today,the Ambassador, however, argued that Italy was not going back on the assurance. Mancini also said, Italy wants to resolve the marines issue by consensual means and that it had even put a number of proposals, some of them in the last few days.

We want to work with the Indian government in all possible manners. The supermacy of international law we assessed. We tried and we put forward several proposals to the Indian authorities. I am here to solve this case by consensual means. This is what we still want to be doing.

Asked if the Italian Ambassador will be given marching orders in view of the breach of assurance by him, Foreign Secretary Ranjan Mathai said, that the government has made its position very clear and was awaiting the response. He said, as soon as the response is received, a decision will be taken.

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The BJP today said, Italy’s decision not to send the two marines back to India, to stand trial in the killing of two Indian fishermen, amounted to an insult to India. Addressing the media in New Delhi, party chief spokesperson Ravi Shankar Prasad hoped Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will walk the talk on the statement he made to Parliament.

Congress leader Sandeep Dikshit, hoped the controversy over the Italian Marines will come to a rest with the strong sentiments expressed by the Prime Minister to both the Houses of Parliament.

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The Lok Sabha today passed the Rail Budget 2013-14 amidst an Opposition boycott. It provides for the withdrawal of 63 thousand and 363 crore rupees from the Consolidated Fund of India to achieve the targets announced in the budget.

Replying to the discussion, Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal assured the House that all railway projects announced in the Budget, will be taken up. For this, ten lakh crore rupees is needed. Defending the slight rise in passenger fares this time, Mr Bansal said, they had remained unchanged for the last twelve years.

There were frequent interruptions from the opposition members during the Minister's reply. Alleging partisan politics in the allocations, they said, many states have not been given due importance in railway projects announced in the budget. They staged a walk out midway.

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Members in the Rajya Sabha today urged the government to provide more passenger amenities in the Railways. Participating in the discussion on Rail Budget for 2013-14, they insisted for the safety and security of the people, particularly women and children, the elderly and disabled persons commuting in trains. Several members wanted the government to ensure the spread of the railway network, particularly in the backward states. The discussion remained inconclusive.

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The Lok Sabha has begun a discussion on the General Budget 2013-14. Initiating the discussion, BJP leader Murli Manohar Joshi termed the budget as anti-people. He said, the Government should not have gone in for FDI without encouraging exports which are necessary for earning foreign exchange. He also said, the budget does not indicate how the government is going to tackle inflation and capital account deficit.

Mr. Sanjay Nirupam of the Congress described the budget as an ideal one, saying it has addressed the interests of all segments. He said, the budget is positive from every angle and is growth-oriented. The discussion is continuing.

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Parliament has approved President's Rule in Jharkhand. The Lok Sabha today adopted the statutory resolution moved by Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde. The Rajya Sabha had cleared it earlier.

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Over 6,800 corruption cases are pending in various special CBI courts across the country with the highest number of such pending cases in the national capital. This was informed by Minister of State for Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, V Narayanasamy in a written reply in the Lok Sabha today.

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In Jammu & Kashmir, two terrorists, disguised as cricketers, today stormed a CRPF camp near a school at Bemina in Srinagar, killing five of its personnel in a major suicide attack in the city after a gap of three years. The militants were suspected to be from Pakistan.

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde has said, the government is still ascertaining the involvement of Pakistan in the Srinagar terror attack. Talking to reporters in New Delhi, Mr Shinde said that action will be taken after an inquiry into the incident. He said, the suicide attack in Srinagar is an indicator that the government has to remain very alert in the Kashmir Valley.

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The CBI today filed an FIR against former IAF Chief, S P Tyagi and 12 others for alleged cheating and criminal conspiracy in the 3600 crore rupees VVIP Helicopter deal. Two new names which were not part of the agency's preliminary inquiry, have also been included in the FIR. They included Satish Bagrodia, brother of former Union Minister Santosh Bagrodia, and Pratap Aggarwal, Chairman and Managing Director of IDS Infotech. CBI sources said, provisions of Prevention of Corruption Act have also been slapped in the FIR.

At least 12 teams of the agency also carried out coordinated searches at 14 locations across posh localities of Delhi, NCR and Chandigarh which include the residence of Tyagi and his cousins among others. The agency has also named four companies - Italy-based Finmeccanica, UK-based AgustaWestland and Chandigarh-based IDS Infotech and Aeromatrix in connection with the case.

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An Empowered Group of Ministers (EGoM) on drought headed by Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today approved over 2892 crore rupees relief package for six affected states. This was announced by Sharad Pawar after the meeting of the EGoM in New Delhi today. He gave details of over 1,200 crore rupees relief package approved for Maharashtra.

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A Delhi court today remanded suspected Indian Mujahideen operative Obaid-ur-Rehman in seven days National Investigation Agency, NIA custody in connection with the Hyderabad twin blasts case. District judge I S Mehta allowed the NIA's plea seeking custodial interrogation of Rehman on the ground that it has to unearth the entire conspiracy which led to the bombings. The 21st of February blasts had claimed 16 lives.

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Business world:

Falling for the third straight session, the Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange plunged 202 points, or 1 percent, to close at a one-week low of 19,363, on continued selling pressure, amid weak global markets, today. The Nifty fell 63 points, to 5,851. Gold gained 125 rupees, to 30,000 rupees per ten grams in Delhi. Silver moved up 100 rupees, to 55,100 rupees per kilo. And Brent crude oil futures slipped below 110 dollars a barrel, but US crude rose 36 cents, to 92.90 dollars a barrel. Pradeep Kumar, AIR News

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Black smoke has appeared from a Chimney on the roof of the Sistine Chapel in Rome indicating that no Pope has been chosen in the latest round of voting by the Cardinals. It signaled the outcome from two rounds of voting in the Cardinals' morning session. They are expected to vote again twice today. Voting takes place in silence, with no formal discussion, until a decision is reached.

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The third cricket test of the 4-match series between India and Australia will be played at the Punjab Cricket Stadium in Mohali from tomorrow. All India Radio will broadcast the live commentary on the match on Rajdhani and FM Gold channels. The commentary on the first day tomorrow will be available from 9 am, while on the rest of the days, it can be heard from 9:20 am till the end of play.

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India's Rahul Banerjee, Jignas C. and Anjali Kumari today waltzed into the finals of their respective events in the inaugural Asian Grand Prix Archery Championship at Bangkok. In the Men's individual recurve event, Rahul defeated Atanu Das, 6-2. In the Men's compound individual event, Jignas C. beat Ardianto Yanu of Indonesia, 145 to 140. In the Women's compound individual event, Anjali Kumari defeated Singapore's Loh Contessa, 135 to 132.