0815 HRS
07th May, 2013 

THE HEADLINES

• Government asks public sector banks and LIC to take action against employees advising customers on ways of violating regulatory norms.
• The Centre to issue a new set of standard operating procedure for Kashmiri militants wishing to surrender.
• India grants visas to relatives of Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah who was critically injured in a Jammu jail.
• World Asthma day being observed to raise awareness and to improve asthma care across the globe.
•  Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships, two bronze medals assured as Indian Men and Women's teams enter the semifinals.

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The Finance Ministry has asked Public Sector banks and the Life Insurance Corporation, LIC, to take immediate action against employees who appear to be advising customers on ways of violating the Know Your Customer and other regulatory norms. In a circular, Rajiv Takru, Secretary Financial Services asked the heads of several state-owned banks and the LIC that an inquiry must be initiated and completed expeditiously. The circular was issued in connection with the Cobrapost, Red Spider 2 Expose that was released yesterday indicating alleged money laundering by the financial institutions.

In its expose earlier in the day, Cobrapost had named as many as 23 public and private sector banks and insurance companies for allegedly running a nation-wide money laundering racket, blatantly violating the law of the land.

The Finance Ministry has also sought a detailed report from these financial institutions about the names of erring employees, their designations and the action taken against them.

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The government will soon issue a new set of standard operating procedures for Kashmiri militants, who want to return to India through the Nepal border to surrender under a special scheme. Home Secretary RK Singh said, the Union Home Ministry has received comments of all stakeholders on the subject and the improved procedures will be out in a few days. He was talking to reporters on the sidelines of a seminar at Manesar in Gurgaon yesterday. The issue came to light following the arrest of suspected Hizbul militant Liyaqat Shah by the Delhi Police from Indo-Nepal border area.

The Home Secretary said, Jammu & Kashmir Police will now come and escort these militants from the border to the state and they will also carry out the background checks of these individuals. Over 260 ex-militants have returned to Jammu and Kashmir via Nepal.

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The Indian High Commission in Islamabad has granted visa to two relatives of Pakistani prisoner Sanaullah Ranjay who was critically injured in a scuffle with another inmate in a Jammu jail. Official sources said in Islamabad that Sanaullah's brother-in-law and cousin had applied for visa yesterday to visit India. 52-year-old Sanaullah, a resident of Sialkot in Pakistan, is serving a life term after being convicted under the provisions of TADA following his arrest in 1999. He was injured during a scuffle in the high-security Kot Bhalwal jail in Jammu on Friday and was immediately shifted to PGIMER in Chandigarh in an air ambulance after doctors said his condition was critical. He was attacked a day after the death of Indian prisoner Sarabjit Singh, who was brutally assaulted by six inmates in Lahore's Kot Lakhpat jail.

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The suspended Member (Staff) of the Railway Board, Mahesh Kumar, arrested for the alleged 10 crore rupees bribery case in which Union Railway Minister Pawan Kumar Bansal's nephew is also an accused, was remanded to three-day CBI custody by a Delhi court yesterday. Kumar was produced before Special CBI Judge Swaran Kanta Sharma who remanded him to CBI custody till May the 9th after the agency said, that he is the main accused in the case and that his custodial interrogation was required to unearth the entire conspiracy.

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The Lok Sabha yesterday adopted a resolution to give a fresh extension to the Joint Parliamentary Committee, JPC, on 2G spectrum till the end of the Monsoon Session. The resolution was moved by its Chairman, P C Chacko and was approved by a voice vote. The resolution is likely to be moved in the Rajya Sabha today and if the Upper House also adopts it, the JPC will get an extension till the end of the Monsoon session. This will be the fifth extension to the JPC which was set up in March, 2011.

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The Assam government formally referred 15 cases relating to 12 Chit Fund companies to the CBI yesterday. State Home Secretary Gyanendra Dev Tripathi said that 2 cases each of the Saradha group, Jeevan Suraksha and Rose Valley, among others have been handed over to the premier investigative agency. He said that financial implications, geographical spread, inter state ramifications and international operations will be some of the considerations in deciding these 15 cases. The Assam government has taken the decision in the wake of the Saradha group duping its thousands of investors. Earlier, the Assam police and other investigative agencies had registered 246 cases against 128 chit fund and fake financial companies in the state.

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In Karnataka, re-polling is being held today at booth no. 38 of Yeshwanthpur Assembly constituency. Electronic voting machine had developed technical snag during the polling on Sunday. The re-polling which began at 7 AM, will continue till 6 PM.

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In Haryana, a major fire broke out at a chemical factory at Mandaur village near the Punjab Border in Ambala district last night. The blaze, which engulfed the entire chemical unit, is yet to be fully doused. 20 fire tenders from Ambala, Ambala Cantt, Kurukshetra, Yamunanagar, Dappar, Shahbaad and Derabassi have been pressed into service to control the fire. Two firemen and a villager were injured during the operation. There has been no report of any casualty so far.

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For news updates, follow us on Twitter @ airnewsalerts.For regional and national news of AIR download free All India Radio News application on any android based mobile phone.

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World Asthma Day is being observed today. The day is observed to improve asthma awareness and care around the world. The theme for this year is "You Can Control Your Asthma." A number of functions are being organised to mark the occasion. Dr. Joseph Mathew of the PGI says, it is one of the most common chronic diseases with an ever increasing number of sufferers, especially children.

Children with Asthma has symptoms like wheezing, dry cough and chest tightness, all of which are episodic and reversible. Asthma in children is quite different from adult obstructive disease. It is fairly easy to treat children's asthma using inhalation therapy, although the exact cause of childhood asthma cannot be identified. It is important to recognize that appropriate treatment and results in a child is as normal as any other child of his or her age group.

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And Now news from the world of sports:

The 19th Commonwealth Table Tennis Championships is underway in New Delhi. Both men's and women's Indian teams have assured themselves of at least two bronze medals by progressing to the semi-finals of the event. Both the teams will play their semi-finals with England today. Yesterday, the Men's team beat Northern Ireland, Scotland and Malaysia and finished at the top of Group 'F'. The Indian women paddlers made it to the last four stage after finishing second in Group 'E' with two wins in three matches. They won against Scotland and Wales, but had lost their second fixture against Singapore. There is no third and fourth places in the competition, and both the losing semi-finalists receive bronze medals. In the IPL cricket, Kings XI Punjab beat Royal Challengers Bangalore by six wickets at Mohali last night. Invited to bat, Royal Challengers Bangalore scored 190 for three in stipulated 20 overs. David Miller's sensational 101 runs off just 38 balls helped Kings XI Punjab overhaul the imposing 191-run target with 12 balls to spare. Miller played one of the most breathtaking knocks in IPL history and shared an unbeaten 130-run stand for the fourth wicket with Rajgopal Satish. In today's encounters, Rajasthan Royals will take on Delhi Daredevils at Sawai Mansingh Stadium in Jaipur at 4 PM, while Mumbai Indians will clash with Kolkata Knight Riders at Wankhede Stadium in Mumbai at 8 PM. Meanwhile, Mumbai Cricket Association, MCA has asked local police not to allow Kolkata Knight Riders principal owner Shahrukh Khan to enter the Wankhede Stadium when his team takes on Mumbai Indians today. Shahrukh was banned from entering MCA premises for five years by its Managing Committee on May 18 last year, after the actor was involved in a skirmish with security staff and officials of the cricket body. Ermelinda Dias, AIR News, Delhi.

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Tripura is on the verge of achieving cent percent literacy. The State government plans to achieve this target by the end of this year. We bring you a report:

Tripura Government has set a target to make the state 100 percent literate by this year end. State Education Minister Tapan Chakraborty informed that the state, which has around 90 percent literacy rate plans to declare it as a 100% literate state on this years World Literacy day in September. The state government has formed different committees to monitor the progress and a 3 months timeframe has been set to achieve this goal. According to a government survey conducted by the eight district magistrates in 2012, there are only 1,47,261 people of the state, including those aged 50 and above, who are illiterate. Sudipta Kar, AIR News, Agartala.

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In Himachal Pradesh, the tribal areas are experiencing snowfall and rain these days while the mercury has touched 40 degree in the foothills like Una. More from our correspondent:

In the month of May higher reaches of tribal districts Lahaul-Spiti and Kinnaur are experiencing light snowfall and rain bringing mercury down several degrees. It is a surprising experience for the tribal people because normally weather remain dry and sunny in these days. Fresh snowfall on Rohtang pass yesterday in the day affected normal vehicular traffic on Manali-Leh national highway and it was restored late in the night by Border Road Organisation paving the way for stranded road transport corporation buses for their journey towards Keylong. Shishu Sharma Shantal,AIR News, Shimla.

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The Delhi Police have issued a traffic advisory asking motorists to avoid roads near Vijay Chowk as it will remain closed for public from today due to VVIP movement. According to the advisory, general traffic, including buses, will not be allowed to ply on Rafi Marg between the round abouts of Sunehri Masjid and Rail Bhawan. Due to the ongoing parliament session, a large number of VVIPs are visiting Vijay Chowk, Parliament House, Rafi Marg and the surrounding areas. Section 144 CrPC has been imposed.

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NEWSPAPER HEADLINES
Changes made in the Coalgate draft report and the CBI closing in on the postings racket in the Railways, are highlights in today's press. "CBI contradicts Law Minister and Attorney General - tells Supreme Court they altered report", is the top Times of India headline, and regarding the 'Cash -for-posting's scam', Hindustan Times writes 'Bansals nephew promised post, says CBI'.

Mail Today reports, "Supreme Court go-ahead to Kudankulam Power Project Plant". The Supreme Court has cleared the decks for making the nuclear power plant in Tamil Nadu operational. It upheld the government stand that a delicate balance has to be struck between ecological impact and development, after relevant authorities 'clear' its commissioning.

"Will India concede some Chinese demands?", questions the Asian Age. The Chinese demand, made ahead of the mutual withdrawal that India dismantle its bunkers and other infrastructure in the sensitive Chumar sector of these demands.

"Syrian rebels may have used chemical weapons", reports the Hindu. A top UN human rights investigator has exploded a bombshell, pointing out the likelihood of the use of chemical weapons such as Sarin gas by the Syrian opposition and not by the government authorities.

Hindustan Times writes that "Fed up with the increase in incidents of drunken brawls aboard the plush metro coaches, especially during late evening hours, the Delhi Metro had decided to start using breath analyzer tests to screen passengers, forbidding truants from boarding the train.

And finally, Mail Today informs us that the CBSE has decided to introduce an elective course called 'Knowledge Traditions and Practices of India"