1400 HRS.

24th June, 2013

THE HEADLINES:

• Fresh rains hamper rescue operations in Uttarakhand; Over 7,000 still stranded in Badrinath; Evacuation operation satisfactory, says VK Duggal, ex-Home Secretary appointed to look after co-ordination among various agencies.

• Fourth India-US Strategic Dialogue begins in New Delhi.

• Supreme Court dismisses West Bengal government's plea against CBI probe into alleged custodial death of a TMC worker.

• Sensex loses over 140 points in afternoon trade; Rupee down by 40 paise at 59 rupees 67 paise per dollar.

• Wimbledon Tennis Championship begins in London; Indian duo of Divij Sharan and Purav Raja to play its first ever Grand Slam match today.

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In Uttarakhand, aerial rescue has been affected in Badrinath, Kedarnath, Gangotri, Pithoragarh and Uttarkashi districts due to bad weather and rains. Quoting official sources, AIR correspondent reports that a few sorties have taken place in Uttarkashi district and pilgrims have been brought to safer places. But, an official looking after the sorties from Sahastradhara helipad in Dehradun from where mostly private sector helicopters are operating, said that few sorties had taken place in the morning but they too came back due to bad weather.

In Rudraprayag, Uttarkashi, Chamoli and Pithoragarh districts evacuation on foot is going on by the Army and ITBP. Stranded pilgrims are being taken to safer places through Joshimath-Badrinath, Karnpryag-Raniketh- Kathgodam, routes in Chamoli district. In Uttarkashi Chilyanosaund to Uttarkashi and Dharasu- Badkot to Dehradun routes are open. Army has started its operation in Harsil and Badrinath area to evacuate the people by foot. Air force has begun aerial evacuation from Badrinath region. Two day combing operation has also begun from Gaurikund to Kedarnath temple complex in Rudraprayag district to ensure safe evacuation of each and every pilgrim. It is being conducted by the Army, ITBP and NDRF. With Sanjeev Sundriyal, this is Sunil Shukla AIR News Dehradun."

A cloud burst incident has also been reported from Tehri district, which has affected several houses in Pithani area of the district.

Meanwhile, former Union Home Secretary VK Duggal appointed by the government to look after coordination among agencies involved in relief and rescue operations, has expressed satisfaction over evacuation operation conducted by the Army, ITBP and NDRF. Talking to media person this morning at Dehradun, Mr. Duggal said that operational issues have been discussed with officials and if any additional help is required, it will be raised before the Centre.

"There is no major co-ordination problem. Work is moving more smoothly and very effectively, and this is a very factual thing. I have been there, I have seen there, I have reviewed it, but when the task is of such massive situation, there are bound to be some operational issues."

Mr. Duggal will be meeting with the Uttarakhand Chief Minister this evening.

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Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde today said, authorities will now evacuate victims from Badrinath in flood-hit Uttarakhand. Mr Shinde told reporters in New Delhi that rain is hindering rescue operations by helicopters.

"We gave priority to Kedarnath, as there were full arrangements for food and water in Badrinath. So, now we will evacuate people from Badrinath."

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In Himachal Pradesh, rescue and relief works continue on a war footing on the seventh day in tribal district of Kinnaur today. The Indian Air Force and state government choppers started their evacuation operation of stranded people from Sangla valley and also dropped some polling staff for bye-election at various interior places in the Pooh valley. While polling for bye-election in other segments was held yesterday, in Kinnaur, it would be held on Thursday.

"In Sangla, several stranded people are waiting for their evacuation, as Karcham-Sangla road has been badly damaged. Two choppers from Rampur, started sorties in the morning to Sangla, Pooh and Nako while one chopper which left Shimla had to return due to bad weather. These choppers airlifted 14 US nationals along with some others from Sangla Valley. The and would take several weeks. Efforts are also being made to bring the stranded people to Reckong Peo for their onward transportation by road." Shishu Sharma Shantal, AIR News, Shimla.

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In Uttar Pradesh, Ghaghra, Sharda and Mohana rivers are reported to be in spate in Lakhimpur Kheri, but they are still below the danger mark. 124 villages in Lakhimpur Kheri are under the impact of floods. 56 teams have been pressed into service whereas 44 teams of doctors have been deployed for the relief and rescue operations in these villages.

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Congress President Sonia Gandhi flagged off 135 trucks carrying relief material for Uttarakhand flood victims from the party's Delhi headquarters, this morning. Party Vice President Rahul Gandhi and Delhi Chief Minister Sheila Dikshit were among several leaders present on the occasion. The relief material contained food packets, medicines, blankets and clothes.

Meanwhile, visiting US Secretary of State John Kerry has also announced an aid of one lakh, fifty thousand dollars for flood victims in Uttarakhand.

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The meeting of the 4th India-US Strategic Dialogue has begun in New Delhi this morning. The meeting is co-chaired by External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid and the visiting US Secretary of State, John Kerry. Accompanied by a high-level delegation, Mr Kerry arrived in New Delhi last evening on a three-day visit to India. The delegation includes US Energy Secretary, NASA Director, US Military Chief for the Pacific Region and top officials from the State Department and Home- Land Security. This is Mr Kerry's first visit to India after his appointment as the US Secretary of State.

This is the first high level political interaction with New Delhi in the second term of Obama Presidency and expected to push forward the India-US relationship. The visiting dignitary will also meet Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh. Mr Kerry will also co-chair India and US Higher Education Dialogue tomorrow with Human Resource Development Minister Dr M M Pallam Raju.

Bilateral trade, defence and security cooperation besides energy and higher education will top the agenda of talks between Mr Kerry and Indian leaders. New Delhi will also raise its concerns about the H1B and L-category visas, which have been a matter of serious concern among the Indian Industry, particularly, the IT sector. The issue of market access, nuclear liability bill and American National Security Agency's internet snooping programme are also expected to figure in the discussions. India will also seek information from Washington on the opening of a Taliban Office in Qatar. Afghanistan will be a major discussion point in view of the phased withdrawal of American and NATO troops from Kabul early next year.

Our correspondent reports that the strategic dialogue is one of the premier mechanism in the dialogue architecture between the two countries. It gives both sides an opportunity to carry out some stock-taking of the relationship since the dialogue last year and also to try and set a new vision for the future.

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The Supreme Court today dismissed West Bengal government's plea challenging a Calcutta High Court order for a CBI probe into the alleged custodial death of a Trinamool Congress worker in Hooghly district of West Bengal.

The High Court, on May 13th, had ordered a CBI probe in the case and had directed the CID, which was investigating the case, to hand over all papers and documents with regard to the case to the central agency. Nasiruddin, a Trinamool Congress worker, was allegedly picked up by officers of Dhaniakhali police station on January 18th from near his house. He was arrested in connection with a case regarding registration papers of his newly-bought small transport vehicle.

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The Madras High Court said in its judgement today that the six DMDK MLAs who have been suspended from the State Assembly, can exercise their voting rights for the Rajya Sabha elections on the 27th of this month. The Court also observed that the Speaker's ruling can be followed during Assembly proceedings. The DMDK MLAs were suspended for a year from the Assembly for their unruly behaviour, on the 25th of March this year. After the Chief Minister Ms. Jayalalitha's recommendation, the period of suspension was reduced to six months. Seven people including a member of the DMDK are contesting for the six vacancies of the Rajya Sabha.

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In Jharkhand, altogether 45 Improvised Explosive Devices, IEDs, were discovered near Maoist-affected Jhumra Hills in Bokaro district yesterday. According to the police, IEDs were set serially to target the security forces. They were found under Mahutand police station during a joint search operation by CRPF and the district police and were defused in time.

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In Andhra Pradesh, a cheating case was filed today in a police station in Hyderabad against Union Home Minister Sushil Kumar Shinde and Finance Minister P Chidambaram, who earlier held Home Ministry, for allegedly going back on their word over Statehood for Telangana. Following directions from the Ranga Reddy District Court, the local police have booked a case against the two Central Ministers under section 420 of the Indian Penal Code at L B Nagar Police station.

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In Pakistan, five persons were killed and four others injured when two rival groups exchanged fire in Mehdiabad area of Hafizabad today. According to police, the members of two rival clans opened fire on each other in Mehdiabad area due to old enmity. Five persons were killed and four were wounded in the violent clash. Further investigation is underway.

In another incident, a DSP traffic and his driver were shot dead by unidentified armed men in Dalazak area of Peshawar. Police said, DSP Amanullah and his driver were killed when they were leaving home for office.

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In Montenegro, a bus has plunged off a bridge over the Moraca river, killing 16 people and injuring at least 30 others. Local officials say, the bus toppled 40 metres into a ravine 30 kilometres north of the capital Podgorica. Officials said there were almost 50 people on board, and all the victims were Romanian nationals. Investigations are on to find the cause of the accident.

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The Palestinian rebel group, Islamic Jihad’s military command chief, Raed Jundiya died of wounds sustained in the Hamas police shooting in Gaza on Saturday. Following his death, the group has severed its ties with the Hamas rulers in Gaza. In a statement, Islamic Jihad's military wing said that Raed Jundiya succumbed to the wounds sustained on Saturday when Gaza government police shot him in the head in his home. However, the Interior Ministry said in Gaza that Jundiya had opened fire on police, prompting them to respond. Hamas spokesman Ihab al-Ghussein said, people should await the results of the Commission of Inquiry which has begun its work. Islamic Jihad claims to have 8,000 fighters, making it the second largest armed group in Gaza, behind Hamas.

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The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange stood 143 points, or 0.8 percent in negative territory, at 18,631 in afternoon trade, a short while ago. Earlier in the morning, the Sensex had opened with a loss of 131 points, or 0.7 per cent, at 18,644 on fresh selling by funds, amid falling regional bourses.

Stock markets in Japan, Hong Kong, Singapore, Indonesia and South Korea had lost between 1 percent and 2.3 percent, today, on mounting concerns that the US Federal Reserve may start scaling back its huge monthly bond-buying plan. The stock index in China had plunged 5.3 percent, amid brewing worries about that country's banking sector.

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The rupee fell by 40 paise to 59.67 in early trade today on the Interbank Foreign Exchange market, on fresh dollar demand tracking strengthening of the US currency overseas. Forex dealers said besides dollar gaining against other currencies in the global markets, a lower opening in the domestic equity market also, influenced the rupee.

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The 127th edition of the Wimbledon Tennis Championships kicks off in London today. Switzerland's World Number Three Roger Federer and World Number One Serena Williams of the United States will enter this third Grand Slam of the season, as the defending champions in the Singles categories.

The tournament will see India's participation in the Men's Doubles, Women's Doubles and Mixed Doubles events. Leander Paes, Mahesh Bhupathi, Rohan Bopanna, with their partners, will be seen in the Men's Doubles, along with the duo of Divij Sharan and Purav Raja, which will play its first ever Grand Slam match today. They will take on the American-German combination of Nicholas Monroe and Simon Stadler in the opening round.

In the Women's Doubles, Sania Mirza will be pairing up with American Leizel Huber.

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The Karnataka forest department officials are carrying out an operation to coax back a herd of 15 elephants which have ventured into the outskirts of Bangalore. The Karnataka Forest Minister Ramanath Rai has said that the herd entered Karnataka from the border village of Berake in Tamil Nadu, four or five weeks back. Four people were killed yesterday when the herd mauled them and one person was seriously injured today