0815HRS 

8th July, 2013

THE HEADLINES:

• NIA begins probe into yesterday's serial blasts at Bodhgaya; Temple Management Committee decides to completely handover security to Bihar Police.

• Flood and rain related incidents claim nine lives in Uttar Pradesh; Flood situation, in Assam, remains grim with several rivers over flowing.

• Political deadlock over the interim Prime Minister continues in Egypt, as thousands of supporters and opponents of the deposed President Morsi to the streets.

• Andy Murray creates history by becoming the first Briton after 77 years to win the Wimbledon Men's Singles trophy.

• And, India bags Gold in the Women's 4X400 metres relay at the Asian Athletics Championships in Pune.

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The National Investigation Agency, NIA has begun its probe into the serial blasts, which rocked the temple town of Bodhgaya yesterday. Two monks were injured in the 9 low intensity blasts. A five-member NIA team comprising a DIG and two SPs reached Bodhgaya yesterday from New Delhi to start investigations. Union Home Secretary Anil Goswami has termed the blasts a terror attack.

Security agencies suspect that the Indian Mujahideen may be behind yesterday's multiple blasts. No group has claimed responsibility for the blasts so far.

The Bihar police have detained one person from Gaya for questioning in connection with the serial blasts. Sources said, the man was detained on the basis of eye witness accounts and the ongoing investigations. He has, however, not yet been declared a suspect. 

The Home Ministry has directed all states to ensure fool-proof security at Buddhist shrines and Tibetan settlements. Bihar DGP Abhayanand said, security has been strengthened at the temple and adjoining areas. He said, CCTV footage is being examined for leads to the attack.

Meanwhile, the Bodhgaya Temple Management Committee, BTMC has decided to completely handover the security of the temple to the Bihar Police, following the blasts. Earlier, the BTMC and state police were jointly managing the security of the temple with the management committee responsible for internal security, while the state police managed external security.

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Flood and rain related incidents claimed nine lives in Uttar Pradesh yesterday. Moderate rain lashed almost all parts of the state yesterday. All major rivers in the state are in spate. Our correspondent reports that the Met department has predicted heavy rain in the state during the next two days.

In Bahraich, Ghagra was reportedly flowing above the danger mark near Elgin bridge. The district administration rescued some 300 families in the affected villages. In Barabanki district, people were forced to live on the embankments as Ghaghra continued to rise above the danger mark. Around 77 villages in Muzaffarnagar across 10000 hectares of agricultural land were affected by the floods. Around 450 villages in the state are still affected by the floods whereas lives lost due to rain related incidents have gone to 102. Merajuddin, AIR NEWS, Lucknow.'

In Uttarakhand, a fresh spell of rain has hampered helicopter operations to ferry rations to remote districts. Relief material could not be sent to affected villages in Kedarghati over the past three days due to bad weather. More from our correspondent,

As the Choppers carrying relief and food material could not take off due to low visibility conditions, the relief material was taken to the affected areas with the help of mules and ponies after the weather become clear. In Uttarkashi Rishikesh-Gangotri Highway which has been blocked at many places due to heavy rain and landslide has been opened for traffic up to Uttarkashi where as Yamnotri -Badkot national highway has been opened to Utarkashi. Officials in the affected areas have already been alerted and the people living in low-lying areas or near rivers have been asked to move to safer places. Sanjeev Sundriyal, AIR News, Dehradun.

Rain continued to lash Himachal Pradesh badly affecting normal life. All rivers and their tributaries in the state are in spate. the Authorities have issued an alert and advised the people living along the river banks to shift to safer places. A report,

The current spell of rainfall would continue in next 24 hours as per prediction of the met department giving no relief to the people. At some places very heavy rainfall has warned. The state road transport corporation cancelled its several route as number of roads in far flung areas were blocked due to landslides. Despite this the water fury has damaged several water supply schemes. Shishu Sharma Shantal, AIR News, Shimla.

In Assam, the flood condition remains grim as several rivers including the Brahmaputra maintain a rising trend. Our correspondent reports, 77 villages are reeling under flood waters in Dhemaji, Lakhimpur and Chirang districts.

Administrations have intensified relief works in flood affected areas. Seven relief camps have been set up in Dhemaji and Chirang district where around one thousand people have taken shelter. Necessary relief materials are being provided. In Majuli Island, river side residents have been asked to move to the safer places as the Brahmaputra is flowing above danger level. Apart from flood, land erosion also left hundreds of families homeless in Morigaon, Barpeta and Baksa district. Manas Pratim Sarma, AIR News, Guwahati.

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In Egypt, efforts are on to find a new interim Prime Minister. According to latest reports, the economist liberal leader and founder of the Egyptian Social Democratic party, Ziad Bahaa Al din is tipped to be the new interim Prime Minister, while Mohamed Elbardeii may be offered the post of Deputy Prime Minister.

Meanwhile, supporters and opponents of deposed President Morsi held rallies across the country. Tens of thousands of supporters of the anti Morsi campaign, led by the opposition June 30 Front, packed Cairo’s Tahrir Square, around the Ittihadiya Presidential palace and other parts of country. Islamist supporters of the deposed President held protest rallies at Rabaa Al Adawia Square and Nahza Square in Giza to demand Morsi’s return to power. Around 35 people were injured in clashes between the supporters and the opponents of the deposed President in Cairo and Alexandria.

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National Security Advisor, Shiv Shankar Menon will leave for Colombo today to hold an extensive dialogue with the Sri Lankan leadership on the political situation in the country. Mr Menon will participate in a tri-lateral meeting on maritime security involving India, Sri Lanka and the Maldives. More from our correspondent,

During his two day visit starting today, National Security Advisor Mr Shivshankar Menon will meet and discuss the political situation with the President Mahinda Rajapaksa, leader of opposition, Ranil Wickeramasinghe of UNP, Economic Development Minister Basil Rajapaksa, Defence Secretary Gotabhaya Rajapaksa and leaders of the Tamil National Alliance. In last week’s visit of Economic Development Minster of Sri Lanka, Mr Basil Rajapaksa, to New Delhi, Indian Foreign Minister had said that political reconciliation with the minority Tamil community can be achieved only through meaningful devolution of power under the 13th Amendment. Abhishek Dayal, AIR News, Colombo.

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Union Minister of Information and Broadcasting Manish Tewari has said that a Right to Safe Drinking Water for the entire country is under the consideration of the Centre. Addressing a gathering in Ludhiana yesterday, he said special care will be taken for those who cannot afford RO systems and distilled bottled water. The Minister also said that the government is giving top priority to the healthcare of the people through the National Rural Health Mission and the National Urban Health Mission.

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Kerala will get Central assistance worth 97 crore rupees for the implementation of the Mid-day Meal Scheme in schools. Our correspondent reports that the Centre has also decided to hike the allowance for cooks preparing mid-day meals in schools by fifty rupees.

According to official sources in Thiruvananthapuram,of the 97 crore rupees, 85.5 crores will be allocated for modernising school kitchens and stores and 11.5 crore rupees has been earmarked for replacing old utensils. A meeting of the State Monitoring and Steering Committee for the Mid-day meal scheme,held in the capital recommended to the Centre to hike the noon-meal allocation per child by one rupee. To ensure proper monitoring of the Scheme,the Committee has decided to depute 38 officials at the District Education Officer level and 14 officials at the Deputy Director level. With Food Security becoming a national priority,steps to boost the mid-day meal scheme in Kerala is quite significant. GEORGE MATHEW REPORTING FOR AIR NEWS FROM THIRUVANANTHAPURAM

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Andy Murray ended Britain's 77-year long wait for the Wimbledon Men's Singles Trophy. In a nerve-wracking final at London last night, second seed Murray outclassed Serbia's World Number One Novak Djokovic, winning in straight sets, 6-4, 7-5, 6-4 to win his second major title. A report,

"It was pure class, coupled with immense hard work, that brought Andy Murray that prestigious Wimbledon beauty, which had eluded him last year, when he lost to Swiss Roger Federer in an absorbing final. After a gruelling 3 hours and 10 minutes encounter, it was Murray who followed the footsteps of Fred Perry's 1936 triumph. This is what he had to say,

(I don't know how I managed to come out through that final game. It was unbelievable. It is slightly different from last year. Last year was one of the toughest moment of my career. So I managed to win this tournament today. It was an unbelievably tough match.)

To sum it up, this title clash, which had millions glued to it, had everything a Tennis final should have. It is often said, may the best man win. This time, it was Murray. SAVVY HASAN KHAN, FOR AIR NEWS."

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India clinched a gold medal in the Women's 4x400m relay at the Asian Athletics Championships in Pune. The home team came up with a rich haul of eight medals - one gold, two silver and five bronze on the fifth and final day yesterday. Our correspondent reports that India ended the Championship with two gold, five silver and 10 bronze medals.

India’s Satinder Singh started the last day’s proceeding with the bronze in 400 meters hurdles. It was followed by Asha Roy and Dutee Chand who won the silver and bronze medal respectively in women’s 200 meters running. In women’s 800 meters running, India’s Tintu Luka has to satisfy with the bronze medal. In Triple Jump, India’s Ranjit Maheshwari and Arpinder Singh got silver and bronze medals respectively. In high jump of men's section, India's Jitin Thomas won the silver in closely contested event. The 20th Asian Athletic Championship concluded with the colorful ceremony yesterday. With Milind Dhamdhere, Mahesh Iyengar AIR News Pune.  

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In the tri-nation cricket series, the fifth one-day international match between the hosts West Indies and Sri Lanka was called off due to rain at the Queen's Park Oval in Port of Spain last night. Put in to bat, Sri Lanka were 60 for 3 in 19 overs, when rain interrupted play and the game was pushed to the reserve day today.

At present, all the three teams, including India, have a chance to make it to the finals, which will take place on Thursday.

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The News Sevices Divsiion of All India Radio in its weekly "PUBLIC SPEAK" programme will bring you a discussion tonight on "FOOD SECURITY FOR ALL." This can be heard on the FM Gold Channel and additional frequencies at 9:30 PM. Listeners can pose questions to the experts in our studio on telephone number: 011-2331-4444.

This programme is also available on Doordarshan DTH.

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NEWSPAPERS HEADLINES

The serial blasts in the temple town of Bodh Gaya in Bihar dominate todays headlines. "Himsa shatters Abode of Ahimsa" writes the Pioneer. Highlighting the low casualty figure, the Hindustan Times reports "Damp bombs and low crowd save day". The Tribune and the Hindu cite security experts as saying that this attack could be a spillover of sectarian violence between Rohingya Muslims and Buddhists in Myanmar.

Bahujan Samaj Party chief Mayawati's address at the Brahmin Bhaichara Sammelan in Lucknow is widely noticed. "Mayawati warns Brahmins against sectarian Modi" reports the Mail Today. The Tribune writes "Maya assures quota for poor across the board".

Most papers highlight Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah's address at a rally in central Kashmir. The Times of India reports him as saying "Dont test J&K patience, political solution is must". The Asian Age quotes him as saying "NC will never be part of NDA".

The Indian Express and the Times of India report that six naxalites were killed in an encounter with the police in Gadhchiroli district of Maharashtra. The papers draw attention to the fact that all the six naxalites killed were women.

The Satesman says that the Home Ministry has objected to  the hiking of the FDI cap in defence, space, telecom and some other areas citing security concerns.

In a major step to empower women in 'khaki' the government for the first time is going to recruit and commission women officers in the Border Security Force, BSF report the Hindustan Times and the Asian Age.

The Times of India highlights the miraculous escape of 305 passengers, including three Indians, when an Asiana Airlines flight crash landed at the Sanfransico Airport late Saturday night.

And finally, photographs of an elated Andy Murray kissing the Wimbledon trophy after he won the Men's singles title are prominently displayed in all the papers. "Home hurray for Murray" is how the Hindustan Times describes the win