25-08-2013

NEWS AT NINE.

THE HEADLINES,

• Seventeen hundred people arrested in Uttar Pradesh in connection with Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama Yatra; State government says, tight security arrangements will continue to block the banned Yatra.
• Maharashtra Chief Minister says, trial against the five accused, arrested in photo journalist gang rape case, will be run in a fast track court.
• Six militants, including five hardcore ULFA cadres, surrender before security forces in Assam.
• US and Britain warn Syria of serious response if it is found to have used chemical weapons on civilians.
• IN SPORTS, India bags Gold in Archery World Cup Stage 4 competition in Wroclaw, Poland.
• Indian Olympic Association rejects International Olympic Committee's amendment banning chargesheeted persons from contesting elections.

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The Uttar Pradesh Government says that tight security arrangements would continue to check those trying to attend the Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama Yatra. Inspector General, Law and Order, RK Vishwakarma told media persons that about 1,700 people have, so far, been arrested, including Vishwa Hindu Parishad, VHP leaders - Ashok Singhal and Praveen Togadia.

The Yatra has already been banned by the State Government which says that it will not allow to set any new tradition. A Lucknow bench of the Allahabad High Court has dismissed a petition against the ban. The proposed Chaurasi Kosi Parikrama by VHP could not start today.

Home Secretary Kamal Saxena said, no untoward incident from anywhere in the State has been reported, and the situation was by and large peaceful.

The BJP today condemned the UP government's crackdown against VHP yatra from Ayodhya. The party accused the UP government of playing vote bank politics. Condemning the arrests, BJP said the UP government should not have interfered with the yatra.

Ruling Samajwadi Party said it would not let the state become another Gujarat or a repeat of December 6, 1992. Senior minister Azam Khan termed the yatra as an attempt to spoil the atmosphere of the state with an eye on the 2014 elections.

Talking to media persons at Etah today, External Affairs Minister Salman Khurshid said the decision to ban the Yatra has been taken by the UP government and the Congress has nothing to do with it.

Opposing the Yatra, the ruling JD(U) in Bihar today said no politics should be played in places of worship.

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With the arrest of the fifth accused from Delhi today, the Mumbai Police has arrested all five men accused of photo journalist gang rape case in Mumbai. Maharashtra Chief Minister also reiterated to run the case in a fast track court. More from our correspondent

"Fifth accused identified as Mohammed Salim Ansari was arrested this morning in North West Delhi's Ashok Vihar and was produced before a court in Rohini to seek his transit remand for being transported to Mumbai. He is expected to be produced in Mumbai court tomorrow. Mohammed Kasim Hafiz Shaikh alias Kasim Bengali, who is considered to be the leader of the gang, was arrested early morning today from Mumbai Central while his accomplice Siraj Rehman Khan was arrested last night. Both were remanded in police custody till August 30. Two others involved in the case were arrested earlier. The case is now transferred to Mumbai crime branch which will probe the missing mobile phone and further interrogations with the accused. Hospital sources informed that the victim’s health is improving and she is responding to the treatment. WITH NIVEDITA, Nikhilesh Chitre, AIR NEWS, MUMBAI."

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The Government has said that estimated 614.3 lakh tonnes foodgrains will be required to ensure the successful implementation of the proposed Food Security Act. As per an official release, the procurement will also ensure that farmers get more for their produce. The government has set the current minimum support price for wheat at 12 rupees 85 paise per kilogram and for paddy it is 12 rupees 50 paise per kilogram.

About 75 per cent rural population will get foodgrains at the highly subsidized price after implementation of the proposed Act. They will be provided wheat at the rate of 2 rupees per kilogram and rice at the rate of 3 rupees per kilogram.

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A draft Assisted Reproductive Technology (Regulation) Bill is under consideration of the government to regulate fertility clinics to safeguard the interest of poor surrogate mothers. According to Health Ministry sources, surrogate mothers are being exploited by fertility clinics and other agencies in absence of legal safeguards. The Bill is aimed at safeguarding the interest of stakeholders.

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In Assam, six hardcore militants, including five belonging to anti-talk faction ULFA (Independent), today surrendered before the Army in Sibsagar district. The Army sources said the militants gave themselves up at the Army's Ranghar camp. Besides the ULFA militants, a NDFB ultra also laid down arms at the camp. The militants also handed over arms and ammunitions.

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The government has said that increase in postgraduate seats in medical colleges in the country is under consideration on the basis of teacher-student ratio. An official release said, the government has rationalized teacher-student ratio in the medical colleges across the country. It said, the government has also granted financial assistance to 72 state government medical colleges under the scheme for strengthening and upgradation of medical colleges.

Our correspondent adds, over one thousand seats for postgraduate courses in different streams including Nephrology, Neurology and Cardiology have been increased for the current academic year.

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In Uttar Pradesh, the flood situation continues to be grim as more than six lakh population, spread over twenty districts, is reeling under floods. Due to sudden surge in Betwa, Ken and Yamuna rivers, hundreds of villages in Auraiyya, Hamirpur, Banda, Kaushambi and Fatehpur districts are in the grip of floods. Our correspondent reports that thousands of acres of crops have been destroyed and lakhs of people have been rendered homeless due to flood.

"River Ganga has submerged hundreds of villages in Ghazipur, Ballia, Varanasi, Chandauli and Bhadohi. Many urban localities of Varanasi and Allahabad are reeling under floods of Ganga and Yamuna where people are compelled to live in extremely tough conditions. Villagers in Hamirpur and other districts of Budelkhand have also come in the grip of floods since last three days, where they are still waiting for any help from the local administration. Merajuddin, AIR NEWS, Lucknow."

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In Madhya Pradesh, the flood situation is improving in most of the affected districts. Our correspondent reports that the state government has decided to give 15 days’ additional pay to Home Guard jawans who are engaged in relief and rescue works.

"The water level of major rivers continues to subside as rainfall activity has receded in the state. Now the state government’s focus is on distribution of ration, providing better medical services and housing arrangement to the affected people. In a high level meeting in Bhopal, Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan directed officials that assessment of losses should be made on a war-footing. Army helicopters have been deployed in relief and rescue operations. Food packets have been dropped in the flood affected areas. Shariq Noor, AIR NEWS, Bhopal."

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There has been no let up in the demand of the lawyers for a permanent bench of the Odisha High Court in western Odisha. The Central Committee of the Western Odisha Lawyers’ associations has called for a strike over their long pending demand for a permanent High Court Bench. The agitating lawyers are continuing with their strike following the failure of talks with the state government yesterday. Meanwhile Chief Minister Navin Patnaik has appealed the lawyers to withdraw the strike.

"Normal official and judicial work in 9 western Odisha districts has been badly affected for about a week now. Not a single nomination has been filed for the elections to the local bodies due on the 19th of next month, in about 20 municipalities and NAC, spread over 9 western Odisha districts. Opposition members in the on-going Odisha assembly session have already impressed upon the state government to heed to the demand at the earliest to avert a possible constitutional deadlock in the western Odisha districts in the context of the local bodies elections. Girish Chandra Dash, AIR NEWS, Cuttack."

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US President Barack Obama and British Prime Minister David Cameron have jointly warned Syria that it would face a serious response if it is found that Syrian forces used chemical weapons on civilians. Obama and Cameron spoke on telephone for 40 minutes yesterday and both leaders were gravely concerned over the attack carried out by the Syrian regime.

Meanwhile, the UN Security Council has called for immediate access for UN investigators on the ground in Damascus. Syria's Foreign Ministry said it had reached an agreement with the United Nations, allowing the UN chemical investigation team to enter the eastern al-Ghouta countryside of the capital Damascus to probe the alleged use of chemical weapons.

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In Iraq, insurgents killed at least 18 people in separate attacks today, including five Iraqi soldiers and an 8-year-old child. Police sources said the boldest attack was near the northern city of Mosul, where militants set up a fake security checkpoint, captured five soldiers and shot them dead.

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Former Egyptian President, Hosni Mubarak, has appeared in court, three days after being released from prison and placed under house arrest. Mr Mubarak is facing a retrial on charges of complicity in the killing of protesters during the 2011 uprising. He sat in the defendants' cage along with his two sons, former interior minister, and six security chiefs. Earlier, the separate trial of the Muslim Brotherhood's spiritual leader, Mohamed Badie and his two deputies was adjourned minutes after it opened.

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United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay arrived in Sri Lanka today to review the actions of Sri Lankan government in respect of implementation of its Lessons Learnt and Reconciliation Commission Report. Ms. Pillay will be on a week-long official visit, and will report her findings at next month’s regular session of the UN Human Rights Council. She has been given full access to the former war zone and will be allowed to meet all political and civil groups by the Sri Lankan government.

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The Indian Olympic Association, IOA today refused to accept International Olympic Committee, IOC's chargesheet clause on tainted officials, while accepting all the other amendments proposed by it. In a Special General Body Meeting of the IOA in New Delhi, the body opposed the chargesheet clause and said it should be applicable to convicted persons only. It means that only those who are held guilty by a court for a jail term of two or more years will not be able to contest elections.

Talking to reporters after the meeting, President Indian Kayaking Canoeing Association S Reghunathan told reporters that all the other amendments proposed by the IOC in the revised draft constitution have been accepted by IOA.

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"India today bagged a Gold medal in the Archery World Cup Stage 4 competition in Wroclaw, Poland. In the Women's Recurve Team final, the sixth seeded Indian team of Deepika Kumari, Laishram Bombayla Devi and Rimil Buriuly defeated the top seeded Korean team of Yun Ok-Hee, Ki Bo Bae, and Joo Hyun Jung, 219-215 to clinch the coveted yellow metal. This is the Indian trio's second successive Gold.

In Wrestling, India's Jatin has clinched a bronze medal in the World Cadet Championships in Serbia. Jatin defeated Austin Gomez of the United States (8-0) and Temirla Aliev of Russia (7-0) in repechage bouts in the 42 kilogram freestyle category to win the Bronze. This was India's first medal of the competition.

And, the fourth and final Grand Slam of the season, the US Open Tennis tournament, kicks off in New York tomorrow. All top shot players, including Novak Djokovic, Andy Murray, Rafael Nadal, Roger Federer, Serena Williams and Victoria Azarenka are participating in the 15-day tournament. Russian Maria Sharapova is not competing in this year's US Open, due to injury. AIR NEWS."

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The News Services Division of All India Radio in its weekly "PUBLIC SPEAK" programme tomorrow night will bring you a discussion on "Real Estate Regulator Bill".

This can be heard on FM Gold Channel and additional frequencies at 9.30 p.m. Listeners can ask questions to the experts sitting in our studio on telephone number: 011: 2331-4444. This programme is also available on Doordarshan DTH.