2100 HRS

26^th November, 2013

THE HEADLINES:

• Rajesh and Nupur Talwar sentenced to life imprisonment for murdering their daughter Aarushi and servant Hemraj in 2008. 

• Prime Minister assures Maharashtra Chief Minister of proper action on the demand for higher sugarcane price.

• Heavy rainfall forecast in Andhra Pradesh and Odisha coast as cyclone Lehar approaches.

• In Bangladesh, nine people killed and over 50 injured in violence in the opposition sponsored blockade.

• Sensex loses 180 points to close at 20,425; Gold jumps 575 rupees to 31,625 rupees per ten grams in Delhi.AND IN SPORTS:

• India bags 36 medals, including 19 gold, on the second day of the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships in Malaysia.

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The special CBI Court at Ghaziabad has sentenced the dentist couple Rajesh and Nupur Talwar to life for murdering their daughter Aarushi and domestic help Hemraj in 2008. The court has also sentenced both for five years imprisonment for conspiracy and destroying evidence in the case. They have been slapped a fine of 17 thousand rupees each by the court.

Earlier, CBI counsel R K Saini pressed for maximum punishment of death for the dentist couple. Arguing before Additional Session Judge Shyam Lal, the CBI submitted that the killing was a cold-blooded murder and fell in the rarest of rare category. Mr. Saini gave details of the sections under which the couple has been sentenced.

Both the accused have been convicted under section 302 for life imprisonment. Under section 201 IPC for five years of imprisonment and Dr. Rajesh Talwar alone under section 203 IPC for one year imprisonment.

The Defence Counsel Tanvir Ahmed Mir said that they will go in appeal against the conviction.

Appeal will be filed within a period of limitation. The verdict that is to be challenged, is the one that came yesterday.

Yesterday, the court convicted the couple in the murder of their 14-year-old daughter Aarushi and 45-year-old Hemraj. The case was awash with allegations of goof-ups, flip-flops and media bias.

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The Investigating officials of the Goa Police today established contact with the victim in Mumbai in alleged attempt to rape and molestation case by Tehelka Editor Tarun Tejpal in a Goa Hotel over a fortnight ago. Disclosing this to media persons at Police Headquarters DIG, Goa Police Dr. O P Mishra said a team of Crime Branch of Goa Police is talking to victim and that she is fully co operative. Dr. Mishra said an Immigration Check post alert has been issued by the Police so that the alleged accused does not flee the country. He said, the alert is issued as a precautionary measure.

Earlier, the Delhi High Court refused to grant interim protection against arrest to Tehelka Editor Tarun Tejpal, who has been accused of sexually assaulting his junior colleague in Goa. Justice Sunita Gupta also asked the counsel for the Goa police to file its reply, if any, and fixed the hearing of Tejpal's anticipatory bail plea for hearing tomorrow.

Meanwhile, the Delhi police also opposed the plea for grant of any transit bail to Tejpal.

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An all-party delegation led by Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan met Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh in New Delhi today on sugarcane price issue. Talking to reporters after the meeting, Chavan said that Prime Minister assured them of proper action and said, the government has already formed a Committee of Union Ministers Sharad Pawar, P Chidambaram and Ajit Singh to look into the issue.

Sugarcane farmers in the State are demanding higher price for their crop which the mills are not willing to pay. Although sugarcane crushing season began on 1st of this month, almost half of sugar mills remain closed due to the vexed issue.

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Campaigning for the Delhi assembly elections is in full swing. Senior leaders of different political parties today addressed a series of rallies in various parts of the city. The Congress today lodged complaints with the Election Commission against the BJP. It alleged that BJP Chief Ministerial candidate Harsh Vardhan had made false claims by saying that he had made Delhi polio-free when he was health minister. Congress has also demanded action against the Aam Aadmi Party for blaming it for the sting operation conducted on AAP candidates.

Congress leaders, Shakeel Ahmad, Ajay Maken and J P Aggarwal today addressed public meetings in the national capital highlighting works done by Sheila Dikshit government and charged the opposition with misleading the people. On the other hand, senior BJP leaders including Sushma Swaraj, M Venkaiah Naidu and Nitin Gadkari campaigned for party candidates and promised good governance. Leaders of BSP, Aam Aadmi Party, NCP and independent candidates are also reaching out the people in various areas. Political parties continue to remain engaged in blame games on different issues including city development, corruption and price rise. With Anand Kumar, this is Zakir Malik AIR News Delhi.

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In Rajasthan, campaigning for assembly election has reached a feverish pitch. Today, BJP President Rajnath Singh addressed four election meetings in the state. He termed congress as anti-poor. For Congress candidates, Raj Babbar and Shankar Singh Vaghela addressed election meetings in Ajmer, Jodhpur and Udaipur divisions. P A Sangma , Ramvilas Paswan, Sitaram Yechuri and Chief Minister of Tripura, Manik Sarkar also campaigned in various parts of the state.

Local problems and issues related to the state are being highlighted in the election campaign. Both BJP and congress leaders are alleging each other for ignoring poor and deprived sections of the society. Former chief minister Vasundhara Raje is criticizing the congress government for inflation and not fulfilling expectations of public. On the other hand Chief Minister and Congress leader Ashok Gehlot is criticizing previous BJP regime for corruption,land deals and bad law and order situation. Newly formed NPP is also campaigning in about 150 constituencies. Anurag Vajpeyi AIR News Jaipur

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Union Petroleum Minister M Veerappa Moily today said the decision to double natural gas prices from April 1 next year, will not be rolled back and that the notification on this will be issued shortly. The decision to reverse the hike in natural gas prices was proposed by the Rangarajan panel report. Moily said that the rising demand for subsidies from end-user industries won't come in the way of price hike.

He was speaking to reporters in Mumbai today, a day after meeting investors, bankers and analysts ahead of the forthcoming National Exploration Licensing Policy round auctions from mid-January.

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Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde says, the Group of Ministers set up to look into bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh, is trying to find ways not to hurt any region while creating Telangana.

The meeting of Group of Ministers will be held tomorrow. We are trying to find a solution that is the least trouble some to any one.

Dismissing the suggestion that there was delay in preparing the report of the group, Shinde said, it will be submitted to the Cabinet as early as possible. He also refuted reports that the Centre will give the Andhra Pradesh Assembly only 15 days, instead of a month, to pass the Telangana resolution. The Home Minister was talking to reporters in New Delhi after meeting Union Ministers Jairam Ramesh and S Jaipal Reddy.

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Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde has said, Pakistan should punish those involved in the 26/11 terror attack in Mumbai as enough evidence has been given to it. Talking to reporters in New Delhi today, Shinde urged Islamabad to take quick and urgent action against the perpetrators of the crime.

On the terror infrastructure across the border, the Home Minister said, despite repeated appeals, Pakistan has not taken any action.

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Five years on, Mumbaikars remember their dear ones and martyrs lost during the 26/11 terror attacks by holding memorial services.

Five years on, memories of the attack that killed 166 people during the three-day assault by 10 Pakistani terrorists, are still fresh in the minds of people. A memorial service was held at Bombay Police Gymkhana, where Chief Minister of Maharashtra Prithviraj Chouhan and other ministers laid wreath to pay homage to the martyrs. Friends and family members of victims lay flowers, wreaths and lit candles at Nariman house Chattrapati Shivaji Terminus (CST), Taj Mahal Hotel, Oberoi Trident and Leopold café. These places also held their own private memorial services. SONALI GHADYALPATIL, AIR NEWS, MUMBAI

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The very severe cyclonic storm ‘Lehar’ over southeast Bay of Bengal moved west-north westwards coming closer to Andhra coast. It lay centred over southeast and adjoining west central Bay of Bengal at about 920 kms east-southeast of Machilipatnam, 850 kms east-southeast of Kakinada and 780 kms southeast of Kalingapatnam. According to the Met Department, the system would intensify further and move west-northwestwards and cross Andhra Pradesh coast between Machilipatnam and Kalingapatnam near Kakinada on Thurseday around noon.

Under its influence moderate rainfall at many places would commence from tomorrow afternoon over north coastal Andhra Pradesh and south coastal Odisha. Rains at most places would gradually increase with heavy to very heavy falls at a few places and isolated extremely heavy rainfall over coastal Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coast on the day of landfall. Our Correspondent gives details of the preparations underway to face the storm.

15 teams have been sought from the Centre with 4 helicopters to be kept ready in Visakhapatnam. Arrangements are in full swing for mobilising people from low-lying and vulnerable areas in coastal mandals to safer places. The Met Department advised total suspension of fishing operations and fishermen out at sea along and off Andhra Pradesh and south Odisha coasts were asked to return to coast immediately. Henry, AIR News, Visakhapatnam.

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In Bangladesh, nine people were killed and over 50 injured in violence, arson and clashes between the police and blockade supporters. Today is the first day of the 48-hour nationwide blockade enforced by the 18-party BNP Opposition. They are demanding to put on hold the elections schedule till an agreement is reached on the election-time government. BNP-Jamaat supporters clashed with the police in Dhaka and Aminbazar on the outskirts of the capital in which several including police were injured. Railway services were severely affected across the country due to acts of sabotage which left trains stuck on rails in several places. At least 3 trains were set on fire, and several stations vandalised. In Bogra the election office was badly torched.

Meanwhile, a delegation of noted civil society members met the President this evening with the appeal to ensure that normalcy is restored through an acceptable election with participation of all parties.

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The 15 Tamil fishermen released from Sri Lankan jail, returned to Tamil Nadu today. However, their boats have been confiscated by the Lankan authorities.

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THE BUSINESS WORLD

The Sensex at the Bombay Stock Exchange lost 180 points, or 0.9 percent, to close at 20,425, today, on profit booking by the investors ahead of the derivatives expiry. The Nifty fell 56 points, or 0.9 percent, to 6,059. Stock markets in Japan, China and Singapore lost between 0.1 percent and 0.7 percent. The rupee remained unchanged at 62.50 against the dollar. Gold jumped 575 rupees to 31,625 rupees per ten grams in Delhi. Silver shot up 790 rupees to 45,790 rupees per kilo. And Brent crude oil futures stood over 111 dollars a barrel, while US crude gained 50 cents, to 94.69 dollars a barrel. RAJESH LEIKH, AIR NEWS.

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IN SPORTS NEWS;

India bagged 36 medals, including 19 gold, on the second day of the Commonwealth Weightlifting Championships at Penang, Malaysia today.