0815 HRS.

2 ^nd December, 2013

THE HEADLINES:

• Rajasthan records its highest ever polling in Assembly Elections; Delhi goes to polls on Wednesday.
• Uttar Pradesh government and private mill owners reach an agreement over sugarcane prices.
• Enforcement Directorate attaches assets worth 75 crore rupees of two companies in connection with NSEL scam case.
• 50-member panel approves draft constitution in Egypt; Gives more powers to military.
• PV Sindhu lifts Macau Open Badminton tournament.

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Rajasthan has recorded its highest ever voter turnout of 72.87 per cent during the Assembly Elections. 199 of the 200 constituencies went to the polls yesterday to elect a new assembly. Polling for the  Churu seat was postponed due to the death of BSP candidate. It will be held on the 13th of this month. Polling in the state passed off peacefully, with no major untoward incident reported. A decision about re-polling at some polling booths will be taken by the Election Commission today after scrutiny of complaints. Our correspondent has filed this report:
 

"Voters of Rajasthan created history by record polling and it was mainly due to SVEEP programme and more number of parties and candidates contesting the election. In the eastern parts of the state where number of sensitive polling stations was higher than other areas, polling percentage is almost same as previous election but in cities like Ajmer it has been increased upto 10 percent. In Sriganganagar, Hanumangarh and Jaisalmer polling was above 84 percent.  Ruling Congress and main opposition party BJP are contesting on all seats while BSP is contesting on 195 and CPM on 38 seats. Counting of votes will take place on 8th December. ANURAG VAJPAYI, AIR NEWS, JAIPUR."

In Delhi, campaigning for the Assembly elections will end today. The national capital witnessed more than 25 rallies and scores of road shows on the penultimate day of campaigning yesterday. Top leaders of major political parties and candidates were seen attempting to reach out to voters by making an array of promises and spelling out their vision for Delhi. Voting for the 70-member assembly will be held on Wednesday and counting will be taken up on Sunday. More from our correspondent:

"Senior Congress leaders and Delhi Chief Minister Shiela Dikshit addressed rallies highlighting the developmental work done by the Congress government during the past 15 years.  Senior BJP leaders and Party's Chief Ministerial candidates Harsh Vadhan raised the issues of price rise, corruption and water scarcity in Delhi. Candidates belonging to Aam Aadmi Party, NCP, SP and left parties and independents focussed on door to door campaign. Chief Electoral Officer of Delhi conducted a Voice of Vote Concert at India Gate as part of voters' awareness campaign to ensure maximum participation of people. With, Anand, this is Lalima Aneja Dang for AIR News."

In Madhya Pradesh, re-polling is underway at six booths spread over five assembly segments. Voting, which started at 8 this morning, will end at 5 pm. These booths are Bahrara in the Sumawali assembly segment, Baikunthpur in Sirmour constituency, Barauda in Panagar seat and Dushehra Maidan in the Ujjain South segment. Re-polling is also being held at Chaurai and Ikmili booths in Lahar seat. Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh were held on the 25th of last month. Counting of votes will be held on Sunday.

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Congress leader and Information and Broadcasting Minister, Manish Tewari has said that the manner in which BJP leaders speak about Article 370 and Article 371, makes him conclude that neither have they read the Constitution nor have they cared to pay attention to the details. He was commenting on BJP leader and Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi's reported statement on Article 370. Mr. Tewari said, these two Articles are provisions which integrate various regions of India into the national mainstream. He said that earlier BJP leaders were talking about abrogating Article 370 and now they are calling for a debate on the same.
Addressing a rally in Jammu yesterday, Modi had said that his party wants a discussion on various aspects of Article 370.

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The deadlock between private mills and the Uttar Pradesh government over the price of sugarcane has ended. Sugar mills have agreed to pay farmers the state-advised price of 280 rupees a quintal in two tranches. Addressing a press conference in Lucknow yesterday, State Chief Secretary Jawed Usmani said, representatives of the UP Sugar Mills Association have given an undertaking that they will start sugarcane crushing now. More from our correspondent:

"The mills have agreed to pay farmers rupees 260 a quintal for sugarcane within 14 days of delivery while the remaining rupees 20 for every quintal would be paid before the end of the 2013-14 crushing season. The state government has also decided to waive off the entry tax, purchase tax and society commission on sugarcane or sugar for the current crushing season. This will translate into a benefit of around rupees 11 a quintal for the millers. The state would also set up a high-level committee to analyze the sugarcane price linkage issue. The agitating sugar cane farmers have welcomed the agreement. Merajuddin, AIR News, Lucknow."

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The Enforcement Directorate has attached an estimated 75 crore rupees assets of a borrower company and its associates in connection with money laundering probe in the National Spot Exchange Limited scam case. This is the first attachment order issued by the agency, under Prevention of Money Laundering laws. Sources said the assets belong to Mohan India and its group of companies--Tavishi Enterprises Private Limited and Brinda Commodity Private Limited. Both companies owe about 922 crore rupees to investors.
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Former Tehelka Editor,Tarun Tejpal has been sent to 6-day Police custody in connection with the alleged sexual assault on his junior colleague in Goa. Judicial Magistrate Shama Joshi passed the order for Tejpal's remand on the police's plea. Tejpal was arrested by the Goa police Saturday night, after his anticipatory bail plea was rejected by the District and Sessions Judge Anuja Prabhudesai in the case.

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In Egypt, a 50-member panel has approved the draft constitution for a referendum billed as the first stage in a democratic transition promised by the military-installed authorities after Islamist president Mohamed Morsi's July ouster. The Chairman of the constitution drafting panel, Amr Moussa announced that the panel will reconvene today after which the draft will be submitted to the Interim President Adly Mansour tomorrow. More from our West Asia correspondent:

Under the new provisions in the constitution, the parliament and the Presidential elections have to be completed within a period of six months after the ratification of the constitution. It has banned political parties on the religious grounds and placed some restrictions on protests. The new constitution gives more rights to the military than the 2012 constitution passed by the Islamists but restricts the scope for trial of civilians by the military courts. The draft constitution grants freedom of belief as an absolute right and equality for all citizens before the law. The text gives women and Christians suitable representation but says a future law must decide the details. Atul K Tiwary, AIR News.

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Several attacks including a suicide bomb at a funeral, killed 28 people across Iraq yesterday. A suicide bomber blew himself up at the funeral of an anti-Qaeda fighter in which 12 were killed and another 45 wounded at Wajihiyah in Diyala province. Twin bombings in Saadiyah also killed five more people, while violence in Baghdad and the Sunni towns and cities of Fallujah, Abu Ghraib, Mosul and Hawijah left 11 others dead.

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In the United States, at least four people were killed and more than 60 injured in a passenger train crash in the Bronx area of New York last evening. An eyewitness said, the train was travelling much faster than normal as it approached the curve. Metropolitan Transportation Authority spokeswoman Marjorie Anders said the curve where the derailment occurred was in a slow speed area, and that the train's black box recorder should be able to tell exactly how fast the train was travelling.

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China has successfully launched an unmanned lunar probe with a robotic rover to soft land on the Moon and to explore its surface. The probe Chang'e-3 was launched into orbit aboard an enhanced Long March-3B carrier rocket from the Xichang Satellite Launch Centre last night. The mission was the 25th launch of the Long March-3B, which is the most powerful launch vehicle in the Long March fleet. Official media said, the lunar probe will land on the Moon in mid-December if everything goes according to plan. So far, only the United States and the former Soviet Union have soft-landed on the Moon.

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Today is 'International Day for the Abolition of Slavery'. The day is observed to create awareness about the prevention of human trafficking and exploitation of human being. In his message, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has said that it is vital to give special consideration to ending modern-day slavery and servitude which affects the poorest, and the most socially excluded groups like migrants, women, minorities and indigenous peoples.

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Rural people of Assam, particularly from distant and flood affected areas, are getting benefits from Mobile Medical Units, MMUs under the National Rural Health Mission. Our correspondent reports that since 2007, MMUs known as Hospital on Wheels, are functional in all 27 districts of the state.

"Official data revealed that since inception, more than 38 lakh people were treated by Mobile Medical Units. The number of patients being treated by the MMUs has also been increased in last couple of year’s .In current financial year, over 4 thousand 800 health camps were held so far where more than five lakh patients got treatment. The Mobile Medical Unit is a boon for those areas where modern health care facilities are not available. Each MMU team consists of two doctors and supporting medical staffs. It carries out services like curative care, reproductive and child health services, family planning and diagnostic. Manas Pratim Sharma, AIR News, Guwahati."

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India's PV Sindhu has lifted the Women's Singles trophy at the Macau Open Grand Prix Gold Badminton Tournament. In the title clash yesterday, Sindhu, top seed for the event, defeated seventh seed Li Michelle of Canada in straight games, 21-15, 21-12. With this victory, Sindhu has bagged yet another Tier-III title this season, after her triumph at the Malaysia Open Grand Prix in May.

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The News Services Division of All India Radio in its weekly Live Phone-in programme “PUBLIC SPEAK” will bring you a discussion tonight on “Protection of women in live-in relationship."
This can be heard on FM Gold Channel and additional frequencies from 9.30 to 10.05 p.m. 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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NEWSPAPER HEADLINES

• India's space craft to Mars Mangalyaan leaving its earthbound orbit yesterday on its 10 month long journey - is reported prominently in the Press. "Mangalyaan propels India into big league" reads the Pioneer'sheadline of the story.
• In the mother of all election cleanups, the Delhi Chief Electoral Officer has cracked a long overdue whip on violations of the Model Code of Conduct and will act on the 400 already registered FIRs, says Mail Today.
• The Indian Express writes that the UPA government is learnt to have got the BJP's support for tabling the Bill related to the Land Boundary Agreement with Bangladesh, in the winter session of Parliament starting Thursday, signaling its intent to Dhaka to go ahead with the landmark pact.
• "Cabinet readies to treat 16+ in heinous crimes as adults", is the Times of India's top headline. The paper writes, Nearly a year after the role of a Juvenile in the Nirbhaya gang rape case, the government has proposed that youngsters above 16 years of age, who are guilty of heinous crimes, be treated on par with adult offenders.
• The Pioneer writes of a Guinness World Record. The Indian National Students Organisation has created a world record with 10,450 of its supports pledging  to donate their organs.
• And finally citing a New York scientist the Times of India writes that Alzheimer's disease may actually be a late stage of Type 2 diabetes. The researchers suggest that losing weight and exercising may ward off Alzheimer's, at least in the very early stages, adds the paper.