MORNING NEWS

0815 HRS

16.01.2014

THE HEADLINES
 

• Two persons arrested in connection with alleged gang rape of Danish tourist near New Delhi railway station.
• CBI moves a special court seeking approval to drop Maharashtra former chief minister Ashok Chavan's name as an accused in the Adarsh scam case.
• Finance Minster says current account deficit to be contained at 50 billion dollars in current fiscal; economy will return to high growth path in next 3 years.
• In Iraq, 73 people killed in a wave of attacks as militants take more territory from security forces in crisis-hit Anbar province.
• Saina Nehwal, P V Sindhu, P. Kashyap and K Srikanth advance to the second round of singles in the Malaysia Super Series Premier badminton tournament.
• India loses to Australia in quarter-final in Hockey World League Final.

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Two persons were arrested last night in connection with alleged gang rape of a 51-year-old Danish tourist at knife-point near New Delhi railway station. Police registered a case of gangrape under section 376 G (2) of IPC and robbery. A senior Delhi Police official claimed that they have identified the culprits and that all of them are vagabonds. The official said that they have recovered an i-pod, ear plug, mobile phone and other valuable items from the custody of arrested persons.

The victim, who had come to India on the new year day, lost her way to her hotel in Paharganj following which she approached a group of six men asking for directions. After recording her statement with police, the woman flew back to Denmark yesterday afternoon, promising to extend all sorts of cooperation in the case. She refused to undergo any medical examination.

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Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal met Lieutenant Governor Najeeb Jung last night and requested him to direct police to improve security for women in the city. Talking to reporters, Mr. Kejriwal said he discussed the issue of women safety. He said, both have agreed to ask the Delhi Police Commissioner to come prepared with an analysis of rape cases. Mr Kejriwal said that he along with Mr. Jung and Police Commissioner would meet the Chief Justice of India to urge him to set up more fast track courts in the city to deal with cases of sexual violence.

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The CBI has moved a special court seeking approval to drop former Maharashtra Chief Minister Ashok Chavan's name from the list of accused in Adarsh housing society scam following state governor's refusal to sanction his prosecution. Special Public Prosecutor Bharat Badami filed an application yesterday before CBI court judge S G Dighe requesting him to allow removal of Chavan's name from the list of 13 accused charge-sheeted in the case, citing the governor's decision, which it said was "non-appealable". Our correspondent reports that the court reserved its order on the application for Saturday.

In a breather for Maharashtra’s former chief minister Mr. Ashok Chavan, the Central Bureau of Investigation has decided against requesting the state governor to review his recent refusal to grant mandatory sanction for prosecution in the Mumbai’s multi-crore Adarsh housing society scam case. According to legal opinion received by the agency, it can seek a review of the Governor's rejection of sanction for prosecution if it manages to bring out new evidence or legal infirmity in the order. According to the agency’s July 2012 chargesheet, the former chief minister was allegedly part of the conspiracy behind the inclusion of civilians in the society originally meant for the Kargil war widows and defence personnel. Sweety Kothari, AIR News, Mumbai.

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The Supreme Court said that clinching proof of committing rape against each accused is not necessary and a person can be convicted in a gangrape case even if there is no medical evidence against him. The court set aside the Rajasthan High Court order which had acquitted all the six accused. It upheld the trial court order convicting all the accused for gangrape and awarded 10- year jail to all of them.

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Finance Minster P. Chidambaram has expreseed confidence that current account deficit, CAD will be contained at 50 billion dollars in current fiscal. He said, the government had taken several measures, including curbs on gold imports, to contain the CAD. Delivering the valedictory address at Petrotech 2014 in Greater Noida yesterday, he said the economy will return to high growth path in next 3 years.

As our new measures take effect, I am confident that the Indian economy will also get back step by step to the high growth path within three years.

India's economic growth slipped to a decade low of 5 per cent in 2012-13 and in the current fiscal it estimated to be around the same level. It grew by over nine per cent before it was hit by the global crisis of 2008. Mr. Chidambaram expressed hope that the revised growth estimates for 2012-13 were likely to be better than the earlier projections.

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India has almost finalised the deal with Russia for phase 3 and 4 of the Kudankulam nuclear power project in Tamil Nadu. Union Minister of State for Atomic Energy, V Narayanasamy told reporters in New Delhi yesterday that negotiations with Russian government have almost crystallised. He indicated that the agreement could be signed soon.

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The National Human Rights Commission, NHRC has recommended 45 lakhs monetary assistance in 8 cases of encounter in Uttar Pradesh. The Commission took up 34 cases yesterday as part of its three day camp sitting in Lucknow relating to deaths in encounter and in police custody. In two cases of encounter, the NHRC recommended monetary relief of 5 lakh rupees each to the next of kin of the deceased and in another six cases of encounter, the Commission recommended 35 lakh rupees as compensation.

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The Indian Coast Guard will undertake simultaneous repatriation of Indian and Srilankan fishermen along the Indo Srilankan International Maritime Boundary line by 11 am this morning.

This initiative follows the decision taken by both Countries at a diplomatic level. On the Indian side, 52 fishermen were released from the Central Prison at Chennai two days ago and are taken towards the Maritime border on board the Coast Guard ship Vishwast. More from our correspondent

The crossing over of international boundary line by fishermen of most of the coastal districts in Tamil Nadu is a perennial issue. Though both countries have been taking serious steps towards sorting it out, it needs an understanding at the fishermen level and at a diplomatic level to head for a solution. The assurance at diplomatic level by External Affairs Ministers of both countries has given a ray of hope to the fishermen and has also raised the expectation for the ensuing meeting which is to be held on the 20th at Chennai. The meeting will focus on problems faced by fishermen of both countries at a broader level. Joy, AIR News, Chennai.

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In Iraq, 73 people were killed in a wave of attacks, including car bombs in Baghdad, as militants took more territory from security forces in crisis-hit Anbar province. The officials in Baghdad said that eight car bombs hit civilian targets in majority-Shiite areas of the capital, killing 37 people. A suicide bombing at a funeral in Buhruz, killed 16 people and wounded 20. Further north, 13 people, including nine soldiers, were killed in and around the city of Mosul, while seven employees of a brick factory in Muqdadiyah, were gunned down by insurgents.

UN chief Ban Ki-moon and other diplomats have urged Iraq's leaders to seek political reconciliation to resolve nationwide violence and the standoff in Anbar. But Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki has ruled out dialogue with militants as Iraqi forces have launched wide-ranging security operations.

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South Korean President Park Geun-hye who arrived in New Delhi yesterday on an official visit to India will hold delegation-level talks with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today. The two countries are expected to sign some agreements after the talks. The visiting dignitary is scheduled to meet the President, the Vice-President, the External Affairs Minister and the Leader of the Opposition in the Lok Sabha during her four-day stay in the country. Our Correspondent reports that the two countries have a very robust economic relationship and bilateral trade reached over 18 billion Dollar in 2012.

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Commerce Secretaries of India and Pakistan met in New Delhi yesterday to discuss trade-related issues and set the agenda for the Ministerial meeting later this week. Besides taking stock of trade relations, Commerce Secretary S R Rao and his Pakistani counterpart Qasim M Niyaz also discussed issues like trading in power and petroleum products. Commerce and Industry Minister Anand Sharma and Pakistan's State Minister for Commerce and Textile, Khurram Dastagir Khan will meet on 18th of this month. Khan is coming to New Delhi for the SAARC Business Leaders Conclave starting today.

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Minister for Information & Broadcasting Manish Tewari announced the launch of the National Museum of Indian Cinema showcasing India's rich film heritage over the past 100 years. Mr Tewari made the announcement at a star studded award function in Mumbai yesterday. While outlining various steps taken by the government to promote cinema in India, Mr Tewari said that as the Indian cinema enters a new century, the national museum of Indian cinema coming up in Mumbai is a small tribute from the Ministry of Information & Broadcasting to the great film heritage of India.

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In Badminton, Saina Nehwal and P V Sindhu notched up straight-game victories in their respective opening round women's singles matches in Malaysia Super Series Premier tournament. In Kuala Lumur yesterday, while eighth seeded Saina got the better of Indonesia's Hera Desi 21-10 , 21-16, Sindhu prevailed over Lindaweni Fanetri of Indonesia 21-17 ,21-18. In the men's singles, Parupalli Kashyap and K Srikanth entered the second round. While Kashyap outplayed Marc Zwiebler of Germany 21-19 , 21-13, Srikanth defeated Yun Hu of Hong Kong in three games 21-17 ,18-21 ,21-16. India have crashed out of the Hockey World League Final. In the last quarter-final match of the event in New Delhi yesterday, the hosts suffered a 2-7 hammering at the hands of world champions Australia. This is Naresh Mago, Sports Desk.

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NEWSPAPER HEADLINES

• Cracks starting to show in AAP on account of infighting and dissent, is highlighted in the Press. Mail Today writes - "In Delhi, MLA Vinod Binny has rebelled a second time threatening to 'expose' Arvind Kejriwal and Captain Gopinath said in Banglore that the Party's decision to roll back FDI in multi brand retail was Bizarre".
• The Tribune reports that British PM David Camron has rejected any 'conspiracy theory' that the prospect of a lucrative commercial deal may have influenced the British Govts decision in 1984 to supply specialist military help for the storming of the golden temple.
• "Sensex at 21,291, near record high", writes Times of India, and according to the Financial Express, the World Bank has projected that India's economy will grow by over 6 % in 2014-15.
• The draft of the much awaited Jan Lokpal Bill will be ready in a days time, according to Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal, reports Hindustan Times. Apart from the judiciary, all Govt Organisations- including the Delhi Police and DDA will come under its ambit.
• And finally, The Times of India warns us - 'Your make up may be leaving you with a touch of toxic heavy metals, with mercury in world class whitening creams and chromium in several well known brands of lipsticks.

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