Washington, Aug 2: Former US Treasury Under Secretary David Mulford is likely to be Washington's new envoy to India, newspaper reports and sources here have said. A well-known investment banker, Mulford had served as under secretary for international affairs in the Republican administration's of Ronald Reagan and George Bush Sr. (1984-1992). According to the sources, he is expected to succeed Robert Blackwill, who returned home last Wednesday after completing a two-year term as ambassador in New Delhi. A 1959 graduate of Lawrence University, Wisconsin, Mulford has a PhD degree from Oxford University and has written two books on Africa. Before joining the government, he was the chief investment adviser to the Saudi Arabia Monetary Fund and a consultant on foreign debt issues.

Dual citizenship law by year-end: Advani

         Pune, Aug 2: Deputy Prime Minister Lal Krishna Advani on Saturday said that the dual citizenship bill will become a law before the end of this year. Advani said this during an interactive session at the Symbiosis Society, when a student asked him as to whether the proposed of dual citizenship plan of the NDA government would help prevent the ongoing brain-drain. The bill, which would empower persons of Indian origin currently residing in another country, with an Indian citizenship, was introduced to Parliament in May this year. The seven countries identified by the government are UK, US, Canada, Australia, Finland, Ireland, Italy and Netherlands. He said Indians living abroad will get Indian citizenship as well as of their adopted country.

Mithi voted out in Arunachal Pradesh        

   Itanagar, Aug 2: Congress Chief Minister Mukut Mithi was defeated in voice vote on a no-confidence motion in the Arunachal Pradesh Assembly in a special session lasting eight hours last night. Earlier, Mithi questioned the constitutional validity of Speaker Tamyo Taga's decision to recognise the split in his party and the formation of a new one by the break-away group. Congress legislators stormed the well of the House asking "how can the Speaker pass an order recognising the split when he himself was a party to it." Terming the split as illegal and unconstitutional, the Congress MLAs demanded the Speaker to clarify his position. About five Congress MLAs led by Takam Sanjay even went upto the Speaker's dais to bang his table. Noisy scenes prevailed in the House with both sides clamouring for power.

Curfew in Maharashtra area after clashes (Go To Top)

          Kankavali (Maharashtra), Aug 2: Authorities imposed indefinite curfew in Kankavali area in Maharashtra on Saturday after clashes broke out between workers of rival political parties. Police officials said violence erupted after a rally taken out by opposition Shiv Sena party, demanding the arrest of two ruling Nationalist Congress party (NCP), turned violent. The Shiv Sena activists have been demanding the immediate arrest of two NCP leaders, accused of burning down the house of their leader Narayan Rane, last year.

Kishtwar situation under control (Go To Top)

          Kishtwar (J-K), Aug 2: Officials on Saturday said the situation in Kishtwar town which witnessed religious violence on Friday was under control. Curfew was imposed in Kishtwar, 60 km from Doda district of Jammu and Kashmir, after a Hindu demonstration turned violent on Friday. "They started throwing stones on a mosque near main Kishtwar town and this aggravated the situation but the situation is under control now," Mohammed Aslam Haimdani, Sub- divisional Magistrate of Kishtwar, said. The demonstration was held by Hindus from Puller area who had migrated to Kishtwar town due to threats by militants. Several shops were burnt and 20 people including two police officials were injured in the violence. However, majority Muslims said the violence was instigated by vested political outfits who wanted to drive a wedge between them and the minority Hindus.

Five feared killed in Himachal flash flood (Go To Top)

          Lalooni (Himachal Pradesh), Aug 2: At least five people, including an 11-year-old child, are feared dead after torrential rains washed away houses in a remote Himalayan village in Himachal Pradesh on Friday. The death toll is expected to rise in the late night tragedy in Lalooni, about 65 km from Dharamsala. Most of the victims were villages who were caught unawares, sleeping in their mud and bamboo houses. "Due to the flood my two grandchildren and my wife have died. It occurred at around 9 pm (local time). How could I have saved them? They were just washed away," Dev Raj, an eyewitness, said. Last month 40 people were killed in a cloud burst in Kullu district near the construction site of a dam.

Tea stall boy shot dead by drunk cop (Go To Top)

          Patiala, Aug 2: In a shocking incident of drunken rage, a policeman in Patiala shot dead a 14-year-old boy on Friday allegedly for not serving him tea on time Constable Ranjit Singh shot dead Gurmeet Singh, who worked as a waiter at a roadside tea stall, with his service revolver after the latter apparently delayed serving Ranjit Singh and his colleague. Police have registered a case of murder against the errant cops. Earlier this year a policeman on duty at Bombay's international airport had killed his commanding officer and took six people hostage apparently after a row over his work.

War if nuclear issue taken to UN, warns N.Korea (Go To Top)

          Seoul, Aug 2: North Korea said on Saturday that any move by the United States to bring Pyongyang's nuclear crisis to the UN Security Council would derail planned six-nation talks on the issue and could lead to war. Any move to discuss the nuclear issue at the UN Security Council is little short of a prelude to a war, official North Korean news agency said. It said the resumption of talks depended entirely on whether Washington dropped what Pyongyang calls its hostile policy towards the North. North Korea and the United States said on Friday they had agreed to hold six-way talks on the crisis over Pyongyang's nuclear intentions. China, Japan, Russia and South Korea will also attend.

Noor returns home to warm and affectionate welcome (Go To Top)

          Lahore, Aug 2: Two-and-a-half-year old Noor Fatima, the infant who was brought to Bangalore, India, for heart surgery, has returned home. Accompanying her parents on the Delhi-Lahore bus on Friday, Noor was received at the bus terminal here by her beaming relatives, including her brothers, sisters and grandparents. The bus entered the terminal at 6:10 p.m. Expressing their happiness over their return home, Noor's father, Nadeem Sajjad, said: "We did not feel that we were in a foreign country during our 20-day stay in India." "We received over 25 kg of mail from Indian well-wishers, mostly school children. Pakistan and India have same expertise in adult cardiac surgery, but in children's cardiac surgery, they (India) are far ahead of us, since they have two internationally acclaimed children's cardiac surgeons: Boston-trained Dr. Sharma and Dr. Krishna," he added. Sharma was recommended to him by his U.S.-based brother, who is also a doctor, he said, adding that India was selected as it was one of four places in the world where they could get Noor operated and inexpensively.

          About the treatment given to his daughter, he said the hospital was very good. At the time of her operation, there were children from four other countries suffering from the same problem. The hospital had already treated 60 children in the last two years. He said he had also set up a "Doosti Fund" through which 80 percent Pakistani and 20 percent Indian children would be treated. The fund had already collected Indian Rs.200, 000, out of which Rs.140, 000 had been donated by an anonymous philanthropist, while he had donated Rs.50, 000. He said his daughter's operation would have cost him a total of Rs.140, 000, but the hospital waived it off as a goodwill gesture.

Pak orders release of 269 Indian fishermen (Go To Top)

          Karachi, Aug 2: The Pakistan government has issued orders for the release of 269 Indian fishermen and their 25 boats, the News reported on Saturday. It said that Sardar Manzoor Ali Khan Panhwar, Minister for Fisheries, had ordered their release as a goodwill gesture after meeting a six-member Indian delegation that come over here to seek the repatriation of the detained fishermen on Friday. More 700 fishermen have been released from both countries since 2001.

Discriminated Indian-American wins $ 50,000 (Go To Top)

          Washington, Aug 2: A US district court has awarded 50,000 dollars as compensation to an Indian-American doctor who was detained for four hours in Philadelphia, the Daily Times reported on Saturday. The court further ordered the transport officer who had detained Dr Bob Rajcoomar "because he didn't like his physical looks," to submit a written apology. Rajcoomar, a retired lieutenant colonel of the Army Reserves, moved the civil court alleging that he had been detained for several hours because of his dark skin. He claimed that he had overheard a federal agent saying, "We didn't like the way you looked." While delivering the judgement, US district Judge John P. Fullam said the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) had agreed to change procedures and would comply with the terms of a settlement agreement that calls for the agency to change its "policies and training procedures regarding the allegations in the complaint." Apart from the compensation, TSA administrator James Loy has issued a written apology to Rajcoomar and his wife.

GM Abhijit wins British chess championship (Go To Top)

          London, Aug 2: Grandmaster Abhijit Kunte annexed the Smith and Williamson British Chess Championship after settling for a draw with Swiss GM Joe Gallagher in the 11th and final round game in Edinburgh. Kunte, who was in sole lead before the start of the final game, totalled 8.5 points to finish half a point ahead of compatriot GM P Harikrishna, GM Paul Motwani of Scotland and top seeded GM Vassilios Kotronias of Cyprus, who all tied for second. It was the second successive time that an Indian won the championship after International Master RB Ramesh won it last year.

Private operators begin Agartala-Dhaka bus service (SEE TRAVEL NEWS)

-ANI