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Swine
flu death toll rises to 28
Pune:
Three more died of the deadly swine flu virus taking the
country's swine flu death toll to 28. A 36-year-old woman
succumbed to the virus at the Sassoon General Hospital in
Pune late on Sunday night. This is the thirteenth swine
flu death in Pune. Two women, both aged 27, succumbed to
the deadly virus in Bangalore . Meanwhile, 152 fresh cases
of swine flu have been reported from different parts of
the country. The maximum 97 cases were reported from Maharashtra
, of which Mumbai reported 60 and Pune 18. Eleven cases
have been reported from Delhi and 10 from Bangalore . With
this, the total number of swine flu cases has now gone up
to 1707. Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has said that
the Central Government is coordinating with the State Governments
in controlling the swine flu situation, and added that there
is no need for panic or disrupt daily life. Dr. Singh said
some parts of India are facing increased cases of swine
flu, but there was no need to panic.
Terror
groups in Pakistan planning fresh attacks in India: PM Top
New Delhi:
Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh on Monday said that there
is credible information that terrorist groups based in Pakistan
are planning to carry out fresh attacks in India and advocated
the need for utmost vigilance. Inaugurating the Chief Ministers'
Conference on Internal Security, Dr Singh said, "There is
credible information of ongoing plans of terrorist groups
in Pakistan to carry out fresh attacks," the Prime Minister
said addressing the Conference of Chief Ministers in New
Delhi. He said cross-border terrorism remains a "most pervasive"
threat. "We have put in place additional measures after
the last year's Mumbai terror attack. But there is need
for continued vigilance. The area of operation of these
terrorists today extends far beyond the confines of Jammu
and Kashmir and covers all parts of our country," he added.
In dealing with the terrorist challenge, he said, "We need
to be prepared for encountering more sophisticated technologies
and enhanced capabilities. We also need to guard our sea
frontier as vigilantly as our land border." Calling for
a coordinated response by the Centre and the States on issues
pertaining to internal security, he said, "We are committed
to assist the States in all possible ways in dealing with
the challenges of internal security. We will also do our
utmost in facilitating inter-State coordination." Terming
the Left Wing extremism as a serious challenge, Dr Singh
said, "The problem of Left Wing extremism is indeed a complex
one. There is a need for a balanced and nuanced strategy
to deal with it. On the one hand, the State should discharge
its responsibilities and obligations and re-establish the
Rule of Law in areas dominated by the Naxalites. At the
same time, we should work towards removing the causes, which
lead to alienation of people and problems like Naxalism."
Talking about infiltration, he said, "Levels of infiltration
which had come down very substantially have seen a surge
this year, alongside an increase in attempts at infiltration.
The infiltrators appear more battle-hardened, better equipped,
and in possession of sophisticated communications.
Four
ex-President bodyguards convicted in Budha Jayanti park
gang rape Top
New Delhi:
A Delhi court on Monday convicted four members of the President's
Bodyguard in the Buddha Jayanti Park gang rape case. Hearing
the case, at the Patiala House Court , Additional Sessions
Judge S.K. Sarvaria held Harpreet Singh, Satyender Singh,
Kuldeep Singh and Manish Kumar of the elite President's
Bodyguard guilty of gang rape, kidnapping and robbery under
various provisions of the Indian Penal Code (IPC). The court
said the quantum of punishment would be delivered on August
22. Of the four convicts, Satender and Harpeet have been
convicted of gang rape, abduction and robbery. Though the
court acquitted Kuldeep and Manish, of charges of gang rape,
they were convicted them for abduction, robbery and common
intention. The victim, a 17-year-old student of the Delhi
University , had gone with her friend to the park - which
is situated near Rashtrapati Bhavan on October 6, 2003.
The prosecution alleged that Harpreet and Satender raped
her while the other two accused, Kuldeep and Manish, kept
guard. The four first roughed up the victim's friend and
then took her to a secluded place inside the park before
raping her, the prosecution alleged. The incident shocked
the national capital six years ago.
Rahul
Dravid back after two-year gap Top
Bangalore:
Former Indian cricket captain Rahul Dravid is to make
a return to one-day international cricket after a gap of
almost two years. After being announced as 'selected' on
Sunday, Dravid gave made his first media appearance on Monday
after his practice session at the National Cricket Academy
in Bangalore. Dravid said that he was quite happy to be
back in the team, and hope to do well in the upcoming series.
"Pretty happy to be back. I am looking forward to the tri-series
and looking forward to the one-day series. I have been preparing
well. So I am hoping that it will go well. I will go out
there, do the best that I can and hopefully repay the faith
that the selectors have had in me," said Dravid. The former
captain's last one-day international appearance came in
October 2007, before selectors opted for a more youthful
side with an eye on the 2011 World Cup The 36-year-old batsman
has been selected for India's tri-series trip to Sri Lanka
and the Champions Trophy in South Africa. The tri-series
in Sri Lanka, which also involves New Zealand, will be held
from September 8-14, while the Champions Trophy runs from
September 22-October 5. Dravid has played 333 ODIs, and
is among the few batsmen in the world to have made over
10,000 runs in that format. The selected team also includes
Mahendra Singh Dhoni (captain), Yuvraj Singh, Sachin Tendulkar,
Gautam Gambhir, Suresh Raina, Yusuf Pathan, Harbhajan Singh,
Ashish Nehra, Rudra Pratap Singh, Ishant Sharma, Dinesh
Karthik, Praveen Kumar, Amit Mishra and Abhishek Nayar.
Al-Qaeda
extremists warn of 'spectacular attacks' on UK Top
London: In
an astounding revelation, Al-Qaeda extremists have claimed
that home-grown terrorists are plotting to attack targets
in Britain. According to reports, in an internet magazine
read by thousands of Islamic extremists Al-Qaeda has labeled
Britain and Europe as a bigger enemy than the United States.
It further says that the strikes are being planned by terrorists
living in Britain and others overseas, and warns of "spectacular
attacks", The Sun reports. The site is promoted by supporters
of deported hate preacher Abdullah al-Faisal who was booted
out of Britain after serving a jail sentence for being found
guilty of three charges of soliciting the murder of Jews,
Americans, and Hindus, and two charges of using threatening
words to stir up racial hatred.
2,000
displaced Christians living in tents in Islamabad Top
Islamabad:
Nearly 2,000 Christians are living in tents here for
the past three months, and most of them claim the Government
has evicted them from their lands without warning, citing
their religion. According to a report, people are dying
of poverty and their living conditions are said to be quite
pathetic. "I think there's a danger here, especially with
some of the younger children, that they could just die from
dehydration or from all kinds of infections," The Daily
Times quoted Dr Rizwan Taj, as saying. "I am very surprised,
really because this is the centre of Islamabad, just right
in the centre. And the facilities they need are not but
10 minutes from here," he added. Government officials on
the other hand say they had given sufficient warning to
the Christian community. "We are constitutionally bound
to protect the life and property of the minorities and to
look after the interests of the minorities in this country...
they are equal citizens of the country. Yes, there is a
problem, but we are trying to solve those problems," said
Pakistan's Minority Affairs Minister Shahbaz Bhatti.
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