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Eleven policemen killed in Jharkhand landmine blast Chaibasa
(Jharkhand): Eleven policemen were killed and three others injured when Maoists
triggered off a landmine blast in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum District on Wednesday.
According to police officials, the incident took place at around 8:30 a.m. when
the security personnel were on long range patrolling. A gun battle between the
security personnel and Maoists took place after the blast near Tithir village
of West Singhbhum, about 200 km from here. Additional forces were rushed to the
site, the police added. Maoists say they are fighting for the rights of the poor,
landless and marginal farmers. Maoists, also known as ''Naxalites'', which Prime
Minister Manmohan Singh has described as one of the gravest threats to the country's
security. The state worst hit by Maoist violence is Chhattisgarh, where rebels
killed 241 people, including security forces, in 2008 alone.
India is a major foreign policy priority
for US: Burns Top New
Delhi: US Under Secretary of State William Burns on Wednesday said that the
United States of America considers India as a major foreign policy priority. Talking
to media after his meet with External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna on Wednesday,
Burns said that the U.S President Barack Obama sent him with a personal message
highlighting India as a crucial strategic partner for the United States. "President
Obama and Secretary Clinton have sent me here to India with a very straight forward
message--India is a major foreign policy priority for the United States. We consider
India to be a crucial global partner for the United States in the 21st century.
I had an excellent series of meetings today with the Foreign Secretary Menon,
with Home Affairs Minister and most recently with Mr. Krishna. I look forward
to another productive day of meetings tomorrow as we ... together an ambitious
bilateral agenda for the next phase in the strategic between the two countries,"
said William Burns. Burns also noted that both the US and India have come a long
way since the signing of the civil nuclear deal and would do a lot more together.
"We have come a long way together in recent years including and particular the
civil-nuclear agreement which was a very significant accomplishment but I am convinced
that there is great deal more that we can do together," Burns added. Burns' four-day
visit to India is the first by any senior US official since re-election of the
Dr. Manmohan Singh-led United Progressive Alliance Government at the Centre in
the country. The current visit of Burns is being viewed as a preparation for the
planned visit of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in July. Senior
RJD leader shot dead, triggers protest in Bihar Top Patna:
Senior RJD leader Pervez Alam was killed and his two brothers were critically
wounded, when unidentified men fired at them near Digha area on Wednesday. The
incident is reported to have triggered protests among angry locals. "As the news
of his killing spread, angry locals assembled and blocked Patna-Digha-Danapur
road for several hours, shouted anti-government slogans and demanded immediate
arrest of the killers," a police official said. "The mob burnt several vehicles,
including motorcycles and rickshaws, tyres and also damaged few houses," police
added. The RJD leader was rushed to the Patna Medical College and Hospital where
he succumbed to his injuries. "Patrolling was intensified as tension ran high
in the area," police said. RJD President Lalu Prasad came to meet Alam's injured
brothers at the hospital and assured them of all possible aids.
NCP suspends Padamsinh Patil from primary
membership Top New
Delhi: National Congress Party (NCP) on Wednesday suspended its murder case
accused MP Padamsinh Patil from its primary membership. The Sharad Pawar-led NCP
was facing tremendous pressure from all around over its Patil's alleged involvement
in the double-murder case. The Disciplinary Action Committee of the party met
in the capital on Wednesday and decided to suspend the Lok Sabha member from Osamanabad
in Maharashtra from the primary membership, said NCP leader Praful Patel in the
national capital on Wednesday. "We are not holding him guilty. But we would like
to keep a distance as Patil faces the legal process. If he proves his innocence
we will have no no problem in taking him back," Patel said. The party was only
following a convention in public life that a person who is facing investigations
in a criminal case should not be associated with the party, Patel added. The suspension
comes three days after the arrest of Patil by CBI in connection with the murder
of Congress leader Pawanraj Nimbalkar and his driver three years ago. Sensex
jumps 340 points, closes at 10-month high Top Mumbai:
The Bombay Stock Exchange benchmark Sensex on Wednesday surged by nearly 340
points to close at a 10-month high, on aggressive buying by funds on expectations
that the government will increase public spending in the budget to boost economic
growth. Sensex gained 339.81 points, or 2.25%, to settle at 15,466.81 points,
a level last seen around mid-August 2008. It touched the day's high at 15,580.81
points. The National Stock Exchange index (Nifty) soared by 104.30 points, or
2.29%, to 4,655.25, after touching the day's high of 4,688.95. There are reasons
to believe that the recent strong rally might continue. For one, equity analysts
are raising earnings forecasts of India Inc on hopes that the government will
focus on infrastructure sector and push economic reforms to boost growth. Finance
Minister Pranab Mukherjee is likely to present the Union Budget with focus on
'Aam Admi' while providing special attention to sectors hit hard by global crisis.
Dead snake found
in mid-day meals at a primary school in Jharkhand Top Dhanbad
(Jharkhand): A dead snake was found in mid-day meals served to students of
a primary school in Jharkhand's Dhanbad district on Tuesday. Nearly 60 students
of the Government primary school in Govindpur area of Dhanbad have fallen ill
after eating the food given to them under Centre's programme. Reportedly, the
students saw one of the school staff taking out the dead reptile and tossing it
out. "The children panicked when they found a snake in their meal and saw a man
throwing out the dead snake. When I reached home I heard about a child having
fallen ill and reportedly vomiting. Then one by one many children were brought
to the hospital as they suffered from nausea," said Mohammad, guardian of a student.
The students have been admitted to Patliputra Medical College. According to the
doctors, these children are suffering from dehydration, vomiting and abdominal
pain. "The condition of children who were given saline is still not stable. Once
they are out of dehydration then a clear picture will come out of their health,
" said Dr. U. Prasad, physician, Patliputra Medical College and Hospital. Meanwhile,
District Education Superintendent Ratan Mahaveer has assured the worried parents
that thorough probe will be conducted in the matter Earlier on May 29, a dead
frog was found in mid-day meal given to students of a Bhopal school. Mid-day Meal
Scheme, initiated by Central government, involves providing free lunch to school-children
on all working days. The main objectives of the largest school lunch scheme in
the world are increasing school enrolment and attendance, improving socialization
among children belonging to all castes, addressing malnutrition and social empowerment.
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