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Sensex closes above 12,000-mark

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Mumbai, July 08: In what was the biggest gain in a single day since Oct 31, 2008, a key index of the Indian equities markets soared more than 700 points, raising hopes that the rally that has kept the bourses in green for eight-nine weeks can be sustained.

The 30-scrip sensitive index (Sensex) of the Bombay Stock Exchange (BSE), which opened at 11,635.24 points, rose 731.5 points or 6.41 percent from the previous close to end trade at 12,134.75 points.

Similarly, the S&P CNX Nifty of the National Stock Exchange (NSE) gained 4.96 percent to close at 3,646.35 points.

Singapore woman on trial for letting husband cane her son 100 times

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Singapore, July 07: A Singapore woman has to stand trial for allowing her husband to cane her 10-year-old son with 100 strokes as punishment for lying, media reports said Tuesday. The 39-year-old woman, who was not identified to protect the boy’s identity, could be fined up to 4,000 Singapore dollars (2,745 US dollars) or jailed for up to four years or both.

The court was expected to deliver its judgment later this month.

The husband, 39, hit his step-son with two tied rattan canes on his buttocks, arms and back, the online edition of Straits Times newspaper said.

Microsoft warns of serious Internet Explorer security hole

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Washington, July 07: Microsoft has taken the rare step of warning about a serious computer security vulnerability it hasn’t fixed yet.

The vulnerability disclosed yesterday affects Internet Explorer users whose computers run the Windows XP or Windows Server 2003 operating software.

It can allow hackers to remotely take control of victims’ machines. The victims don’t need to do anything to get infected except visit a website that’s been hacked.

B’desh approves draft law to ensure Hasina’s lifelong security

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Dhaka, July 06: Bangladesh government today approved a law to ensure lifetime security for the family members of the country’s founding father ‘Bangabandhu’ Sheikh Mujibur Rahman including her daughter Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina.

“The cabinet today approved in principle the proposed Father of the Nation’s Family Members’ Security Act-2009 to ensure their foolproof safety,” Prime Minister’s press secretary Abul Kalam Azad told reporters.

Best budget, will benefit Andhra Pradesh: YSR

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Hyderabad, July 06: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy Monday hailed the union budget as the ‘best in the most difficult times’ and said it would greatly benefit his state.

The chief minister congratulated Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee for presenting a progressive budget and termed it farmer friendly.

YSR, as the chief minister is popularly known, said the budget’s focus clearly was on infrastructure and inclusive growth.

BJD to stop trains in Orissa tomorrow

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Bhubaneswar, July 06: Angered over reduced allocation of funds for ongoing projects in the Railway budget, the ruling BJD in Orissa today called a statewide two-hour ‘rail-roko’ tomorrow.

“The rail roko will be held from 10:00 am to noon tomorrow to protest the Railway budget which ignored Orissa’s interests,” BJD general secretary Narendra Swain said.

Stating that Railway minister Mamata Banerjee allocated only Rs 715.22 Crore in the budget against last year’s allocation of Rs 949.34 crore, Swain said this showed the Centre’s “negligence” towards the state.

Budget ignores interest of Bihar: Shatrughan

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Patna, July 06: Describing the union budget as “direction less”, actor-politician Shatrughan Sinha today said it has totally ignored Bihar as well as the welfare of the common man.

“Despite Congress professing that it represents the ‘aam admi’, the budget presented by Union Finance minister Pranab Mukherjee has totally ignored the welfare of the common man,” Sinha told PTI over phone from UAE.

Australian universities to hold roadshows

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Chennai, July 06: As racist attacks against Indian students continue, a ten-member delegation from Australian universities will be conducting ‘Educational Roadshows’ across the country from July nine.

The delegation, including top police officials, would be holding roadshows to attract Indian students to Australia, country’s Consul General Aminur Rahman told reporters here.

The team would visit 13 cities in three weeks, he said.

How the swine flu virus spread across the UK

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London, July 06: The virus has swept through the UK since April, infecting thousands of people although most have suffered mild symptoms.

Here is a timeline:

* April 24: The Health Protection Agency says it is monitoring a deadly swine flu outbreak in Mexico and the United States after more than 60 people die after contracting the virus.

* April 26: Iain and Dawn Askham, of Polmont, near Falkirk, are confirmed as the first UK cases of swine flu after returning from their honeymoon in Mexico.

Daniel Radcliffe: ‘I won’t date Emma Watson’

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Washington, July 06: Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe said there has been “something really incestuous” about the idea of him dating co-star Emma Watson.

The 19-year-old actor said that while a relationship between him and Watson, 19, who plays Hermione Granger, would be “everything the fans ever wanted”, it was just not happening.

But he said the teenage stars of the boy wizard films were all “unbelievably horny” between the filming of the third film, Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban, and the fifth, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
–Agencies

US and Russia agree key nuclear deal

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Washington, July 06: Russia and the US agreed today to cut their nuclear warhead arsenals to as few as 1,500 each, aiming toward the lowest levels of any US-Russia arms control deal.

The initial agreement signed by presidents Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev at a Moscow summit, is meant to guide negotiators as the nations work toward a replacement pact for the START strategic arms control reduction treaty, which expires in December.
–Agencies

Cong alleges irregularities in Guj power sector

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Gandhinagar, July 06: Accusing the Narendra Modi government of “favouritism” and “corruption”, the Opposition Congress today said there has been financial irregularities and corruption in power purchase from the Adani group.

Referring to a High Court judgement, Leader of Opposition Shaktisinh Gohil said in Assembly that the court also had found that the state government’s intentions were malafide and were meant to favour Adani group.

He said the High Court observed that the government had “favoured Adani Enterprise over other bidders”.

Maytas Infra awarded two airport projects

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Bangalore, July 06: The Karnataka government today decided to award the contract to develop greenfield airport projects at Gulbara and Shimoga to Maytas Infra.

Briefing reporters after a Cabinet meeting, Home Minister V S Acharya said the Department of Corporate Affairs at the Centre has written to the state, recommending restoring the airport contract to Maytas.

He noted that K Ramalingam is the government-nominated Chairman of the Board of Maytas Infra now. The Department’s letter assured completion of the two projects within 12 months.

Woman, five minor girls drowned in water tank

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Bikaner, July 06: A woman and five minor girls today drowned in a water tank in Bhansar village under Chatragarh division, sources said.

The incident occurred this afternoon when they went to take a bath in the 15-ft deep water tank, they said.

A girl slipped into the tank while bathing and when the woman and the other girls tried to rescue her they also fell into it, they added.

Deceased were identified as Paresha (30), Asha (3), Bagati (13), Mukhtyara (10), Sarma (11) and Bhaita (10).
–PTI

‘Nuclear-armed India, Pak can’t take over each other’

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London, July 06: With his forces battling Taliban in the country’s troubled northwest, Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari does not see India as the foremost threat and says the “position of being able to take over another state is nullified” after both countries acquired nuclear arms.

As his goodwill gestures towards India clubbed with a domestic campaign to end militancy have attracted criticism at home, Zardari says “it rankles the small mind.”

CM ready for CBI probe into alleged fake encounter

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Dehradun, July 06: Uttarakhand Chief Minister Ramesh Pokhariyal Nishank today said his government is ready for a CBI probe into the death of an MBA graduate from Ghaziabad in an alleged “fake encounter”.

“I have full faith in the CB-CID. But if the family members of Ranbir want a CBI probe into the matter, we will not shy away from it also,” Nishank said after meeting the father of 22-year-old Ranbir Singh, who was killed in an encounter with police in Dehradun on Friday.

Pak jets pound Taliban stronghold, 14 killed: army

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Islamabad, July 6: Pakistani combat jets today pounded Taliban positions in the troubled South Waziristan tribal region as the army claimed 14 militants were killed in clashes with security forces in the northwestern Swat valley.

The jets attacked militant positions in Ladha area of South Waziristan, a stronghold of Pakistani Taliban chief Baitullah Mehsud though there were no reports of casualties.

The army has said it is preparing for an offensive against Mehsud and his network.

Injured Lee to miss first two Ashes Tests: report

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Cardiff, July 06: Brett Lee will miss the first two Ashes Tests owing to a rib injury, media reports said here today.

Battling a lower side strain, Lee missed today’s training session and had to be rushed to a hospital here for scans, according to a ‘Cricinfo’ report.

Apparently, Lee stretched himself in the warm-up match against England Lions in Worcester, taking six for 76 in that game.

“He has a sore left rib, but we won’t know the extent of it until the scans are back,” an Australian team spokesman was quoted as saying.

“We’re in a holding pattern until then,” he added.

India will closely monitor the Hafiz case: Krishna

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New Delhi, July 06: India today termed as “internal matter” the Pakistan Supreme Court rejecting petitions challenging the release of Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Saeed, a key accused in Mumbai terror attack, but said it will closely monitor the case.

“I think that is an internal matter of Pakistan and specially when courts are involved, normally we do not comment on those developments. But we are closely monitoring the events in Pakistan,” External Affairs Minister S M Krishna told reporters who sought his reaction on the issue.

SC judge apologises for “Taliban” remarks on Muslims

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New Delhi, July 06: Under criticism from Mulsim groups, Supreme Court judge Justice Markandeya Katju today apologised for his controversial comments that Muslim students cannot insist on sporting beards as it would lead to “Talibanisation” of the country.

A bench of Justices R V Raveendran and Markandeya Katju also withdrew the order passed by it on March 30 in which it had dismissed the petition filed by a student challenging the directive of a convent school in Madhya Pradesh that Muslims cannot sport beard.

Lalu, Nitish criticise union budget for ignoring Bihar

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New Delhi, July 06: Arch political rivals, RJD President Lalu Prasad and Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar today slammed the union budget for “ignoring” the demand for a special package to the state.

“How can the country progress when Bihar is ignored.

There should be attempts to bring backward states like Bihar on a par with other developed states,” Prasad said.

He said a special package for the state to the tune of Rs 1.86 lakh crore was made during the NDA regime and it is still pending.

Sarkozy and Brown slam Iran for detentions – Summary

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Paris, July 06: French President Nicolas Sarkozy and British Prime Minister Gordon Brown Monday harshly criticized the Iranian government for its arrest of British embassy workers following controversial presidential elections there. “The Iranian people deserve a better government,” Sarkozy said after talks with Brown in the French resort of Evian.

The French president also expressed his country’s support for Britain and said the French were “shocked” by what he called Iran’s “attacks” on Brown’s government.

Meeting Muslims, senior German affirms need for religion

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Regensburg, July 06: German Interior Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble praised religious values as an antidote to the world economic crisis, at a meeing with Muslim leaders Monday.

“The crisis has demonstrated what happens when values are no longer followed,” he told the seminar in the town hall of the southern German city of Regensburg.

The meeting was a continuation of three years of official consultations between the government and Islamic leaders on how to ease friction and offer Islam classes in public schools to Muslim pupils.

Judicial inquiry into Madhya Pradesh factory blasts

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Bhopal, July 06: Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan today ordered a magisterial inquiry into the blasts in two explosives-manufacturing factories in the state’s Singrauli district in which 10 people were killed on Sunday.

“A magisterial inquiry has been ordered and an ex-gratia of Rs.1 lakh each has been announced for the next of the kin of those killed in the incident. The financial assistance of Rs.10,000 is also being given to those seriously injured and Rs.5,000 to other injured in the incident,” Chouhan told reporters.

Andhra industry fears losing KG basin gas

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Hyderabad, July 06: The national gas grid proposed in the union budget by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee today triggered fears in the Andhra Pradesh industry that the gas found in the Krishna-Godavari (KG) basin might go out of the state, starving the local units.

An industry leader urged the state government to ensure the requirements of the local industry were met while building a national gas grid.