Wednesday, September 13, 2006, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Narrow escape for Punjab CM
Chopper crash-lands after hitting overhead wires
Bahadur Rajoa (Gurdaspur), September 12

The Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, and PWD and Education Minister Pratap Singh Bajwa had a miraculous escape when the Pawan Hans helicopter in which they were travelling crashed while take off.
The helicopter carrying Chief Minister Amarinder Singh lies in a maize field after crash-landing at Bahadur Rajoa village in Sri Hargobindpur area of Gurdaspur on Tuesday. The broken rotor blade of the chopper is encircled. — Tribune photo by Jangi Probe ordered CM, Bajwa examined at PGI Editorial: Lucky escape

’93 blasts: Memon’s brothers found guilty Mumbai, September 12 Thirteen years after serial blasts killed 257 persons in Mumbai, a Tada court today finally pronounced its first verdict convicting three brothers and sister-in-law of prime accused Ibrahim Mushtaq, alias ‘Tiger’ Memon, who himself is absconding. Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt, surrounded by police officers, leaves after appearing in a TADA court in Mumbai on Tuesday. — Reuters photo

PM, Brazil President discuss bilateral cooperation
Brasilia (Brazil), September 12
Seeking to upgrade bilateral ties, India and Brazil today held wide-ranging discussions to step up cooperation in agriculture, air services, health and other areas.

Karan Singh, S.M. Krishna in race for External Affairs
New Delhi, September 12
With Prime Minister Manmohan Singh making it clear to mediapersons accompanying him on his tour to Brazil and Cuba that a new External Affairs Minister will be in place after his return home on September 18, speculation has again gained ground that ICCR Chairman Karan Singh and Maharashtra Governor S.M. Krishna are the two key contenders.

Sanjay Narayen quits service
New Delhi, September 12
Sanjay Narayen, a senior official of the Civil Aviation Ministry who was also in charge of the modernisation of several airports in the country, resigned this morning after apparently being upset over being superseded in service.

Golden Forests: SC tells panel to filter bogus claims
New Delhi, September 12
In order to settle the claims of lakhs of investors of the defunct Chandigarh-based Golden Forest Company expeditiously, the Supreme Court has directed a committee, appointed by it; to filter out the cases of such persons who were not genuine depositors but were allured by company’s agents even after closure of the business by it.

Counsel questions dropping of charges against Sukhbir
New Delhi, September 12
In the continued long arguments in former Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal’s case before the Supreme Court, his counsel today questioned the dropping of the charges of corruption against Sukhbir Singh Badal, son of the Shiromani Akali Dal (SAD) president, by the Vigilance Bureau if the case against him was genuine.