China quake kills thousands 9,000 dead, 10,000 hurt; Hundreds of students buried; 7.8 China’s worst in 32 yrs Beijing, May 12 The most devastating earthquake to hit China in three decades has killed up to 9,000 persons and left as many as 10,000 injured, toppling eight schools and at least one hospital, state media said.
	WHEN THE EARTH HEAVED: A Chinese woman tries to escape from the debris of a collapsed building after an earthquake measuring 7.8 in Dujjangyan, Sichuan province, on Monday. — Reuters

Panchayat Polls
Violence rocks Punjab, 3 killed
SAD workers injure three senior BJP leaders;
repoll in 17 constituencies
Chandigarh, May 12
A spate of violent incidents marked polling for the panchayat samitis and zila parishads in Punjab today, with the alliance partners — Shiromani Akali Dal and Bharatiya Janata Party — literally crossing swords with each other. Repoll has been ordered in 17 constituencies. The poll process left three persons dead and more than 100 injured.

Khangura booked for interfering in poll official’s duty
EC orders repoll in 17 booths

Split Wide Open
Sharif pulls out ministers
PML-N chief Nawaz Sharif today decided to pull his party ministers out of the PPP-led government following deadlock over the reinstatement of deposed judges, plunging the country into a new phase of instability.            Nawaz Sharif

Myanmar okays foreign relief on India’s plea
New Delhi, May 12
Myanmar conceded India's request to accept international relief and medical supplies following a telephone conversation between external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee and his Myanmar counterpart U Nyan Win today.

Over 200 lakh tonnes’ produce expected
Wheat not to be imported
New Delhi, May 12
The government today said importing wheat this year would not be required as procurement of the foodgrain was set to reach the 200 lakh- tonne mark as against the target of 150 lakh tonnes during the current marketing season.

CAG to tie up with defence institutes for training
Shimla, May 12
The comptroller and auditor-general (CAG) has mooted a proposal to tie up with certain defence training institutes to enable its personnel to get a better perspective of the military system of functioning.
B.B. Pandit, director-general of defence audit, articulates a point at the annual command officers’ conference in Shimla on Monday. — Photo by S. Chandan

Businessman drives himself, family to death
Anandpur Sahib, May 12
A businessman from Ropar plunged to death with his wife and two daughters in the waters of the Bhakra canal late last night. While the bodies of Gurcharan Singh (49) and wife Jaswant Kaur (44) were fished out by 2 pm, a team of divers from Ropar was still looking for the bodies of the two daughters, Kamaldeep Kaur (22) and Keema (19).