Centre raps Orissa CM
New Delhi, October 3
Union home minister Shivraj Patil today wrote a letter to Orissa Chief Minister Naveen Patnaik reminding him about his duties. Patil said after every incident of violence, the MHA has been making available additional Central forces that had continued to remain in the state.

Nun’s rape case with crime branch
Editorial: Blot on civil society

Finally, Tatas pack up from Singur
Kolkata, October 3
Tatas today pulled out of West Bengal for its Rs 1-lakh car Nano project, blaming it on the continuing agitation by the opposition parties, spearheaded by Trinamool Congress leader Mamata Banerjee. Addressing the media after meeting with Chief Minister Budhadeb Bhattacharjee, Ratan Tata, however, said that Nano will come out as per the committed time.

Supreme Court refuses to stay Amarinder’s expulsion
New Delhi, October 3
The Supreme Court today refused to stay the expulsion of former Punjab Chief Minister Capt Amarinder Singh from the assembly, but stopped the move to have his Patiala Town seat declared vacant, pending disposal of his petition challenging the action against him for his alleged involvement in the Amritsar land development scam.

More posts for armed forces
New Delhi, October 3
In what will change the structure and profile of the Indian armed forces, the Union Cabinet today approved to open up more posts at the top-level. The cabinet today approved a proposal of the ministry of defence for upgradation of 1,896 posts across the three services. These posts are between Col and Lt-Gen and their parallel ranks in the Navy and Air Force.

Nod to new varsities
New Delhi, October 3
The government today approved the conversion of three state universities into central ones. These include Dr. Harisingh Gour Vishwavidyalaya, Sagar in Madhya Pradesh, Guru Ghasidas Vishwavidyalaya, Bilaspur in Chhattisgarh and Hemvati Nandan Bahuguna Garhwal University, Srinagar in Uttarakhand.

Sensex crashes amidst US fears
Mumbai, October 3
Amidst fears that the bailout plan for ailing financial institutions by the US government would not prevent a recession in the world's largest economy, stocks in India came under heavy bear hammering. The Sensex fell 529 points to close at 12,526 points while the Nifty fell 132 points to close at 3,818.

With eyes on polls, govt raises OBC creamy layer by 80 pc
New Delhi, October 3
The Union cabinet today approved 80 per cent raise in the income ceiling for creamy layer among Other Backward Classes (OBCs). Directed at expanding the voter base ahead of general and assembly elections, the decision means that the creamy layer ceiling among OBCs will now be Rs 4.5 lakh a year and not Rs 2.5 lakh a year, fixed earlier in 2004.

Editorial: Cream matters