Bill on judges’ assets soon
New Delhi, June 26
The UPA government is planning to make it mandatory for judges to declare their assets and liabilities. Law Minister M Veerappa Moily today said a legislation would soon be introduced in Parliament, making it essential for judges to declare their assets and liabilities.

Punjab seeks loan waiver New Delhi, June 26 Punjab today made another fervent plea to the Planning Commission to waive the militancy-period loan on the state to free it from debt trap. The demand came at a meeting here today where the commission hiked the 2009-10 annual plan for the state by 39 per cent
Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal presents a bouquet to Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission Montek Singh Ahluwalia during a meeting to finalise the Annual Plan 2009-10 of the state, in New Delhi on Friday. Tribune photo: Manas Ranjan Bhui

Ties with Pak under stress: Krishna
New Delhi, June 26
Slowly but steadily, the India-Pakistan normalisation process is gaining momentum. The Foreign Ministers of the two countries today held a formal meeting on the margins of the ‘Outreach’ meeting of the G-8 countries at Trieste in Italy.

Maoists trigger landmine blasts
Ask CPM to release Gour or face attacks on its leaders
Kolkata, June 26
During their flushout operation at Lalgarh today, paramilitary forces and cops faced landmine attacks in as many as seven places in the Pingboni forest area, compelling them to halt at Kadasole for the day instead of advancing further to the destination at Ramgarh.

Finally, rains hit Mumbai
Mumbai, June 26
Rains finally hit Mumbai today giving some respite to the country’s financial capital which has been reeling under a severe water shortage due to the delayed monsoon this year. The first major downpour of the season saw life in the city being thrown out of gear with roads getting waterlogged, and trains and buses running behind schedule.

Andhra villages to get bottled water
Hyderabad, June 26
An ambitious scheme to supply bottled mineral water for all villages in Andhra Pradesh will be launched on August 15. Mini-plants for bottling water will be set up in villages having a population of 1,500 and above.

Over a million Americans affected by swine flu
Washington, June 26
US health officials estimate that as many as one million Americans may now have the new H1N1 (swine) flu. Lyn Finelli, a flu surveillance official with the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), voiced the estimate at a vaccine advisory meeting on Thursday in Atlanta.

King of Pop Jackson dies at 50 Michael Jackson, King of Pop who first enraptured audiences as a child star and eventually Moonwalked his way into the hearts of millions around the world, died of an apparent cardiac arrest in Los Angeles on Thursday. Opinion page: Pop star who bridged eras