Survey sees 7% growth, urges radical reforms
Calls for scrapping subsidies, revamp of tax structure
New Delhi, July 2
India’s economic growth may accelerate to about 7 per cent this year provided there is a normal monsoon and the government undertakes sweeping reforms like abolition of fuel subsidies and expansion of infrastructure, said the pre-budget Economic Survey for 2008-09 tabled in Parliament on Thursday.

Fuel price hike rocks Cabinet
New Delhi, July 2
Under public attack from their allies for raising petrol and diesel prices, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee sought to mollify them by explaining the compulsions, which led the government to take this “unavoidable” decision when this issue cropped up at the Union Cabinet meeting this evening.

LS on the boil over fuel price hike

Delhi High Court legalises gay sex
New Delhi, July 2
The Delhi High Court today legalised gay sex among consenting adults, ruling that Section 377 of the IPC, which treats such acts as a criminal offence, runs counter to people’s fundamental rights to personal liberty, equality and non-discrimination guaranteed under the Constitution.

Ruling could set precedent: UN
Delhi HC verdict supporting gay rights hailed

Raja tried to influence judge: Jaya
Chennai, July 2
AIADMK supremo J Jayalalithaa yesterday said that the Union Minister who tried to influence Madras High Court judge R Reghupathy in favour of a forgery accused was A Raja, belonging to the DMK and said the minister deserved to be sacked from his post.

Fazlullah may be dead
Islamabad, July 2
Pakistan's Taliban chief Maulana Fazlullah may have been killed during an operation in the restive Swat Valley, a media report said today.

Rural health tops Azad’s 100-day plan
Docs may get double salary for serving in remote areas
New Delhi, July 2
Rural postings for doctors may no longer be made compulsory, but doctors and paramedics who agree to serve in remote areas could improve their salaries by about 100 per cent.

Premium fuel comes at a ‘premium’ Chandigarh, July 2 The oil-marketing companies, Indian Oil Corporation, Hindustan Petroleum and Bharat Petroleum, have hiked the prices of premium petrol by Rs 5 per litre and that of premium diesel by Rs 2.75 to 3 per litre.