G8 non-committal on emission targets
L'Aquila (Italy), July 9
The G8 or the world's most wealthy and developed countries have remained non-committal on setting targets for reduction of greenhouse gas emissions, a demand being stressed by the emerging economies (G5) and other developing countries.
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and French President Nicolas Sarkozy during a meeting of G8 summit in L’Aquila, Italy, on Thursday. — AP/PTI

Power situation grim in Haryana, Punjab
Long cuts plague industry
Chandigarh, July 9
Haryana is facing its worst power crisis - thanks to an unprecedented hike in power demand and inability of the state to supply accordingly. While the domestic consumers in urban areas are facing cuts for 12 -13 hours a day, the industry in the state claims that it is virtually running on captive generation due to frequent tripping and sharp voltage fluctuations.

Situation belies PSEB claims

Hu vows crackdown on rioters
Urumqi, July 9
Chinese President Hu Jintao, forced to skip the G-8 summit in Italy due to the country's worst communal bloodbath in the restive Xinjiang, has vowed to crack down on perpetrators of the riots which killed 156 persons and cast a shadow on his pet concept of a "harmonious society."

MLAs obsessed with pay & perks
Chandigarh, July 9
Animated debate on budgetary proposals notwithstanding, pay and perks to legislators is an issue that has brought the treasury benches and the opposition together leaving the Punjab Finance Minister Manpreet Singh Badal isolated.

Pak downplays Zardari's remarks
Islamabad, July 9
Playing down President Asif Ali's remarks that Pakistan "created and nurtured" militants to achieve short-term objectives, the government here today said the statement should be seen in the context of the situation that prevailed after Soviet forces pulled out of Afghanistan.

Malegaon Blast Case
Court rejects Sadhvi Pragya’s bail plea
Mumbai, July 9
A bail plea by Sadhvi Pragya Singh Thakur, one of the prime accused in the 2008 Malegaon blast case, was rejected today by a special court which refused to accept her argument that the prosecution had failed to follow certain provisions of the Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA).