Cabinet’s bitter dose for Azad over H1N1
n Ministers concerned over flu management
n Govt warns of cluster formation in Pune
n First fatality in Bangalore; toll reaches 20
New Delhi, August 13
As the nationwide toll of swine flu climbed to 20 with Karnataka witnessing its first fatality today, the Union cabinet is, at a meeting chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, learnt to have voiced serious concerns over the current level of H1N1 management and preparedness in the country.

Apollo’s U-turn

Pranab to head panel on drought, rising prices
New Delhi, August 13
In view of drought and rising prices of essential commodities, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has formed a high power Group of Ministers (GoM) for monitoring the situation on day-to-day basis.

Violence against Christians, Muslims
US panel puts India on watch list
An independent and largely toothless US government commission on religious freedom has placed India on its watch list citing an increase in violence against Christians in Orissa and Muslims in Gujarat. The US Commission on International Religious Freedom's 2009 country report on India was released here on Wednesday without any of the commissioners actually visiting India because the Indian government has repeatedly denied the commission's request for visas.

Chintan Baithak to be stormy; Advani, Raje in defiant mood
New Delhi, August 13
Top BJP leaders appear to be in a defiant mood. Leading the pack is LK Advani, who has reiterated his intent of continuing to lead the parliamentary party for full five-year term — against the wishes of RSS, which wants him to retire soon. Not far behind is his protégé and former CM of Rajasthan Vasundhra Raje, who despite facing a virtual revolt from her state unit has also dug in her heels and refused to take hints from the Sangh and party chief Rajnath Singh to move out of Jaipur.

Haryana Assembly to be dissolved next week
Chandigarh, August 13
The Haryana legislative assembly will be dissolved in the third week of this month unless there is a last-minute change in plans by the Congress party leadership. Chief Minister Bhupinder Singh Hooda, who had earlier ruled out such a move, has apparently realised if he wants the assembly elections to be held in October, a few months ahead of the schedule and concurrently with the Maharashtra polls, the House has to be dissolved.The Election Commission can order polls to be held for a state assembly or the Lok Sabha six months before the expiry of its term.

88 yrs on, Tricolour designer remembered Hyderabad, August 13 During a meeting of the Indian National Congress (INC) at Vijayawada in 1921, an Andhra Pradesh youth approached Mahatma Gandhi and showed him design of a flag. Thus was born the Tricolour. But, it was over 88 years later that the designer of the National Flag, Pingali Venkaiah, finally got his due: A commemorative postal stamp has been released in the memory of the freedom fighter.