Punjab bleeding itself to stay afloat
Rs 400 cr worth of govt securities 
sold every month
Chandigarh, August 24
Deprived of cash flow and faced with a huge subsidy bill, the cash-strapped Punjab government has virtually been selling off over Rs 400 crore of its government securities each month this year, in order to stay afloat.

Now, Shourie revolts; BJP readies axe
Says Rajnath Humpty Dumpty, party ‘Kati Patang’
New Delhi, August 24
Within days of Jaswant Singh being expelled from the BJP the next on the chopping block may be its senior leader and former Union Minister Arun Shourie. Shourie has given a call for the removal of the entire BJP leadership describing the present state of the party “Kati Patang (drifting kite)” and its president Rajnath Singh a “Humpty Dumpty in Alice in Blunderland.”

Post breakup, BJP ponders over options
A section within the party is keen on tie-up with Bhajan Lal’s HJC for Assembly polls
New Delhi, August 24
Having broken off with its traditional ally the INLD, sections in the BJP are wondering whether it would be worthwhile to work out an alliance with Bhajan Lal’s Haryana Janhit Congress (HJC) for the forthcoming Haryana Assembly elections.

Terror acts: Govt to monitor phone calls
New Delhi, August 24
The government is planning to set up a centralised agency to monitor phone calls — both landline and mobile — a level of surveillance hitherto being done by telecom operators, as part of a security bulwark against terror acts.

Govt to look into Swiss banks’ no to share details
New Delhi, August 24
The Congress today said the UPA government would look into refusal of Swiss banks to disclose account details of clients to India. Assuring that the government was fully aware of the matter, Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said the issue would be pursued.

Miss Venezuela Stefania Fernandez, who won the Miss Universe pageant 2009, is flanked by first runner-up Miss Dominican Republic Ada Aimee De la Cruz and second runner-up Miss Kosovo Gona Dragusha in Nassau, Bahamas. — AP/PTI

Pak yet to rein in terror: Krishna
New Delhi, August 24
External Affairs Minister SM Krishna today inaugurated the second five-day Indian heads of missions (HOMs) conference, harping on Pakistan’s failure to deliver on its commitment not to permit the misuse of its soil for exporting terror to India.