Inter-caste ties behind most honour crimes
Just 3% cases due to same gotra marriages, says new survey
New Delhi, July 5
Barbaric honour crimes that have come to stay in the northern states of Punjab, Haryana and Uttar Pradesh appear more rooted in girls’ empowerment than in same gotra marriages that Khap panchayats are happily advocating.

Girls’ kin kill in 84 per cent cases
UP, Punjab skip NCW meet

Bandh paralyses normal life
Road, air traffic hit; top Oppn leaders court arrest
New Delhi, July 5
Normal life was disrupted in several parts of the country during the ‘Bharat Bandh’ called by a combined Opposition today in protest against fuel price hike with the greatest impact felt in NDA and Left-ruled states and Maharashtra.

Editorial: Misdirected bandh BJP activists clash with the police in Lucknow during the Bharat Bandh called by various political parties against price rise on Monday. — PTI

BSF likely to take charge in Naxal heart
Raipur, July 5
The Centre is thinking of using Border Security Force (BSF) in specific special operations against Maoists in view of CRPF men getting hit again and again by Red rebels in Chhattisgarh. Compared to the CRPF, the BSF is far more experienced in counter-terrorism and jungle warfare.

Reduce my workload: Pawar to PM
New Delhi, July 5
Coming under renewed attack for ignoring his ministerial duties after his appointment as president of the International Cricket Council (ICC), Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar today asked Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to reduce his work load.

Party comes first for NCP supremo

Ishrat was LeT suicide bomber: Headley to NIA
New Delhi, July 5
Bearing out the version of Gujarat Police, American-born Lashkar-e-Toiba terrorist David Headley has claimed before NIA sleuths that Ishrat Jahan, a Mumbai girl killed in a police encounter in Ahmedabad, was a suicide bomber of the outfit.

The Last Word
Saina Nehwal
New Queen of the Court
Off court, she is modest and unassuming, but watch her on court and you see a focused and aggressive shuttler who seeks to dominate the world of badminton. She is just two steps from the top and keen to ride her winning streak till she achieves the top spot. At a time when celebrities are projecting a larger-than-life image, she is one who comes across as the quintessential girl next door. Except, that she isn’t. Saina Nehwal recently won three successive international badminton titles in three weeks to become World No. 3.