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Hazare not to campaign in upcoming Assembly elections PUNE: Anna Hazare will not campaign in the upcoming Assembly elections, including in Uttar Pradesh, as announced earlier owing to his poor health, his close aide Kiran Bedi said today. "Anna is not going to campaign in the states. Anna is not going to travel which we have urged him not to. Doctors are not allowing any more fast, any more exposure through travel at the moment," she told reporters here. She said Hazare's health is "really important" for them and he could not be exposed to sudden changes in temperature. Calling off his fast and other agitations for a strong Lokpal last month ahead of schedule, Hazare had announced that he would tour five states going for polls and campaign against Congress for failing to bring a strong Lokpal. Hazare's hospitalisation on December 31 and advise by doctors has forced him not to undertake the proposed campaign in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Punjab, Goa and Manipur which are going to the polls from January 28 to March 3. Bedi said Team Anna's Core Group would meet on Saturday to chalk out the future course of action. On Hazare's health, she said the 74-year-old activist was better but he needed to improve more. "He is on antibiotics and drips. That’s why he needs rest at the moment and visitor control is required. He needs total care at the moment which can only be given to him at the hospital for a few more weeks to prevent any relapse," she said. Bedi said Hazare had shared his "thoughts and ideas" with her and she would put them across to the Core Committee in its next meeting. "I have a message from Anna. I will be placing those matters before the meeting. We will decide our future course of action. That is where we will take collective, sensible and mature decision," she said. — PTI
Indian traders safe in Shanghai: MEA NEW DELHI: The government today said the two Indian traders, who were mistreated in the Yiwu city of China, are now safe in Shanghai but their return to the country will have to wait till the litigation against them is completed. "The traders are in Shanghai and Indian consulate officials are in touch with them. We do not want to disclose their location as they are in a state of shock... this is also a matter of private information," OSD, External Publicity, Ministry of External Affairs, Syed Akbaruddin told reporters. He maintained that the family members of the traders, identified as Deepak Raheja and Shyam Sunder Agarwal, had been informed about their whereabouts and insisted that they were safe in Shanghai. However, their return to India will not be imminent as they are facing charges of non-payment and the like and unless these are sorted out, the traders will have to stay in China. "They are involved in a financial litigation which is on-going... The litigation has to run its course," Akbaruddin said, adding the standard norms and procedures had to be followed but the consulate continued to closely follow the developments and would render all possible help. The two Indian traders were released yesterday after Indian consulate intervened and were taken to Shanghai. They had been held captive by locals in Yiwu, a trading hub of China, as their Yemeni boss has erred on payment of dues reportedly running into millions of dollars. External Affairs Minister S. M. Krishna had discussed the issue with Chinese ambassador Zhang Yan here on Wednesday. After the two
traders were released yesterday, Krishna had said he was
"immensely pleased and satisfied". — PTI
2nd Test: India face a long battle to avoid defeat SYDNEY: A hapless India appeared headed for their sixth consecutive overseas Test defeat as Australia rode on skipper Michael Clarke's monumental unbeaten 329 and Michael Hussey's 150 to tighten the noose around the visitors in the second cricket Test here today. With a mammoth first innings total of 659 for 4 declared, Australia had India on the mat at 114 for two on the third day which saw Clarke putting team ahead of personal milestone. The left-hander looked good to surpass Brian Lara's record individual score of 400 but chose to declare the innings unbeaten at 329 after Hussey completed his 150 at the Sydney Cricket Ground. He also chose not to go ahead of the legendary Don Bradman's score of 334 like another former Australian captain Mark Taylor, who had remained unbeaten at 334. Clarke's scintillating knock left India with the daunting task of batting out two full days, which raises the possibility of an innings defeat for them in the match. They had lost the first Test in Melbourne by 122 runs. Opener Virender Sehwag (4) and an uncertain Rahul Dravid (29) were cooling their heels in the pavilion, leaving Gautam Gambhir (68) and Sachin Tendulkar (8) to fight. The visitors batted for 41 overs and nearly half the day after slogging it out on the field. Gambhir has so far batted for three hours and struck nine fours off 124 balls. Tendulkar's grim 8 was made in over an hour's batting and he faced 42 balls. Earlier, Australia continued their firm grip on the match by stretching their overnight score of 482 for 4 to 659 an hour after lunch without losing a single wicket. Michael Hussey, overnight 55, remained unbeaten on 150 but the glory of the day belonged to Clarke who was left unconquered on 329, the highest score ever made at the SCG, which is hosting its 100th Test. — PTI
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