Petrol price up by 70 paise a litre
New Delhi, July 23
After cutting prices by almost Rs 2.50 a litre last month, oil companies today raised petrol prices by at least 70 paise a litre (excluding state levies) from midnight tonight. With the hike, the increase in selling price of petrol will vary from 70 to 91 paise per litre, including state levies depending upon the taxes in different states.

Haryana gives two villages high hopes, then dashes their dreams
Mahendergarh, July 23
As Rewari finds itself engulfed in the rage and rancour over Haryana government's land acquisition policy, the farmers in the two villages of neighbouring Mahendergarh appear ready to fight yet another battle to "avenge betrayal".

The main gate of the university in Mahendergarh district near Rewari. A Tribune photograph

KTS Tulsi appointed special prosecutor in Maruti case
Gurgaon, July 23
The Haryana Government today appointed criminal lawyer KTS Tulsi as special prosecutor for the trial of those involved in violence at Maruti Suzuki's Manesar plant on July 18 that claimed the life of one senior company executive.
Haryana page: Maruti arson: Mahapanchayat demands CBI probe

7 yrs later, Mukerian rail mishap victims’ kin to get jobs
New Delhi, July 23
More than seven years after 37 persons were killed in a train accident on the Jalandhar-Pathankot rail section in Punjab, their kin are set to get jobs promised by former Railway Minister Lalu Prasad Yadav. The Railways had all but forgotten the announcement made by Lalu in December 2004. In May this year, it even disowned it.

SC cuts Haj discretionary quota from 11,000 to 500
New Delhi, July 23
The Supreme Court today rejected the government’s proposal for a discretionary quota of 11,000 Haj pilgrims, slashing such allocations to 500. A Bench of Justices Aftab Alam and Ranjana Desai fixed the discretionary quota for the President at 100, the Vice-President and the Prime Minister at 75 and the External Affairs Minister at 50.

Defence deals: US offers to match India’s ally Russia New Delhi, July 23 The US today virtually offered to match India’s 50-year-old ally Russia in matters of multi-billion dollar defence deals. It has offered high-end technology, latest equipment and even a promise to change its stringent technology-transfer rules to accommodate New Delhi’s growing ambitions. MoD clears Rs 12,000-cr proposal for 56 planes