L A T E S T      N E W S

PM's dinner for UPA leaders tonight

New Delhi: Bracing up for an opposition onslaught in Parliament, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh will host dinner for UPA leaders on Friday to firm up a joint strategy on various issues like FDI that are expected to come up during the session beginning next week.

Singh's dinner with UPA leaders comes close on the heels of his similar interactions with leaders of crucial outside supporters Samajwadi Party and BSP. He hosted dinner for SP chief Mulayam Singh Yadav and his son Akhilesh last week and followed it with lunch for BSP chief Mayawati on Sunday.

The Prime Minister is reaching out to allies and outside supporters as the government faces the prospect of a motion entailing voting on FDI and even a possible threat of No-Confidence Motion.

The Left parties have tabled a motion that will seek a vote on FDI. The main opposition BJP, its ally JD(U) as also Trinamool Congress, which parted ways with the UPA few months back on the issue, have also given notices.

Uddhav: Pray for Bala Saheb

Mumbai: The condition of Shiv Sena chief Bal Thackeray continues to remain stable.

Late last night, Shiv Sena executive president Uddhav Thackeray said his father's health was improving and stable. "Balasaheb is responding to medical treatment," Uddhav had said. Maharashtra Governor K Sankaranarayanan and Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan and other prominent persons from the field of politics, cinema and industry visited the Thackeray residence 'Matoshree' to enquire about the Sena supremo's health.

86-year-old Thackeray, who had been ailing since some time, turned very critical on Wednesday night. But his health is said to be stable since yesterday.  Meanwhile, security has been beefed up around 'Matoshree'.

Abortion death: India to raise issue with Ireland

New Delhi/Dublin: Taking a serious view of the tragic death of Indian woman Savita Halappanavar in Ireland after she was denied abortion, the government of India on Friday decided to officially take up the matter with the Irish government.

Indian Ambassador to Ireland Debashish Chakravarti will raise this issue with Irish govt, reports said on Friday.

A native of Belgaum in Karnataka, 31-year-old Savita was admitted at Galway University Hospital on October 21 after she complained of back pain. On investigation, doctors found her to be miscarrying at 17 weeks. She collapsed after doctors refused to abort her foetus on grounds that "this is a Catholic country", leading to her death due to septicaemia on October 28.

Her death has triggered a massive outrage both in Ireland and in India. In Delhi, an external affairs ministry spokesperson said the Indian government was also awaiting the results of two probes ordered into the death by the Irish government. "We understand that the Irish authorities have initiated two enquiries. We are awaiting the results of the enquiries," MEA spokesperson said.