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Sonia writes to Anna, promises Lokpal Bill in budget session
New Delhi, January 28
The UPA government has been set a deadline for the passage of the Lokpal Bill after Congress president Sonia Gandhi assured social activist Anna Hazare that the anti-corruption legislation will be passed in the coming budget session of Parliament.

                                   Sonia Gandhi

‘Most brutal’ accused a minor: Juvenile board
If convicted, he’ll spend 3 yrs in a juvenile correction facility 
New Delhi, January 28
One of the six accused in the December 16 gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old paramedical student in Delhi was declared a "minor" by the Juvenile Justice Board (JJB) on Monday on the basis of the date of birth on his school certificate. The accused, who was described as the most brutal of the six accused by the Delhi Police in its chargesheet, was declared 17 years and six months old when the incident took place on December 16 on the basis of his school documents.

18 die of cancer in Punjab everyday
33,318 deaths reported in last five years, says first state-wide survey
Chandigarh, January 28
The first ever state-wide survey of cancer victims in Punjab has revealed high incidence of cancer in the Malwa belt, even as the cancer cases in the state are only a little more than the national average.

Poonch-Rawalakote bus service resumes

Big relief for commuters The Poonch-Rawalakote bus service, (pic above) ‘Rahen Milan’, which was suspended on January 11 in the wake of escalating tension on the Line of Control in the Krishna Ghati sector in Poonch district, resumed on Monday. A total of 138 passengers from India and Pakistan crossed the LoC via Chakan da Bagh. LoC trade restarts today  (Details on Jammu page)

Single-point power supply for Haryana housing societies soon
Chandigarh, January 28
The Haryana Power Department is set to usher in a new power distribution regime for group housing societies, residential colonies of employers and commercial-cum-residential complexes of developers. They will now be provided single-point bulk power supply by the electricity department.

Delhi, Dhaka ink landmark extradition treaty, visa pact
Dhaka, January 28
India and Bangladesh today signed a liberalised visa agreement and a landmark extradition treaty that would pave the way for the deportation of jailed ULFA ‘general secretary’ Anup Chetia and other wanted "criminals".

Home Minister Sushilkumar Shinde with his Bangladesh counterpart Mohiuddin Khan Alamgir after signing the agreements in Dhaka on Monday. — Reuters

‘Chana’ genome decoded, yield set to improve New Delhi, January 28 In a major breakthrough that promises to improve yields and quality besides greater drought and disease tolerance of the crop, scientists led by Hyderabad-based ICRISAT have decoded the genome of chickpea or ‘chana’, the highest consumed legume in India. India is not just the highest consumer but also the largest producer and importer of chickpea.