Medha Patkar to restart stir
MUMBAI, Aug 13 (PTI) — Narmada Bachao Andolan (NBA) leader Medha Patkar, who was released by the police last night, has once again reached Domkhedi in Maharashtra, venue of the satyagraha, NBA sources today said. Patkar and a batch of NBA activists, who were arrested on Wednesday and later taken by the Maharashtra police to Dhadgaon in Nandurbar district, left the place late last night to reach Domkhedi, the sources here said.

Lakhubhai case
NEW DELHI, Aug 13 (PTI) — A city court today refused to close evidence in the one lakh dollar Lakhubhai Pathak cheating case in which former premier P.V. Narasimha Rao, controversial godman Chandraswami and his aide Kailash Nath Aggarwal are facing trial. Rejecting two applications filed by Mr Chandraswami and Mr Aggarwal, Special Judge Ajit Bharihoke said the Supreme Court had stayed the operation of its ruling in the Raj Deo Sharma versus Bihar case till disposal of the review petition filed by the CBI.

"Eclipse baby"
LONDON, Aug 13 (PTI) — An "eclipse baby" was born here with an amazing image of the solar spectacle on his head during the celestial display which rolled out a carpet of darkness across Britain. Cosmic baby Benjamin Robinson, weighing over nine pounds, was born at 11:12 am on Wednesday as the shadow of the moon raced across, plunging the country into darkness, the tabloid "The Sun" reported. The baby’s perfectly round birth mark looks just like a dark moon surrounded by a lighter band similar to the sun’s corona.

Uprising plot
YANGON, Aug 13 (AP) — Myanmar’s military government today claimed to have foiled a plot by dissident groups to incite a general uprising on September 9 and announced the arrest of four persons. The government accused the party led by Nobel Peace Prize winner Aung San Suu Kyi of joining with a government-in-exile, ethnic rebels, drug traffickers, die-hard Communists and former students in fomenting the plot. But the government stopped short of accusing Ms Suu Kyi, the country’s best-known opposition leader, of direct involvement, saying only middle-level officials of her National League for Democracy were involved.

Floods kill 17
CHITTAGONG (Bangladesh), Aug 13 (Reuters) — Mudslides and floods triggered by torrential rains in southeast Bangladesh killed 17 persons and injured 50 today, the police and fire brigade officials said. At least 14 persons died and 50 were injured when their homes were buried under tonnes of mud in the Chittagong port city and Aziznagar. Three others were drowned in the overflowing Matamuhuri river which also destroyed 100 houses at Chokoria 94 km south of Chittagong.

Dy DG suspended
NEW DELHI, Aug 13 (PTI) — The government tonight suspended M.B. Pahari, Deputy Director General of Doordarshan, who has been arrested by the CBI for allegedly possessing assets disproportionate to his income. The suspension order was signed by the Information and Broadcasting Minister, Mr Pramod Mahajan, after Prasar Bharati CEO recommended Pahari's suspension.

Tension in Taiwan
BEIJING, Aug 13 (PTI) — Tension is escalating in the Taiwan Straits with China planning a massive build-up of non-regular forces and US fighter jets practising combat drills near Taipei airspace to deter any Chinese military moves. According to reports in the independent Hong Kong press today, China’s Peoples’ Liberation Army (PLA) has built up a sizeable military force in the Fujian region to scare Taiwan to back down from its quest for independence.

ISI agent held
PATNA, Aug 13 (UNI) — A suspected Pakistan's Inter Services Intelligence agent was arrested by the special branch of the Bihar police at Jai Prakash Narain Airport here today. Special branch sources said two passports bearing the names of Mohammed Aslam and Mohammed Isha were seized from his possession. Sources said the suspected ISI agent landed here from Kathmandu. He arrived here in the name of Mohammed Aslam.