S P O T L I G H T

Maran may be flown to USA
Chennai, November 9
Union Commerce and Industries Minister Murasoli Maran, who is undergoing treatment in the intensive care unit (ICU) of the Apollo Hospital here, is likely to be flown to Houston in the USA in an air-ambulance for intensive medical care, hospital sources today said. The date of Mr Maran’s journey would be decided tomorrow or the day after. UNI

Ministers sacked
Chennai, November 9
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa tonight dropped three ministers, inducted five and reallocated the portfolios of a few others. The dropped ministers are Mr V.T. Natarajan, Mr P. Dhanapal and Mr K. Sudarsanam. While Mr A. Anwar Rhazza and Mr R. Vaithilingam returned to the Cabinet for the second time, Mr R. Vadivel, Mr A. Papasundaram and Mr P.V. Damodaran are the new entrants in the Council of Ministers. Mr Rhazza, who had been dropped earlier, gets back the Labour portfolio, held by Mr Natarajan. UNI

3 women hurt in Kathmandu blast
Kathmandu, November 9
Three women were seriously injured in a powerful bomb blast in central Kathmandu even as King Gyanendra, on the occasion of Nepal’s 13th Constitution Day, hinted in his message to the nation that political parties were responsible for the current chaos in the country. The bomb, suspected to have been planted by Maoists, exploded at 6.15 am on a crowded road near a domestic sales counter of the Nepal Airlines, the police said. PTI

Haryana jolted
New Delhi, November 9
An earthquake of slight intensity measuring 2.4 on the Richter scale jolted Haryana at 1.48 am today. It was epicentred at the Rohtak-Sonepat border, the Indian Meteorological Department said. The IMD said the tremor originated at latitude 28.9 north and longitude 76.8 east. UNI

Ministers sacked
Chennai, November 9
Tamil Nadu Chief Minister J Jayalalithaa tonight dropped three ministers, inducted five and reallocated the portfolios of a few others. The dropped ministers are Mr V.T. Natarajan, Mr P. Dhanapal and Mr K. Sudarsanam. UNI