New Delhi, September 18
The UPA government is clearly a divided house. While it acknowledges that homegrown terrorism is on the increase, it is speaking in different voices on the enactment of tougher anti-terror law.

National security adviser M.K. Narayanan has reportedly told the special Cabinet meeting last night that instead of cross-border terrorism, it is homegrown terrorism that has now emerged as a serious threat. He said the arrests made in connection with the recent incidents and the evidence pieced together by the investigating agencies showed that all those involved were groups that had their base in India. However, their links to terrorist groups outside the country are yet to be established.

Speaking at a separate programme yesterday, finance minister P. Chidambaram also underlined the growth of homegrown terrorism in recent years. Chidambaram maintained that the terrorist activities were no longer only abetted by external groups. He said if grievances of minorities like Muslims and Christians were not addressed, it could give rise to fresh threats.

However, there are serious differences in the government on how it should go about dealing with this issue. Prime Minister publicly declared that he was open to the suggestion of a tough anti-terror law while the Administrative Reforms Commission, headed by senior Congress leader Veerappa Moily, had also recommended the enactment of a comprehensive law to combat terrorism.

There is no disagreement to the suggestion that existing laws be strengthened to deal with new terror groups, but the proposal for a new POTA-like law has not found favour with a large section of the Cabinet. Information and broadcasting minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi on Thursday publicly declared that he did not believe stronger anti-terrorism laws were needed.

“What do you mean by tougher anti-terror laws. Some of our laws are much more strong than those in the US and UK,” Dasmunsi said while rejecting the demands for reviving POTA, an anti-terror law which was repealed by the UPA government after it came to power in 2004. “It is a draconian law and against Human Rights. If the present anti-terror laws are implemented properly, there is no requirement for additional laws,” he said.

The two contrary views reflect the raging debate in the ruling coalition on this issue. Some UPA members believe that the enactment of a stronger anti-terror law will send out the message that the government is serious about combating terrorism. But there is another section which feels that by bringing in a “draconian” POTA-law, it will alienate the minorities. The UPA government is worried that it should not be perceived to be targeting any particular community.

New Delhi, September 18
Ahead of his visit to the US, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has called a meeting of all members of the planning commission on Saturday to discuss the integrated energy policy and take stock of the country’s nuclear energy programme.

The meeting of the full plan panel, the country’s top think tank, on energy assumes significance as it comes close to the Prime Minister’s visit to the US, where he is slated to meet US president George Bush and likely to ink the Indo-US civil nuclear agreement.

The planning commission meeting will discuss the possibility of augmenting power supply by increasing generation from nuclear power after waiver received from the Nuclear Suppliers’ Group (NSG).

The Prime Minister will be leaving for the US next week to attend the meeting of the 63rd session of the UN General Assembly in New York.

Official sources said: “Besides planning commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, the high-level meeting will be attended by external affairs minister Pranab Mukherjee, finance minister P. Chidambaram and agriculture minister Sharad Pawar.

The other part-time members of the commission include human resource minister Arjun Singh, agriculture minister Sharad Pawar and railway minister Lalu Prasad.

New Delhi, September 18
The hearing on legal status of homosexuals in India began today in the court of Chief Justice of the Delhi High Court, with the petitioners challenging Section 377 of the IPC on grounds that it violated both Articles 14 and 21 of the Indian Constitution. They also argued how Section 377, IPC, was violating the Right to Health of men who have sex with men.

“The Section prevents the state from supplying condoms in prisons despite the imminent threat of HIV due to unprotected male-male sex. Such an Act is perceived to “aid” the commission of offence under Section 377, which is legally not valid,” Anand Grover, counsel for the petitioners, Naz Foundation of India, who are fighting for the modification of the Section, said.

Arguing for over six hours, the petitioners raised several points to pin down the law fashioned 100 years ago after the anti-sodomy laws in Britain of those times. They submitted that Section 377, IPC, violated Article 21, which states that no person shall be deprived of his life or personal liberty except according to procedure established by law, argued for its modification.

“It is now an established position of law that the Rights to Life and Personal Liberty are inherent in human beings and the Constitution does not confer them on persons. Article 21, thus, seeks to protect these inherent rights by prohibiting the state or any person from depriving a person of the Right to Life or Personal Liberty except in accordance with a procedure established by the law,” Grover stated while arguing for the petitioners.

He added that the Supreme Court had interpreted the Right to Life and Personal Liberty to include the Right to Privacy, Right to Dignity and the Right to Health. “But Section 377 violates the Right to Privacy, Right to Dignity and Right to Health of sexuality minorities, particularly men who have sex with men. Moreover, the law is not saved by any compelling state interest,” Arora said, adding that Right to Privacy is a component of Article 21 and can only be infringed if there is a compelling state interest, which there is none in this case, he said.

The petitioners’ line was that Section 377 severely violates Right to Health of men who have sex with men and, therefore, violates Article 21. “Moreover, criminalisation of same sex activity prevents the state from delivering health services to men who have sex with men,” they submitted before the court, which has asked the government to reply on next Thursday.

For their part, the petitioners brought on record facts to show how Section 377 was preventing collection of HIV data among men who have sex with men. Fear of law enforcement leads to underreporting on male to male transmission of HIV, submitted the petitioners, adding how the NACO has been conducting HIV surveillance since 1994, but estimates among men who have sex with men were only available from 2003.

Absence of data results in insufficient services and facilities for men who have sex with men. Section 377, IPC, also prevents the state from imparting information on the risk of HIV transmission during male to male sex, stated the petitioners, citing how public messages on HIV/AIDS by NACO and health ministry focused on heterosexual transmission only.

Grover added, "Dissemination of information on sex between men is restricted by law. Denial of information has led to lower or no risk perception about male-male sex.” The petitioners will continue their submission tomorrow. 

New Delhi, September 18
The Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs (CCEA) today approved the implementation of central sector scholarship scheme worth Rs 1,000 crore for poor college and university students.

Approval was also granted to renewal of scholarships already held by the students under the old scheme that was later discontinued. The scholarship of such students will be renewed from the current year till the completion of their course.

Under the new scheme, scholarship will be disbursed to them through designated banks, without payment of arrears. Finance minister P. Chidambaram while sharing the decisions of the CCEA and the Cabinet said the central scheme would help the meritorious students belonging to the poor sections of society. These students could not benefit from the old scheme that was discontinued.

Meanwhile, the Cabinet Committee on Economic Affairs today gave its approval for introduction of a new centrally-sponsored scheme of Inclusive Education of the Disabled at Secondary Stage (IEDSS)” in place of the existing scheme of Integrated Education for Disabled Children with an expenditure of Rs 1260.80 crore during the 11th plan period.

All disabled children passing out of the elementary stage (Class VIII) in government, local body and government-aided schools will be identified for enrolment in the secondary stage. Estimated 5.20 lakh disabled children will be provided education in an inclusive setting during the 11th plan period. These settings would also be made disabled-friendly in terms of infrastructure, resource support and teaching learning material.

New Delhi, September 18
The Supreme Court today granted interim protection from arrest to Bharat Inder Singh Chahal, media advisor to ex-Chief Minister Amarinder Singh.

Posting a petition filed by him for hearing on September 29, a Bench headed by Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan directed the Punjab government not to arrest him till then.

Earlier on August 30, Justice S.D. Anand of Punjab and Haryana High Court had directed the state government to give a clear notice of three working days, if Chahal was to be arrested or required for questioning in connection with any case against him.

Chahal, alleging political vendetta, had apprehended attempts by state authorities to implicate him in ‘false and frivolous’ cases and prayed for grant of blanket bail. 

New Delhi, September 18
Ahmedabad blasts prime suspect Abu Bashir, a madarsa teacher from Azamgarh (UP), was brought to the national capital for interrogation in connection with the Delhi serial blasts today morning.

According to sources, Bashir has admitted that he was staying in the capital since July adding that one of his close associate Danish also stayed with his brother Abu Zar, who works as a parking attendant in old Delhi area of capital. Abu Bashir, was being interrogated by Gujarat crime branch officials since his arrest in connection with the Ahmedabad blasts, which claimed 55 lives.

Elaborating more on his Delhi stay, Bashir who is being questioned by the Special Cell, officials saaid he was present in Delhi on July 24, 25 and 26 confirming the earlier reports that he stayed at different places in Delhi between July 24 and 27.

The intelligence officials suspect that Bashir, believed to be a close ally of Tauqeer, has played a major role in the Delhi serial blasts and might reveal some important clues about him.

According to the Delhi police, Bashir’s physical presence would be of immense help for the investigators to corroborate his statements. “We need to corroborate his interrogation report and his physical presence will help us to establish a few other facts like his contacting an NGO and publishing house in Delhi for financial assistance. These leads will help the investigation into Delhi blasts,” said a senior police officer.

After Bashir’s interrogation, the cops might seek remand of Safdor Nagori, arrested by MP police in Indore in March this year. Nagori is also wanted in connection with a case of unlawful activities registered against banned students’ outfit (SIMI) in 2001.

The Delhi police had applied for Nagori’s remand earlier as well after his arrest in Indore but both times, they were turned down by the court. However, now that Bashir has been brought to the capital, the Delhi police would once again try to get Nagori on remand. Sources say that Bashir and Nagori will be jointly interrogated and could throw up some vital leads into the investigations.

Shahbaz Husain, a Lucknow-based businessman, arrested for his hand in the Jaipur blasts, is also being questioned by the Jaipur police about the Delhi blasts.

Meanwhile, the five sketches of three bombers released by the Delhi police on Tuesday, is receiving huge response. The police received hundreds of calls from the public about the suspected bombers. 

New Delhi, September 18
The government today further relaxed the norms pertaining to publishing of the foreign magazines in India by reviewing the print media policy whereby the foreign news magazines could now have Indian editions.

A decision to this effect was taken at the meeting of the union cabinet chaired by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here. A cabinet notification said such publications would cover those falling in the news and current affairs category.

However, the cabinet in its decision clarified that permission for publishing such editions would only be granted to those Indian companies registered under the Indian Companies Act, 1956.

An official statement said the norms for publishing of such foreign magazine editions would include that publishers of such editions would continue to be eligible for 26 per cent foreign direct investment. The other parameters for granting such permission would be that the Indian companies would be allowed to enter into financial arrangements with the owners of the foreign magazines.

Permission would be conditional on at least three-fourth of the directors on the board of directors of the applicant Indian company and all key executives and editorial staff being resident Indians.

The title of the magazine should be verified and subsequently registered by the Indian company from the Registrar of Newspapers for India.

The content would be allowed to be up to 100 per cent identical to the foreign magazine concerned and the India publisher would be free to add local content. The Indian publisher would also be free to insert local advertisements. 

New Delhi, September 18
In what is a stinging reply to people, who have been advocating against retaining Kashmir in India, a group of intellectuals today issued joint statement saying the legal validity of Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to India is unquestionable and was in accordance with the popular will.

The signatories includes industrialists, retired Generals, diplomats, former chiefs of Air staff, a former director of IB, mediapersons, former home secretaries, former chiefs of the RAW, among others.

It said that some stray voices in media have been questioning, with surprising nonchalance and lack of depth, the wisdom and expediency of retaining Kashmir as a part of India. Such voices play into the hands of enemies of the nation. There is no basis on which any change in political status of Jammu and Kashmir could be considered.

The UN itself has accepted that in the vastly changed circumstances, the UN Resolutions of 1948 and 1949 are no longer relevant. In any case, there is no provision for holding a referendum only in one part of the undivided Jammu and Kashmir or for holding separate referenda in the three geographically distinct sections of the state.

Like the other states included in the First Schedule of the Constitution of India, Jammu and Kashmir is clearly an integral part of India and will remain so. Kashmir is an inalienable element of India’s civilisational identity and symbolises the fundamental principles on which the modern Indian state has been built. India is a prospering economy, but the pursuit of wealth should not make her forget the values that keep the nation as one.

No responsible government can ever compromise India’s territorial integrity by even contemplating the secession of Kashmir. This is not a trifling issue. If the Indian state is seen as weak enough to let Kashmir go.The statement suggestions in the media embolden subversive forces both within and outside the country, and encourage adversaries to entertain the hope that with a little more effort, Kashmir will secede from India.

The overwhelming majority of Indian Muslims, who constitute over 15 per cent of the population, has absolutely no sympathy for the partisan, few who still fan a tired idea called secession.

It is distressing and alarming, that these views which question India’s unity and integrity are being freely aired by a section of intelligentsia. It is regrettable that the print and electronic media are giving undue space and prominence to these views, said the statement while adding that the freedom of expression does not mean unbridled licence to flout the law of the land by airing or fanning seditious views. 

New Delhi, September 18
Today, majority of the population in India as well as the world is unable to enjoy good health amenities, and in India, they do not have access even to minimal requirements of a healthy living. There is a deep-rooted relation between health and economics and this in turn is dependent upon various factors, including social. Social inequity is a powerful determinant of health across the world, said Michael Marmot, chairperson of the World Health Organisation’s Commission on Social Determinants of Health.

Professor Marmot was here in the Capital to speak on the social determinants of health, and the challenges and opportunities for the low and middle-income countries. Later, he met the Prime Minister Manmohan Singh to discuss the Indian scenario in this context, being accompanied by Dr. K. S. Reddy, president of the Public Health Foundation of India and Mirai Chatterjee, coordinator of the Self Employed Women’s Association Social Security.

A public health expert, Marmot cited how life expectancy across the world presented a wide-ranging picture. The difference in life expectancy is not just a natural phenomenon, but the beginning of inequality, he said, referring to the widening gaps in mortality rates of the high-income vis-à-vis low-income counties.

“However, wealth alone is not a determinant of health of a nation’s population for there are low-income countries like Costa Rica, China, Sri Lanka, Cuba and Kerala in India which have achieved equitable health despite relatively low levels of national wealth,” Marmot said.

He shared with the audience the three recommendations, which the commission had made after analysing the drivers of health inequities. “Equitable distribution of wealth, richer understanding of the problems and their impact on society is important to deal with healthcare challenges,” Marmot said.

Urging governments to improve healthcare, he added that everybody should have access to good health care to ensure equity, which is a development outcome. 

Bangalore, September 18
In close up pictures moon does not look enticing.

Its craters look all too grotesque and, when ISRO scientist Srikumar explains how moon releases gases originating from radioactive decay of its surface, it starts looking really scary despite being a prime source of inspiration for poets and romantics for centuries.

It was a different sort of romance about moon that captured the imagination of the scientists of the Indian Space Research Organisation (ISRO) here. They wanted to build a spacecraft for exploring the earth’s only natural satellite and put the country on a firm footing in the field of research on moon.

The space craft is now ready. Built at the ISRO Satellite centre in Bangalore, it still awaits undergoing two tests relating to its vibration and acoustic capabilities. These two tests will be carried out in quick succession and by the end of this month the space craft will be transported to the launching site at Sriharikota in Andhra Pradesh from where it will put into the moon’s orbit with the help of the indigenously developed Polar Satellite Launch Vehicle (PSLV). By October 6, the space craft (Chandrayan-I) will be fitted with the PSLV and will be kept in readiness at the launching pad.

T.K. Alex, ISRO Satellite Centre director, who talked to reporters about the lunar mission here today, however, did not give a specific date for launching the space craft. “We shall like to launch it at the earliest opportunity”, he said and added that the launching could be in October also. Alex said in every month there would be two occasions when the craft could be launched. On those occasions earth and moon come closest to each other and thus the rocket carrying the “Chandrayan-I” would need to cover less distance than what it would require to do otherwise.

After the initial exploration of moon by the USA and erstwhile the USSR, the highpoint of which was landing of the first manned mission on moon in 1969, recently a renewed interest is being shown by nations in finding out more about moon.

Since 1990, Japan had sent three spacecrafts to collect information about moon. The European Union, China and the USA had also launched moon missions during recent years. Russia is launching its own moon mission, which it wants to get going by 2012.

Chandrayan-I thus fits in perfectly in this phase of the moon mission by nations. Costing about Rs 385 crore, the space craft is kept in the ISRO’s satellite building facility here in two disjointed parts. Portions of the unmanned craft have been wrapped with shining golden yellow sheets. Called “blankets”, the yellow sheets will work as protection against fluctuations of temperatures, a scientist working at the facility said.

Putting the space craft on the lunar orbit would take about 20 days from its launch from earth during when it would orbit the earth also before getting catapulted into the orbit of moon. While orbiting the moon, it will send high resolution images of moon’s surface and do chemical and mineralogical mapping of moon.

Though, Chandrayan - I would not land in moon itself, it will drop a machine (Moon Impact Probe or MIP) on the moon’s surface. The MIP would have a spectrometer, a C-band altimeter and video camera.

Bangalore, September 18
The signal given by the Karnataka government to the Tata group for setting up their Nano car plant in the state has bore fruit. Tata Motors managing director Ravi Kant today met Chief Minister Yeddyurappa here and discussed the possibility of setting up the plant in the state.

The meeting follows a Cabinet resolution passed by the state to invite the Tatas for setting up their factory in Karnataka in the wake of the trouble involving their plant in Singur in West Bengal. Yeddyurappa today assured Ravi Kant of all possible support in case the latter wanted to set up the Nano plant in Karnataka.

Ravi Kant told reporters that the Chief Minister had assured him of support and assistance. He said 1,000 acres of land was required for the project. He said he had been offered the required land by the Karnataka government

Kolkata, September 18
Amidst Tata Motors’ prevailing land crisis at Singur, the Calcutta High Court on Wednesday served show-cause notices on the state government and the DVC, directing them to explain to the court within next two weeks as to why the 75 families who had lost land in Bankura district had been denied jobs at the Mejia power plant.

Like the Tata Singur plant, at Mejia too the state government had acquired land for the DVC’s thermal plant in 1992, following an agreement on the compensation and other rehabilitation package for the evicted farmers, including one job each to the families who had lost their land. But according to an affidavit filed at the high court by one Sukhomoy Mondal and 74, others who had lost their land, no one in the affected families so far had been offered any job at the power plant even after 16 years of its completion. But instead “200 other people” got the jobs at the plant.

On Wednesday, the case was heard by Justice Dipankar Dutt, who ordered issuing of show-cause notices to the state government and the DVC seeking explanations from them about their “actions”. The high court also ordered immediate stoppage of further recruitment at the plant and it wanted details about the candidature of the recruited “200 other people”

Apparently encouraged and armed at the high court’s ruling on the Mejia plant, Mamata Banerjee said today that they feared that the same would happen to those farmers who had lost land at Singur. She alleged that the package was nothing but an eye wash with false promises.

Mamata said she would meet Governor Gopal Krishna Gandhi before re-launching their indefinite darna and agitation at Singur, which were suspended at his request on the 15th days of agitation on September 7, following a decision at Raj Bhawan in his presence.

But she said they would certainly co-operate with the Governor if any fresh attempt was made by him to resolve the Singur crisis.

Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee, however, did not want the Governor to take the mediator’s role any further. “The Governor has done his job and l thanked him for whatever he has already done”, the Chief Minister told mediapersons at the Writers Buildings on Wednesday. He suggested that Mamata Banerjee now should deal directly with the state government on the land issue.

Bhattacharjee said he had spoken to Ratan Tata on phone on Tuesday and he requested him to re-start their works at Singur and the ancillary industries were also told to start their construction works immediately. He had assured them of all necessary help and assistance for running the plant undisturbed.

But Tatas were still unwilling to re-start the works and instead they wanted to wait and watch some more days for the peaceful situation to return.

Vidisha, (MP), September 18
In a gruesome incident, a girl student was burnt alive by three of her schoolmates at her residence, following a dispute over some trivial issue, the police said today.

Nidhi Dhakad (13) succumbed to her burns injuries at the government hospital here last night, after she was set ablaze by her schoolmates in Satpada Sarai village in the district of Madhya Pradesh yesterday, the police added.

She drew the ire of her schoolmates, when she intervened as the trio-- seventh class students Vinita and Deepa and ninth class student Sonam-- were found beating up another girl on the premises of the Government High School in Satpada, about 30 km from here.

Irked over her intervention, the trio started beating up Nidhi. She, however, managed to escape and ran towards her house, about half a km away. Her house is located just opposite the police station.

However, the girls followed Nidhi and found her alone in the house . They barged into the house and picked up a kerosene jar and set her ablaze, after which they fled the spot leaving the victim in flames.

A loud cry attracted Nidhi's neighbours, who doused the flames with a blanket. They soon informed her father, who later got her admitted to the government hospital here, where she was declared dead. — UNI

Mumbai, September 18
Information technology (IT) companies in the private sector would soon be developing next generation networks for the Indian defence services as the army, navy and air force develop a common platform for network-centric warfare.

The decision taken by the top brass of the Indian defence services follows the footsteps of the US defence forces which are gearing up for technology-driven conflicts.

The private-sector IT companies would be responsible for developing an IT backbone which would allow the army, navy and air force to work in close co-ordination.

The IT backbone, that is proposed to be developed, would allow all ships, submarines, aircraft and shore operations centres of the army, navy and air force to be linked via a satellite backbone.

According to sources, between Rs 6,000 and Rs 8,000 crore would be spent in upgrading the defence services for network-centric warfare.

Sources say, the defence services are in the process of setting up integrated command and control systems that would help seamless co-ordination of the three defence services.

At a session organised recently by the Confederation of Indian Industry (CII), defence officials said they would be looking at setting up data warehousing, next generation networks, network security, ERP and encryption technology, in co-operation with industry.

Chief of Naval Staff Admiral Sureesh Mehta, who is said to be actively involved in developing a network-centric force, would be the chief guest at an interface between industry and the navy next month, say the sources.

Chief of material at the integrated headquarters (Navy), Vice-Admiral B.S. Randhawa, said about 50 per cent of the navy's total budget for information technology was being used for creation of infrastructure and hardware. 

Guwahati, September 18
At least 20 persons were injured, two of them critically, when suspected ULFA militants triggered a blast near the Revenue Circle Office at Bijni in Chirang district of Assam at around 11-15 am today.

Chirang district SP Arnab Deka said the bomb was planted on a bicycle by a suspected ULFA militant. He said the banned ULFA was under tremendous pressure in Chirang district because of constant intensive operation by the police and the Army. According to an eyewitness, the bomb was planted by a tall and lean man of around 35 years.

An unidentified caller today rang up the police control room in the city and threatened that there would be big explosions in Guwahati, Jorhat and Sivasagar soon. The call sent the state police in a tizzy. The security measures have been geared up in the city.

Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi ruled out any possibility of withdrawal of the Army from the counter-insurgency operation in the state in view of an improvement in situation in ULFA stronghold in eastern Assam districts where ‘ A and ‘C’ companies of the 28th battalion of ULFA had called for unilateral truce about three months back with an intention to facilitate peace talks between ULFA top brass and the government of India.

“I agree that there is peace after a long time in three eastern Assam districts of Tinsukia, Dibrugarh and Sivasagar. But question of withdrawing the Army does not arise,” Gogoi said.

Meanwhile, in a separate incident, a Naga rebel was killed during a clash between two groups of rebels belonging to the NSCN-IM and the NSCK-K at Namsai along the Assam Arunachal border in Tinsukia district. The police said the identity of the militant was yet to be ascertained.

BRIEFLY

Mumbai
Maharashtra may hike fine for honking to Rs 2,000: The state transport department is planning to increase the fine for honking from the current Rs 100 to Rs 2,000. This was revealed in an affidavit filed in the Bombay High Court in connection with a PIL on the issue of noise pollution, filed by the city-based Awaaz Foundation. The proposal to increase the fine was discussed in a meeting held by state chief secretary Johny Joseph to review the measures taken by various civic authorities and the police for reducing noise pollution. The fine for a first-time offender would be Rs 1,000, for others it would be Rs 2,000. — PTI

NEW DELHI
Anti-explosive ‘robots’: With terrorists striking in Delhi and some major cities, the country’s premier R&D institution, DRDO, is hardselling three of its anti-explosive devices to the home ministry to tackle the threat. “We are in discussions with the home ministry to sell our three devices-a remotely operated bomb disposal vehicle (ROV), “Sujav” Electronic Support Measure and “Safari” Electronic Counter Measure- to agencies dealing with explosive-related cases,” a top DRDO scientist said on Thursday. — PTI

HYDERABAD
Broker ends life with family: A stock broker and his family, including his wife and their 2-year-old child, have been killed allegedly in a suicide pact by blasting domestic gas cylinder at their house here.Upendra, a stock broker at Saidabad here, suffered a huge loss in the stock market, the police said.Upset over it, he and his wife killed themselves by blasting gas cylinder late on Wednesday night, they said citing preliminary information.Their two-year-old child was also killed in the incident, police added. — PTI

THIRUVANANTHAPURAM
Newspaper readership: Living up to its reputation as the most literate state, Kerala continues to have a high percentage of readers for newspapers, books and periodicals, despite the onslaught of cable television, a survey conducted by the state library council revealed. According to the survey, about 90 per cent of people above 15 years old are regular readers of newspapers. — PTI

SITAMARHI
12 run over by bus in Bihar: As many as 12 people were crushed to death and several others seriously injured by a speeding bus when they were sleeping on the roadside in Tandaspur-Rupauli village on Wednesday. The incident reportedly took place when they were watching a TV programme on the occasion of Vishwakarma Pooja while some of them fell asleep by the roadside. — UNI