The Central paramilitary forces are hard-pressed and any further deployment of the CPMFs for the ongoing anti-Naxal operations can happen once the force personnel undergoing training for counter-insurgency duties complete their training. The present strength of the CPMFs does not allow pressing of additional manpower in the Naxal hotbeds, government sources said.

The reconstituted National Advisory Council (NAC) headed by UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi will meet for the first time here on Thursday, June 10. The meeting of the 14-member NAC will be followed by an interaction with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh in the evening at around 4.30 pm for which they have been invited.

Former Chief Justice of India A.H. Ahmadi on Tuesday rejected criticism of dilution of charge against Union Carbide executives in Bhopal gas tragedy case, saying in criminal law there was no concept of vicarious liability.

The parliamentary standing committee on science and environment on Tuesday discussed the controversial Nuclear Liability Bill in view of the Bhopal gas tragedy verdict.
In the committee’s first meeting on the Nuclear Liability Bill, its members raised questions over the Rs 500 crores cap proposed on compensation to be paid by the operator in the event of an accident involving an atomic plant.

Though all compensation related litigation in the Bhopal gas tragedy were shifted to India after the US Supreme Court had declined to entertain appeal against lower federal court on India’s claim of $3 billions from the Union Carbide, a damage suit is still pending before a New York appellate court.

Refuting charges that the probe of India’s premier investigating into the Bhopal gas tragedy was “influenced”, former CBI director Joginder Singh on Tuesday said that there was “no pressure” on the agency at all.

The revenue from the auctions of spectrum on Tuesday crossed the Rs 1 lakh crore-mark. The success of auctions of 3G and wireless broadband (BWA) spectrum has crossed government estimates, which intially stood at Rs 35,000 crore.

Bharti Airtel on Tuesday completed the $10.7 billion acquisition of Zain Africa to become the world’s fifth largest telecom company. The company has now set its eyes to become third largest telecom company globally.

Dhawal Kulkarni and Iqbal Abdullah wreaked havoc as a dominant India A settled for a draw against Yorkshire in their three-day first-class match here.
The India A batsmen showed their might by rattling up a massive 473/3 before declaring their innings on Day One. Paceman Kulkarni (5/31) and left-arm spinners Abdullah (4/42) then ran through the home side, skittling them out for 219 on the final day on Monday.

The empowered group of ministers (EGoM) on the decontrol of fuel prices, which met here on Monday, was forced to defer a decision on hiking fuel prices because four of its members were absent.