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Biju Janata Dal fields three for Rajya Sabha poll Bhubaneswar, June 4 : Three candidates of Orissa's ruling Biju Janata Dal (BJD) Friday filed their nomination papers for the Rajya Sabha elections June 17, an official said.

BJP demands Pawar's resignation over Pune IPL bid New Delhi, June 4 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) Friday demanded resignation of union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar alleging that he had misled the nation about his interests relating to the Indian Premier League (IPL).

India, South Africa ink three pacts, to jointly spur UN reforms New Delhi, June 4 : India and South Africa Friday signed three agreements aimed at enhancing business ties and connectivity. The two countries also reiterated support for each other for a non-permanent seat in the UN Security Council and agreed to jointly work for the reforms of the global body.

Pawar should resign immediately: BJP New Delhi, June 4 : The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday accused former BCCI President and Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar of misrepresenting facts on IPL bidding and demanded that he should resign immediately.

Ramesh, Janardhan Reddy file papers for Rajya Sabha polls Hyderabad, June 4 : Union Environment and Forests Minister Jairam Ramesh and former Andhra Pradesh chief minister N. Janardhan Reddy were among six candidates who Friday filed their nominations for Rajya Sabha elections from the state.

Pakistan must stop supporting terrorism for talks to succeed: Farooq Abdullah New Delhi, June 4 : Union Minister for New and Renewable Energy Dr. Farooq Abdullah has asked Pakistan to stop supporting anti-India militant groups if it wants the Indo-Pak dialogue to succeed.

Anil Ambani visits Mahakaleshwar Temple on his 51st birthday Ujjain (Madhya Pradesh), June 4 : Reliance Dhirubhai Ambani Group chairman Anil Ambani visited the Mahakaleshwar Temple in Ujjain on the occasion of his 51st birthday on Friday.

Congress renominates Ambika Soni, Mohsina Kidwai for Rajya Sabha polls New Delhi, June 4 : The Congress party has renominated Union Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni from Punjab and All India Congress Committee (AICC) General Secretary Mohsina Kidwai from Chhattisgarh for the biennial elections to the Rajya Sabha.

South African President meets President Patil New Delhi, June 4 : South African President Jacob Zuma, who is on a three-day visit to India, met President Pratibha Devisingh Patil here on Friday.

India, South Africa to work closely in international forums: Manmohan Singh New Delhi, June 4 : The Prime Minister, Dr Manmohan Singh, on Friday said both India and South Africa have agreed to intensify coordination between the two countries and work closely in several international forums such as the United Nations, Non-aligned Movement, Commonwealth, WTO, G-20, the IBSA and BASIC groupings.

WWF, Tourism Ministry launch campaign to conserve Himalayan glaciers New Delhi, Jun 4 : On the eve of World Environment Day today, World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and Union Ministry of Tourism launched Green Hiker Campaign to conserve Himalayan glaciers and wetlands in Jammu and Kashmir, Himachal Pradesh, Sikkim and Arunachal Pradesh.

Pawar, daughter deny IPL bid; City Corp MD backs them Mumbai, June 4 : Union Agriculture minister Sharad Pawar and his daughter and Lok Sabha MP Surpiya Sule Friday distanced themselves from involvement in an unsuccessful bid for Indian Premier League (IPL) Pune franchisee by Aniruddha Deshpande, MD of City Corp, a company in which the Pawars hold equity stake.

Buddhadeb asked to attend CPI(M) meet over weekend New Delhi, Jun 4 : West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has been summoned to participate in a two-day CPI(M) meet here during the weekend after the Left Front bastion fell in the civic polls in the state, party sources said today.

India, South Africa sign three pacts, back UN reforms New Delhi, June 4 : India and South Africa Friday signed three agreements, including an air services pact, to ramp up their business ties and agreed to jointly work to reform the UN Security Council.

Soni in Congress list of six for Rajya Sabha elections New Delhi, June 4 : The Congress Friday announced six names for the upcoming elections to the Rajya Sabha, with Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni amongst those being renominated.

Ties with India top priority, proud to go there: Obama By Arun Kumar, Washington, June 4 : US President Barack Obama said he plans to visit India in November to together make 'history and progress that will be treasured by generations to come', as he described Indo-US ties as 'one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century'.

Strong aftershock jolts Tibet's Yushu area New Delhi, June 4 : A 5.7-magnitude aftershock jolted the Yushu Tibet Autonomous Prefecture in northwest China's Qinghai Province at about 10:29 a.m. on Friday.

China has 870,000 intangible heritage items New Delhi, June 4 : China has over 870,000 intangible culture heritage items that need protection.

Buddhadeb summoned for CPI-M Delhi meet, may not attend New Delhi, June 4 : West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee has been asked to attend a two-day CPI-M meeting here during the weekend after the Left Front's shocking debacle in civic polls, but he is unlikely to attend, says a senior party leader.

US, India agree to broaden cyberspace, ICT cooperation Washington, June 4 : India and the United States have agreed to to take steps to broaden and enhance cooperation in cyberspace and Information and Communications Technology (ICT).

US, India commit to creating a stable, pluralistic Afghanistan Washington, June 4 : US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and her Indian counterpart S.M. Krishna on Thursday reiterated their countries shared interest and commitment towards creating a stable, sovereign, democratic and pluralistic Afghanistan.

'India-US cooperating against transnational threats' Washington, June 4 : US President Barack Obama has said that India and the US are cooperating against transnational threats.

Soni in Congress list of six for Rajya Sabha New Delhi, June 4 : The Congress Friday announced six names for the coming elections to the Rajya Sabha, with Information and Broadcasting Minister Ambika Soni renominated from Punjab.

Kasab to challenge his death sentence Mumbai, June 4 : Ajmal Kasab, the terrorist who was sentenced to death last month by a special Mumbai court for his involvement in the 26/11 Mumbai attack in 2008 that killed more than 160 persons, wants to challange his conviction in the high court.

Access to markets in India at a price, says official New Delhi, June 4 : Countries demanding greater access to Indian markets will have to pay for it if India agrees to give access said, India's chief negotiator at the WTO and an Additional Secretary in the Commerce Ministry, D.K. Mittal.

Afzal Guru case: Delhi Lt. Governor sends mercy plea to Home Ministry New Delhi, June 4 : Delhi Lieutenant Governor Tejinder Khanna has sent the file on the mercy petition of Afzal Guru, who is facing a death sentence in the 2001 Parliament attack case, to the Union Home Ministry.

Kasab appeals against death sentence Mumbai, June 4 : Pakistani Ajmal Amir Kasab, convicted for the 26/11 Mumbai terror strike, has challenged the death sentence awarded to him by a Mumbai special court, an official said Friday.

Ties with US, India's foremost priority: Krishna Washington, June 4 : India considers its mutually beneficial relationship with the United States to be one of its foremost foreign policy priorities, visiting External Affairs Minister S M Krishna told US President Barack Obama today.

Afzal Guru's file goes to home ministry New Delhi, June 4 : Delhi Lt. Governor Tejendra Khanna has sent to the home ministry the file on parliament attack convict Afzal Guru's mercy petition, an official in the Raj Bhawan said Friday.

Rathore fails to get bail, revision petition to be heard on June 29 Chandigarh, Jun 4 : Former Haryana DGP SPS Rathore, who was jailed on May 25 after being sentenced to 18-month imprisonment for molesting 15-year-old Ruchika Girhotra, failed to get bail from the High Court today.

PM's visit not linked to dialogue with separatists: Omar Srinagar, June 4 : Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit to the Kashmir Valley June 7 is not linked to the resumption of a dialogue with separatist leaders, Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah said Monday.

Ruchika case: No bail for Rathore Chandigarh, June 4 : The Punjab and Haryana High Court on Friday rejected the bail plea of tainted former Haryana top cop SPS Rathore.

Rathore's bail plea adjourned till June 29 Chandigarh, June 4 : The Punjab and High Court Friday adjourned till June 29 the bail plea and revision petition of former Haryana police chief S.P.S. Rathore, convicted for molesting teenager Ruchika Girhotra in 1990.

Court hints at political patronage in police-drug nexus Panaji, June 4 : The Goa government is unwilling to hand over the police-drug mafia probe to the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) as 'more skeletons may tumble out from the cupboard of the police-drug dealers nexus', the Panaji bench of the Bombay High Court has observed.

No headway on high technology exports to India By Arun Kumar, Washington, June 4 : India's demand to liberalise high technology exports to it has not found favour with the US.

Near miss at Mumbai: Flight about to land as another waits to go Mumbai, June 4 : A potential disaster was averted early Friday when a flight was cleared for landing while another plane was waiting for take-off on the same runway at the Chhatrapati Shivaji International Airport here, airport sources said.

I am proud to go to India: Obama By Arun Kumar, Washington, June 4 : President Barack Obama says he has to go to India to experience 'all that India and its people and its incredible ancient culture have to offer'.

Grand diplomacy vs India's struggles to gain access to Headley By Mayank Chhaya, Chicago, June 4 : Nothing illustrates more tellingly how diplomatic grandiosity does not always work at the ground level than the matter of India's struggle to gain access to Mumbai terror plotter David Coleman Headley.

US vows to help bring Mumbai attackers to justice By Arun Kumar, Washington, June 4 : The US has reiterated its commitment to provide full cooperation and support in counter-terrorism investigations, including exchanging information and bringing the perpetrators of the 2008 Mumbai terror attack to justice.

India-US will shape the rest of this century: Clinton By Arun Kumar, Washington, June 4 : Fight against terrorism and nuclear security topped the agenda of India and the US as they set out shape a global partnership that US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said 'will shape the rest of this century.'

Indian writing is fresh, diverse: Hay Festival organiser By Madhusree Chatterjee, New Delhi, June 4 : A lot of new writing from India has been making a mark across the world, says a top organiser of Britain's Hay Festival that will host its first India edition in Kerala in November with around 40 leading authors.

Access to Headley logical next step, India tells US By Arun Kumar, Washington, June 4 : With a team of Indian investigators waiting to question Pakistani-American Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) operative David Headley, who has confessed to his role in the Mumbai terror attack, External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna Thursday told the US that providing access to him "is perhaps the logical next step".

Trail run for CWG to start later this month New Delhi, June 4 : The trail run for traffic in the national capital would begin later this month.

US president wants to create 'Obama Platter' on India visit By Arun Kumar, Washington, June 4 : Not to be outdone by his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, US President Barack Obama intends to create an 'Obama Platter' when he visits India in early November.

India, US vow to cooperate on terror By Arun Kumar, Washington, June 4 : With US President Barack Obama according relations with 'responsible global power' India 'highest of priorities', the two countries have vowed to work together to meet the challenges of 21st century.