10,000 feared dead in Iran quake
Teheran, December 26
A powerful earthquake rocked the southeastern Iranian city of Bam, killing possibly 10,000 persons. Iranian legislator Hasan Khoshrou said, after speaking to officials on the scene, that 10,000 persons might have died in the earthquake, describing the devastation as “beyond imagination”.

Stage set for early LS poll

Naidu for action plan New Delhi, December 26 A day after the Prime Minister asked his party colleagues to gear up for the Lok Sabha elections, the party today seemed to have immediately switched into the election mode with the party President M. Venkaiah Naidu, attacking the Congress.

Cong to forge alliances New Delhi, December 26 The Congress, for the first time, today formally signalled its willingness to forge electoral alliances with other secular parties ahead of the next Lok Sabha elections. It specifically singled out Uttar Pradesh, Tamil Nadu and Maharashtra where it requires allies.

Woman killed, 10 injured in blast

Baramula, December 26 A woman was killed and 10 persons wounded in a blast near a bank at Singpora Pattan in the district today. Official sources said militants hurled a hand grenade towards security forces near a local branch of Jammu and Kashmir Bank today.

An unidentified relative wails the death of Shahzada in a landmine explosion at Singhpora village, 35 km north of Srinagar, on Friday. — Photo by Amin War

Karnataka hands over stamp scam to CBI
Bangalore, December 26
Shrugging off its two-year-long defiance, the Karnataka Government today decided to hand over investigations in the multi-crore fake stamp paper scam to the CBI.

Appeal in Bakery case dismissed
Ahmedabad, December 26
The Gujarat High Court today dismissed the state government’s amended appeal in the Best Bakery carnage of Vadodara and confirmed a fast-track court’s acquittal of 21 persons.

More Sukhois for IAF Moscow, December 26 Russia has delivered another 12 Sukhoi 30 MKI fighters to India, bringing to 22 the total number of the multi-role combat planes in the IAF. With the delivery of the latest batch to the Air Force by Russia’s Irkut Aircraft Corporation, India now has 22 Sukhoi SU-30MKI air supremacy fighters. — PTI

Dissidents back in Capital New Delhi, December 26 A section of Punjab Congress dissidents led by state Agriculture Minister Rajinder Kaur Bhattal returned to the Capital today in a renewed bid to press the party high command for a leadership change. Dissidents to adopt non-cooperation  Punjab page No objection to Bhattal as Deputy CM, says Captain Bhattal singing Badal’s tune, says Cong leader Pressure on Beant Singh’s family, say dissidents