Punjab limps back to life
Badal offers state funeral for slain religious leader
Chandigarh, May 26
Curfew was relaxed in most of the cities on Tuesday as the state limped back to life. With Sant Surinder Dass of Dera Sachkhand Ballan issuing another fervent appeal to devotees for maintaining peace and communal harmony, the situation appeared to be improving, although tension persists.
TAKING STOCK: Representatives of various political outfits of Punjab attend an all-party meeting called by Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal to discuss the Vienna issue in Chandigarh on Tuesday. Tribune photo: S. Chandan

Losses in Punjab estimated at Rs 7,000 cr
Nurmahal bypoll now on June 12
Editorial: Let peace prevail

Delhi-Lahore bus service restored
New Delhi, May 26
Delhi-Lahore bus service Sada-e-Sarhad has been normalised with a coach left the Ambedkar terminus at 6 am today. Twenty passengers boarded the bus for Pakistan. An official at the bus terminus, Rajender Singh, said the violence erupted in Punjab in protest against the attack at a gurdwara, killing a priest, had hardly any effect on Sada-e-Sarhad Delhi-Lahore bus service.

Cabinet expansion tomorrow
New Delhi, May 26
The suspense over the expansion of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s Cabinet ended today with Rashtrapati Bhavan’s official announcement that the next batch of ministers will be sworn in on Thursday.

Sharifs can contest polls: SC
In a landmark judgement of far-reaching political implications, a larger bench of the Supreme Court on Tuesday declared former premier Nawaz Sharif and his brother and Chief Minister of Punjab Shahbaz Sharif eligible to seek any elective public office.

Futures trading in sugar suspended
Prices likely to fall
Chandigarh, May 26
Commodity market regulator Forward Markets’ Commission has suspended trading in sugar contracts from tomorrow till December 31. The move is expected to cool down the sugar prices, which had gone up by almost 45 per cent in the past two months. The high price of sugar had become the talking point during the Lok Sabha elections.

Andhra gets its first woman home minister
Hyderabad, May 26
Andhra Pradesh has got its first woman home minister with P Sabitha Indra Reddy being chosen for the key post. 

First woman home minister of Andhra Pradesh Sabita Indira Reddy being greeted by supporters in Hyderabad on Tuesday. — PTI