No power cuts in HP during winter
NEW DELHI, Nov 4 (TNS)— There would be no power cuts in Himachal Pradesh and people will be given round-the-clock power supply, the state Chief Minister Mr Prem Kumar Dhumal, said here today. The Chief Minister said the assurance was possible following the decision of the Centre to release 14 lakh units of power each day to Himachal. This will be out of unallocated power share from northern regional load despatch centre to the state. Mr Dhumal who met the Union Power Minister, Mr P.R. Kumaramangalam here, said the Centre had increased the state’s share from existing 7 per cent to 11 per cent immediately. The Chief Minister said with this assurance the state had lifted power cuts immediately. Himachal requires 85 lakh units per day while the current supply is around 64 lakh units. With additional 14 lakh units, the state should be able to meet its total requirement, he said. The Centre, he said, also waived Rs 30.58 crore surcharge of Baira Siul project and return the money deducted from the State plan size. A Rs 20 crore new substation would be set up at Baddi to feed commercial lines of industrial areas of Nalagarh, Paonta Sahib, Parwanoo and Baddi, he said.

Withdrawal of Pak troops
ISLAMABAD, Nov 4 (PTI) — Pakistan has completed 60 per cent of its additional troop withdrawal deployed at the borders with India, officials said today. "We hope that within this month the remaining additional troops would also complete their withdrawal as such activities in the military take quite some time," NNI news agency said quoting the officials. In his televised address to the nation last month, Pakistan's Chief Executive General Pervez Musharraf had announced unilateral withdrawal of additional troops from international borders as a goodwill gesture.

5 cops killed
KATHMANDU, Nov 4 (DPA) — Maoist insurgents in western Nepal have killed five policemen in two separate attacks and another seven officers remained missing, news reports in the Nepalese capital said today. An unknown number of rebels died and seven policemen were wounded in yesterday's clashes in remote parts of Dolpa and Rolpa districts, about 400 km west of the capital, The Himalaya Times said.

2 Rangers killed
SRIGANGANAGAR, Nov 4 (FOC) — In cross-border firing between the Border Security Force and Pakistan Rangers in Karanpur sector of Sriganganagar district, two Pak Rangers were reported to be killed on Tuesday evening. According to BSF sources, the Rangers opened fire on Indian forces when the latter objected to digging bunkers by the former along the Line of Control on the Indian side. The firing continued for about half an hour and resulted in the killing of the two Rangers.

Death sentence
KUWAIT CITY, Nov 4 (AFP) — A Kuwaiti criminal court has sentenced a young Indian maid to death for strangling her 80-year-old Kuwait sponsor after just 10 days in her employment, newspapers reported today. Qadeer Kaleeja (22), who also stole money and jewellery, strangled Aisha al-Fadalah in her bed, the court heard yesterday. Kaleeja telephoned the victim's sons to inform them of their mother's death by "natural causes," but police called to the scene became suspicious of the scratches on the maid's face and arrested her.

Commonwealth head
WELLINGTON, Nov 4 (AP) — Long-serving New Zealand Foreign Minister Don McKinnon is expected to become the next Secretary-General of the Commonwealth when the 54-member body meets in South Africa next week, officials said today. Mr McKinnon, nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize for his work in helping broker a ceasefire on the strife-torn Papua New Guinea island of Bougainville, has confirmed he has support from 40 states.

Minister dead
MBABANE, Nov 4 (DPA) — Swaziland's Minister of Public Works and Transport, Peter Dlamini, was killed when his car collided head-on with another vehicle, a police spokesman said today. Assistant Police Superintendent Leckinah Magagula said Mr Dlamini was alone in his car when the accident happened late on Wednesday on the road between Manzini and Simunye.

Cong threatens stir
RAE BARELI (UP), Nov 4 (PTI) — The Congress today threatened to launch a countrywide agitation if the Union Government failed to delete Rajiv Gandhi’s name from the Bofors charge sheet by November 19. "I am making this statement with Congress President Sonia Gandhi’s permission," Capt Satish Sharma said at a meeting in Amethi where Sonia was also present.

Infotech Bill cleared
NEW DELHI, Nov 4 (PTI) — The Cabinet today cleared the much-awaited Information Technology Bill to provide a legal framework for electronic communication, trade and commerce and prevent computer crimes. The Bill, to be taken up in the winter session of Parliament, envisages a secure regulatory environment for e-commerce by providing legal validity for the Internet and other electronic transactions. It will also permit computer data as evidence in court, official sources said.