CPI(M) Central Committee meeting from Aug 7

Vijayawada, Aug 2 : The four-day extended Central Committee meeting of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) will be held here from August 7, its Politburo Member B V Raghavulu said today.Addressing a press conference here, he said party National General Secretary Prakash Karat would inaugurate the conference to be held at Tummalapallivari Kshetraya Kalashektram.He said 376 delegates including Chief Ministers of CPI(M) ruled states--West Bengal, Kerala and Tripura, 15 politburo members and national and state leaders would take part in the meeting. Mr Raghavulu said the meeting was being held ahead of the party's National 'Mahasabha' to be convened next year. However, the 'Mahasabha', to be held every three years, was postponed due to Assembly elections in West Bengal, Kerala and Assam likely to be held in September 2011, he added.He said on the last day of the meeting there would be a huge public meeting at PWD grounds in which all the left-ruled Chief Ministers, Mr Karat and other leaders would address the gathering.Mr Raghavulu, who is also party's Andhra Pradesh unit Secretary, said the deliberations included reviewing of economic and political situation in the country.Political resolutions would be adopted in the conference so that all could work towards it, he added.
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Newly-elected TRS legislators take oath

Hyderabad,Aug 2: Eleven legislators of the Telangana Rashtra Samiti (TRS), who were elected in the by-polls last week, Monday took oath as members of the Andhra Pradesh assembly.Assembly Speaker N.Kirankumar Reddy administered them the oath in the assembly premises. Earlier, the legislators paid tributes to 'martyrs' of Telangana at Gun Park in front of the assembly building. E.Rajender, who was re-elected as the party's floor leader in the assembly, his deputy T.Harish Rao and others raised slogans of "Jai Telangana" before entering the assembly. Rajender told reporters that their massive win has proved beyond doubt that the goal of achieving a separate Telangana state is not far away. All the legislators had quit in February this year demanding separate statehood to Telangana. All 10 legislators of TRS and one each of Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and Bharatiya Janta Party (BJP) had resigned to protest what they called the central government going back on its Dec 9 statement to initiate the process for formation of Telangana state. All the legislators, who had quit, were re-elected with huge majority. Ch. Ramesh, who quit TDP after he resigned from the assembly, was re-elected on the TRS ticket.
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Mathew championed highest traditions of Indian journalism: PM

Aug,02, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Sunday condoled the death of Malayala Manorama chief editor K.M. Mathew, saying that the country had “lost a true champion of the highest traditions of Indian journalism”.

In a message to his son Mammen Mathew, the prime minister spoke of K.M. Mathew’s commitment to the cause of excellence in journalism and his contributions to promoting the freedom of the press.“I was deeply grieved to learn of the sad demise of your father Shri Kandathil Mammen Mathew. Shri K.M. Mathew was a leading light of the Indian press fraternity and played a key role in making Malayala Manorama one of the major dailies in the country after he became its Chief Editor in 1973,” he said in his message.He noted that Mathew was was honoured with the Padma Bhushan for his commitment to the cause of excellence in journalism and his contributions to promoting the freedom of the press. ““He had distinguished tenures as chairman of the Press Trust of India, president of the Newspaper Society of India (Indian Newspaper Society), and as member of the Press Council of India. In his death the country, particularly the state of Kerala, has lost a true champion of the highest traditions of Indian journalism.”
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Curfew continues in Srinagar after violence

Aug,01,Curfew continued in summer capital Sunday after two days of violence in which six people were killed in firing by security forces. Separatists have called for a shutdown across the Kashmir Valley to protest the killings, prolonging the “difficult times” for residents.Police vehicles fitted with loudspeakers made repeated announcements in both the Old City and uptown areas, urging people to remain indoors as curfew was imposed in the city for the second consecutive day.“Police vehicles made curfew announcements outside my home and said nobody must venture outside as an indefinite curfew was in place.“Restrictions and curfew have become a daily routine here. And on days when there are no restrictions, the separatists call shutdowns,” said a resident of Old City area who did not want to be named.“My daughter is doing her MBBS in the local medical college and her exam has again been postponed now. These are very difficult times,” he added. Authorities here say curfew is a preventive measure resorted to under extreme conditions given the overall law and order situation.“Nobody would like to inconvenience the common man unless it becomes unavoidable. The separatists call for protests, marches and shutdowns and their basic aim is to incite youth to violence even when they say the protests would be peaceful.“We are yet to see the so-called peaceful separatist protests,” a senior police officer said here.Reports here said the Jammu-Srinagar highway was blocked by unruly mobs at various places in south Kashmir by felling trees and laying them across the highway.Times have really become very difficult for the common Kashmiri as normal life has been thrown completely out of gear for the last 55 days. Reports from other towns of the Valley said curfew was being imposed there as well. Separatists have called for a Valley-wide shutdown against the recent killings of civilians in firing by security forces.Six protesters were killed in the last two days in different violent protests across Kashmir. Over 80 people, including protesters and security personnel, have been injured in the violence. Eight of them are said to be battling for life.Hardline separatist leader Syed Ali Geelani, who was released here Saturday, told the authorities that he would not obey the release orders as he was being released on parole, sources said.“Geelani Sahib told officials that if they wanted to release him they must revoke the Public Safety Act (PSA) order against him,” a source close to the separatist leader said here.The valley has been virtually paralysed due to violent protests against civilians being killed in firing by security forces since June 11.
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