The Union commerce and industry minister, Mr Anand Sharma, who is leading a top business delegation on an official visit to the UK, has raised the issue of proposed cap on immigration from non-European Union countries with the newly-elected Tory-LibDem coalition government.

As the CPI(M) is preparing to battle a strong Opposition during the 2011 Assembly elections in West Bengal, the party is also reviewing the political line adopted by it at the national level.

In a bid to turn the table on the BJP over recent petroleum price hike, the Congress on Monday said it was the NDA government led by Mr Atal Bihari Vajpayee, which first dismantled the administrative price mechanism (APM) for the products. The party has then questioned as to why the saffron party is now criticising the present government’s move to deregulate prices of petrol and diesel.

The BJP on Monday asserted that its alliance with JD(U) in Bihar was intact and both parties would follow the same seat sharing formula as they had in 2005 Assembly polls. But sources close to the BJP party chief, Mr Nitin Gadkari, said the party was earlier planning to ask for two more seats this time, including Muzaffarpur, from its alliance partner.

The hope that monsoon would keep its date with Delhi, as the capital had begun getting pre-monsoon showers a few days ago, has receded and the moisture-laden winds are likely to cover the city only in the first week of July. The usual date of onset of monsoon in Delhi is June 29.

A 22-year-old youth was shot dead and four others injured in a dispute over water in northeast Delhi on Sunday evening. The incident was reported from Karawal Nagar at around 11 pm on Sunday. The deceased has been identified as Bhagat Singh. “Four days back, the supply to a common tap was cut as it was illegal. Two groups led by Vijender Chaudhary and Vijender Sharma started blaming each other,” a source said.

The Indian women’s hockey team finished on a winning note as they thrashed Ireland 6-0 in their last match of the four-nation tournament in Essen, Germany, on Monday.
Skipper Surender Kaur led from the front scoring three goals in the 9th, 23rd and 32nd minutes.

AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi’s mobile phone was stolen from New Delhi’s IGI Airport a few days ago, but was recovered within days from a baggage loader, who admitted he stole it from Mr Gandhi’s baggage, sources said Monday.

India will tour Sri Lanka for their three-Test series next month better prepared to deal with whatever comes their way, said team senior Rahul Dravid at the launch of the 2010 Limca Book of Records here on Monday.

Minister of state for environment and forests Jairam Ramesh said Monday he would oppose the setting up of private helipads in Mumbai as this “did not make any sense” while “at both the national and global level we are demanding equity and equitable access to global atomospheric space.” The Maharashtra government earlier