Indian Sub-continent

New Delhi, Aug 26 (PTI) Flood-ravaged Kerala may have to wait a few months to get the complete financial aid package from the Centre as the process of assessing the extent of damage and fund release is time-consuming, officials said.

After the initial release of funds, the central government follows certain rules and guidelines before awarding the final aid to any state for a natural calamity, a Home Ministry official, privy to such circumstances, said.

Mumbai, Aug 25; PTI: The Maharashtra Anti-Terrorism Squad (ATS), which is investigating the recent seizure of explosives and arms in the state, has arrested one more person from Ghatkopar here, an official said today.

Avinash Pawar (30) was arrested last night and will be produced before a court today, the official added.

Kolkata, Aug 25; PTI: Stepping up attack on the government over the Rafale fighter jet issue, senior Congress leader P Chidambaram today accused the Centre of ignoring the defence procurement procedure and "bypassing" several committees to secure the deal.

The former finance minister also alleged the Cabinet Committee on Security was not taken into confidence by the government before signing the deal.

Islamabad, Aug 25; PTI: Pakistan wants to improve ties with India and resolve all outstanding issues including Kashmir through talks, and is not shy of engaging with New Delhi despite the current impasse in relations, Pakistan Foreign Minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi has said.

"But it takes two to tango. You cannot clap with just one hand. We have a positive stance and will remain hopeful," said Qureshi, who was sworn-in as Pakistan's Foreign Minister on Monday.

Muzaffarpur (Bihar), Aug 25 (PTI) A complaint was filed against Congress president Rahul Gandhi in a court here today seeking registration of a defamation case against him for allegedly tarnishing and lowering the image of the country.

The complaint was filed by advocate Sudhir Kumar Ojha in the court of Chief Judicial Magistrate Hari Prasad here, which fixed September 4 as the date for hearing the matter.

New Delhi, Aug 24 (PTI) Former RBI Governor Raghuram Rajan has said that the rupee has not depreciated to 'too worrying levels', though the government needs to take care of the widening current account deficit (CAD).

The rupee on August 16 had slumped to a life-time low of 70.32 on strong demand for the US dollar.

The rupee today staged a good recovery to end higher by 20 paise at 69.91 against the US currency on bouts of dollar selling by exporters and corporates.

New Delhi, Aug 25 (PTI) In a major decision, the Defence Ministry today gave its nod to acquisition of 111 utility helicopters for the Navy at a cost of over Rs 21,000 crore besides approving separate procurement proposals worth nearly Rs 25,000 crore, according to officials.

A meeting of the Defence Acquisition Council (DAC), the ministry's highest decision-making body on procurement, cleared the proposals.

By Sajjad Hussain

Islamabad, Aug 25 (PTI) Pakistan's new government has banned the discretionary use of state funds and first-class air travel by officials and leaders, including the president and the prime minister, as part of its austerity drive.

The decisions were made at a Cabinet meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Imran Khan yesterday, according to Information Minister Fawad Chaudhry.

A 24 old man, identified as Prakash, has been arrested in South West Delhi for raping a 9 year old girl, in a portable toilet.

The girl described the man as “a tall, dark-complexioned uncle” to her counsellors.

It has been alleged that Prakash attempted to kidnap another minor girl hours before he raped the nine-year-old.

Karuna Shukla, a former BJP cadre but now a Congress leader, says that BJP is trying to cash in Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s death.

Shukla, Vajpayee’s niece,  accused the BJP of trying to capitalise on her uncle’s death for “political gains” in Assembly elections.

“I am stunned and pained to see the way BJP is trying to use the name of Atal-ji after his demise for political gains,” Shukla said in a statement.