India for talks with Pakistan from February 18

India believes Pakistan has taken some steps in the investigation of the Mumbai attacks but it needs to come clean on its support to terrorists and demonstrate its sincerity by taking action against Jamaat-ud-Dawah chief Hafiz Mohammed Saeed and 13 others, who are still at large.

This issue will be taken up in the forthcoming foreign secretary-level talks India has proposed February 18 or 25 for the meeting between the foreign secretary, Ms Nirupama Rao and her Pakistani counterpart, Mr Salman Bashir.

New Delhi would have no hesitation to discuss any issue which Islamabad may want to bring up including Balochistan.

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e-Seva to accept new LPG application

Registration for new LPG connections can now be done through all the 54 eSeva centres in the twin cities. The oil marketing companies will allocate gas connections to all eligible applicants on a priority basis.

Applicants have to submit proof of their residence and Rs 15 as processing charge while registering for the LPG connection. The minister for civil supplies, Mr J. Krishna Rao, on Thursday inaugurated the registration process at the Khairatabad e-Seva centre.

He said, "Applicants can approach e-Seva centres for registration.

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Centre avoids T word, sets up panel 5 man panel

The Centre on Wednesday constituted a five-member expert committee to hold consultations on the “situation in Andhra Pradesh” arising out the demand for the creation of a separate Telangana state.

The five-member committee will be headed by former Supreme Court judge B.N. Srikrishna, while the former home secretary Mr Vinod K. Duggal will be its member-secretary. The Union home secretary, Mr G.K. Pillai, said the committee will hold wide-ranging consultations with all sections of people and different political parties and groups on “the situation in Andhra Pradesh”. A home ministry spokesperson said the terms of reference were still being drafted and will be finalised in consultation with the committee chairman and announced shortly.

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1 dead in hospital inferno

One patient died and 11 persons, including two doctors and five nurses, were injured when a major fire engulfed the Park Super Specialty Hospital at Somajiguda here on Tuesday morning.

The ground floor was gutted in the fire which started at 9.20 am. Amid the chaos and thick smoke, patients were shifted to the nearby Yashoda Hospital.

There were 42 inpatients, including 14 critically ill ones in the ICU when the fire broke out.

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Rahman scores 2 Grammys

Oscar-winner A.R. Rahman completed his sweep of top music awards by bagging two Grammy awards for his foot-tapping Jai Ho and the outstanding soundtrack for Slumdog Millionaire.

"This is insane, God is great again," an elated Rahman said while accepting the golden gramophones at the Staples Centre in Los Angeles, this is his first Grammy win.

The composer shared the award for Jai Ho with lyricist Gulzar and Tanvi Shah, who penned the Spanish lyrics of the international hit.

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Go to Pakistan, Sena tells Shah Rukh

The Maharashtra government's warning and assurance of security to Shah Rukh Khan's movies did not deter the Shiv Sena from holding protests outside the actor's residence in Bandra on Sunday.

The Sena is protesting Shah Rukh's statement favouring inclusion of Pakistani cricketers in the Indian Premier League.

The Shiv Sena leader and MLC, Mr Anil Parab, who led the protest, said, "Shah Rukh should go to Pakistan if he wants to speak in favour of Pakistani cricketers."

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T-panel to be set up in a week, says PC

The Union government will appoint a high level committee headed by a retired judge of the Supreme Court or a former Chief Justice of the High Court in the first week of February to study the bifurcation of Andhra Pradesh.

The committee, which will have experts on irrigation, agriculture and finance, besides senior officials from home and law ministry, will be asked to study the issue scientifically and submit its report in three months, sources said.

"If all goes well, we should have a committee by the end of this week," said the Union home minister, Mr P. Chidambaram, who declined to reveal the names of its members.

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