Daily News Notes

· Prime minister has arrived in Maldives to participate in the 17th South Assian Association for Regional Cooperation, SAARC summit. Main issues to be discussed are liberalization of trade under the South Asian Free Trade Area Agreement, Agreements on Implementation of Regional Standards, Multilateral Arrangement on Recognition of Conformity Assessment, Rapid Response to Natural Disasters, establishment of a SAARC Seed Bank and enhanced connectivity in the socio economic development of the South Asian Region. PM will also address the People’s Majlis, the Parliament of Maldives. This year’s SAARC summit titled "Building Bridges", strives to improve communication and collaboration among the eight members of the South Asian grouping namely Pakistan, Afghanistan, Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Nepal, Sri Lanka and the Maldives.
· Pakistan had last week granted the Most Favoured Nation trade status to India.
· In Gujarat, a special court has convicted 31 people (in case of murder, attempt to murder, arson, rioting, criminal conspiracy) out of 73 accused in one of the nine Gujarat riots cases of 2002 in which 33 persons were killed when a violent mob burnt them alive in a locked house in Sadarpura village (one of nine Gujarat riots cases handed over to Special Investigation Team), after the Godhra train carnage. The case is also the first post-Godhra train carnagein which convictions have taken place.
· In Assam, the mortal remains of the music maestro Dr. Bhupen Hazarika’s were consigned to flames with full State Honours with 21 gun salute by police.
· Union Home Minister is arriving at Ranchi in Jharkhand to review the naxal violence in the state. The meeting is significant in view of two things- First the Saranda Action Plan for the development of the most severely affected forest range, and second factor is that, despite Saranda, there is an increase in naxal violence. He also said that the level of violence by Left Wing Extremists is still very high in Odisha as still about 60 police stations are affected by Left Wing Extremists.
· In Jammu and Kashmir, the Unified Command will meet in Jammu this afternoon to discuss a host of security related issues including partial withdrawal of Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA). Top brass of all security agencies including five Army Commanders, heads of other security forces like BSF, CRPF and all Intelligence agencies will attend the meeting, to be chaired by Chief Minister Omar Abdullah. Apart from discussion on Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA), situation prevailing on the borders, both Line of Control (LoC) and International Border (IB) in Jammu and Kashmir regions and China border in Leh, more withdrawal of CRPF from urban areas, progress on Rehabilitation Policy for the youth of the State held up in Pakistan and PoK, security scenario in general areas, number of militants operating within the State and those waiting across LoC and IB to infiltrate, infiltration attempts made by the militants in the recent past and successes achieved by security forces and police against the militants is expected to figure in the Unified Headquarters meeting.
· Uttarakhand Government has decided to provide the facility of free travel to all girl students in State transport buses of state transport corporation inside the state on the basis of their college identity card.
· In Greece, political talks on for the formation of a new coalition government have failed to reach a consensus so far.