News in Brief

Varun Gandhi dropped in BJP reshuffle
Pti, New Delhi

Varun Gandhi was dropped yesterday as general secretary by BJP president Amit Shah who constituted his new team. A week after his formal anointment as party president, Amit Shah announced his new team of party office bearers that includes 11 vice-presidents, eight general secretaries and 14 secretaries. The new team also includes 10 party spokespersons, five of them are new.

Texas governor indicted over 'abuse of power'
Afp, Washington

Texas Governor Rick Perry, a potential 2016 Republican presidential candidate, was indicted Friday over allegations he abused his power, prompting calls for him to resign. A state grand jury in Austin indicted Perry on two felony charges -- abuse of official capacity and coercion of a public servant -- for his alleged threat to veto $7.5 million in state funding to an anti-corruption unit run by Travis County District Attorney Rosemary Lehmberg, a democrat.

Court stops S Lanka deporting refugees
Afp, Colombo

Sri Lanka's court of appeal has ordered a halt to the deportation of Afghan, Iranian and Pakistani refugees before their asylum claims are fully assessed, an official said yesterday. The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) had expressed dismay over Colombo's arrest and deportation of dozens of foreign asylum seekers and warned that Colombo was in breach of its international obligations.

Australian PM urges Scots to stay in UK
Afp, London

Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbott yesterday urged Scotland to stay in the United Kingdom, saying independence would be cheered by enemies of justice and freedom. Abbott's comments to The Times newspaper are the strongest given yet by a major foreign leader on the Scottish independence debate, and follow on from calls from US President Barack Obama to keep the union intact.

59 Indian children fall ill after mid-day meal
Hindustan Times Online

At least 59 children of a government primary school in Maddha Pradesh took ill after eating special mid-day meal cooked on the occasion of Independence Day on Friday. While most of them were allowed to go after primary treatment, eight of them were referred to the district hospital as their condition worsened. These children were stable yesterday.