WASHINGTON - The General Assembly in the US Midwestern state of Illinois voted to abolish the death penalty, but it was unclear whether the governor would sign the repeal.

BHOPAL - In a shocking instance of absolute helplessness, a poor tribal farmer in Madhya Pradesh had to trek 14 kilometres with his teenage daughter's body on a makeshift bier tied to his bicycle to get her autopsy done.

NEW DELHI - Tata group chairman Ratan Tata has questioned the "indiscriminate disclosure" of private conversations between corporate lobbyist Niira Radia and a host of others being justified under the right to free speech, saying the media cannot be used to fight corporate battles.

KOLKATA - The Kolkata High Court, while hearing a Public Interest Litigation (PIL) into the January 7 violence case in Lalgarh's Netai village, on Tuesday asked the West Bengal Government to file an affidavit by Friday on whether or not there should be a Central Bureau if Investigation (CBI) inquiry into these killings.

GANDHINAGAR - A Gujarat High Court bench headed by Chief Justice S.J. Mukhopadhaya Tuesday refused to hear a public interest suit questioning the court's secular credentials.