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        Lethal injection was supposed to be a humane, enlightened way to execute inmates and avoid the pain and the gruesome spectacle of firing squads, the electric chair and the noose. But now it, too, is under legal attack as cruel and unusual, with the US Supreme Court agreeing this week to hear arguments that lethal injection can cause excruciating pain. Some supporters of the procedure say the notion that inmates suffer is unproven. And they argue that there is nothing wrong with lethal injection itself; instead, they say, the problem is inadequately trained executioners. In fact, the man who developed the procedure 30 years ago said it is similar to the simple injections given every day in hospitals. 'What causes it to go wrong is that the protocols aren't carried out properly,' said Dr A Jay Chapman, former Oklahoma medical examiner. No more pain-causing death.

        The US on Saturday said it wanted a 'smooth and successful transition' to democratic civilian government in Pakistan even as it termed the Supreme Court ruling allowing President Pervez Musharraf to contest in uniform as an 'internal matter' of the country. 'This is the internal matter of the country for politicians and courts to decide,' US Assistant Secretary of South Asian and Central Asian Affairs Richard Boucher said when asked about Musharraf being allowed to seek re-election to the post of President while remaining as army chief. 'But the United States is interested that the process of transition to democratic civilian government should proceed smoothly and successfully,' he told reporters Friday. Boucher also rejected suggestions that formation of a civilian government in Pakistan could adversely impact the country's fight against terrorism. Musharraf in army garb is their privilege but democracy should be born.

        Zhejiang Province, one of China's economic growth engines, has loosened its mandatory birth control policies by encouraging couples to have their second child earlier so as to ease the pressures created by an aging society. Earlier, couples eligible to have a second child, including those who are both only children and those from ethnic minorities, were asked to have their second child at least four years after their first. But according to the new policy, couples eligible to have a second child can choose when they want to have it, head of Zhejiang Provincial Population and Family Planning Commission Zhang Wenbiao said. He said the old policy did not help to tackle the unbalanced age structure of the population in Zhejiang, which is a major manufacturing and exporting base of China, the world's factory. Aging society will be left bereft.

        An advocate of Tamil origin on Friday launched an indefinite hunger strike in Varanasi in protest against the 'anti-Ram' comments made by Tamilnadu Chief Minister and DMK president M Karunanidhi. Sri Nagaswami Ravindran sat on an indefinite hunger strike at Tulsi Ghat on the banks of River Ganga against the 'anti-Ram' and 'anti-Hindu' comments made by Karunanidhi. Lord Ram is in the hearts of millions of people and Karunanidhi has hurt the sentiments of all these people by making comments against Ram, he said and added that he should apologise publicly. Prof Veer Bhadra Mishra of Tulsi Ghat said that Hindus were deeply hurt by the comments made by Karunanidhi and they should come out openly against such 'derogatory remarks.' Hindus all over are left unhappy with the Tamilnadu Chief Minister's anti-Ram remarks.

        Super star Amitabh Bachchan on Thursday released the autobiography of evergreen actor Dev Anand, 'Romancing with Life,' in Mumbai. The book was released on Wednesday by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on the occasion of Dev Anand's 84th birthday. Speaking about his choice of the chief guest for Thursday's function — Bachchan, Dev Anand said, 'After celebrating my birthday in Delhi, I still had to celebrate the occasion in Mumbai and after the Prime Minister, I had to have someone important from our industry to release the book.' It had to be someone who had achieved a lot and is still achieving, he said about the super star. Filmmaker Vidhu Vinod Chopra said, 'Dev saab is a legend however much we say about him, is less. Even if we get half of his strength, it will be an achievement.' The autobiography of the ever green actor add colour to the Bollywood.

        The BJP on Friday said Congress was projecting Rahul Gandhi as the 'super-most' Prime Minister and it showed that the ruling party was in a 'haste' for the Lok Sabha polls. 'Congress had a super Prime Minister till now. Now they have a super-most Prime Minister,' BJP spokesman Rajiv Pratap Rudy told reporters in New Delhi. He claimed Congress was projecting Rahul as future Prime Minister which was 'evident' with senior Cabinet ministers and Congress leaders accompanying and hailing Rahul. 'This has proved that Congress is in a haste for Lok Sabha poll preparations which they believe would be held soon,' he added. Rahul Gandhi is just a kid to the politics. He has to cross many barriers yet.

        An underground drainage project would be taken up in the town at a cost of Rs 46 crore, State Local Administration Minister M K Stalin said Friday. Speaking at the 'Mupperum Vizha' organised by the DMK in Kumbakonam, he said the project would be completed by 31 March next year. Accusing opposition AIADMK of staging protests without any basis, he said the DMK had fulfilled most of its electoral promises and others would also be implemented within the tenure of the government. During the past one-and-half years of the DMK regime, the Kumbakonam municipality had taken up 581 projects at a total cost of Rs 19.66 crore, he said. He said all the roads through which the Lord Sarangapani temple car is taken out would be converted to cement roads at a cost of Rs 3.95 crore. Self-acclamation is politicians' wont, it seems.

        Eight accused, including Kerala-based PDP leader Abdul Nasser Mahdani, have been acquitted from all the charges in the 1998 serial blast cases. Delivering the sentence on Friday special sessions court (blast cases) Judge K Uthirapathi acquitted the eight stating they were not found guilty of involvement in the blasts, which occurred on 14 February during the visit of BJP leader L K Advani, which claimed 58 lives and left 250 injured. The court had on 1 August exonerated them from all the charges, including criminal conspiracy and murder, at the time of pronoucement of conviction of 166 accused. The acquitted are: Abdul Nasser Mahdhani (A-14), Naushad (A-122), Sardar alias Saithan (A-123) Mohammed Ashraf (A-31) Subair M V (A-137) Army Raju (A-141), Shivakumar (A-148) and Shivakumar alias Akkoji (A-165). Some sections are not happy over this.

        Tamilnadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi on Friday described as 'unfortunate' the BJP's demand for dismissal of the DMK government in Tamilnadu, in the wake of attacks on BJP offices in the state, allegedly by DMK workers, following his comments on the existence of Lord Ram. Speaking to reporters in Tiruchy, he said it was surprising to note that a senior statesman like L K Advani was making such 'false' statements. 'Already 10 persons, who hurled stones at the BJP office in Chennai have been arrested,' he 'the BJP men - ahimsa murthies, who rule Gujarat have no locus standi to come out with a statement like that,' he said. Asked about the possibility of mid- term polls to the Lok Sabha, he said there were no chances now for it now, but that the party would be ready for it, as and when it occurred. Karunanidhi is damn certain that the Centre would not dare to touch his government.

        Amidst debates on whether 'Ram Sethu' was a man-made structure or a natural formation, geological experts Friday warned that demolition of Adam's bridge for the implementation of the Sethusamudram Shipping Canal Project might trigger natural disasters. Geological Survey of India (GSI) former Director K Gopalakrishnan said the Adam's Bridge was not merely a group of simple sandy shoal or sandy bars of migratory nature as was being projected by the Centre and project authorities. 'Evidences are available to prove that such physical feature forms a distinct geological, geotectonic, oceanographic and oceanic divide that has got a specific and important role to play as a barrier in controlling different geological and oceanographic activities in this highly fragile and sensitive area,' he added. The Centre has to take it seriously, will it?

        Declining to stay the bandh call given by the DMK-led DPA on 1 October 'for speedy implementation of the Sethusamudram project', the Madras High Court Friday directed the Tamilnadu government to ensure that normal life was not disturbed due to the bddandh. A Division bench, comprising Chief Justice A P Shah and Justice P Jyotimani, said 'prima facie we find substance in the contention of the petitioners that DMK and its allies have called for a bandh and not a strike or hartal. Therefore, we admit the petitions filed by the AIADMK and three others.' The bench ordered notices returnable by 24 October to DMK, Indian National Congress, CPI-M, CPI and PMK on the petitions. Is it then right to call it a 'bandh'?

        Tamilnadu government will start a campaign in schools and colleges to promote khadi clothes on 2 October, the birth anniversary of Mahatma Gandhi. State Planning Commission Deputy Chairman M Naganathan told reporters in Chennai that the government had planned to increase the sale of khadi through an intensive campaign. Sale of khadi products would improve the livelihood of weavers involved in the profession and increase their earnings. The government would provide power looms to weavers to modernise khadi production, he said adding modernisation would be meaningful only if the products were marketed well. The government would give priority to khadi so that it became a mass movement, he added. Indigenous products should be given a boost.

        Microsoft unveiled over 250 custom domains as part of its plan to offer every kind of distinct Indian personalised e-mail IDs powered by Windows Live Hotmail. This follows the announcement of its first custom domain Lokhandwalarocks.com in May and the enhancements to Windows. Live Hotmail, including increased storage limits to 5 GB. 'Microsoft will continue to reveal more new custom domains for users over the next few months and also look at feedback from users and communities to provide its users more personalised e-mail IDs on demand,' a company statement said here. Various categories on www.coolhotmail.com will list a number of custom domains that describe users' personalities, indicate where thy live, personify their tastes and so on. A user can therefore pick and choose an e-mail ID that truly reflects his or her personality for free. 'Our research shows that the youth today want their own identity and there are not enough e-mail IDs available to truly describe one's personality...it is important to have an e-mail ID which is unique,' Microsoft India's Country Manager (Online Services Business) Jaspreet Bindra said.

        India, which was the last country to give thumps up to the Twenty20 format, won the inaugural World Championship of the shortest version of cricket, beating archrivals Pakistan by five runs. It was another nail-biting match, which the Men in Blue pulled off in the last over bowled by Joginder Sharma. After setting a target of 158 runs, India kept taking wickets at regular intervals, thanks to some tight bowling from pacers RP Singh (3/26), Joginder Sharma (2/20) and Irfan Pathan (3/16). Pakistan needed 13 runs in the last over bowled by Sharma. After first ball going for a wide, Misbah-ul-Haq hit the second deliver for a six. But he was caught by Sreesanth while trying to play the ball behind the wicketkeeper. Pathan was named the man of the match, while Pakistan's Shahid Afridi was given the man of the tournament award for his all-round performance.