Surendranagar (Gujarat), Sept 20 : Authorities in Surendranagar in Gujarat are gearing up to evacuate marooned villagers after floodwaters submerged over 20 villages in the last three days.

Many places in the area have turned into virtual islands making movement difficult.

The local administration along with fire brigade team has chipped in for rescuing hundreds of stranded villagers who are deprived of daily requirements.

"We are providing food materials to the affected families. Once the water starts receding, we will set up camps to check the spread of diseases. We are sending chemicals for the disposal of dead cattle," said Anandi Ben Patel, state Revenue Minister.

New Delhi, Sept 20 : A two-day national executive meeting of the Communist Party of India will begin here from today to finalise strategy for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections.

Besides taking stock of the political developments, the meeting is expected to pass resolutions expressing the party’s view on the recent Delhi bomb blasts, Bihar floods, attacks on minorities in various parts of the country, and the deepening global financial crisis.

Washington - The United States on Friday condemned violence against Christians in India that has escalated in recent weeks, leaving about 20 dead and thousands homeless.

"We urge all parties to refrain from violence and urge government officials to protect religious freedom throughout India and thus preserve India's longstanding tradition of religious tolerance," Thomas Hanford, ambassador at large for international religious freedom, said in Washington at the annual release of the State Department's International Religious Freedom Report.

New Delhi, Sept 20: Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh will convene a meeting of all members of the Planning Commission here today to discuss the integrated energy policy and take stock of the country''s nuclear energy programme.

The meeting comes ahead of Dr. Singh’s U. S. visit, to which he will leave on Monday to attend the meeting of the 63rd session of UN General Assembly in New York.

New Delhi, Sep 19 : India and China today failed to reach any specific agreements on their disputed boundary issue in the latest round of negotiations, but decided to pursue their goal for a fair and reasonable solution acceptable to both sides.

“Chinese State Councilor Dai Bingguo and Indian National Security Adviser M K Narayanan headed their delegations for the talks, which were pragmatic, candid and friendly,” a statement issued by the Chinese Foreign Ministry said here.

New Delhi, Sep 19 : The joint exercise between Indian and British troops being held at the Land Warfare Centre in the Salisbury plains in UK ended today.

Mechanized Infantry troops of the Indian Army carried out the joint training and exercises with the UK Army from August 29 to September 19.

India and UK are key strategic partners and enjoy a close relationship on defence matters. The joint training and exercise was a golden opportunity for both armies to train together and gain from each other’s experience.

The joint training culminated in two exercises “Ex Lion strike” and “Ex Wessex Warrior”. The final day of Exercise Wessex Warrior culminated today at Land Warfare Centre in Salisbury plains in UK.