New Delhi - An Indian court Thursday appointed a new lawyer to defend Ajmal Amir Kasab, the lone gunman suspect captured during the Mumbai terrorist attacks that killed over 170 people in November, news reports said.

Abbas Kazmi, a criminal lawyer from Mumbai, was appointed by Special Judge ML Tahilyani to replace Anjali Waghmare who was removed by the court on grounds of "professional misconduct," the IANS news agency reported.

New Delhi, Apr 16 : The rate of Inflation in India for the week ended April 4 fell to a 30-year low of 0.18 percent, from 0.26 percent a week earlier, government data showed on Thursday.

However, the prices of a number of food articles such as pulses, cereals, processed fish, common salt, tea, coffee, tobacco, soft drinks and liquor increased.

As a whole, the food prices went up by 1.2 per cent on weekly basis and 7.29 per cent on yearly basis.

Moreover, the cost of vegetables is 25 per cent more than it did a year ago.

New Delhi, Apr. 16 : Following are some interesting poll-related facts

Lakshdweep

-105 Polling booth accessible by boats only

-EVMs were carried to Minicoy Island by helicopter

Andaman Nicobar Island

-The Andaman Nicober group of Islands is one constituency and is 700 Km. long. Many places require 35-40 hrs journey by ships. Poll personal to some places has been dispatched by helicopter.

Arunachal Pradesh

-Four polling stations i. e 13-Lumta and 12-Pakke-Kessang (ST) Assembly Segment, 40-Mramboo under 41-Anini (ST) Asembly Segment and 35 – Upper Modoi Deep under 49-Bordumsa-Diyum Assembly Segment each have 3 voters respectively

New Delhi, April 16 : Archaeological have found a mural unearthed from an ancient tomb in the northwestern Chinese province of Shaanxi, which depicts how traditional Chinese medication was practiced 1,000 years ago.

Song Dynasty murals are not rare in and around the ancient Chinese capital Xi'an, but researcher Sun Bingjun at Shaanxi Provincial Institute of Archaeology said this was the first found to depict traditional Chinese medication, prevalent in China for nearly 5,000 years.

The mural, about four meters square, had a man sitting on a chair, whom experts believed was the tomb owner.

"Jars and bottles were seen on a table nearby," said Sun.

New Delhi, Apr. 16 : The Supreme Court on Thursday ordered the release of Bharatiya Janata Party leader Varun Gandhi on parole for a period of two weeks after it received an undertaking from him that he would not indulge in communally sensitive and hate speeches.

The apex court, however, said that Gandhi would have to give a new undertaking to the District Magistrate of Etah and furnish a bond of Rs. 50,000.

New Delhi  - The world's most biggest democratic exercise began early Thursday as voters started trickling into booths in 124 constituencies across India, amid tight security in the first phase of month-long staggered general elections.

The first round of voting is being held in 15 states and two federally administered territories.