Top Stories

India, China put border dispute
on backburner, talk trade 

What is India News Service, Wednesday, 1 December 2004, 2000 hrs IST

Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Tuesday met Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and signalled that while officials chipped away at the boundary dispute, one issue really mattered: raising trade between the two countries from its current level of $12 billion a year to the region of $100 billion.

On the boundary dispute, Wen said its resolution could take some time. When Singh reminded him that even the Berlin Wall had come down, the Chinese Premier, who’s due to visit New Delhi next March, had a suggestion: Why don’t we have in place by then the political parameters to resolve the dispute? 

Wen asked for more business-to-business contacts to which Singh readily agreed. And, in a personal gesture, Wen shook hands with National Security Advisor J N Dixit, hoping he could work out a framework to settle the boundary dispute. 

Wen also told Singh: ‘‘The handshake between you and me will catch the attention of the entire world.’’ 

The prospect of hitching a ride on a growing Indian economy seems to make everyone more accommodating. In India’s case, Asean’s turnaround has been a
Even as the Japanese Prime Minister noted that India’s economy was attracting the world’s attention, Dr Singh thanked Japan for its generous development assistance in the core sectors of India’s economy. In this context, Mr Koizumi was apprised about the Delhi metro doing very well and that Japan’s presence must be felt through more high visibility projects all over India. The Japanese Prime Minister responded positively.

"Most important event on my agenda," says Chinese Premier about India visit: India-China relations took another significant step forward today when a 40-minute meeting between Prime Ministers Manmohan Singh and Wen Jiabao — at the sidelines of the third India-ASEAN summit in Laos.

India, Asean draw contours of economic cooperation: Talking of India’s vision of a greater Asian Economic Community which found an echo with Japan and some Asean members, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh called for breaking down the North-South disparities and barriers and giving a massive push to economic activities for development and betterment of the people in the Asean region.

Russia angry at US-India arms talks: Russia tersely told India on Tuesday that it would no longer transfer any high technology defence system to New Delhi without a pact to protect intellectual property rights (IPR).

Akash test-fired with live warhead: India's defence research reached a milestone when the surface-to-air missile Akash, carrying a live warhead, successfully destroyed a flying target at a height of 4.5 km over Chandipur-on-sea in Orissa.

Environment groups say `no' to draft policy: Environmentalist groups have rejected the New Environment Policy Draft 2004, released by the Union Government in August this year for comments and suggestions.
 
Manmohan to look into Paswan-Lalu spat: The Prime Minister, Manmohan Singh, tonight indicated he would look into the public spat between the Union Cabinet Ministers, Ram Vilas Paswan and Lalu Prasad.

Vajpayee, Advani court arrest: Protesting against rising inflation, Vajpayee, Advani and other leaders courted arrest.


States

20 take ill after inhaling chlorine fumes: Around 20 persons were taken to hospital on Monday night after inhaling chlorine gas fumes from a leaking cylinder inside the premises of Security Papers Mill (SPM) in Hoshangabad.

Jharkhand MPs oppose delimitation proposal: Irrespective of party affilations, adivasi MLAs and MPs of Jharkhand have opposed the Delimitation Commission's proposal to reduce the number of reserved Assembly seats and demanded that the Central government reject the proposal. 

Power tariff rates cut in Punjab by 3 to 13 per cent: Refusing to buckle down under pressure of the Punjab Government, the Punjab State Electricity Regulatory Commission today slashed the power tariff rates by 3 to 13 per cent.

Shimla in grip of cold wave: Himachal Pradesh experienced a severe cold wave as the entire tribal belt and some pockets in the mid hills had a fresh round of snow. 

Paternity leave for Rajasthan Govt staff:  On Monday, the Vasundhara Raje Cabinet in a far reaching decision granted paternity leave to its male Government employees along with their wives which probably makes Rajasthan the nation's first State Government to do so.

Dual voltage EMUs for Mumbai suburban railway:  After decades of delay, the first step towards modernising the Mumbai railway suburban sector was taken with the Minister of State for Railways, R.Velu, launching dual voltage stainless steel electrical multiple units.

Mira Nair filmed what she loved: When Mira Nair was a student at Tara Hall, Shimla, from 1971 to 1974, one book which was her constant companion was William Makepeace Thackeray’s “Vanity Fair”.

Public school  porn-maker kid 'sold' clips: There's yet another interesting revelation in the infamous pornographic mobile phone video case involving two Delhi Public School students, for which both of them were expelled. 
 

Neighbours

Law confirms Musharraf as Army Chief: The Bill adopted by the Pakistani Parliament to enable the President, Pervez Musharraf, continue as Chief of Army Staff (COAS) became law today.

Target Hindus, jehadis tell Pak kids:  Pak schools are imparting 'violent lessons' to kids for targeting Hindus.

Role of ISI questioned in Pak Senate: The opposition on Tuesday questioned the "unlimited powers and political role" of the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) while ministers and members of the ruling coalition tried to defend the working of the military's intelligence agency.


View from abroad


Moscow put in a lot into relations with New Delhi: Terrorism is not and cannot be the only adhesive that binds India and Russia. This is apparent in the run-up to Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit to India this week. From Russian academics to Government officials, everyone underlines Putin's "long-term vision" about engaging India on the strategic front in a multipolar global arrangement.



Overall

India, China didn't talk Tibet:  Manmohan Singh and Wen Jiabao said they would increase trade tenfold.

Akash was tested with live warhead: India's surface-to-air missile destroyed an airborne target 4.5 km in the air.

Usha turned up: The woman Tamil Nadu police described as "absconding" walked into a police station and said she was available for any inquiry.