Friday, 17 July 2004, 2000 hrs

NATION & STATES
Pakistan asks US to review body
search procedure 
Foreign minister Kasuri said he had taken up with US deputy secretary of state Armitage the full-body searches of Pakistani nationals...

BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Improve delivery system, PM 
tells Planning commission 
Mere allocation of funds won't ensure welfare, it needs prompt and efficient delivery, Dr Manmohan Singh has said

Asia Times
Clouds over India-Singapore free trade
Over the past 10 years, Singapore has vigorously pushed business ties with India, most notably by encouraging a "state of the art" free trade agreement. But the new Congress-led government in Delhi is less receptive than its predecessor, and runs the risk of losing out to its economic nemesis, China, says INDRAJIT BASU

Gulf News
Shamelessness is no strength
In the wars of opinion, British Prime Minister Tony Blair is a four-star general. He does not only fight a controversial pre-emptive war abroad, he wages a mean pre-emptive battle of opinion at home. writes ANNE McELVOY

Times of India
Madras man and Boston brahmins
Every year on July 4, American Independence Day, thousands of immigrants to America become citizens at naturalisation ceremonies held nationwide. CHIDANAND RAJGHATTA reports.

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Gulf News
The poor don't eat guns
When Prime Minister Manmohan Singh was Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission, he wrote to then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi to propose a cut in the defence expenditure. She sternly rejected the suggestion. KULDIP NAYAR is surprised by this budget's benevolence towards defence


Tribune
Small ministries are better
On July 7, the 91st Amendment to the Constitution came into effect. From this day on, the size of the Councils of Ministers at the centre and in the states must not exceed 15 per cent of the members in the Lok Sabha or state legislatures. MOHAN GURUSWAMY lauds the value of small teams