Tuesday, 5 April 2005, 1900 hrs

TOP STORIES
Orientation, grading for
Central bureaucrats
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is devising ways of streamlining the bureaucracy. He plans to grade them on their work, and train them at a central institute

BUSINESS & ECONOMY
Centre, States to discuss
ways to curb piracy 
Information Minister Jaipal Reddy announced the Government would add a further 17 free-to-air channels to its Direct-to-Home (DTH) offerings, taking the total to 50. He has also called a meeting to discuss ways to eradicate audio and video piracy

Official Transcript
A relationship transformed
Condoleezza Rice had many warm things to say about India during her recent visit.  "This is a relationship that has transformed in recent years from one that had great potential into one that is really now realizing that potential," she said at a meeting with Foreign Minsiter Natwar Singh. "This is a vibrant and wonderful democracy. It’s remarkable that this large country with all of its ethnic and religious and heritage differences could be such a vibrant and functioning democracy".

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Washington Post
US misled allies about N-export to Libya
In an effort to increase pressure on North Korea, the Bush administration told its Asian allies in briefings earlier this year that Pyongyang had exported nuclear material to Libya. That was a significant new charge, the first allegation that North Korea was helping to create a new nuclear weapons state. But the truth is that Pakistan, a key U.S. ally with its own nuclear arsenal, sold the material to Libya. Pakistan's role as both buyer and seller was concealed to cover up the part played by Washington's partner in the hunt for al Qaeda leaders, reports DAFNA LINZER

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Wall Street Journal
A new deal for New Delhi 
Condoleezza Rice's visit to New Delhi last week boosted the U.S.-India relationship and demonstrated that she and her new colleagues at the top of the State Department view India as a rising great power. The concept of democratic India , a heterogeneous, multilingual, secular society with its vibrant press and respect for the rule of law, has a particular appeal for President Bush, writes ROBERT D BLACKWELL


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Deccan Herald
Spreading the benefits of BPO growth
India’s BPO industry has grown at phenomenal rates in the past few years. BPO exports grew from a mere $565 million in 1999-2000 to $3.6 billion in 2003-04. By RUPA CHANDA 

EDITORIAL PICKS

A complex papacy (Hindu)
Myanmar: Dialogue on course? (Hindu)
Pope's death leaves a void (Tribune)
Kolkata's anti-Left combine (Pioneer)
Arms and the ally (Pioneer)