Indo-Pak Punjab Games begin in riot of colour
Patiala, December 5
Sport, people and passion are all inextricably interlinked. Take out the passion people bring with them to sporting venues and sport will be rendered as hollow as an empty wine bottle.

Badal, Dhindsa, Natwar’s names go missing at Punjab Games
Sports page: Pak players allowed special entry

Veteran hockey Olympian Balbir Singh Senior after lighting the games flame on the opening day of the first Indo-Pak Punjab Games at YPS Stadium, Patiala, on Sunday. — Tribune photo by Pardeep Tewari

FDI limit in pvt banks to be 74 pc
Ratan Tata to head investment panel
New Delhi, December 5
Finance Minister P. Chidambaram today rolled out red carpet for foreign investors targetting FDI worth $ 150 billion “in every sector of the Indian economy,” appointed Mr Ratan Tata, Chairman of the Tata Group, as the head of the three-member Investment Commission, and hinted at major reforms in the financial sector in the coming months.

Indian cricketers get death threat, team departure for Bangladesh put off
Dhaka, December 5
The Indian cricket team’s tour of Bangladesh starting next week today appeared to be running into rough weather with a militant group threatening to kill the Indian players, even as the team’s departure for Bangladesh was postponed.
In video (28k, 56k)

Major among 11 killed in IED explosion
Srinagar, December 5
In the second major strike this week, militants triggered an IED blast, blowing up an Army patrol vehicle, killing nine soldiers, including a Major, a SPO and a civilian, in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir late last night.

Relatives of Mehraj-ud-Din, a driver who was killed in a landmine explosion at Wachi village some 65 km south of Srinagar, wail at his residence in Srinagar on Sunday. — Tribune photo by Amin War
In video (28k, 56k)

 Blast near Farooq’s public meeting

Cong may contest 160 seats in Bihar
New Delhi, December 5
The Congress has identified about 160-odd Assembly constituencies in Bihar where the party has a strong presence and can contest the coming elections either on its own or in an alliance.

Over 100 sadhus court arrest
Ayodhya, December 5
Over 100 dharamacharyas, saints and sadhus today courted arrest here in support of demand for release of Kanchi Shankaracharya Jayendra Saraswati arrested in connection with the Shankaraman murder case.

Big challenge from small countries Panjim (Goa), December 5 India faces a stiff challenge in the competition section of the 35th International Film Festival of India not only from heavyweights like Russia and China but also countries like Thailand which have started making a mark on the world stage now.