Navy all set to acquire Orion P3-Cs
Lockheed also keen to sell F-16s
Bangalore, February 9
India is looking to procure eight to 12 units of the Orion P3-C, the maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare aircraft made by the US company Lockheed Martin, and a team with representatives from the company, the US Navy and the US government, will be in New Delhi next week for “price and availability” talks.

C-130 J Hercules on offer

Cabinet okays talks on gas pipelines
Indo-Pak expert group to meet on February 22
New Delhi, February 9
For the first time in the bitter history of India and Pakistan, the two countries will have an expert group meeting here on February 22-23 to discuss ways to boost bilateral trade.

Nation page: Airshow starts off in a blaze of colour and sound Three indigenously built light combat aircraft fly during the inauguration of the fifth Aero India Show-2005 at Yelhanka Air Force Station, near Bangalore, on Wednesday. — PTI

Student kidnapped for ransom
Faridabad, February 9
The Bihar scare of abduction and kidnapping of school students seems to have reached this district also. The parents of a nine-years-old student of DAV School at Hodal Town, 60 km from here, got a shock this morning when someone on the telephone told them to pay Rs 15 lakh for safe return of their son, who is reportedly missing since February 7.

Prime accused in Kislay kidnapping shot
Patna, February 9
Dreaded gangster Vicky Thakur, prime accused in the kidnapping of DPS student Kislay Gupta, was killed in an encounter with the police here a day after the arrest of three members of the Chunnu Thakur gang. 
In video (28k)

Attack on Geelani: SC seeks report
New Delhi, February 9
The Supreme Court while hearing appeals in the Parliament attack case today sought report from the Delhi police about its investigation into the yesterday’s attack on college Lecturer S.A.R. Geelani. In video (28k, 56k)

 CBI probe demanded

Four burnt alive in slum fire
Hyderabad, February 9
Four persons, including a woman and a girl, were burnt alive at Singareni Colony in Saidabad here today in a monster fire accident that reduced more than 3,000 hutments to ashes.

Tribune tsunami collection crosses Rs 1.5 crore
Chandigarh, February 9
The Tribune Tsunami Relief Fund collection has crossed Rs 1.5 crore. Hundreds of donations, through cheques, are still pouring in and are being forwarded to the Prime Minister's Relief Fund.

Nanavati submits report on 1984 riots New Delhi, February 9 Justice G.T. Nanavati Commission set up by the previous NDA government to probe the 1984 anti-Sikh riots afresh, today submitted its report to the Union Home Minister after nearly five-year-long proceedings.   Justice G.T. Nanavati submits his report on the anti-Sikh riots of 1984 to Home Minister Shivraj Patil at North Block in New Delhi on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Rajeev Tyagi