George cleared VIP planes for Justice Phukan, says Pranab
New Delhi, May 4
Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee today said the Justice S.N. Phukan Commission, probing defence deals, had not only visited Pune and Ahmednagar but also Ajanta and Ellora in 2003, going against the prescribed rules for use of IAF’s VIP aircraft.

Justice Phukan denies clean chit to George
Money was accepted, Jaya tells CBI
Nation page:Govt all set to reject Phukan panel report

NDA to boycott entire session
New Delhi, May 4
The NDA today decided to continue with its boycott of two Houses of Parliament for the rest of the Budget session till May 13 making light of Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee’s fresh appeal to its Chairman Atal Bihari Vajpayee to reconsider their decision.
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Life term for raping nurse
New Delhi, May 4 A Delhi court today sentenced to life a city hospital ward boy for brutal rape of a nurse after she strongly rebuked him for his ”indecent” proposal to marry her as a remorse for his crime as she pleaded to the court to give him severest punishment.
A lawyer escorts the rape victim (face covered) after a hearing at a court in New Delhi on Wednesday. — PTI photo

Canada not to appeal in Kanishka case
Vancouver, May 4
In a disappointment to relatives of the victims of the 1985 Air-India bombing that killed 329 persons, Canadian prosecutors have decided not to appeal against the acquittal of two main accused in the case.

Nod to Right to Information Bill
New Delhi, May 4
The Union Cabinet tonight approved 11 Bills including the much awaited Right to Information Bill, the Special Economic Zone Bill and a law on disaster management for coordinated response during a crisis situation. The Cabinet also approved amendments to three major Bills — the RBI Act, 1934, Banking Regulation Act, 1949 and the Credit Information Companies (Regulation) Bill ---to hasten the pace of banking reforms.

Business page: Cabinet clears SEZ legislation

India not to resume arms supplies to Nepal, says envoy
New Delhi, May 4
There is no question of India resuming military supplies to Nepal till New Delhi’s demands listed in its February 1 statement are met, though India will continue to stay engaged with the Himalayan kingdom.

France ready to give Mirage “marketing rights” to India
New Delhi, May 4
France is ready to grant India “marketing rights” for the Mirage-2000-5 fighter aircraft, which have been put on offer to the Indian Air Force besides the transfer of technology being offered for the production of aircraft here.

Selection, PSEB style Written test waived for law officers Chandigarh, May 4 Incredible, but true. The Punjab State Electricity Board altered the process of selecting law officers to make it more subjective. In fact, the authorities dropped the condition of holding a written test mentioned in an advertisement issued for recruiting the officers. They rather directed that the selection would be made on the basis of interviews.