No change in terms of Pathak panel: PM
On Board Prime Minister’s Aircraft, December 11
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today made two important averments with regard to the Pathak Inquiry Authority on the Volcker issue: that his government will not tinker with the Commission’s terms of reference and that the papers brought here by Special Envoy Virender Dayal from the United Nations will not be made public.

Vajpayee’s kin issues notice to Bhandari
New Delhi, December 11
Former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s foster
son-in-law Ranjan Bhattacharya today issued a legal notice to former Governor Romesh Bhandari for accusing a “very close” associate of the senior BJP leader of involvement in Iraqi oil scam and asserted he had neither met nor had any dealings with ousted Iraqi President Saddam Hussein’s son Uday as alleged.

KUALA LUMPUR DIARY
Kuala Lumpur becomes a fairy land

The Malaysian capital is all decked up as the city hosts a series of international meetings and summits from Monday. Top floors of skyscrapers are lit up. Electronic trees have been put up at pathways, not different from fancy decorations in India during marriages and Divali. Even the rain-washed trees have long strings of fancy lights.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his wife Gursharan Kaur are given a guard of honour on their arrival at Kuala Lumpur International Airport in Malaysia on Sunday. — PTI

43 hurt in blasts at UK oil depot

London, December 11 At least 43 persons were injured, two of them seriously, when a series of huge blasts ripped through an oil depot near Luton airport, northwest of London today, filling the sky with orange flames and thick black smoke and damaging nearby houses.

The damage done to the area near the Buncefield oil depot near the town of Hemel Hempstead, around 40 km northwest of London, after a series of explosions there on Sunday.—AFP photo

Deal with corrupt VIPs on priority, says CJI
Chandigarh, December 11
In a path-breaking suggestion, the Chief Justice of India (CJI), Mr Justice Y.K. Sabharwal, has advocated that corruption cases involving the “high and mighty” of the land must be given priority over other routine cases. Mr Justice Y.K. Sabharwal

Editorial: Speedy justice
Opinions page: Speedy and cheap  justice a must

India: The Tasks Ahead
   SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

125TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS,
INAUGURAL SESSION

	PUNJAB: Fissures in BJP come to the fore
	HARYANA: Kiran Choudhry for Bill to control population in state
	HIMACHAL: Forest land under cannabis cultivation
	DELHI: Delhi in grip of HIV epidemic
	J&K: Junior officer’s appointment triggers row
	CHANDIGARH: Bribery charge against surgeon
	LUDHIANA: Misled by agents, 24 youths enslaved in Kuwait
	OPINIONS: Salute to Sachin
	BUSINESS: IOC keen to buy out Canadian oil firm
	NATION: BJP CMs to meet today
	WORLD: Nuclear talks to be decisive, says Iran
	SPORTS: Kumble hits back after Murali’s deadly spell

Bill on state funding of poll likely
New Delhi, December 11
In a far-reaching move and in trying to give a push to the much talked about electoral reforms, the Manmohan Singh government is expected to come forward with a Bill on state funding of elections in the ongoing winter session of Parliament.

Pre-poll outbursts well thought-out: Shatrughan
New Delhi, December 11
Sulking BJP leader Shatrughan Sinha today said he was “ready to pay the price for his well-thought-out” outbursts against the party’s alleged endorsement of criminalisation of politics before the Bihar Assembly polls.

India rally to beat Pak
Chennai, December 11 
India fought back nicely to beat Pakistan 3-2 in a nail-biting tie of the Champions Trophy hockey tournament at the Radhakrishna Stadium here today. Sandeep Singh (61st, 66th minute) and Tushar Khandekar (60th minute) scored for India, while Mohammed Imran (53rd minute) and Tariq Aziz (57th minute) struck for Pakistan.
(Detailed report in Sports page)

Trial run of Amritsar-Lahore bus launched Wagah, December 11 Bhangra and Pakistani band greeted the golden Amritsar-Lahore bus, “Punj-Ab” (meaning five rivers), with flags of both nations painted on it at the zero line during its trial run here today. Both countries have launched the trial run of the bus service linking Amritsar and Lahore. The Amritsar-Lahore bus crosses over to Pakistan during its trial run on Sunday. — Tribune photo by Rajiv Sharma Special article: Peace with Pakistan In video (28k, 56k)