WTO pact to boost farm exports
Kamal Nath defends accord 
New Delhi, December 19
Brushing aside the criticism of the agreement reached at the WTO Ministerial meeting at Hong Kong that concluded yesterday, Commerce Minister Kamal Nath today said the agreement would boost India’s farm and manufacturing exports in the global market.

Editorial: A modest success
Nation page: Farmers betrayed at WTO: CPM
World page: South Korea apologises for anti-WTO riots

Cabinet expansion, reshuffle on cards
New Delhi, December 19
Power Minister P.M. Sayeed’s untimely demise has lent further urgency to the need for a Cabinet
expansion-cum-reshuffle as the Congress representation in the government has now been reduced by six.

India cautious on Bhutan
New Delhi, December 19
India today came out with a cautious response on Bhutan King Jigme Singye Wangchuk’s December 17 announcement that his son Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuk will be enthroned as the next King before 2008 and wished the prospective King “all success” as he prepares to assume the throne within the framework of a new Constitution.

India’s Harbhajan Singh celebrates the dismissal of Sri Lanka’s Kumara Sangakkara with teammate Yuvraj Singh (right), during the second day of the third and final Test match between India and Sri Lanka at the Sardar Patel Gujarat Stadium in Ahmedabad, on Monday. At the end of the day’s play India were all out for 398 runs and Sri Lanka had scored 131 runs for the loss of five wickets, out of which four were taken by Harbhajan Singh. — AFP photo (Details on Sports page)

On-camera expose shows corruption
in MPLADS
New Delhi, December 19
Close on the heels of shocking cash-for-questions scam, the Star News Channel in a sting operation has sought to highlight corruption connected with the MP Local Area Development Scheme involving a former minister and MPs of various political parties.

Omar re-elected NC chief
Srinagar, December 19
Hailing the Indo-Pakistan dialogue process, former Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Dr Farooq Abdullah here today sought tripartite talks to resolve Kashmir by considering views of all political parties of the state.

2 die in IAF plane crash
Agra, December 19
A vintage bomber aircraft of the Indian Air Force crashed near here today shortly after take off killing its two occupants — the pilot and the navigator, the police said.
Villagers look at a Canberra bomber which crashed near Agra on Monday. — AFP photo


 Sensex touches 9,400-point mark
 Bomb hoax on train

 Cold claims 2 more lives
Chandigarh, December 19
Two persons died of severe cold wave that continued to sweep the north-west India with the mercury hovering 1°C to 5°C below normal at many places in the region today.

Delhi page: Capital in the grip of cold wave

Akal Takht to summon Sarna, brother Amritsar, December 19 The Sikh clergy has decided to summon Mr Harwinder Singh Sarna, newly elected chief of the Delhi Sikh Gurdwara Management Committee, his predecessor Parmjit Singh Sarna and other office-bearers at Akal Takht for allegedly violating the directive issued by Giani Joginder Singh Vedanti, Jathedar Akal, Takht regarding postponement of the annual election held in New Delhi today.