Friday, March 17, 2006, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

N-deal bills moved in US Congress
Chairmen of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee and the House International Relations Committee today introduced bills in the US Congress aimed at amending the Atomic Energy Act and facilitating nuclear trade with India. The bills, based on the proposed legislation on the US-India civilian nuclear agreement, were introduced in the House and Senate at the request of US President George W. Bush’s administration.

World page: Bills to facilitate N-trade with India in the offing
(More related stories in World page)

Bird deaths spread panic
Mumbai, March 16
The reappearance of bird flu in Jalgaon district of Maharashtra has given rise to the fear that more areas across the state could be affected by the avian virus, officials here said.
In video (28k, 56k)

Tribune Impact
VAT on Bt cotton seed waived
Chandigarh, March 16
The Punjab Chief Minister, Capt Amarinder Singh, has announced not only to waive 4 per cent VAT on Bt cotton seed, but also assured MLAs that he will urge the Union Government to make the companies selling Bt cotton in the country to slash the seed price.

EC transfers Chennai Police Commissioner
Chennai, March 16
It is now a case of sheer embarrassment for the Tamil Nadu Government as the Election Commission ordered that it shift the most prestigious police officer of the state, the Chennai City Police Commissioner R. Nataraj for violating the "model code of conduct".

Editorial: EC gets tough

Nitish selects RS candidates
New Delhi, March 16
Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar has emerged supreme in the Janata Dal (United) pushing senior leaders like Mr Sharad Yadav and Mr George Fernandes to sidelines as today’s list of candidates for three Rajya Sabha and four Legislative Council seats indicates.

Rs 25 lakh fund for MLAs withdrawn

Kunjarani lifts first gold Melbourne, March 16 Veteran N Kunjarani Devi today lifted the hopes of the nation on her broad shoulders and earned the distinction of winning India’s first gold medal of the 18th Commonwealth Games in the women’s 48 kg weightlifting here today. (Details in Sports page) Indian eves lose to Aussies Men play Malaysia today India blank Trinidad and Tobago and more India’s Kunjarani Devi Nameirakpam jumps in the air after winning the gold medal in the 2006 Commonwealth Games women’s weightlifting 48 kg category in Melbourne on Thursday. — AP/PTI photo

India: The Tasks Ahead
   SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

125TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS,
INAUGURAL SESSION

	PUNJAB: Rs 817 cr for Gurgaddi tercentenary
	HARYANA: Budget today; no fresh taxes likely
	HIMACHAL: RS ticket to Viplove, setback to Virbhadra
	J&K: Meeting reviews cases of detainees
	CHANDIGARH: Household expenses under IT Dept scanner
	LUDHIANA: MC okays Rs 402-crore Budget
	DELHI: Khurana criticises BJP, Advani over demolitions
	OPINIONS: EC gets tough
	BUSINESS: PHDCCI moots north India common economy
	NATION: NDA leaders seek sack of Navin Chawla
	WORLD: Bills to facilitate N-trade with India in the offing
	SPORTS: Kunjarani lifts first gold

In Science & Technology today

Sea: A big pharmacy

US launches air assault on Iraq
Baghdad, March 16
The US military today said it launched its biggest air offensive in Iraq since the 2003 invasion to root out insurgents near a town where recent violence raised fears of a civil war.

Hola Mohalla ends with Nihangs’ martial arts
Anandpur Sahib, March 16
With a fabulous display of martial arts skills by Nihang Singhs all over the town, the three-day festival of Hola Mohalla ended here yesterday. The Nihangs a representative of the Sikh army that Guru Gobind Singh founded, performed gatka, sword-fighting and horse-riding.

Punjab village breathes new life into girlchild Khothran (Nawanshahr), March 16 A sleepy village, back of beyond, has woken up to stir the conscience of its people, snuff life out of the evil of female foeticide and help the girl child breathe easy. Surrounded by green fields, dotted with clusters of kutcha-pucca houses opening into slushy streets, the girl child is getting a new life here. The rain is no deterrent for these volunteers of Upkaar on a house visit to inquire about the welfare of a mother-to-be in Khothran village of Nawanshar district in Punjab. —Tribune photo by Sayeed Ahmed