Saturday, November 18, 2006, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

The US Senate yesterday overwhelmingly approved a Bill that seeks to permit civilian nuclear cooperation between the US and India. The 85-12 vote came after supporters of the deal crushed a handful of “killer amendments” that sought to place conditions on nuclear commerce. In video (56k)

Soundbytes A long way to go before the pact becomes a living reality. —Manmohan Singh We now expect that full civil nuclear cooperation becomes a reality — Pranab Mukherjee India will not go beyond the agreement between President Bush and PM Manmohan Singh — Sonia Gandhi

Editorial: The Senate nod
Opinions page: Yes, but with riders
Nation page
N-deal: India cautious as worries begin
N-deal not a reality yet, says PM
Stick to stand, CPM tells govt
Don’t harp on growth rate: Sonia

Sachar Findings
Muslims remain truly excluded
New Delhi, November 17
Maintaining silence on the issue of reservations for Muslims, the Rajinder Sachar Committee today said that the community was lagging behind other religious groups in development and asked the government to frame programmes to address its educational and economic backwardness. In video (56k)

Nation page Anant is back home HE IS BACK: Three-year-old Anant Gupta, who returned home after being kidnapped three days ago, with his mother at their residence in Noida on Friday. — A Tribune photograph

Land Acquisition Policy
Big relief for Punjab farmers
Chandigarh, November 17
The Punjab Council of Ministers today approved a balanced new land acquisition policy that will give more rights to farmers and not permit any official to acquire land on “whimsical” grounds.

Punjab page: New transport system for 5 cities

Integrated approach needed to tackle corruption: PM
New Delhi, November 17
Stating that the anti-corruption machinery should aggressively pursue cases of high-level corruption, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today called for a comprehensive strategy to reduce the scope for corruption and an integrated approach to deal with it.

15 killed in UP clashes
Lucknow, November 17
Clashes over property at a remote Sitapur village since late last night till early this morning claimed 15 lives as men armed with countrymade weapons of rival gangs chased villagers.

Jolie’s guards held, released on bail
Mumbai, November 17
The Mumbai Police today arrested three bodyguards attached to the retinue of Hollywood star Angelina Jolie following complaints from parents of students in a South Mumbai school yesterday.

Nobel economist Friedman dead
San Francisco, November 17
Milton Friedman, one of the most influential economists of the past century and winner of a 1976 Nobel Prize, died this morning of heart failure. (Details on World page)

Pak flag hoisted at Assam rally
Guwahati, November 17
Over a thousand Madrasa students, annoyed over a Congress street play depicting the beard of a Muslim political leader being pulled off, had held a protest rally with the Pakistani flag in Assam’s Nagaon district. Local dailies have published photographs of the students with the Pakistani flag. — PTI

Chandigarh: Diamond capital Chandigarh, November 17 Chandigarh has the highest per capita consumption of diamonds, says Ms Cherie Tandon Saldhana, Director, Diamond Trading Company (DTC), sales and marketing arm of De Beers, the world’s largest supplier of rough diamonds.