Wednesday, July 18, 2007, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

A Pakistani woman weeps over the body of an activist of the Pakistan People's Party at the blast site in Islamabad on Tuesday. — AFP photo

Nuclear deal ‘unlikely’
Washington, July 17
An expert attached with a leading American think tank has ruled out the possibility of India and the United States finalising a significant bilateral nuclear deal, in spite of several rounds of negotiations since its signing on July 18, 2005.

Militant attack on yatra, 20 hurt
Srinagar, July 17
A grenade blast at the Amarnath base camp, Baltal, left 20 persons, including a yatri from Uttar Pradesh and a bus driver from Delhi, injured tonight, a police spokesman said.

India: The Tasks Ahead
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT
125TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS,
INAUGURAL SESSION

Haneef to be deported after trial in Australia
Melbourne, July 17
Indian doctor Mohammed Haneef will appeal tomorrow against the government’s decision to keep him in custody for immigration violations, as his lawyers today released new details of his alleged link to two terror suspects in the UK to back their claim of the case being “extremely weak”.

OBC quota: No respite for Centre
New Delhi, July 17
The centre’s efforts to get the Supreme Court stay on the OBC Reservation Act vacated today suffered a setback with a Bench headed by Chief Justice K.G. Balakrishnan deferring the hearing on its application till July 31, but stating that a decision about setting up of a constitution Bench to hear a bunch of petitions against the Act would be taken next week.

Kargil heroes denied promotion
Chandigarh, July 17
A few weeks ago, the commanding officer of one of the battalions which was awarded Battle Honour for its sterling performance in Batalik during Operation Vijay eight years ago, put in his papers. Apparently disillusioned over not being promoted despite showing good results in battle, Col Lalit Rai, who had commanded 1/11 Gorkha Rifles and was decorated with the Vir Chakra, opted for premature retirement.

India, Brazil, SA to focus on connectivity
New Delhi, July 17
Greater connectivity and faster travel among India, Brazil and South Africa is the new mantra for the IBSA. The four-year-old IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa) Dialogue Forum is seeking to spread its wings by using multi-lateral diplomacy and synergising its approach in various world fora and focusing on connectivity among the three countries for greater people-to-people contacts.

President Poll
MPs, MLAs free to abstain: EC
New Delhi, July 17
The Election Commission said today MPs and MLAs were free to abstain from voting in the Presidential election but held that political parties could not issue a whip to their members to vote or not to vote.

Cong welcomes verdict

SC refuses early hearing on plea against Patil