N-Deal
10, 9, 8...
PM must address nation: SP
New Delhi, July 2
Following a briefing by National Security Adviser M K Narayanan on the nuclear deal, the Samajwadi Party on Wednesday said it wanted Prime Minister to clarify his stand before the public.

Selection of judges will have to wait
Chandigarh, July 2
The crisis over selection of judges for the Punjab and Haryana High Court has deepened. The administrative committee of five judges was scheduled to meet this afternoon under the chairmanship of High Court Chief Justice Vijender Jain. The purpose was to interview the candidates for filling up over a score of vacancies of Additional District and Session Judges in Punjab.

Army stages flag marches, curfew in more Jammu areas Army staged flag marches in Samba and Bhaderwah towns and curfew clamped in more areas on Wednesday as Jammu region remained tense in stepped-up violence against the Amarnath land transfer revocation leaving 50 persons injured. The Army was called in by the district administration after BJP, VHP and Shiv Sena activists intensified protests fighting pitched battles with police and defying curfew at several places. (Details on J&K page) Editorial: Resorting to passions

Army conducts a flag march in Samba town on Wednesday. — Tribune photo by Anand Sharma

Sensex rises 703 points
Mumbai, July 2
The markets staged a smart recovery as investors looking for value began to buy scrips in realty and banking sector which were badly hammered down over the past several trading sessions. The BSE benchmark index, Sensex, was up 703 points or 5.4 per cent to close at 13,664 points.

Editorial: Stocks rise again

Civic Polls
Left parties suffer heavy defeat
Kolkata, July 2
The CPM and other Left parties suffered a major setback in the state municipal elections held on Sunday, the results of which were declared today. Of the 13 municipalities in which elections were held, the Trinamool Congress and Congress won in eight, while CPM and other Left parties retained their respective control in the remaining five.

Truckers go on strike; trade hit
New Delhi, July 2
Facing the wrath of the people reeling under the effects of inflation, the government does not seem to be in a mood for a showdown with the truckers around the country and has assured them that their demands will be looked into and they will be provided relief in some of the taxes being charged.

Flying Cats takes flight
Ludhiana, July 2
The sudden closure of an aviation institute here has left several students high and dry. Nearly 25 boys and girls, who paid Rs 90,000 each to enroll in the institute, said they were students of the Air Hostess Training and Global Retail School (GRS) and pursuing a one-year diploma at Flying Cats.

New scales, 15 pc additional pay for armed forces Implementation from Jan ’07 Chandigarh, July 2 The Pay Revision Committee has suggested an additional pay of 15 per cent for the armed and paramilitary forces, over and above the revised basic pay scales. The committee has also proposed to upwardly revise the basic pay scales recommended by the Sixth Pay Commission (SPC) and an increase in grade pay at all levels.