Good for us: Kalam

New Delhi, July 3 Having secured the endorsement of former President of India A. P. J. Abdul Kalam for the Indo-US nuclear deal, the Samajwadi Party for the first time came out in open support of the deal ditching its partners in the United Progressive National Alliance (UNPA). This decision of the SP with 39 MPs in the Lok Sabha has also put the Left under greater pressure to announce withdrawal of support to the four-year-old United Progressive Alliance.

SP general secretary Amar Singh with O. P. Chautala, Chandrababu Naidu and Mulayam Singh after a meeting ofthe UNPA leaders in New Delhi on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Manas Ranjan Bhui

SC fumes over bandhs
New Delhi, July 3
On a day of BJP-sponsored countrywide bandh on the Amarnath issue, the Supreme Court today upbraided the Executive for showing ‘helplessness’ in acting against those holding the country to ‘ransom’.

J&K page: Jammu continues to burn
Delhi page: Mixed response to bandh in Delhi

4 killed in Indore
New Delhi, July 3
The nationwide bandh called by the BJP and the VHP on the Amarnath land transfer row turned violent in Indore today leaving four persons killed while highways were blocked and trains stopped disrupting normal life in parts of the country. The bandh evoked mixed response but Jammu region, the epicentre of protests since Tuesday, had no respite from violence when protesters set afire vehicles and fought pitched battles with the police at several places.
(Details on Nation page)

US Cong team stresses on Aug deadline
New Delhi, July 3
As the UPA regime intensified efforts to rescue the nuclear deal, an influential US Congressional delegation today said the pact must come back to the Congress for final vote by August as any further delay could harm the prospects of its passage during the tenure of the Bush Administration.

Sensex sheds 571 pts
Mumbai, July 3
Markets collapsed today a day ahead of the release of next inflation data with heavy selling pressure returning with a vengeance to knock down Sensex by a hefty over 570 points, as if to prove yesterday's strong rise was only a flash in the pan and stability is still long way. The 30-share index on the Bombay Stock Exchange ended the day a little above 13k level at 13,094.11, a huge fall of 570.51 points, or 4.18 per cent from its last close, as heavyweights in metal, realty and banking counters came again under heavy selling.

Oil above $145
London, July 3
Oil jumped to record highs above $145 a barrel on Thursday as traders rushed to buy ahead of the long holiday weekend in the world's top consumer to mark US Independence Day. Expectation was high that a combination of a weak US dollar, lower US crude stocks and tension between Israel and major oil producer Iran would push prices to $150 before the close of trade, in line with a prediction made last month. (Details on Business page)

Be wary of China: Army chief New Delhi, July 3 Indian Army chief, General Deepak Kapoor today warned that China’s “military march” could have long-term impact on India’s security, while separately opining that the biggest challenge faced by the Pakistan government was to moderate the largely radical sections of the society.