Amarnath Land Row
No talks with Central team, says Samiti
Jammu, August 8
Extending the Jammu bandh call till August 14, the Amarnath Yatra Sangharsh Samiti today said they would not hold talks with the Central delegation reaching here tomorrow as the team included Mehbooba Mufti of the PDP and Farooq Abdullah of the NC.

Now, all-party team to calm tempers

Curfew in Poonch
Rajouri, August 8
The district administration in Poonch imposed an indefinite curfew after incidents of communal violence were reported in the town yesterday. Reports said clashes broke out between two particular communities after activists of the Bajrang Dal and the BJP, while protesting in support of the Amarnath land row, pelted stones on the police, which reportedly injured a woman and a child of the majority community.

Red Spectacular

(Above) Dancers perform at the opening ceremony of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games at the National Stadium, on Friday. The stadium is also known as the Bird's Nest. (Left) US President George W. Bush and Russia's Prime Minister Vladimir Putin were all attention as the dazzling opening ceremony unfolded. — Reuters

NSG waiver
Washington finalises draft for India
New Delhi, August 8
The US is understood to have addressed most of New Delhi’s concerns while giving final touches to the draft it has circulated to the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) for seeking exemption for India for joining the international community in nuclear trade. It is believed that the Indian side had objected to a line in the draft that pertained to full-scope or comprehensive safeguards.

Musharraf ready to face impeachment: Report
Islamabad, August 8
Ruling out his resignation, President Pervez Musharraf has decided to face impeachment proceedings to be initiated against him by Pakistan’s ruling coalition and vowed to defend himself before Parliament. Awami Muslim League leader Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, a close confidant of Musharraf, said the President was determined to fight back.

Taslima back
New Delhi, August 8
Controversial Bangladeshi writer Taslima Nasreen, who was dramatically bundled out from West Bengal in November, returned today after spending more than four months in Sweden.

Cash-for-Vote
CNN-IBN to depose before Deo panel
Panaji, August 8
Rajdeep Sardesai, chief executive officer, CNN-IBN TV-channel, which conducted a sting in the ‘cash-for-vote’ episode in Parliament on the trust vote day, said his organisation would depose before the parliamentary committee inquiring into the incident on Monday.