Govt Pill
More police, more cameras
New Delhi, September 18
The union government took several steps last night to augment the country’s security and cleared a slew of proposals, aimed at strengthening intelligence-gathering and using new technology to aid the security agencies.

No POTA-like law
Editorial: Invisible enemy

Stiff warning to Karnataka, Orissa under Article 355
Centre: Stop attacks on Christians
New Delhi, September 18
The Union government is understood to have taken a decision to invoke Article 355 of the Constitution and warn Orissa and Karnataka to rein in the ongoing violence against Christians. The two states have witnessed attacks on churches and prayer halls in the past few days.

FM’s remarks cheer market
New Delhi, September 18
Finance minister P. Chidambaram today reassured the investors that there was no cause of alarm for India’s financial institutions and banks, as they were largely insulated from the crisis that has gripped the US financial system.

Business page
Inflation up, marginally  Gold dearer by Rs 1,265

TALIBAN WAY: Masked members of the outlawed militant group Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan hold a criminal (centre) as their colleague beats him during an open trial by Islamic militants at Matta in the restive northwestern Swat district on Thursday. Swat has experienced numerous clashes and bombings since radical pro-Taliban cleric Maulana Fazlullah launched a violent campaign to enforce harsh Islamic Sharia law. — AFP

World page: 300 school kids freed by locals

N-deal: Be done with it fast: Rice
As US lawmakers prepared to conduct a hearing on the US-India civilian nuclear agreement in what is the final step for the deal, secretary of state Condoleezza Rice was busy urging lawmakers to swiftly approve it.

World page: Bid to derail N-deal

India got clean waiver: France
New Delhi, September 18
Keen to enter into civilian nuclear energy cooperation with New Delhi, France has refuted reports in the Washington Post that the NSG agreed to grant a waiver to India only after an informal agreement that no member of the 45-strong grouping would sell enrichment and reprocessing technologies to this country.

PCA to bat and bowl for rural students
Chandigarh, September 18
A special scheme to facilitate students from the rural areas to watch all international games- Twenty20, one-day internationals (ODIs) and Test matches — to be organised by the Punjab Cricket Association (PCA) anywhere in the state — will become operational from the second Test against the Aussies to be played at the PCA Stadium, Mohali, from October 17 to 21.

China ready for border talks Beijing, September 18 After a year-long hiatus, India and China today held a fresh round of boundary talks with Beijing saying the two countries must maintain peace and tranquility along the border to help in a speedy resolution of the protracted problem.