Govt favours 49% FDI in aviation
New Delhi, January 17
The government will soon set the ball rolling on allowing foreign airlines a 49% stake in cash-strapped Indian carriers. The issue was discussed today at a meeting attended by Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee, Civil Aviation Minister Ajit Singh and top officials from related ministries and banks.

"The question was to allow foreign airlines to participate in the FDI. I discussed it with the Finance Minister and he has agreed. We will bring out a note for the Cabinet now" — Ajit Singh, Civil Aviation Minister

Pak apex court suspends licence of Zardari’s lawyer
The conflict between the Federal Government and the Judiciary in Pakistan escalated today, when the Supreme Court temporarily suspended the licence of Babar Awan, a former Law Minister, who was representing the government and President Zardari in several high-profile cases.

Portugal SC rejects plea on Salem’s extradition
The gangster moves Mumbai court for end to trial against him in ’93 blasts case
New Delhi/Mumbai, Jan 17
Rejecting the CBI's plea, Portugal's Supreme Court upheld its lower court's decision that the extradition treaty with India was violated in Abu Salem's case when new charges attracting death penalty were slapped against the underworld don.

simply Sunny
Australia is just too good
The loss in two and half days at Perth and with it the loss of the series has understandably sparked off angry reactions back home as well as wherever Indian cricket supporters reside. It is not so much the defeat, but the perceived lack of fight that has been distressing for all. The Indian team is not that bad is the response that you get from fellow cricket supporters and if so, then why has this happened is the next question.

Sikh American is Mayor of historic US city Washington, January 17 Satyendra Singh Huja, a Sikh American, has been unanimously elected as the mayor of Charlottesville, a historic city in Virginia. Huja, who originally comes from Nainital in Uttarakhand, was elected Mayor of Charlottesville early this month. Incidentally, Huja is the only Sikh resident of Charlottesville, nearly 120 miles south west of Washington, having a population of 43,000.