L A T E S T      N E W S

Panetta to discuss China with Antony

New Delhi: Visiting US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta will meet Defence Minster AK Antony here on Wednesday. During the talks, Panetta is likely to stress on the US-India partnership as the former shifts its security and strategic focus on Asia.

However, India is unlikely to give nod to any cooperation that aims to contain China.

"During the meeting, the ongoing defence cooperation and regional security situation will figure prominently," the Defence Ministry said here in a release. 

Panetta is also likely to seek greater Indian role in Afghanistan, as the US prepares for withdrawal from the Central Asian country by 2014. However, New Delhi is worried about the implications of the US pull out, America's secret talks with the Taliban and Pakistan's role.

The US Defence Secretary is also likely to push India to purchase more US military equipment, especially in the wake of the elimination of US fighters from the MMRCA deal competition.

The Pentagon had yesterday called India a global power, saying the nation is meeting its responsibilities in this capacity.

Rare transit of Venus across Sun

Honolulu: Sky gazers were in for a rare celestial event Wednesday with Venus - the second planet from the Sun and the Earth's neighbour - crossing the Sun's face in what will be a once-in-a-lifetime experience.

Venus will take about six hours to complete its transit, appearing as a small black dot on the sun's surface, in an event that will not happen again until 2117.

"This celestial phenomenon known as the 'Transit of Venus' is one of the most eagerly-awaited events in sky watching. In a transit, Venus passes between Earth and the Sun, appearing through the telescope as a tiny black spot," an official of the ministry of earth sciences was quoted saying to a news agency.

For astronomers, the transit wasn't just a rare planetary spectacle. It was also one of those events they hoped would spark curiosity about the universe and our place in it.

Scientists and amateur astronomers alike celebrated the arrival of the Transit of Venus, peering up to the skies to watch a dark black spot slide over the surface of the Sun.

The awesome spectacle was visible all over the country, including the national capital. However, a cloudy sky restricted its visibility from Delhi and some other parts of northern India.

 Foreign minister in China on 3-day visit

Beijing: Visiting External Affairs Minister SM Krishna will on Wednesday meet Chinese Vice-Premier Li Keqiang on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation Summit (SCOS) here.

The meeting will be India’s fist interaction with Li, who is expected to succeed Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao following this year’s leadership transition.

The leadership transition in China, which happens once in a decade, is set to begin in July when China's top leaders convene to finalise the selection of the next generation of leaders.

Li is seen as a more liberal and open figure in the next generation leadership. However, the outcome of change in leadership on Indo-China relations still remains to be seen.