GMR gets reprieve; Singapore HC stays project termination
Maldives Prez says decision ‘non-reversible’
Singapore/Male, December 3
Indian infrastructure giant GMR today won a reprieve from Singapore High Court which stayed the unilateral termination of its $ 500 million Male airport project by the Maldivian government, which, however made it clear that they will not honour the order. After the Maldivian government terminated the contentious project under domestic political pressures, GMR moved the Singapore High Court against the decision.

Navy ready to sail into South China Sea if need be, says Admiral Joshi
New Delhi, December 3
The Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral DK Joshi, today upped the ante over India’s presence in the South China Sea, saying the Navy is ready to sail into the disputed waters if the country’s economic interests are affected in that area. This comes in the backdrop of National Security Adviser Shiv Shanker Menon’s visit to Beijing to get acquainted with the new leadership. India has three oil blocks off the coast of Vietnam and one of them has started oil production.

90% panchayat members vote in J&K LC elections
Jammu, December 3
Defying United Jihad Council’s (UJC) terror threat and freezing conditions, nearly 90 per cent panchayat members today exercised their right to franchise for four seats of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Council from the panchayat quota. The elections were held after a gap of 38 years.

Sentencing in Norway child abuse case today
Oslo, December 3
The Indian couple facing criminal charges of “gross or repeated maltreatment” of their child will be sentenced tomorrow even as the prosecution termed the case as “very serious” and justified their arrest ahead of the court verdict.

No testing till knockout stage, drug-free World Cup Kabaddi only on paper
Chandigarh, December 3
Despite Punjab Deputy Chief Minister Sukhbir Singh Badal’s claims of making the third edition of World Cup Kabaddi “drug free”, National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA) experts are yet to visit any of the venues for random sampling of participants. This has ensured that athletes participating in the championship have escaped the anti-doping agency’s net at least till the knockout stage.