Friday, February 24, 2006, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

PM upbeat on economy
* Says nation set to cross 8 per cent growth
* Promises low-cost loan to farmers
New Delhi, February 23
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh today set the road map for the Budget and the forthcoming visit of US President George W. Bush by stating that annual financial statement will tackle the issue of indebtedness of small farmers and the country’s foreign policy will be governed by national interest. “We are committed to finding a solution to the vexed problem of excessive indebtedness and dependence on moneylenders.

Burns admits to “some differences”, but optimistic

New Delhi, February 23 India and the US today informally probed each other’s positions on their July 18 civil nuclear energy deal. US query on pvt airlines World page: US may amend laws for civilian N-deal

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh talks to US Undersecretary of State Nicholas Burns during a meeting in New Delhi on Thursday. — AFP photo

Bush seeks India’s support on Iran
Washington, February 23
Seeking India’s support against Iran’s controversial nuclear programme, US President George W. Bush has said it was important to send a “firm message” to Tehran that “development” of a nuclear weapon by it is “unacceptable.”

Experts rule out human-to-human transmission of bird flu

New Delhi, February 23 Top microbiologists and experts today assured a poultry-scared nation that human to human transmission of bird flu virus has not been established anywhere in the world and there is therefore no cause for panic.

Students cover their noses as they walk along with villagers towards the state transport bus stand with their belongings to leave their villages as they fear contamination by the deadly bird flu virus outside Navapur in Nandurbar district of western Maharashtra on Thursday. — AFP Navapur closed to traffic Nation page: Bird flu panic in Darjeeling

India: The Tasks Ahead
   SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT

125TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS,
INAUGURAL SESSION

	PUNJAB: CM addresses rally as police beats up teachers
	HARYANA: Hooda showers Rs 777 cr largesse on Gurgaon
	HIMACHAL: Snow in higher reaches of Himachal
	J&K: Stop construction, orders SAC
	CHANDIGARH: Mani Majra dwellers in a fix
	LUDHIANA: PAU seeks Rs 100 cr for ICAR projects
	DELHI: Demolitions: Centre asks HC for time to prepare plan
	Opinions: Murder of justice
	BUSINESS: TRAI slashes access deficit charge
	NATION: No meddling in CBI functioning, says govt
	WORLD: US may amend laws for civilian N-deal
	SPORTS: Curtains for Ganguly

Amar Singh moves SC over CDs
New Delhi, February 23
Samajwadi Party MP Amar Singh today moved an application in the Supreme Court in an apparent by bid to restrain TV media from playing the CDs of his so-called taped conversation.

KPS Gill writes to CM, defends DGP Virk
Chandigarh, February 23
With Akalis and various human rights organisations gunning for the Punjab Director-General of Police, Mr S.S. Virk, over his revelation that rehabilitation of some of the Punjab militants had the sanction and blessing of the State, former Punjab police chief KPS Gill today dispatched a three-page letter to Chief Minister Amarinder Singh, in defence of Mr Virk.

4 sailors die in ship fire
Visakhapatnam, February 23
Four sailors were killed and 19 injured, four of them seriously, in a fire accident on board INS Magar, a landing ship tanker belonging to the Eastern Naval Command (ENC), 39 nautical miles southeast of Visakhapatnam coast, last evening.

Handwara on boil, probe ordered Srinagar, February 23 Tension gripped Handwara town in north Kashmir for the second consecutive day today following the killing of four boys allegedly at the hands of security forces on the Wednesday afternoon. A woman cries during a protest on Thursday against the killing of four boys in Handwara. — Tribune photo: Amin War