ALL SET FOR THE BIG BASH
New Delhi, October 2
The aerostat, put together at a cost of Rs 40 crore, and the Great Indian Journey, a peek into Indian culture, would be the highlight of the opening ceremony of the 19th Commonwealth Games on Sunday. 
Artistes wait to perform at the Games village on Saturday. — PTI/AFP

A view of the illuminated Commonwealth Games village on Saturday. — PTI/AFP

Guides for spectators & citizens
Queue up, get frisked and walk the ‘last mile’ 
New Delhi, October 2
Delhi’s status-conscious residents will have to stand in queue and get frisked to enter the main stadium for the opening ceremony and venues of the Commonwealth Games and even walk the ‘last mile’. With less than 24 hours to go, the Union Home Ministry issued detailed guidelines for spectators and citizens while emphasising that adequate security arrangements were in place.

Dragon closing in on India?
New Delhi, October 2
Even as the ongoing race for military supremacy between India and China becomes more and more competitive, the Chinese have been making incisive inroads into Asian countries neighbouring India in the past two weeks. In the least 10 days, China has gone ahead and set up an in-house training facility for Sukhoi-30 fighter aircraft pilots of the Indonesian Air Force at the Hasanuddin Air Base where the unit is based. Indonesia had also approached India to train its pilots but sources told The Tribune that the proposal was pending with the Ministry of Defence, which was still “studying” the request.

The Tribune Ladakh Relief Fund: An Appeal To Readers

‘US, China aid helping Pak airforce catch up with IAF’
Recent acquisitions have reduced the gap between the PAF & the IAF, says Western Air Command chief
New Delhi, October 2
The chief of the all-important Western Air Command of the IAF, Air Marshall NAK Browne, yesterday made it clear that aircraft given by the US and China were helping the Pakistani Air Force reduce the traditional technological gap it had with the IAF. Terming the US arms aid to Pakistan as a “challenge’, Air Marshal Browne said Pakistan was catching up with the IAF, which has always had an edge in terms of its size and platforms. 

Kashmir Maoists led to removal of CRPF top man
New Delhi, October 2
Seemingly, it was trouble over the past three months in Kashmir, which today culminated in the removal of Director-General of CRPF Vikram Srivastava. Today's development was a sudden move as Srivastava had joined as CRPF Director-General in February this year and normally DG-level officials are not removed after short tenures unless there are serious lapses. The Home Ministry chose to bring in K Vijay Kumar, who had famously led the operations to eliminate forest brigand Veerappan and had a stint as IG operations in Kashmir while on deputation with the BSF.

CIA chief meets officials ahead of Obama visit New Delhi, October 2 Ahead of the visit of President Barack Obama, CIA chief Leon Panetta was in India looking for ways to cement sharing of information in tackling terrorism. Panetta, the top-most US intelligence official, held a series of meetings with senior government officials including Union Home Secretary GK Pillai over the last one week.