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India, Pak all set for cross-border trade:

India and Pakistan are set to begin trade across the Line of Control on Tuesday when trucks carrying fruits from Uri and Poonch will cross the LoC. Almost all arrangements have been completed and the move is being considered as an important confidence building measure between the two countries.It is considered the biggest confidence building measure after the cross-border bus service that began nearly 3 years ago. Frontier districts like Poonch have generally been in the news for infiltration and militancy. But now there's hope. The Line of Control may well become a line of contact for people of both sides of the divide.

Tata donates $50 million to US varsity:
Tata Education and Development Trust, a philanthropic entity of the Tata Group, has decided to donate a whooping $50 million (about Rs 240 crore at current exchange rates) to the prestigious Cornell University in New York.University President David Skorton has called this donation coming from Tata as "one of the most generous endowments ever received from an international benefactor by an American university."An agreement in this regard was signed by Ratan Tata, head of the Tata Group, and David Skorton, president of the Cornell University early this week. Ratan Tata is an alumnus of the university. Skorton made this announcement during the course of his State of the University Address on October 17. As per the agreement, the endowment consists of $25 million to establish the Tata-Cornell Initiative in Agriculture and Nutrition. This will contribute to advances in nutrition and agriculture for India

The university said.


First Indian channel exclusively for women

Television channels hitherto targeted the women viewership during the afternoon hours. But it's no longer so. India's first television channel that focuses exclusively on women has started in Andhra Pradesh. Vanitha TV in Telugu is hoping to cash in on the niche segment of women audiences, believed to be the biggest potential market of television viewers.
The promoters say their programming strategy is based on extensive and continuous research and commercial viability will not be an issue as it is women who are usually the decision-makers in buying products.'Vanitha' promises 24-hour infotainment with current affairs, counselling, helpline, music and dance shows and soaps that will do away with gender stereotypes.
MNS workers beat outstation candidates

It was a rude welcome for students from Uttar Pradesh and Bihar by Raj Thackeray's Maharahtra Navnirman Sena (MNS). They were attacked as they alighted at Thane station for the railway recruitment board exams.
Raj Thackeray's supporters first attacked students sitting for the railway recruitment board exams in 2003, when he was in the Shiv Sena. They had smashed the board's office and prevented students from sitting for exams. This time the attacks were on smaller scale but no less deplorable.

Clearing operations on in Delhi metro bridge
Clearing operations continue in Shakarpur in East Delhi where a part of a Delhi Metro bridge collapsed on Sunday. Two people were killed and more than 12 people were injured. The accident took place when a launcher to lift pillars collapsed on a Blueline bus and other vehicles. The bridge was being constructed for Noida-Indraprastha Metro line which was to be operational from 2009.

Kandhmal probe to take over 1 year: Judicial panel

Former Orissa Lok Pal Justice S C Mahapatra has said that the probe into the Kandhmal crisis will take a period of over one year.Justice Mahapatra is heading the judicial commission that is probing the murder of VHP leader Swami Laxmanananda Sarawswati and the subsequent anti-Christian riots in Kandhmal


Mamata dares Tata to contest election

Trinamool Congress chief Mamata Banerjee on Sunday threatened legal action against Ratan Tata for blaming her "confrontative" actions and "destructive political environment of lawlessness" in West Bengal for the exit of the Nano car project from the state.The firebrand leader also threw a challenge to the Tata group chairman to join politics and contest elections if he wanted to oppose the Trinamool's policies.
GE eyes one-third of India's nuclear business

One of the world's largest firms GE is now eyeing one third of India's nuclear business. Making a strong case in favour of the company, its CEO Jeff Immelt told NDTV in an exclusive interview that he has lobbied hard to get the Indo-US nuclear deal cleared and now expects a fair share of business in return.And to further strengthen Indo-American ties he feels the new American President should make India among his first stops after taking over.

EC announces seven-phase polls for J&K
Overcoming differences within, the Election Commission announced an unprecedented seven-phase assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir beginning on November 17. Saying it has taken a 'risk' against the backdrop of boycott calls in the Valley, the EC signaled an end to the nearly six months of Governor's rule imposed after the Amarnath land row in July this yearOvercoming differences within, the Election Commission announced an unprecedented seven-phase assembly polls in Jammu and Kashmir beginning on November 17. Saying it has taken a 'risk' against the backdrop of boycott calls in the Valley, the EC signaled an end to the nearly six months of Governor's rule imposed after the Amarnath land row in July this year.


World »
India a natural strategic partner for US: Obama

The Democratic presidential hopeful, Barack Obama, and his vice-presidential running mate Joe Biden have said that India is a natural strategic partner for the US and if elected in the November 4 elections, they would further strengthen the US-India relationship.Obama and Biden's views and policies on India appear in his "Blueprint for the Change We Need for Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (AAPI)". The 29-page document is being widely distributed among Asian-Americans and Pacific-Islanders including Indian- Americans in a last ditch effort to woo the community for him. Obama-Biden have also promised to enter into a dialogue with India and China with regard to reducing the emission levels. Observing that they would work towards energy security, the Blueprint says: "Crucial to this effort will be the delicate diplomacy with India and China necessary to make meaningful inroads to reduce worldwide emission levels."
Prachanda set for second India visit to discuss "unequal" pacts
Nepal's

Maoist Prime Minister Prachanda, who was in India on a "goodwill" visit in September, is set for another trip to New Delhi where he plans to take up the abrogation of "unequal treaties" with its giant neighbour."My first India visit was a goodwill one...This time I will raise the issue of all the past unequal treaties, including the unequal treatment meted out to Nepal on Mahakali- Pancheshwar Treaty," the Prime Minister said.Prachanda, whose real name is Pushpa Kamal Dahal, had sparked a controversy by visiting China soon after he took office in August in departure with tradition where top Nepalese leaders made New Delhi the first port of call.Nepal swore in its first post-royal government on August 22, Prachanda, who was on a four-day "official" visit to India in September, will be heading to New Delhi in November for his second visit in three months.

'Indian intervention' has SL party fuming

Ahead of Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee's visit to Colombo to discuss India's "grave concern" over the military campaign against Tamil Tigers, a radical Sri Lankan party on Sunday called for a parliamentary debate on the perceived "Indian intervention" in the island nation.Wimal Weerawansa, leader of the newly formed National Freedom Front (NFF), in a letter to Speaker WJM Lokkubandara has requested him to call a parliamentary group leaders' meeting Monday to discuss the issue and decide on the date for the debate. The NFF, known to be working closely with the ruling coalition, is the breakaway faction of the radical Marxist Janatha Vimukthi Peramuna (JVP), which is known for its anti-Indian stand.