World Hopes for Peace in 2008 
After a round-the-globe series of partying stretching from Sydney to San Francisco, the world ushered in the year 2008 on Tuesday amid appeals for peace but worries about violence in trouble spots ranging from Pakistan to Iraq to Kenya. Read On

• 50 Kenyans Seeking Shelter in Church
  Burned to Death

Musharraf Buying Time to Rig Polls: Pakistan Opposition Parties by Muhammad Najeeb
Pakistan's opposition parties accused President Pervez Musharraf of planning to rig the upcoming polls as the Election Commission said Tuesday it was difficult to conduct vote as scheduled Jan 8 due to the unrest following Bhutto's assassination. Read On

Pakistan Retracts 'Lever Killed Bhutto' Theory
The Pakistan government has retracted its contention that former prime minister Benazir Bhutto died after striking her head against the sunroof lever of her SUV and has "apologized" for floating the theory. Read On
► Al Qaeda Didn't Kill Benazir: Zardari

• EU Seeks Probe into Kenyan Poll Results 
• Hong Kong People Biggest Optimists for 2008 
• Tamil MP Shot Dead in Colombo 
• US Diplomat Killed in Sudan Shooting
• Ancient Statues Stolen in Bangladesh
  for Precious Stones That Weren't There

Lockheed Gets $498 mn Contract
to Sell F-16s to Pakistan by Arun Kumar
The US Defence Department has awarded a $498.2 million contract to Lockheed Martin Corp to supply 18 F-16 aircraft to Pakistan just ten days after the US Congress slapped restrictions on military aid to Islamabad. Read On

• Between Two Worlds:
  Jews in the German Armed Forces 
• Over 100 Killed in Kenya Post-Election Violence
• Benazir Offered to Pour me Tea,
  Asked about my Children 

Hostage Release Off,
Colombian Terrorists Blame Army
The Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC) has postponed the hostage release claiming that the country's military activity had made it impossible to safely release the captives. Read On

Stocks Crash, but Pakistanis Begin
Process of Revival by Muhammad Najeeb
Pakistan stocks crashed Monday as markets opened after three days, just as hopes of stability in the country had plummeted with the assassination of former prime minister Benazir Bhutto. But peace of sorts returned to the streets. Read On

• Musharraf Will Have to Go: Sharif 
• Will Autopsy on Benazir's body become Necessary?
• Kenya's Post-poll Violence Kills 54
• Belarus President Threatens to 'Kick Out'
  US Ambassador 

Bhutto Killing Raises Questions
on Pakistan's Nuclear Arsenal by Rahul Bedi
Benazir Bhutto's assassination and the chaos it threatens to bring about once more raises worrying questions about the continuing security of Pakistan's nuclear arsenal. Pakistan is the sole Islamic state with nuclear weapons. Read On

• Normalcy in Pakistan After Three Days of Anarchy
• Markets Nosedive in Pakistan after Bhutto Killing

Partying for Some, Prayers for Others on New Year
Symbolizing a country standing at the crossroads, Indians powered by new money rang in the New Year at boisterous parties in clubs and farmhouses, and yet on the morrow of 2008 prayed at temples and churches for a good year ahead. But New Year began on a traumatic note for some - four young revelers were killed in Mumbai and one in Chennai. Read On

Seven CRPF Men Killed in Uttar Pradesh
'Fidayeen' Attack
Just a month after coordinated terror strikes in three Uttar Pradesh towns, terrorists struck again in the state, killing seven paramilitary force personnel and a civilian in a pre-dawn "fidayeen" attack at a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) base camp in Rampur town on the New Year's Day Tuesday. Read On

• Basu Rules Out Possibility of Third Front 
• Air Marshal Naik is IAF Vice Chief
• Unresolved Issues Dog Tamil Nadu into 2008
• Sonia Gandhi Stable after Hospitalization
• Uttar Pradesh Ushers in VAT Regime Amid Protests
• After 12 Years, Chandraswami Waiting to Go Abroad

Science Congress to Focus on
Creation of Knowledge Society by Fakir Balaji
The 95th Indian Science Congress (ISC), to be inaugurated by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh here Thursday, will focus on creating a knowledge-based society to transform India into a developed country in the coming decades. Read On

Tainted Indian Army Major General Superseded 
A tainted Indian Army general accused of illegally amassing wealth totalling Rs.478 million has been superseded. His junior has been promoted to three star rank and appointed director general of ordinance service at the army headquarters. Read On

• President, PM Greet Citizens on New Year
• Indian Retail Seen Touching $365 Billion in 2008
• Left asks Congress to Correct UPA's Economic Policy

Bhutan Holds Historic Parliamentary Elections
by Syed Zarir Hussain
The Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan made a historic leap towards democracy with voting for the first ever parliamentary elections, marking the beginning of an end to the nation's 100-year-old monarchy. Read On

India's Key Market Index Closes 47 Percent Up
by Arvind Padmanabhan
Fuelled by a robust performance of Indian stock markets in 2007, which sent a key stock index soaring over 47 percent, Indian companies mobilized a record amount from public offerings during the year, estimated at $8.3 billion. Read On

N-deal Slows Down, as Pakistan Turmoil
Worries India by Manish Chand
It was a contentious year for Indian diplomacy as a politically divisive debate threatened to swamp its seminal nuclear deal with the US and the peace process with Pakistan slowed down due to unrest in that country that at the yearend was a grave concern not only to India but to the entire region. Read On

• Reservation, Not Religion, Root Cause of Orissa Riots
• Blend East with West in Lucknow's Cool Gurukul
• Bhutan Sheds 100-year-old Monarchy with
  Parliamentary Elections