Bahrain Starts Work on Middle East's
Biggest Healthcare Project by Aroonim Bhuyan
Bahrain's Ithmaar Development Co has awarded a $69-million contract to Boskalis Westminster Middle East to start reclamation work in the country's northeast coast for what is to be the Middle East's largest healthcare, leisure and real estate project. Read On

• Iraq Violence Flares
  with Attacks on Pilgrims and Police 

Suicide Bomber Kills Pakistani Army General,
Six Others by Muhammad Najeeb
Seven people, including a Pakistani army general, were killed and at least 30 injured in the garrison city of Rawalpindi in a renewed terror attack after the last week's general elections, Read On

• European Conglomerate Eyes
  India's Burgeoning Defence Market

Musharraf to Stay on
Despite his Allies' Poll Defeat 
Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf will complete his five-year term despite the defeat of his political allies in last week's parliamentary elections, the presidential spokesman said Monday. Read On

Raul Castro Elected Cuban President
Amid Little Change
Raul Castro has succeeded his brother Fidel Castro as Cuban head of state, National Assembly Speaker Ricardo Alarcon has confirmed. Raul Castro, 76, was the only nominee for the post of president of the communist island's Council of State...Read On

Whatever Happened to Baltic Unity? 
by Aleks Tapinsh
Bickering over energy issues, dealing with Russia's influence and joining the European Union (EU) and NATO have damaged the unity of the three Baltic countries. Read On

• Bharti Airtel May be Re-drawing Plans for Sri Lanka
• Mediterranean Diet Conquers EU Bureaucracy  

Gulf will Help Mitigate Global Economic Turmoil
by Aroonim Bhuyan
The current economic boom in the Gulf will help mitigate the turmoil in the world economy, according to leaders of global banking and financial industry. "At a time when the fabric in our (financial) institutions in the North is under stress, the fabric in the (Gulf) region can provide resilience to the global market," ...Read On

Iran Says No Questions Remain About
Its Nuclear Programme 
Iran has answered all questions of the UN nuclear watchdog about its nuclear activities, government spokesman Gholam-Hossein Elham has said. "No question remains for the IAEA about Iran's nuclear programme. Read On

Hillary Clinton Launches Offensive
to Catch Up with Obama
Hillary Clinton has stepped up her attacks on her rival for the Democratic presidential nomination declaring "Shame on you, Barack Obama". Read On

• Talks Between Nepali Ruling Parties
  and Agitating Groups Fail
• Ecuador Faces Worst Flooding in Decades,
  3 mn People Affected 
• Rivers from India, Myanmar
  Eroding Bangladesh Territory 

Berlin's Hindus to Build Two New Temples 
by Mike Swanson
After years of praying in a cellar in a west Berlin street, the German capital's 6,000 Hindus can look forward to worshipping in two brand new temples. A local Hindu group this week announced plans to build a temple to Lord Murugan, just three months after other Hindus conducted a groundbreaking ceremony for one dedicated to the deity Ganesha. Read On

• India, IAEA Resume Talks on N-deal 
• US Defence Secretary May Meet Advani on N-deal  

Patil Echoes UPA's Refrain of Inclusive Growth 
President Pratibha Patil's maiden speech Monday to the budget session of parliament gave a distinct sense that the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government was in the election mode as she referred to inclusive growth and plans to enhance investments in education, agriculture, health and rural development. Read On

After Two Years of Surplus,
Deficit Looms Over Gujarat  
The Narendra Modi government Monday announced its decision to mobilize Rs.8.8 billion ($220 million) by levying additional tax in 2008-09, ending a two-year no-tax budget regime since 2006-07. Read On

• BJP Prepares to Counter Delimitation Hurdles 
• Bihar's Surplus Budget
  Focuses on Agriculture, Infrastructure 
• Government Approves 10 More SEZs  
• Eight Maoists Gunned Down in Maharashtra
• Deoband Meet Condemns
  Labelling Muslims as Terrorists 

Will IPL Concept Improve Cricket
at Grassroots Level? by Avishek Roy
Powered by top-flight business houses and Bollywood bigwigs, the Indian Premier League (IPL) might usher in a new revolution in cricket, changing the rules of the game once and for all. But the big question is how much of the new concept will percolate down to improve the game at the grassroots level. Read On

Left Reissues Warning to Government on N-deal
The Left parties Monday said the ruling coalition would have to choose between the Indo-US nuclear pact and the government, a warning prompted by President Pratibha Patil's assertion in parliament that she hoped the deal would "become possible". Read On 

India Hopeful of Global Nuclear Cooperation: President
India is ready to resume dialogue with Pakistan and is hopeful of achieving civil nuclear cooperation with the US and other friendly countries as it improves its ties with the major powers of the world, President Pratibha Patil said Monday. Read On
► Ministers Doze as President Speaks

• Maya's Dream Project
  - 62 Sandstone Elephants for Rs.380 mn 
• Indian Markets Recover from Early Fall, End in Green
• HDFC Bank will buy Centurion Bank for over $2 Billion
• Punjab Farmers Seek Loan Waiver,
  PM Assures Due Help 
• RSP Pushes Left Parties to Review Support for UPA

Where People Came to See Roses...
and Trample Them Too! by Jaideep Sarin
They came, 300,000 of them, to the Rose Festival in this 'city beautiful' but ended up trampling over flowerbeds and littering the sprawling Zakir Rose Garden here with paper plates, water bottles, crumpled napkins and what have you. The annual three-day festival ended Sunday evening on a sorry note. Read On

IAF to be 'Transformed' over 10 years: Air Chief
by Gulshan Luthra & Air Marshal Ashok Goel (Retd)
The Indian Air Force (IAF) has initiated a major transformation process, requiring around $70 billion over the next few years. According to a study by the India Strategic defence magazine, except for the newly acquired SU 30MKIs, IAF needs to replace and augment nearly 100 percent of its fighter, transport and helicopter fleet for the simple reason that all of them are around 20 years old or more... Read On

Mayawati Eyes Power in Delhi, Sounds Poll Bugle
Aiming to head the next government in New Delhi, Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister and Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) president Mayawati Sunday wooed Dalits and other sections of society, and exhorted thousands of her supporters gathered at a rally here to ready for the coming Lok Sabha elections. Mayawati, does not hide her ambition to become prime minister. Read On