New 'Space Truck' Hailed as Precursor
to Mars Mission 
A heavy-duty European spacecraft that will make its maiden flight Sunday has been hailed as a precursor to a spaceship that could one day carry robots to the planet Mars. The Jules Verne, which will haul nine tonnes of food, fuel and other supplies to the International Space Station (ISS), then depart with the station's accumulated garbage, is the first automated transfer vehicle (ATV) in a series of five. Read On

• Toll in Iraq Bombings Rises to 54  
• Palestinian Gunman Kills 8 in Jerusalem Seminary
• Pakistan Army Backs Musharraf,
  Urges Harmony among Leaders 
• Kenya's Parliament Meets, Power-sharing Likely  

Low-Grade Blast at New York
Army Recruitment Centre by Parveen Chopra
A military recruitment station near New York City's landmark Times Square was targeted with a low-grade explosion early Thursday. Security agencies took a serious view of the incident. Read On

US Critics Raise Questions about N-deal 
by Arun Kumar
As India and the US make renewed efforts to conclude their civil nuclear deal, four US critics of the accord have asked the Bush administration to make public its responses to lawmakers' questions about it. The four in a statement asked the State Department to drop a virtual "gag" order on its unclassified responses to over 40 questions sent to the House Committee on Foreign Affairs last October. Read On

Pakistan's New Rulers will Inherit Economic Mess
by Zofeen T. Ebrahim
As Pakistan braces for transition from over eight years of military rule to a democratic one, independent economists say the new government has tough times ahead. It will find it difficult to disentangle the economic mess that the Musharraf government leaves behind in its wake. Read On

• Non-EU Citizen in Britain Need an ID Card 
• Four Indians in Forbes List of 10 World Richest
• Moscow becomes World's Billionaire Capital: Forbes
• US may ask Egypt to Mediate in Hamas-Israel Talks
• Organisation of American States Approves
  Ecuador-Colombia Row Resolution 
• Powerful Quake Hits Eastern Indonesia, No Casualty

Clinton Offers Shared Run to Obama
by Arun Kumar
After three dramatic comeback victories in the US presidential race, Hillary Clinton Wednesday hinted at the possibility of a joint run for the White House with Democratic front-runner rival Barack Obama. Read On

Indian Migrants Challenge Britain on Visa Rules
by Dipankar De Sarkar
A challenge to changes made to Britain's visa rules, mounted by 49,000 mostly Indian migrants, reached the British courts Wednesday with the government accused of breaching race relations and human rights acts. Read On

• Opium Cultivation Will End Soon: Afghan Minister

Nepal Royals Trade Blows as Snake Throne Burns
by Sudeshna Sarkar
While the sword hanging over Nepal's two-century snake throne lowers with a decisive election in April, the royal family has failed to show its best face to the nation and woo voters, says a report. Read On

Clinton Gets Ohio and Texas;
McCain Clinches Republican Nomination
by Arun Kumar
Hillary Clinton shot back into the presidential race with crucial victories in Ohio, Texas and Rhode Island, snapping Democratic rival Barack Obama's streak of 11 wins as Republican John McCain clinched his party's nomination. Read On

• Madhya Pradesh Minister's Son Opens Fire
  at Congress Leader

Dhoni's Dashers Get Rousing Public Felicitation 
Mahendra Singh Dhoni and his daring young brigade were feted at a tumultuous public reception at the Ferozeshah Kotla Thursday afternoon for their historic first series win on Australian soil.  Read On

Left Issues Ultimatum to Government Over N-deal 
India's Left parties that prop up Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government Thursday issued a fresh warning on the India-US nuclear deal stating that the future of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government depended on what decision it took on the contentious pact. Read On

Will the Deoband Edict Restrain Jehadis?
by Amulya Ganguli
Although belated, the condemnation of terrorism by Darul-Uloom Deoband is a major step forward in the war against religious extremism. It can seem odd, however, that it took this widely respected religious seminary based in Uttar Pradesh so long to express its disapproval of the militancy of bigots ... Read On

• Soren Acquitted in Chirudih Massacre Case
• Ten years and counting for Sonia as Congress chief
• Decision to Choose Youngsters
  Stands Vindicated: Pawar 
• Muslim Sentiments Ruffled over Worship Rights

Krishna's Return to Karnataka Bothers
Congress Leaders By Rakesh Mohan Chaturvedi
The return of former Karnataka chief minister S.M. Krishna to state politics after a stint as Maharashtra governor appears to be causing a flutter more among state Congress leaders than the opposition parties as they see him as likely to unsettle them. Read On

Choose Between N-deal and Government,
CPI-M Warns UPA
The Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) Thursday issued a fresh warning on the India-US nuclear deal stating that the future of the United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government depended on what decision it took on the pact. Read On

Manmohan Seeks Good Ties with Pakistan,
Lauds Vajpayee 
India and Pakistan should think about "collective destiny, collective security and prosperity", Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said and termed as "most courageous" the steps his predecessor Atal Bihari Vajpayee took to improve ties with Pakistan. Read On
► Vajpayee is Bhishm Pitamah of Indian Politics

India, US Bound by 123, Not Hyde Act: Boucher
The US reminded India of a "very tight deadline" for putting together "missing pieces" to conclude the nuclear deal and clarified that the 123 agreement, and not the Hyde Act, will determine civil nuclear commerce between the two countries. Read On

• 70 % Voting Recorded in Nagaland Polls 
• Seeking Broadest Possible Consensus on N-deal: PM
• Mayawati Lifts Ban on Students Union Elections
• BrahMos Cruise Missile Test Fired for 15th Time
• Ansari's Decision on SP Blows Up - and Blows Over
• Indian Markets Manage to Bounce Back
• Tata-Virgin Tie-up Can Go Ahead, says DoT 
• Reliance Energy Readies $500 Mn for Share Buyback
• Chidambaram Upbeat on Growth
  but Farm Output a Worry 
• India Rip Mexico 18-1 to Maintain Clean Record

Combative Manmohan Takes on Advani, NDA
In a speech with electoral overtones, an unusually aggressive Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday took on the opposition for wrecking the lives of India's farming community and of failing to curb terrorism and price hikes. Read On

Early Elections? We Think So, say MPs 
More and more political leaders across the spectrum feel that the country is inching towards an early parliamentary election, possibly later this year. The national budget Finance Minister P. Chidambaram unveiled Feb 29 giving huge sops to millions of farmers weighed down by debts as well as the tax benefits to the middle class is the latest sign that the ruling Congress may be eyeing an early election, Read On