Bush Vetoes Torture-ban Law,
Saying it Ties CIA Hands  
US President George W. Bush Saturday vetoed a law that would prevent the CIA from using torture-like waterboarding and other forms of coercion on prisoners. The move provoked charges by Congressional leaders that Bush was compromising the nation's moral authority and putting American military and diplomatic staff at risk of harsh interrogation tactics abroad. Read On

Sharif, Zardari to Meet Sunday
to Thrash Out Issues
By Muhammad Najeeb
The top leadership of the two major political parties - Pakistan Peoples' Party (PPP) and Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) - will meet in Islamabad Sunday without aides to hammer out differences over the formation of a coalition government. Read On

• UN Special Envoy Meets Aung San Suu Kyi 

'McCainocrats' and 'Obamacans'
May Upset US Presidential Poll by Arun Kumar
McCainocrats and Obamacans, as supporters of presumptive Republican presidential nominee and Democratic frontrunner across the politically divide are called, are quickly emerging as the potential election-busters, a new survey suggests. Read On

• Historic Election Leaves Nepal Women in Lurch
• Fake Currency Racket in Bangladesh
  Sets Police on LeT trail

Colombia, Ecuador, Venezuela
Reconcile at Rio Group Summit  
Ecuadorian President Rafael Correa has agreed to accept apologies from his Colombian counterpart Alvaro Uribe and put an end to the crisis that began with Colombia's March 1 attack on a leftist rebel camp in Ecuador. Read On

Bush Admits Slowdown
as Americans Lose 63,000 Jobs by Arun Kumar
President George Bush acknowledged "our economy has slowed" as American employers slashed 63,000 jobs in February, the most in last five years, but claimed a stimulus package could help stem the tide. "Losing a job is painful and I know Americans are concerned about our economy. So am I," Bush said. "I know this is a difficult time for our economy. But we recognized the problem early and we provided the economy with a booster shot." Read On

Malaysian Indians Fighting Elections
for Equal Treatment by Kul Bhushan
Malaysian Indians are contesting for the ruling as well as opposition parties as Malaysia goes to vote Saturday. While those in the present government are keen to point out the big benefits provided to the Indian community, the ones in the opposition are challenging these claims and clamoring for equal treatment for all Malaysians. This translates to withdrawing the special concessions for ethnic Malays ... Read On
► Voting Begins for General Elections in Malaysia

Maoists Take Poll Plunge with Manifesto
for 'New Nepal' by Sudeshna Sarkar
Nearly two decades since they last fought an election in Nepal and then chose to begin a guerrilla war, Nepal's Maoists Friday finally took the plunge for a poll that would be the first of its kind in the Himalayan state, releasing their party's election manifesto and rooting for a new leadership. Read On

Discrimination Against Women Exists
in Most Countries: UN
Speaking on the eve of the International Women's Day, UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Louise Arbour said the failure to create true legal parity between men and women was having "a detrimental effect on women in many countries, sometimes to a devastating degree. Read On

• Bush Confident of Stimulus Package
  Amid Sharp Job Losses  

Women's Bill, Female Feticide,
Promise of Toilets Mark the Day  
An assurance to table the long-pending Women's Reservation Bill in parliament, put an end to female feticide and build toilets for women were some of the promises made by political leaders as India marked International Women's Day Saturday. Read On
► Government Committed to Ending
    Female Feticide: Sonia 

Budget Blues and Global Cues
Hit Indian Stocks Hard
The Indian equities market was battered by weak global market and budget blues this week. The hike in short term capital gains tax in the 2008-09 budget did not go well with the capital market at all. Read On

• Serial Blasts in Assam Kill One, Injure 22 
• Farm Loan Waiver will Not be Repeated: Pawar
• Nagaland Heading for Hung Assembly
• BJP Makes Revival Bid in Uttar Pradesh 

Meghalaya Opposition Alliance
to Stake Claim to Form Government 
In a dramatic turn of events, five opposition political parties in Meghalaya with 31 legislators formed an alliance Saturday and are set to stake claim to form the next non-Congress government. Read On
► Governor Holds Key to Government Formation

Hands Chopped Off in Pune,
Traumatized Hawker Returns to Bihar
by Imran Khan
Shri Kishun Singh lies traumatized in a hospital bed in Bihar. For the last 10 years, he was a food hawker on Pune's streets, but last month Maharashtra Navnirman Sena activists chopped off both his hands. Read On

Government to Use NSG Card with Left
to Save N-deal by Manish Chand 
With the Left setting a March 15 deadline for a decision on the future of the nuclear deal, the government is making a last-ditch effort to persuade its allies to clear the IAEA pact which is nearly complete and allow India's case for global civil nuclear commerce to go to the 45-nation Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG). Read On

India will be 90% of US Economy by 2050: PWC 
The $1-trillion Indian economy would be 90 percent the size of the US by 2025, as the nation of 1.17 billion people, rather than China, tops the global growth league today, says PricewaterhouseCoopers (PWC) Read On

CPI Writes to PM on N-deal,
Threatens to Withdraw Support 
Stepping up pressure on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's government over the India-US nuclear deal, the Communist Party of India (CPI) Friday warned that the Left parties would withdraw their support if the government decides to go ahead with the contentious pact. Read On
► Deal Only After Consensus with Left: Pranab

Russia to Upgrade IAF's MiG-29 Combat Jets
The long-delayed upgrade of the Indian Air Force's MiG-29 jets is set to get underway with its manufacturer RAC-MiG inking a deal with the Indian defence ministry in Moscow Friday, the company said. Read On

• Punjab Grants Kashmir Singh, Wife Monthly Pension
• Dikshit Launches 'Ladli',
  Gives Rs.10,000 to Newborn Girl 
• Central Government Employees Get Pay Bonanza
• Kidney Scam Kingpin Amit Kumar
  takes Lie-detector Test
• Loan Waiver Attempt to Cheat Farmers: SP

Loan Waiver Not on Government's Balance Sheet
by Dipankar De Sarkar
A top tax consultant from India told a meeting of British investors here that the Rs.600 billion farm loan waiver announced by the government in last week's budget has not been accounted for. Read On

PM Trying to Isolate us on N-deal, says Left
by Liz Mathew
India's Left leaders feel betrayed by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who they say is trying to isolate them on the India-US nuclear deal by seeking the opposition's help in taking the contentious pact ahead. Read On