World Trade Organization Talks Collapse
World Trade Organization (WTO) talks on the conclusion of the Doha round broke off Tuesday after nine days amid differences over opening of agriculture markets pitting the US on one side and India and China on the other. Read On

SAARC Nations to Focus on Food,
Energy Security, Combating Terror
by P. Karunakharan
The Standing Committee meeting in the run-up to the 15th SAARC summit began here Tuesday with the foreign secretaries of the eight member countries focusing on issues relating to regional food and energy security and collectively combating terrorism, officials here said. Read On

Bush-Gilani Statement Papers Over Key Issues
The joint statement released after Pakistani Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani met US President George W. Bush papers over key issues like Washington's perception that Islamabad is not doing enough to curb terrorism along the border with Afghanistan and US strikes in Pakistani territory, one of which came a few hours before the meeting. Read On

• Hindi Row Turns into War in Nepal 
• Nepal Maoists Refuse to Allow Koirala
  to Attend SAARC Summit 
• Russian Explorers Reach
  Bed of World's Deepest Lake 

Pakistan Ambivalent on IAEA Vote
over India-specific Pact
Despite sustained US pressure, Pakistan is still ambivalent on whether or not it will seek a vote when the IAEA board meets Friday to consider an India-specific safeguards agreement to take forward the nuclear deal with the US. Read On

Austria will 'Probably Support' India at IAEA 
by Mehru Jaffer
Austria has indicated that it will "probably support" India's safeguards agreement despite its fiercely anti-nuclear policy - just days before the IAEA board meets here Friday. "Austria is reluctant. We would be happier if India explored other sources of energy to meet its growing needs but Austria also understands that every country has its own specific needs. Austria will probably support India on Aug 1," a Austrian diplomat told IANS on condition of anonymity. Read On

Be Indian, Buy British is the New Business Mantra
by Dipankar De Sarkar 
Indian businesses are now spending more on buying businesses in Britain than in any other country, according to new analysis by leading financial and business adviser Grant Thornton. Read On

Blasts Against India's Progress by Gurmukh Singh
Asserting that the blasts were the handiwork of those who don't like India's progress and sought to derail its booming economy, Gujaratis settled in Canada say everyone in Gujarat should come together, irrespective of their religious or political affiliation, to fight to defeat such people. Read On  

• Zimbabwe Unity Talks Break Down 

Al Qaeda Chemical Expert 'Believed Killed
in Pakistan'
Al Qaeda's senior leader and chemical weapon expert, Midhat Mursi al-Sayid Umar, is believed to have died in a US missile strike Monday in Pakistan's northwestern tribal region, officials said. Umar, an Egyptian militant who is also known as Abu Khabab al-Masri, and his Pakistani wife were killed in a predawn multiple missile attacks that targeted a house in a village near the Azam Warsak area of South Waziristan district bordering Afghanistan. Read On

• US Budget Deficit to Reach $490 bn in 2009   
• US Stocks Plunge as IMF Predicts More Losses
• IMF Maintains $1-trillion Loss Forecast
  for Credit Crisis 

23 Bombs Defused in Surat, India remains on Edge
Just when Gujarat was returning to normalcy after 50 people were killed in Saturday's serial bombings in Ahmedabad, 23 low-intensity bombs were recovered from Surat by Tuesday evening as cities across India remained on the edge. "It's been only because of a vigilant public that we managed to reach in the nick of time and defuse them. We have asked people to avoid crowded areas," said the city's police commissioner R.M.S. Brar. Read On

• Two Suspected LeT Operatives Arrested
  in West Bengal 
• Ram Setu Cannot be Declared
  National Monument: Government 

India Protests to Pakistan on LoC Firing
India Tuesday lodged a strong protest against the unprovoked firing by Pakistani troops along the Line of Control (LoC) in Jammu and Kashmir, even as Defence Minister A.K. Antony urged Islamabad to respect the ceasefire that has been in place since 2003. Read On

• Sensex Closes 557 Points Down  
• India's Central Bank Cracks the Whip on Inflation
• India, Pakistan hold Flag Meeting
  as Firing Across LoC Stops

Delhi's Water Crisis is Set to Explode
Water is becoming a scarce commodity in the Indian capital that is home to some 16 million people and the crisis is going to worsen in the coming years, leading to more conflicts and pollution, warns a new study. The study also points out that despite the current shortage of water, the city also sees huge wastage of water, estimated at over 40 percent, against 10-20 percent in cities of other developing countries. Read On

Chennai's Tough Head Cop Believes
in Taking No Chances by T.S.V. Hari
"Ours is a 24X7 thankless job sans respite," says Chennai Police Commissioner R. Sekar as he exhorts his men to be continually on the move after the arrest of five suspected terrorists who were out to trigger a series of explosions in Tamil Nadu and elsewhere on Independence Day Aug 15. Read On

Generate your Own Power, Use it and Sell it Too
by Joydeep Gupta
The Indian government has placed solar energy development at the centre of its strategy for energy security and combating climate change. There is a town in Germany where most new buildings have solar power roofs that not only cater to all the energy requirements of homes, but also allow residents to sell power to the grid. Read On

• Parts of Orissa Paralyzed
  as Maoists Observe 'Martyrs' Week'  

Four Islamic Fundamentalists Nabbed
in Tamil Nadu
The Tamil Nadu police arrested four alleged Islamic fundamentalists Monday, a day after they picked up one person, and recovered from them explosive devices and bomb making components. The men are believed to have provided logistical support to those behind the terror bombings in Bangalore & Ahmedabad. Read On

• Pakistan Troops Cross LOC, Five Killed in Skirmish

Ahmedabad Picks up the Pieces, Bit by Bit
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and Congress chief Sonia Gandhi came to soothe tensions and meet the injured but Ahmedabad was still nursing its wounds Monday, two days after 50 people were killed in a series of 21 carefully choreographed bombings. Read On

BJP Points Finger at Government
for Terror Blasts
The terror blasts in Bangalore and Ahmedabad are a "conspiracy to divert attention from the cash-for-votes scandal", Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sushma Swaraj alleged Monday and claimed the party has "enough circumstantial evidence" to prove it. Read On
► Time for Zero Tolerance of Terrorism: Modi