US Senate Approves Financial Bailout Plan 
The US Senate Wednesday approved a revised $700-billion financial bailout plan that would authorize the largest financial intervention by the country's government since the Great Depression. The bailout plan was passed by a vote of 69-23. The Bush Administration and key lawmakers warned earlier that economic crisis would become a full-fledged disaster if Congress rejects the rescue plan. Read On

Europe may Also Need Massive Rescue Plan: OECD Chief  
Despite assurances by European leaders that their finance systems were stable, Europe may still need a massive rescue plan similar to the $700-billion measure being voted on by the US Congress, the head of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) said Wednesday. Read On

EU Slaps $966-mn Fine on Self-styled
'Paraffin Mafia'  
The European Commission, the executive branch of the European Union (EU), Wednesday imposed a fine of nearly $1 billion on nine business groups, including ExxonMobil and Total, which were found guilty of fixing prices and market shares for paraffin wax. Read On

• US Stocks Edge Lower
  as Senate Considers Rescue Plan  
• Crisis will Make Latin America
  More Important for US

India, Nepal Agree to Tame Kosi by March
by Sudeshna Sarkar
Often at loggerheads over water resources, India and Nepal decided to bury the hatchet at the resumption of talks after four years, agreeing to focus on taming by March the raging Kosi river that has played havoc in both countries this monsoon, leaving nearly four million people homeless on both sides of the border Read On

EU Airports to Use 'Naked' Body Scanners by 2010
by Venkata Vemuri
Two years from now when you enter any airport in the European Union (EU), you'll be surprised to find they no longer search you physically. Instead, they will be able to see a virtual, naked, three-dimensional image of your body on their television monitors. Read On

• India Sixth Largest Investor in Britain: UN Report

Senate to Vote on "Very, Very High Priority"
N-deal Wednesday by Arun Kumar
The India-US civil nuclear deal is expected to clear its last legislative hurdle Wednesday with the Senators agreeing to vote on the accord that's a "very, very high priority" for President George Bush. The Senate would take up Wednesday morning the bill approved by the House of Representatives by a margin of 298-17 along with a couple of amendments relating to US reaction in the event of another nuclear test by India, Senate majority leader Harry Reid announced. Read On

US Senate to Vote Wednesday on Bailout Plan
The Democrats who control the US Senate and minority Republicans have agreed to hold a vote late Wednesday on a new version of the $700-billion financial rescue plan that was defeated in the lower House of Representatives. Read On

Bush Urges Congress to Reconsider Bailout Plan
The White House Tuesday pushed again for passage of its $700-billion financial rescue plan, a day after the bailout collapsed in the US House of Representatives. With a worried eye on the jittery stock market, President George W Bush again warned of "urgent" consequences unless Congress acts. Read On

• US Stocks Rally on Hopes for Bailout Plan
• McCain, Obama Push for Speedy Action
  on Financial Plan 

N-deal is Done;
Senate Gives 86-13 Thumbs Up
by Arun Kumar
The India-US civil nuclear deal is finally done with the US Senate giving a resounding 86-13 approval to the historic accord visualized by Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and US President George W. Bush over three years ago. The Senate approval to the agreement allowing resumption of nuclear commerce with India, four days after an equally emphatic 298-117 endorsement from the House of Representatives, clears the decks for Bush to sign it into law, possibly Thursday. Read On

Two Killed, 100 Injured in Tripura Blasts;
More Bombs Found
At least two people were killed and about 100 injured when four powerful bombs went off within half an hour in the Tripura capital Wednesday evening, the police said. 3 bombs were recovered and defused later. Read On

Curfew Re-imposed after Fresh Clashes in Orissa
Curfew was re-imposed in Orissa's troubled Kandhamal district Wednesday following arson and the death of a woman in Christian-Hindu clashes, as court asked the central government to provide sufficient forces to restore peace in the state where communal violence has claimed 33 lives over the past month. Read On

• Desai takes his Gandhi 'Katha' Abroad
• Community Service Campaign
  to Remember Gandhi in US 
• Gandhi's Ideas More Effective Outside India
  than In it: Rushdie
• India's Imports Exceed Exports by $13.9 bn in August
• Debate Over, US Senate Poised to Approve N-deal

Developed World Should First Meet
Emissions Targets: Parnab
While underlining India's impressive record on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions despite a growing economy, External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee has said the developed countries should be brought to account as they are responsible for more than 70 percent of the accumulated emissions in the atmosphere, causing climate change. Read On

Markets End Green on US Bailout Plan
Revival Hopes
After an initial stutter, Indian equities markets fell in line with global markets and came back to finish in the green Wednesday on renewed hopes that the US $700 billion bailout plan will be revived. Read On

Nothing in N-deal to Hurt National Interests: PM
By Manish Chand
As the US Senate readies to vote on the India-US nuclear deal, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh Wednesday stressed that the initiative protects the "essentials interests" of the country, including its strategic programme. "The nuclear initiative will help our country to move forward to manage its energy situation in a manner that is consistent with our national goals of combating climate change through developing clean sources of energy," the PM said. Read On

• Gandhigiri has No Takers in Karnataka

US Crisis Will Slow India's Growth, say Analysts
by Arjun Sen
The financial tsunami in the US, which threatens to engulf Europe, will slow India's economic growth to about 5-7 percent, economists and analysts said. "It is not just financial markets, there is now a process of adjustment in the real economy as well," said Partha Mukhopadhyay, an economist at the Delhi-based think tank Centre for Policy Research. Read On
► India has 9% Medium-term Growth Potential:
    Chief Economic Adviser

I will Quit if I Fail to Clear Appeals in 3 Months: New Information Commissioner
by Mayank Aggarwal
Shailesh Gandhi, newly appointed information commissioner in India's Central Information Commission (CIC), has promised to clear all appeals to his office within three months, and to quit if he fails to live up to his promise. Read On