Singh rejects Annas three-week deadline

Amid this, the Indian government has taken first awkward little steps for a dialogue with the civil society leaders.

Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh broke the pattern of official denials of any scope for any modification in the government Lokpal Bill by offering dialogue and discussions on the draft law.

He said while there was scope for “give and take”, it might not be possible to meet Anna s three-week deadline for passing the bill.

Team Anna s Arvind Kejriwal and Prashant Bhushan appeared to be responding to this when they said at a press conference that Anna s deadline was not a threat but only “an expression of his fundamental right to express his opinion”.

The two also added they were open to dialogue but no one from the government had approached them so far.

While it s difficult to say whether these overtures would lead to meaningful talks, there was growing appreciation in the government of the fact that the anti-corruption movement was steadily gaining popularity and there was need for an urgent political response to it, especially as Anna s fast had already crossed 110 hours (five days).

With the Hazare group insistent that the government s Lokpal bill be replaced by its “stronger” version, the PM indicated the official bill was not the last word.

Pak-India series 5, 5 matches are expected to play: Butt

Pak-India series 5, 5 matches are expected to play: Butt

Pakistan India cricket series of five tests five one-days and two T20 is expected in the end on the on going year. Chairman PCB Ijaz Butt told that Pakistan Cricket Board is confident about holding of series at home ground but on the request of India matches can be played in India. In an interview to media Butt said that when Pakistan team went to India then it played five test, five one-day and two T20 matches with India so now India too will have to play same number of matches with Pakistan

Pakistan is hopeful for representation in Champions League: Butt

Butt further said that meeting with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has proved good and we want to hold the series as soon as possible but to find time, from busy schedule of teams, to hold this event would be a difficult task. We can hold the series after six months as well. Chairman further added that initially BCCI had some reservations on some matters but now all problems would be solved by Manmohan Singh. Regarding the issue of nonprticipatio of Pakistani players in IPL he said that both countries had political tensions in the past due to which our players were not invited but now bilateral relations are improving and Pakistan is hopeful for representation in Champions League.

Indian team will get a warm welcome: Butt

He told that as soon as we will get the green signal the preparations will be started. Butt further said that complete security plan will be provided to the government and Indian team will get a warm welcome.

Intakhab Alam Suggest To Control excitement

Pakistan Vs India the biggest match of the world cup will be played on Wednesday. Pakistan’s team manager Intakhab Alam said that people of both nations should control the emotions as one team will go as winner.

He added that people of Pakistan are as emotional as people of India but they should remember one thing that after the match cricket will win.

China PM seeks to ease political tensions with India

NEW DELHI: Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Thursday tackles the tough task of bridging rifts with India over borders and Pakistan after wooing his hosts with deals worth more than $16 billion during a visit to New Delhi.

Wen’s visit is the first by a Chinese premier in five years and he brings more than 300 business executives with him.

The two countries, home to more than a third of the world’s population, fought a war in 1962 and relations remain uneasy over disputed borders, and China’s close ties with India’s main rival, despite their booming trade relationship and rising global clout.

Wen is set to address these long-running Sino-Indian political stalemates with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh.

“There is a trust deficit, a trade deficit but certainly not a charm deficit,” said broadcaster CNN IBN Deputy Editor Sagarika Ghose. Wen, shortly

German, French envoys summoned to Foreign Office over anti-Pakistan remarks

Ambassadors of Germany and France were called in the Foreign Office and a strong protest was lodged with them over the statements made against Pakistan by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and frence President Sarkozy.

According to Foreign Office spokesperson, Today, the Foreign Office conveyed the Government and the people of Pakistan’s disappointment separately to the Ambassador of France and the German Charge d’ Affaires (CdA) in Islamabad at the reported remarks by President Nicolas Sarkozy and Chancellor Angela Merkel relating to Pakistan following their meeting with the Indian Prime Minister in New Delhi and Berlin, respectively.

It was underlined that Pakistan enjoyed excellent relations with both France and Germany and that bilateral cooperation in all areas had lately been on the increase. Pakistan is, therefore, surprised and disappointed at the reported remarks made by the two leaders, he added.

The German CdA said that the Chancellor’s remarks had been misquoted. He assured that her remarks were not Pakistan specific, the statement added.

In a joint press conference with visiting Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Sunday, the German chancellor while talking about the terrorist attacks against India said Berlin would take up the terror issue with Islamabad. We want to do whatever we can to make it clear to Pakistan that terror cannot be a means to solve the political problems. We will make it clear to Pakistan that terror is unacceptable, said Merkel.

India PM to prosecute wrongdoers in corruption probe

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on Saturday any wrongdoers in a widening telecoms scam, which is threatening his political survival, will be prosecuted.

In his first comments since the corruption scandal blew up, Singh told a leadership summit in Delhi that several investigating agencies were looking into the issue, which could potentially emerge as the country’s biggest graft cases and which is tarnishing the reputation of a prime minister long seen as India’s most honest politician.

“As far as this particular allocation of the 2G spectrum is concerned (as) parliament is in session, I would not like to make a detailed statement,” Singh added, without giving details.

Singh has been ordered to explain to the Supreme Court why he failed to swiftly probe his Telecoms Minister Andimuthu Raja, who was sacked last week, over selling

Obama’s India visit is Pakistan’s wake-up call: analysts

The symbolism, trade deals and fine words of Barack Obama’s courtship of India should be Pakistan’s wake-up call to fix its economy and eradicate Islamist militancy to ward off isolation, analysts say.

The US president declared India a world power, the India-US alliance “one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century” and unveiled deals worth 10 billion dollars designed to create 50,000 American jobs in an ailing economy.

Going further than any US president before, he backed India’s quest for a permanent seat on the UN Security Council, although with no immediate prospect of reform and likely strong Chinese opposition, it was a largely symbolic move.

Just weeks after Pakistan’s latest round of “strategic dialogue” with the US in a bid to overcome mistrust, the warm embrace between Obama and Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh stood in stark

India welcomes US relaxation of export controls

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Monday welcomed a decision by the United States to relax restrictions on the export of technology that can be used for military purposes.

Washington had previously prevented exports of so-called “dual use” technologies, a category of exports that can be employed for military as well as civilian purposes.

The United States imposed restrictions after India conducted nuclear tests in May 1998 to international condemnation.

“We welcome the decision by the United States to lift controls on export of high technology items and technologies to India,” Singh told a joint press conference with President Barack Obama.

He also welcomed US support for India’s membership of “multilateral export control regimes such as the Nuclear Suppliers Group,” a group of nuclear suppliers that restrict exports of their

Obama to define vision of US-India ties

MUMBAI: President Barack Obama will set out his vision for US relations with India on Monday, after raising expectations among his hosts by billing the friendship as “indispensable” to future peace and prosperity.

Obama will hold talks with Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, deliver a major address to parliament and be honoured at a state dinner on the third day of his visit to India, part of a four-nation, nine-day swing through Asia.

The US president will be expected to elaborate on his call Sunday for arch nuclear foes India and Pakistan to talk, to resolve their differences, and for Islamabad to do more to tackle extremists threatening its neighbour.

Indian leaders will also be keen to hear Obama’s position on their country’s aspirations to win a permanent seat on the United Nations Security Council consistent with its role as an emerging great

Need to reaffirm dialogue with Pakistan, China: Manmohan

NEW DELHI: Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh on Saturday reaffirmed the need for dialogue with both Pakistan and China to resolve outstanding issues, and said his meeting with Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao saw both sides concurring on the need to remove misunderstandings between each other.

One reflection of China’s desire to narrow the areas of differences was Mr. Wen accepting Dr. Singh’s invitation to visit India in the near future, during which they would attempt a practical, pragmatic and satisfactory solution to the border problem.

Till the border issue was solved, the Hanoi interaction saw both Prime Ministers agreeing on the need to maintain peace and tranquillity on the Line of Actual Control.

The possible meeting between the two Prime Ministers in Delhi before the end of the year would be preceded by the arrival of senior Chinese leader Zhou Yong

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