PTI - The Press Trust of India Ltd. articles from December 2003

PTI - The Press Trust of India Ltd. archives from December 2003

Polling begins in four states in India amid tight security.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) Polling for Indian states of Delhi, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh Assemblies, projected as a "semi-finals" to next year's Lok Sabha elections, began this morning amidst tight security. Over 5,000...

Carsledine hits another century.
December 1, 2003... Brisbane, Dec 1 (PTI) Lee Carsledine scored his second century of the match as Queensland Academy of Sports batted with an attitude to declare in the morning session of the final day of their three-day cricket match against India here on...

Sonia casts vote, confident of good results.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) Casting her vote here, main opposition leader of India, Sonia Gandhi on Monday said she expected "good results" in the assembly polls in the four states but preferred to keep fingers crossed till the results. "We are...

KALAM PRESENTS STANDARD TO 86 ARMED REGIMENT.
December 1, 2003... PATHANKOT, DEC 1 (PTI) INDIAN PRESIDENT A P J ABDUL KALAM ON MONDAY PRESENTED STANDARDS TO THE 86 ARMED REGIMENT OF THE INDIAN ARMY AT THE MAMOON CANTONMENT NEAR HERE. THE STANDARDS WERE RECEIVED BY COLONEL OF THE REGIMENT LT GEN K DABUR....

Bill on death penalty for spurious drugmakers to be tabled.
December 1, 2003... London, Dec 1 (PTI) A bill seeking death penalty for those found guilty of manufacturing spurious drugs will be introduced in the Parliament during the winter session of Indian Parliament beginning on Tuesday. "Government is introducing a...

Balloting begins on dull note, Sonia Gandhi among early voters.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) Braving winter chill, voters tricked into polling stations on Monday morning to cast ballot for assembly elections in Indian states of Delhi, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh, the last major exercise before...

India, Pak start second round of talks.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) Amid hopes of a possible breakthrough, India and Pakistan started second round of talks on Monday to discuss resumption of civil aviation links between the two countries, snapped in the wake of December 13, 2001 terror...

Indians fight to save match against Queensland second string.
December 1, 2003... Brisbane, Dec 1 (PTI) The touring Indians were struggling to stay alive on the last day of the three-day match against Queensland Academy of Sports after retiring for tea at 59 for 3 in the second innings here on Monday. All three hopefuls...

Kollam, Dec 1 (PTI) CITU state president K N Ravindranath.
December 1, 2003... and general secretary P K Gurudasan have said their organisation will not allow the Government to implement the ADB agenda in the State. Talking to newsmen, they alleged that the ADB had virtually taken over the governance of the State. The...

Assembly polls: EVMs snatched, 25 per cent turnout till noon.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) Naxalites in central Indian state of Chhattisgarh snatched Electronic Voting Machines as sporadic violence marked polling in assembly elections to four states with an estimated 25 per cent voters exercising their...

Pakistani militant killed near Sidhra forest.
December 1, 2003... Jammu, Dec 1 (PTI) A Pakistani ultra, one of the two militants who attacked the vehicle of a senior Indian Administrative officer on Sunday, was on Monday gunned down by security forces in Sidhra-Mahamaya forest area on the outskirts of Jammu...

Best Bakery case hearing adjoured to Dec 17.
December 1, 2003... Ahmedabad, Dec 01 (PTI) Gujarat High Court on Monday adjourned to December 17 hearing on state government's appeal challenging acquittal of 21 accused in the sensational Best Bakery carnage. A Division Bench of Justice K R Vyas and Justice...

City cop successfully climbs Mount Kilimanjaro.
December 1, 2003... Mumbai, Dec 1 (PTI) City police Inspector Sanjay Rangnekar, a mountaineer, successuflly scaled Mount Kilimanjaro, the highest peak in Africa and hoisted the tricolour along with the blue flag of Maharashtra police. According to police...

Newly discovered cuttle fish figure in revised catalogue.
December 1, 2003... Tuticorin, Dec 1 (PTI) Two species of cuttle fish, Sepia Prabhahari and Sepia Ramani, discovered recently in the Gulf of Mannar, have found place in the revised species of catalogue on "Cephalopods of the World" brought out by the Food and...

UN unveils new programme to combat AIDS.
December 1, 2003... Dharam Shourie New York, Dec 1 (PTI) A new United Nations initiative aimed at providing anti-retroviral drugs to three million people in developing countries and those in transition by 2005 was unveiled on Monday as part of World AIDS Day....

Portuguese High Court orders extradition of Monica Bedi.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) Portugal High Court has granted extradition of little-known Bollywood actress and girl friend of underworld don Abu Salem, Monica Bedi, to India. The official communication was received by the Central Bureau of...

India-Pak air links likely to be restored from Jan one.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) Air links between India and Pakistan, snapped after terrorist attack on Parliament in December 2001, are likely to be restored from January one, informed sources said on Monday. Civil aviation authorities of the two...

Chinese TV to air Hanuman-like 'Monkey King' programmes.
December 1, 2003... Beijing, Dec 1 (PTI) Chinese television will start airing from Monday a series of special programmes featuring the famous Chinese mythical character Monkey King, believed to be partly based on the Hindu mythical figure, Hanuman. The...

Sharma questioned again.
December 1, 2003... Mumbai, Dec 01 (PTI) Former Police Commissioner of western Indian city of Mumbai, R S Sharma was on Monday questioned for the fifth time by Special Investigating Team (SIT) probing the multi-million fake stamp paper scam. He was summoned...

Saddam sought missile assembly line from North Korea: report.
December 1, 2003... New York, Dec 1 (PTI) The Saddam Hussein regime in Iraq had held negotiations with North Korea to obtain a full production line of missiles which could hit American allies and bases in the region and Syria offered a transit route for delivery...

Mishra CBI's new Director.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) Uma Shankar Mishra, Special Director in federal investigating agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, was on Monday appointed as the new Director of the agency, an official announcement said here. Mishra, a 1968...

Ramesh makes strong case for Test selection.
December 1, 2003... Ashish Shukla Brisbane, Dec 1 (PTI) Sadagopan Ramesh made a strong case for his selection in the Test team even as the visiting Indians came off second best for the third successive day against a second grade opposition in Queensland...

Damaging earthquakes may occur in central India: Seismologists.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) Three leading American seismologists have cautioned that future damaging eartquakes can occur in central India where no quakes have been so far recorded because this part of India is "flexed" like a bow. The...

NAXALS TAKE HOSTAGE ELECTION STAFF AT TWO PLACES.
December 1, 2003... RAIPUR, DEC 1 (PTI) LEFT-WING EXTREMISTS, KNOWN AS "NAXALITES" IN INDIA'S POLITICAL JARGON, ON MONDAY TOOK HOSTAGE ELECTION STAFF AT TWO PLACES DISRUPTING VOTING IN BIJAPUR ASSEMBLY CONSTITUENCY OF DANTEWADA DISTRICT WHILE ONE PERSON WAS...

"We will not accept anything short of leadership change".
December 1, 2003... Kozhikode, Dec 1 (PTI) Ruling out any compromise by the Karunakaran faction, the Congress party's Kerala unit chief K Muraleedharan on Monday said it will not accept anything short of a leadership change in the state. "Now that the AICC...

Brisk polling in Thiruvalla.
December 1, 2003... Pathanamthitta, (Kerala) Dec 1 (PTI) An estimated 40 per cent polling was recorded in the first four hours of voting in the by-election to the Thiruvalla assembly constituency on Monday. Starting on a slow pace, polling picked up in an hour...

Novell sets up 40 engineers team to expand Linux projects.
December 1, 2003... Bangalore, Dec 1 (PTI) In a move to expand Linux Solutions and Open Source projects, Novell Inc has announced that it is setting up an exclusive team of about 40 engineers at its Indian subsidiary, Novell Software Development (I) Pvt Ltd, here....

Sharma questioned again.
December 1, 2003... Mumbai, Dec 01 (PTI) Former Mumbai Police Commissioner R S Sharma was on Monday questioned for the fifth time by Special Investigating Team (SIT) probing the multi-billion fake stamp paper scam. He was summoned to SIT office Monday morning....

BNHS and Indian Coast guard to work together.
December 1, 2003... Mumbai, Dec 01 (PTI) In a bid to shore up efforts to protect India's maritime heritage and marine biodiversity, Indian Coast Guard and the Bombay Natural History society have decided to work together implement environment laws. To initiate...

Sheikh Mohammed appointed Deputy Crown Prince of UAE.
December 1, 2003... Dubai, Dec 1 (PTI) Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al Nahyan, son of United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Zayed, who paid a high profile visit to India early this year, has been appointed Deputy Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi. The appointment made...

15 rounded up after huge arms haul in capital Dhaka.
December 1, 2003... Dhaka, Dec 1 (PTI) At least fifteen people were rounded up in the Bangladeshi capital following the recovery of arms from a locality adjacent to the high-security diplomatic enclave after an encounter. They were taken into custody during...

"Bush administration has hurt the Arab-Israeli peace process".
December 1, 2003... New York, Dec 1 (PTI) The Bush Administration has abandoned what has been in the past a bipartisan commitment to a relatively balanced position in trying to find peace in the Middle East, former American President Jimmy Carter has said. In...

LTTE delegation in South Africa.
December 1, 2003... Durban, Dec 1 (PTI) A seven-member delegation of the Liberation Tigers Of Tamil Eelam is in South Africa for a week-long visit to the country. The LTTE leaders are guests of the ruling ANC leader Ebrahim Ebrahim, who has visited Colombo on...

BADAL, SON SENT TO JUDICIAL CUSTODY.
December 1, 2003... ROPAR, DEC 1 (PTI) A COURT HERE ON MONDAY REJECTED THE INTERIM BAIL PLEA OF FORMER PUNJAB CHIEF MINISTER PARKASH SINGH BADAL AND HIS SON SUKHBIR SINGH, A MEMBER OF INDIAN PARLIAMENT'S UPPER HOUSE RAJYA SABHA, AND SENT THEM TO JUDICIAL CUSTODY...

'Pak steps to ease tensions fall out of diplomatic offensive'.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) The recent Pakistani steps to ease tensions was a direct fall out of India's diplomatic offensive against terrorism globally and continued successes of the security forces, Deputy Prime Minister L K Advani said on Monday....

Backlash against outsourcing a matter of concern: TCS.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) Having lost a 15 million dollar contract in Indiana state, Tata Consultancy Services, India's leading IT company, has said the increasing backlash against outsourcing in the US was becoming a matter of concern. "It...

Judges refuse to hear plea of encounter specialist Daya.
December 1, 2003... Mumbai, Dec 1 (PTI) A Division Bench of the Mumbai High Court on Monday declined to hear a petition filed by "encounter specialist" inspector Daya Nayak challenging jurisdiction of a special court to order a probe into his alleged nexus with...

Govt should constitute next Wageboards immediately: Murali.
December 1, 2003... Kozhikode, Dec 1 (PTI) Urging the Central Government to immediately constitute the next wage boards for working journalists and non-journalists in the newspaper industry, Congress party's Kerala unit President and MP K Muraleedharan on Monday...

Queensland on a high after denting Indian pride.
December 1, 2003... Ashish Shukla Brisbane, Dec 1 (PTI) Having dominated the Indians with their impressive all-round play, the Queensland Academy of Sports team on Monday said they had done a big favour to their national side by denting the confidence of the...

India, Pak agree to restore air links from Jan 1.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) After a gap of two years, India and Pakistan on Monday agreed to restore from January one direct air links and over flights, suspended after the December 13, 2002 attack on the Indian Parliament. The decision to...

Hurriyat hails resumption of air links between India, Pak.
December 1, 2003... Srinagar, Dec 1 (PTI) Welcoming the resumption of air links between India and Pakistan, Kashmir separatist amalgam Hurriyat Conference on Monday said though the steps were small in nature, they could act as a catalyst to improve the relations...

Indians should not expect miracles from Reid: Hadlee.
December 1, 2003... Mumbai, Dec 1 (PTI) New Zealand great Richard Hadlee said on Monday that the Indian team, which has roped in Bruce Reid as its bowling coach for the four-match Test series against Australia, should not expect "miracles" from the former left-arm...

Dabur forms first overseas JV in Bangladesh, more in pipeline.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) In its endeavour to turn global, Dabur India on Monday said it has entered into a 74:26 joint venture with Bangladeshi company Advanced Chemical Industries for producing hair and oral care items. Dabur has acquired...

Sanjay Dutt, 85 others in blast case exempted from appearance.
December 1, 2003... Mumbai, Dec 1 (PTI) A special court on Monday exempted 86 accused, including Bollywood star Sanjay Dutt, from appearance till January four in the 1993 bomb blast case. Eighty-four of the 86 accused on bail appeared before designated Judge...

Jaya writes to PM to secure release of Indian fishermen.
December 1, 2003... Chennai, Dec 1 (PTI) Requesting Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee to secure the release of 32 Indian fishermen from the custody of the Sri Lankan Navy, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalithaa on Monday demanded the taking of 'Katchatheevu'...

More arrests soon in fake stamp paper scam: Karnataka team.
December 1, 2003... Bangalore, Dec 1 (PTI) The special team in Karnataka investigating the multi-billion fake stamp paper scam on Monday said more than a dozen arrests are likely in the next few weeks as the probe in the case is now in the final stages. ...

International film festival on rights in Coimbatore.
December 1, 2003... Coimbatore, Dec 1 (PTI) A series of international films dealing with human rights will be screened in the city during the four-day Human Rights Watch International Travelling Film Festival-2003 commencing from December four. The films,...

Research findings should help development: Ekbal.
December 1, 2003... Kannur, Dec 1 (PTI) The Government should take urgent steps to coordinate the sevices of various agencies including research centres and universities while evolving development agenda for the state, Kerala University Vice-Chancellor B Ekbal...

Ktk Minister defends expulsion of Congress leaders from party.
December 1, 2003... Bangalore, Dec 1 (PTI) Karnataka Minister for Urban Development D K Shivakumar on Monday defended the expulsion of some Congress leaders, including former minister Bheemanna Khandre from the party last week for allegedly indulging in anti-party...

Ten killed in Nepal.
December 1, 2003... Kathmandu, Dec 1 (PTI) Eight Maoists were among ten persons killed in the latest skirmishes with security forces in Nepal, where a rebel commander was arrested, official sources said on Monday. Security forces shot dead four Maoists in...

Sri Lanka unity talks stumble.
December 1, 2003... Colombo, Dec 1 (PTI) A fresh round of talks aimed at resolving the power struggle between Sri Lanka's warring President and Prime minister ended on Monday without a breakthrough, pushing the island closer to a snap poll. Official sources...

Thapa in Pak to discuss SAARC summit arrangements.
December 1, 2003... Islamabad Dec 1 (PTI) Prime Minister of Nepal Surya Bahadur Thapa arrived here Monday on a two-day visit to discuss bilateral issues as well as arrangements for the SAARC summit to be held here next month. Thapa, who is also the chairman of...

Def forces modernisation to be carried out at full pace: Kalam.
December 1, 2003... Hissar Dec 1 (PTI) Maintaining that the modernisation drive of India's armed forces would be carried out at full pace, President A P J Abdul Kalam on Monday said India has always taken initiative for peace so that nations of the region could...

Badal, son sent to Patiala Jail.
December 1, 2003... Ropar, Dec 1 (PTI) Parkash Singh Badal, who had been Punjab Chief Minister thrice, and his son Sukhbir Singh Badal, MP, were on Monday sent to jail after their bail pleas in the disproportionate assets case were rejected by a local court amidst...

President casts vote.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) A P J Abdul Kalam exercised his franchise as President of India for the first time when he voted in the Delhi Assembly election minutes before the polling ended Monday evening. Rescheduling his visit to the northern...

India, Pak to restore aviation links, overflights from Jan 1.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) Ending a two-year impasse, India and Pakistan on Monday decided to restore from January one direct civil aviation links and overflights, suspended after the December 13, 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament, and agreed to...

Top US weapons sales official arrives in India.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) US Defence department has sent its top weapon sales General here to understand New Delhi arms sales procedure in a bid to make arms sales smooth. Major General Craig Hackett Commanding General of the US Army Security...

India, Brazil sign defence cooperation deal.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) Close on the heels of a major defence deal for the sale to New Delhi of six Embarer executive jets, India and Brazil on Monday signed a wide-ranging defence cooperation deal to explore possibilities of cooperating in...

Sharma arrested in fake stamp paper scam case.
December 1, 2003... Mumbai, Dec 1 (PTI) Former Mumbai Police Commissioner, R S Sharma, was on Monday arrested by Special Investigation Team for his alleged complicity in shielding prime accused Abdul Karim Telgi in the multi-billion fake stamp paper scam, SIT...

PCB chief springs a surprise, resigns from post.
December 1, 2003... K J M Varma Islamabad, Dec 1 (PTI) In a sudden development, Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Tauqir Zia on Monday quit his post citing personal reasons and raising speculation of a reshuffle in the faction-ridden establishment. "Yes. I...

SC to hear PIL seeking CBI probe into Telgi stamp paper scam.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) Indian Supreme Court will hear on Tuesday a public interest litigation seeking CBI probe into the Rs 300 billion Telgi stamp paper scam allegedly involving top cops, officials and politicians in several states. The...

Voter turnout touches 55 per cent.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) Over 55 per cent electorate exercised their franchise as polling for four state legislative Assemblies in India came to a close Monday evening after sporadic violence killed a woman in Madhya Pradesh and left-wing...

India, China to play significant role in East Asia development.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) India and China can play a significant role in the economic development of eastern hemisphere, especially through bilateral cooperation in the areas of IT, textiles, agri food processing, infrastructure and automobiles, a...

56 per cent polling in assembly elections in four states.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) An estimated 56 per cent of 93.4 million voters exercised their franchise in assembly elections in the states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh and Delhi on Monday, India's Election Commission announced. ...

Badal, son lodged in Patiala Jail.
December 1, 2003... Ropar, Dec 1 (PTI) Parkash Singh Badal, three times Punjab Chief Minister, and his son Sukhbir Singh Badal, MP, were sent to jail on Monday after their bail pleas in the disproportionate assets case were rejected by a local court amidst...

EC orders repolling at 56 polling stations in 3 states.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) India's Election Commission on Monday ordered repolling on December 3 at 56 polling stations across the states of Madhya Pradesh, Rajasthan and Chhattisgarh where balloting was disrupted due to various reasons. ...

HC adjourns hearing on Guj govt appeal in Best Bakery case.
December 1, 2003... Ahmedabad, Dec 01 (PTI) On a defence plea, the Gujarat High Court on Monday adjourned to December 17, the hearing on the state government's "amended" appeal challenging the acquittal of 21 accused in the Best Bakery carnage and seeking retrial...

BCCI acted in "haste" in Kale matter: Wadekar.
December 1, 2003... Pune, Dec 1 (PTI) Former Indian captain Ajit Wadekar on Monday said that the Cricket Board has acted in a "haste" by suspending Abhijit Kale without giving him a chance to present his side of the story in the bribery scandal. Kale has...

Sharma arrested under MCOCA in fake stamp paper scam.
December 1, 2003... Mumbai, Dec 1 (PTI) In a dramatic development in the multi-billion fake stamp paper case, former Mumbai Police Commissioner Ranjit Singh Sharma was on Monday arrested under the stringent Maharashtra Control of Organised Crime Act (MCOCA) for...

India A leads by 261 as Gavaskar and Gambhir slam ton.
December 1, 2003... Pune, Dec 1 (PTI) Riding on brilliant centuries by Rohan Gavaskar (173) and Gautam Gambhir (131), India 'A' mustered a lead of 261 runs on the penultimate day of cricket match against Sri Lanka 'A' at the Nehru Stadium here on Monday. ...

Toll rises to 11 in northwest China earthquake.
December 1, 2003... Beijing, Dec 1 (PTI) At least 11 people, including children and army personnel, were killed and over 34 injured on Monday when a severe earthquake jolted northwest China's Xinjiang Uygur autonomous region. Most of the people who died in...

Air India book semifinal clash with IA.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) Air India were held 1-1 by Pakistan's Star Hockey Club on Monday but the draw was enough to catapult the India side to the semifinals of the Lal Bahadur Shastri hockey tournament here. Air India will play title...

CBI chief hails Monica's extradition; hopes Salem will follow.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) The Director of India's Central Bureau of Investigation P C Sharma on Monday said extradition of Monica Bedi was like his dream come "partially true" and added that a foundation for a similar move in the case of...

MILITANTS ATTACK PDP LEADER'S HOUSE; FOUR KILLED IN J-K.
December 1, 2003... SRINAGAR, DEC 1 (PTI) MILITANTS ON MONDAY MADE AN ABORTIVE BID ON THE LIFE OF A RULING PEOPLE'S DEMOCRATIC PARTY LEADER ATTACKING HIS HOUSE IN BADGAM DISTRICT OF JAMMU AND KASHMIR WHERE TWO MILITANTS AND A TEENAGED GIRL WERE AMONG FOUR PERSONS...

Navy gives Maha govt six months to decide on Vikrant.
December 1, 2003... Mumbai, Dec 1 (PTI) The project of converting the prestigious warship INS Vikrant into a museum has come under a cloud with the Indian Navy on Monday setting a deadline of six months for the government of western state Maharashtra to decide on...

Vishal Punna upsets fourth seed, Karan Rastogi moves up.
December 1, 2003... Mumbai, Dec 1 (PTI) Indian wildcards Vishal Punna and Karan Rastogi had a field day winning their first round men's singles matches in style on the opening day of the 10,000 USD MSLTA-ITF Futures men's tennis tournament at the Dr Ranade Centre...

Meet skips Ram janambhoomi issue.
December 1, 2003... ChennaiDec 1 (PTI) A major conference of heads of important mutts in India on Monday skipped the controversial Ram Janambhoomi issue on the plea that it would create difference among the seers. Swami Dayananda Saraswathy, convenor of...

Circular banning killing of stray dogs stayed by HC.
December 1, 2003... Kochi, Dec 1 (PTI) A Division Bench of the Kerala High Court on Monday stayed a Kerala Government circular banning killing of stray dogs, issued in August last year. The stay was issued by the bench comprising Chief Justice J L Gupta and...

EC orders repolling at 56 polling stations in 3 states.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) Repolling will be held in 56 polling stations on December three across the states of Chhattisgarh, Madhya Pradesh and Rajasthan where balloting was disrupted due to booth capturing and damaging of Electronic Voting...

Discipline, righteousness makes enlightened citizen: Kalam.
December 1, 2003... Mohali, Dec 01 (PTI) Discipline and righteousness combined lead to an enlightened citizen and paves the way to a beautiful life, Indian President A P J Abdul Kalam said here in the northern state of Punjab on Monday. "After presenting...

Karunakaran and Murali leave for Delhi.
December 1, 2003... Thiruvananthapuram, Dec 1 (PTI) Amidst serious factionl wrangles plaguing the party in Kerala, Senior Congress leader K Karunakaran and KPCC President K Muraleedharan on Monday left for New Delhi and were likely to hold talks with the party...

Decision to resume overflights to break logjam with India:Pak.
December 1, 2003... K J M Varma Islamabad, Dec 1 (PTI) Shortly after India and Pakistan agreed to restore airlinks and overflights from January one, Islamabad on Monday said it offered unilateral ceasefire and gave up its demand for Indian guarantees for...

Cricketers appeal to Musharraf to reject Zia's resignation.
December 1, 2003... Islamabad, Dec 1 (PTI) Top Pakistan cricketers and coach Javed Miandad on Monday appealed to President Gen. Pervez Musharraf to reject the resignation of Pakistan Cricket Board chairman Tauqir Zia saying his services would be needed ahead of...

56 per cent polling; two killed in stray violence.
December 1, 2003... New Delhi, Dec 1 (PTI) An estimated 56 per cent of the 93.4 million electorate cast their votes on Monday as stray violence claimed two lives and left scores injured in Assembly polls in the states of Delhi, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and...