Friday, August 18, 2006, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Office of profit: JPC set up
New Delhi, August 17
Rumours that the Election Commission has disqualified 37 MLAs, including the Punjab Chief Minister, for holding offices of profit, sparked hectic political activity today, with Capt Amarinder Singh cutting short his visit and rushing to Chandigarh.

Airport security plans in limbo as officials dither
New Delhi, August 17
* Two years have passed since the Union Ministry of Civil Aviation decided to introduce a system of biometric screening at all the major metro airports. But despite the enormous security threat, the Airport Authority of India (AAI) is yet to decide on even the type of system it wants.

India: The Tasks Ahead
SPECIAL SUPPLEMENT
125TH ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATIONS,
INAUGURAL SESSION

President dedicates memorial to nation
Chandigarh, August 17
The President, Dr APJ Abdul Kalam, today called upon the countrymen to work for making the country not only rich and prosperous but also safe by 2020. He also promised to initiate the process for raising a national war memorial in the national capital to commemorate the soldiers who made supreme sacrifices for the country since 1947.

The President, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam, goes to lay a wreath at the newly inaugurated Chandigarh War Memorial in Sector 3 of Chandigarh on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Manoj Mahajan

Use religious places to reform people: Kalam
Sultanpur Lodhi (Kapurthala), August 17
President Dr APJ Abdul Kalam urged that the worship places in the country should be used for reforming people. He was speaking at Nirmal Kuteya here today where he came on the invitation of Baba Balbir Singh Seechewal, the man behind cleansing of sacred rivulet Kali Bein.

Rid India of corruption, Kalam’s call to youth

Editorial: The Sant and society

The President of India, Dr A.P.J. Abdul Kalam (right), waves to followers of Baba Seechewal at Sultanpur Lodhi on Thursday. Dr Kalam visited the town on an invitation by the Baba to see the progress of the cleaning-up work at the holy rivulet of Kali Bein. — Tribune photo by Pawan Sharma

Passengers evacuated after threat
Sydney, August 17
Australian police were investigating reports that a suspicious device may have been found aboard a Pacific Blue flight which landed at Sydney Airport from Fiji today. (Details on World page)

Musharraf for joint control of Kashmir
New Delhi, August 17
Giving a twist to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh’s suggestion for institutionalised arrangements to bring people from both sides of Kashmir closer, Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf has said this could be the “starter” of a process for “joint management” of the disputed region.

Bismillah Khan hospitalised
Varanasi, August 17
Shehnai maestro Bismillah Khan was hospitalised here today due to extreme weakness following a brief illness. Khan, 92, had fallen ill a week ago and was being treated by a private consultant at his residence here.
In video (56k)

Risking his life, he saves girl from kidnappers Amritsar, August 17 Exemplary courage, by Bhai Isher Singh, a former CRPF cop and a Raagi from Hyderabad foiled the kidnapping of a young girl, daughter of a senior Army officer, in morning here today. Residents did not see such a kidnapping even during days of militancy.