Companies spurn FM plea, not to cut prices
New Delhi, November 18
Finance minister P. Chidambaram today called upon the automobile manufacturers, realty firms and airlines to reduce prices. He also promised to consider excise duty cut for the sectors which were facing the heat of global financial meltdown.

Business page: Govt should facilitate housing: DLF

Polls 2008: Chhattisgarh
Sonia leaves pollsters guessing
Kharsiya, November 18
The Congress in Chhattisgarh has been trying to project a united front in the run-up to the assembly elections, and may have succeeded on the last day of the election campaign for phase-II.

Poll-drawn Jogi misses home constituency
BSP a force to reckon with: Raman Singh

Cong faces problem of plenty in MP
Five leaders aspiring to become CM
Bhopal, November 18
The Congress in Madhya Pradesh is plagued by a problem of plenty. It has at least five leaders aspiring to be the Chief Minister.

Punish ’84 accused: Rahul
'Gandhi family is proud of the Sikh community and has always stood by them in their times of grief
Amritsar, November 18
Describing Operation Bluestar and Delhi riots in the aftermath of the assassination of the then Prime Minister Indira Gandhi as great tragedies, AICC general secretary Rahul Gandhi said those responsible for the anti-Sikh riots must be punished.

Rahul Gandhi signs the visitor’s book at DAV Public School in Amritsar on Tuesday. Tribune photo: Vishal Kumar

Tipsy Haryana babu called back from poll duty
Chandigarh, November 18
A senior Haryana bureaucrat on election duty in Madhya Pradesh, Dr Harbaksh Singh, has been immediately withdrawn from observer duty for “drunken behaviour”.

Aggressive politics a threat: CJI
New Delhi, November 18
Expressing serious concern over senseless violence in different parts of the country, Chief Justice of India K.G. Balakrishnan today warned that aggressive politics on divisive issues.

India, Egypt sign extradition treaty New Delhi, November 18 India and Egypt, the two ancient civilisations fighting terrorism, today pledged to jointly combat the menace in all its forms and manifestations while signing five key accords, including an extradition treaty. (Details in Nation page) Prime Minister Manmohan Singh with Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak before their meeting at Hyderabad House in New Delhi on Tuesday. Mubarak is on a four-day state visit to India. Tribune photo: Mukesh Aggarwal

BSP also expels Natwar Singh
Lucknow, November 18
The three-month-long marriage of convenience between former external affairs minister K. Natwar Singh and the Bahujan Samaj Party came to an abrupt end today with the BSP expelling him from the party for indulging in anti-party activities.

Hijacked Saudi supertanker anchoring off Somalia Bosaso (Somalia), Nov 18 A Saudi supertanker hijacked by pirates with its $100 million oil cargo was anchoring off Somalia on Tuesday, the U.S. navy said. “We can confirm the ship is anchoring off the Somali coast at Haradheere,” said Lt. Nathan Christensen, spokesman for the U.S.