Recently added articles from India Today:

Helpline to Kabul ; Having transformed the lives of many women artisans at home, Self- employed Women's Association (SEWA) is now setting up a vocational training centre to enable the women in Afghanistan, at Bagh-e- Zanana (women's market), Kabul, to become self-reliant. The courses will last about three months, with the fee ranging from Rs 12,000 to Rs 15,000.

Jul 14, 2008; Nandini Vaish ... Having transformed the lives of many women artisans at home, theSelf-employed Women's Association (SEWA) is now setting up avocational training centre for women in Afghanistan, at Bagh-e-Zanana (women's market), Kabul. Currently, 35 Afghan women are training in Ahmedabad. The cost ...

South American surprise ; Delhi

Jul 14, 2008; Sandeep Unnithan ... In a breakthrough for the virtually nonexistent Indian defenceexport sector, Hindustan Aeronautics Ltd (HAL) in Bangalore hasbagged an order for seven Dhruv Advanced Light Helicopters worth $51million (Rs 214 crore) for Ecuador's armed forces. The first Dhruv military utility ...

The buzz of the week ; With the Left digging in its heels, the UPA Government is worried that if it has a showdown in Parliament over the Indo-US nuclear deal, some of its own MPs may go against it to secure their Muslim votebank.

Jul 14, 2008 ... With the Left digging in its heels, the UPA Government is worriedthat if it has a showdown in Parliament over the Indo-US nucleardeal, some of its own MPs may go against it to secure their Muslimvotebank. Voices Prime Minister Manmohan Singh is sulking. He has been ...

Political jamboree ; Bhopal has been the venue of a veritable political jamboree at the launch of the Hindi version of the leader of the Opposition and BJPS's prime ministerial candidate, L.K. Advani's, autobiography.

Jul 14, 2008; Ambreesh Mishra ... He may have announced his plans to contest the next parliamentaryelections from his pocket borough of Gandhinagar in Gujarat, butMadhya Pradesh is fast emerging as the favourite stopover in thepolitical itinerary of L.K. Advani. His Sankalp Yatra from Jabalpur in February was cut ...

Signposts ; President Pratibha Patil presented the B.C. Roy National Award for medicine to cardiologist Dr Naresh Trehan and endocrinologist Dr Anoop Misra.

Jul 14, 2008 ... Died: Kewal Krishan, former Punjab assembly speaker and financeminister. He represented the Mukerian Vidhan Sabha segment in thestate Assembly seven times. He was 85. Died: G.M. Banatwala, 74, Indian Union Muslim League presidentand the national face of the minority community. He ...

Vis-a-vis ; Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh Yadav versus RJD chief Lalu Prasad Yadav.

Jul 14, 2008 ... Samajwadi Party chief Mulayam Singh ...

Fail marks ; ABVP is accusing Jakhar of dragging his feet for over a year on taking action against Kamalakar Singh, the vice-chancellor of a Madhya Pradesh Bhoj (Open) University.

Jul 14, 2008; Mihir Srivastava ... President Pratibha Patil's visit to Madhya Pradesh has turnedinto an occasion for Akhil Bharatiya Vidyarthi Parishad (ABVP) tovoice its protest against Governor Balram Jakhar. ABVP is accusing Jakhar of dragging his feet for over a year ontaking action against Kamalakar Singh, the ...

Ticket to ride ; The West Bengal Government is planning to introduce insurance benefits for the passengers of the 2,000 long-distance state transport buses probably a subtle way to make bus travel look like a more palatable prospect.

Jul 14, 2008; Nandini Vaish ... The West Bengal Government is planning to introduce insurancebenefits for the passengers of the 2,000 long-distance statetransport buses probably a subtle way to make bus travel look likea more palatable prospect. The initial plan was to have passengers using the state ...

The pappu culture ; The not-so-young Gandhi, we are told, is part of a board that is conducting extensive interviews of young hopefuls. Gandhi junior is like the new breed of young men who have split several business empires .

Jul 14, 2008; Kaveree Bamzai ... Forgive me for laughing out loud but ever since I read that RahulGandhi is conducting a talent search for a new generation of full-timers in the Congress, I haven't quite been myself. The not-so-young Gandhi, we are told, is part of a board that isconducting extensive interviews ...

Thumping her iron fist ; Ever since Chief Minister Mayawati assumed office in May last year, she has clamped down on BSP MLAs and ministers who are accused of criminal acts.

Jul 14, 2008; Subhash Mishra ... It's a cleansing act that Chief Minister Mayawati is bent onpursuing, even against her own partymen. Ever since she assumedoffice in May last year, she has clamped down on BSP MLAs andministers who are accused of criminal acts. The latest to earn her ire is Bhagwan Sharma alias ...

Corner plot politics ; Facing eviction from bungalows they have lived in for decades following a Supreme Court order, smaller parties in search of a new home in Delhi could find a chic address hard to come by as the Congress splits the cake in its favour.

Jul 14, 2008; Shafi Rahman ... When it comes to splitting up the family silver, the nationspoliticians are beginning to resemble eternally fractious Indianfamilies. As the Government doles out plots to political parties for theconstruction of their future headquarters, some are turning greenwith envy as ...

Going for the kill ; The euphoria over the unilateral declaration of ceasefire by the most potent battalion of ULFA may be short-lived if the government and the pro-talk group fail to bring in more cadres to their fold.

Jul 14, 2008; Kaushik Deka ... Anil Haloi (name changed), who had joined the United LiberationFront of Assam (ULFA) in 1988, was a disillusioned rebel till lastmonth. He had been involved in kidnapping, murders, blasts and attackson security forces, all in the name of struggle for independence ....

An unholy order ; The Governments flip-flop over land allotment to the ASB has exacerbated tensions in the state and gives BJP one more chance to whip the Congress.

Jul 14, 2008; Aijaz Hussain ... It is never hard for politicians to indulge in flip-flops andsome situations demand a lot of it. The controversy over transfer ofland to Amarnath Shrine Board (ASB) and its subsequent revocation bythe Jammu and Kashmir Government is one such. It would never have inflamed passions, ...

A deadly ambush ; The killing of 35 crack Greyhounds commandos deals a severe blow to the anti-Maoist operations in Andhra Pradesh as well as in its neighbouring states.

Jul 14, 2008; Amarnath K. Menon ... It is a stunning blow to the elite Greyhounds commando force ofAndhra Pradesh. Having made a glorious record in anti-Maoist operations in thestate as well as in neighbouring Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh andOrissa to emerge as a role model for other forces, few would haveimagined ...

In search of a hangman ; With no one willing to tighten the noose around their neck, 80 convicts facing death penalties await their turn at the gallows.

Jul 14, 2008; Amitabh Srivastava ... It is a job that demands sheer strength and unusual bravery butno classroom education. No previous experience is required either. However, the candidate must be a male, at least 5 ft 4 inchestall, and willing to tighten the noose around the convict's neck andthen pull the lever ....

Merger mantras ; With acquisitions emerging as an integral part of corporate strategy, Indian companies put into place ideas and initiatives in the cultural and business landscape to make the mergers deliver results.

Jul 14, 2008; Nivedita Mukherjee ... It was an unusual request for healthcare giant Dr ReddysLaboratories (DRL). In 2006, Catherine Dulak, while relocating toIndia from the US with her husband who was to join DRL, insisted onbringing her seven pet cats along. The pharmaceutical company got the feline beauties shipped ...

Cash from trash ; With waste management proving profitable the world over, Indian entrepreneurs look at rubbish as a resource to build new businesses.

Jul 14, 2008; Nandini Vaish ... The shiny, freshly-painted exterior of The Ideas Company (TIC) inNoida is quite a contrast to its interior, where cartons of brokencomputer monitors, printers and printed circuit boards (PCBs) leanagainst the walls. Men and women in fluorescent safety jackets tear computers ...

What India should do ; India unveils an ambitious national action plan to combat climate change. To work, it has to set off stiff targets and push for a new global compact based on equity, writes Raj Chengappa. <a>Archives: Global warming - Apocalypse now

Jul 14, 2008; Raj Chengappa ... Himalayan glaciers: The big meltdown Melting galcier: Siachen snow under fire The monsoon: Whats wrong with the weather? Politically the climate may not have been right. After all, thefuture of Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and his UPA Government laybalanced on a ...

50 ways to make the difference ; Wondering how you can contribute to the greening of India? Or what the country should be doing to save the earth? A survivor's guide to climate change by Raj Chengappa.

Jul 14, 2008; Raj Chengappa ... Wondering how you can contribute to the greening of India? Orwhat the country should be doing to save the earth? A survivor'sguide to climate change. 1 HOW GREEN IS MY VALLEY Forests are one of the most effective carbon sinks and criticalfor preserving the ecological balance ....

Beware of mobiles ; The debate on the potential health hazards of cell phones is simmering once again. Even though the data are mixed and experts differ, the Government has now sounded the alarm. How harmful is your mobile?

Jul 14, 2008; Damayanti Datta ...For a nation that loves to talk, cell phones havebecome a lifeline. Metro Indians talk seven hours and text 56messages a week on average, while more than 50 per cent tune in tomobile music even at work. But the figures, thrownup by a study last year by ...