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        The Netherlands has agreed to host a special international court to try suspected killers of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik al-Hariri, the United Nations has announced. Hariri and 22 others were killed in February 2005 when a car bomb went off in the capital Beirut. The interim United Nation's findings link the blast to Syrian and Lebanese security officials. But Damascus has denied any involvement of its personnel. However, since the incident, Syria has withdrawn its troops from Lebanon under international pressure. After the world body decided to set up the special court to try the killers of Hariri and others, its Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon wrote to Dutch government that the world body would like the tribunal to be set up there, citing the country's experience in hosting international tribunals. The suspected killers are to be brought to book.

        The Bush administration is quietly prodding Pakistan President General Pervez Musharraf to share authority with his rival as a way of broadening his base and keep him in power amidst deepening political crisis in the country, media reports said Thursday. General Musharraf, an important ally since the 11 September attacks, has lost so much domestic support in recent months that the US officials have got behind the idea that an alliance with former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto would be his best chance of remaining the President, The New York Times said. The two met in an unannounced session in Abu Dhabi on 27 July, but neither has publicly admitted to the meeting. Since then, many in Pakistan have heard the rumours and voiced their doubts about the workability and political wisdom of such a deal, and the US officials concede that the proposed power-sharing could come with problems as well as benefits, the report said. A face-saving attempt.

        Japan's Defence Minister will head to Pakistan next week at the same time as a major visit by Prime Minister Shinzo Abe to its neighbour and rival India, an official said on Thursday. Abe, a conservative who seeks a greater military role for Japan, has long championed nurturing ties with India to balance Tokyo's frequent tensions with China. At the same time as his visit there, Defence Minister Yuriko Koike will fly to Pakistan as 'a special envoy of the Prime Minister,' according to a Defence Ministry spokesman. She will hold talks in Islamabad on Wednesday with Pakistani Defence Minister Rao Sikandar Iqbal, the spokesman said. Japanese media reports said she was also expected to meet with President Pervez Musharraf. Koike will visit New Delhi on the heels of Abe but has no joint schedule with him. Yuriko Koike wants cordial relationship with India.

        The BJP on Friday refused to condemn NDA convenor George Fernandes' comments on Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, calling them an expression of his anguish over the Indo-US nuclear deal. 'We do not condemn it,' senior party leader Sushma Swaraj told a news conference here. 'It (Fernandes' statement) was an expression of anguish,' she remarked. She also parried a question whether her party approved of the former Defence Minister's comments that if it were China 'they would have settled it with one bullet in his head' for Singh's 'continuous bluffing' on the nuclear accord. 'It's not the question of my approving or disapproving something. Nor is it the question of justifying something... it's (a matter of) style and language, an aggressive statement,' Swaraj said. It is quite natural that the BJP in the opposition to act in this manner.

        A man has been arrested in Mumbai for allegedly sending SMS messages that said he could arrange a meeting with President Pratibha Patil on payment of Rs 22,000, police said Friday. 'The inquiry report in the matter was submitted Friday, on the basis of which Sanjay Bhide was arrested for sending these SMS,' Deputy Commissioner of Police Sanjay Mohite told Press. Bhide has been charged with cheating. Police had been probing the SMS scam since Tuesday. Bhide, who claimed to be the convenor of the 'Trans-Asian Chamber of Commerce and Industry', was caught on tape in a sting operation by a TV news channel while asking for money from a prospective client. He allegedly sent SMS messages in which he promised people he could organise a meeting with Patil in New Delhi on 19 and 20 August if they submitted a copy of their resume and paid him Rs 22,000. A man knowing the nuances played mischief.

        'Honeymoon' has overnight become a potent weapon to send strong political messages in the backdrop of the strains in relations between the UPA and its key ally Left over the Indo-US nuclear deal. The talk of honeymoon and marital life dragged one senior Union Minister on Friday to even talk about his personal life soon after tying the knot. The romantic word came into spotlight in the middle of the rising political heat Thursday night when CPI general secretary A B Bardhan remarked that the 'honeymoon' between UPA and Left was over and only the 'divorce paper' had to be signed. Picking on that, CPI-M general secretary Prakash Karat said before the start of the crucial CPI-M politburo meeting today 'the honeymoon may be over but the marriage can go on'. 'Honeymoon' has become mark of the day.

        All India Dr Ambedkar Makkal Iyakkam has appealed to the Centre as well as Tamilnadu government to make Hindi a compulsory language at the schools in the State. Talking to reporters in Dharmapuri Iyakkam founder president V Balasundaram said that a decision with regard to the demand should be implemented from the coming academic year itself. The organisation also planned to meet Prime Minister and Union Human Resources Minister in this regard. Balasundaram also demanded filling of vacant posts in the State government departments. He said that as many as 1.10 lakh vacancies needed to be filled. He also threatened to hold agitations from January 2008 if the government failed to meet the demand. It is quite correct that Hindi should be learnt.

        The BJP will soon launch a protest in which farmers will be exhorted not to undertake any cultivation for a year to draw the Central government's attention to the issue of suicides by bankrupt farmers. The 'One Year No Cultivation Agitation' will be organised by the farmers' wing of the BJP, the general secretary of the body in Tamilnadu, V Kannan, said in Cuddalore on Friday. Taking part in a 'farmers grievances day' meeting at the district collectorate in Cuddalore, Kannan said the problems faced by the agricultural sector, especially by farmers, were not addressed by the Central government. When the excess Cauvery water in Mettur Dam was released, around 100 tmc water was wasted as it flowed into the Bay of Bengal, he claimed. They assert 'Jai Kisan.'

        The situation in Tenkasi, where six persons were killed in a clash between two groups, was limping back to normalcy. Police said that Tuesday's clash was due to 'personal enmity' between activists of the Tamilnadu Muslim Munnetra Kazhagam and Hindu Munanai and was not a clash between two communities. Among those killed were three brothers of the Hindu Munnani leader Kumarapandian. Officials said that supporters of Kumarapandian, who was murdered on 17 December, 2006, made an attempt on the life of Maiden Sait Khan. Though the clash was between the two groups, it led to tension in the town, they said. Meanwhile, the Additional Director General of Police Vijayakumar said that 500 policemen have been deployed in the area and another 500 personnel would be sent there. He warned of severe action against those who perpetrate revenge killings. It is atrocious that communal violence goes unabated.

        Sensing a virtual consensus between ruling DMK and the opposition AIADMK in Tamilnadu on the State running cable TV services, two industry associations Friday thanked both of them for 'taking into account the problems of cable operators'. Referring to the State government decision to set up a Cable TV Corporation to distribute services in the State, office-bearers of the Tamilnadu Cable TV Operators Welfare Association (TCOA) and Tamilnadu Cable TV Urimayalargal Sangam (TANCUS) told a press conference they were satisfied with the assurance given by Chief Minister M Karunanidhi that existing operators would not be affected. ' Karunanidhi has assured that the existing cable operators will not be affected and we thank him for this,' TANCUS president Kayal Ilavarasu said. Cable operators are relieved.

        After showing leniency, the city traffic police has started to enforce strictly the rule making wearing of helmet mandatory by two-wheeler riders. The traffic police booked 6,000 cases of violations of the rule in a single day, making its intentions clear to motorists of the city. Each of them were levied a spot fine of Rs 100, Additional Commissioner of Police (Traffic) Sunil Kumar, told presspersons. 'Since 1 June (the day the rule came into effect), we booked an average of 600 cases per day', he said indicating the helmet preferences of the two-wheeler riders in the city. The government notified the rule following an order of the Madras High Court on a public interest litigation petition. It should have been enforced from the day one.

        Describing the recent increase in the guideline value of lands in Tamilnadu as 'anti-people,' AIADMK supremo Jayalalithaa on Friday announced her party would stage a State-wide demonstration on 24 August demanding its withdrawal. The manifold increase in the guideline value in both urban and rural areas of the State, announced on 1 August last, had affected the poor and middle class people, she said in a statement in Chennai. She said the State government had also dispensed with the procedure of obtaining 'no objection' certificate from departments concerned for registration of land belonging to temples, Wakf Board and local bodies. This had paved the way for DMK men to usurp public property, she charged. It is another case for the AIADMK.

        The Union Bank of India plans to open 200 more branches and 700-800 ATMs across the country by the end of this year, a top official of the bank said. The bank has also got approval for opening a representative office in Abu Dhabi and will open it in three months, Executive Director R S Reddy told reporters in Chennai Saturday after launching the 43rd ATM of the bank. The bank would be opening a branch in Hong Kong by December this year and has already got approval from the RBI. 'It is in the last stages and we have to get approval from the Hong Kong Monetary Authority,' he said. 'We are trying to open representative offices in Doha, Sri Lanka and Dhaka,' he said adding the bank was looking at three to four countries, including Africa for launching operations. Reddy said the joint venture with the Japanese insurance company Deichi and Bank of India for providing insurance should be finalised in about six months once the IRDA approval is got.

        India beat Scotland by seven wickets in the rain-reduced Royal stag cup cricket tournament in Glasgow on Thursday. India lost just three wickets on way to reaching the target of 209 runs.

        Earlier, India won the toss and elected to bat against Scotland. Munaf Patel made a successful return as India dished out a tidy bowling performance to restrict Scotland to 204 for nine in the rain-reduced one-off one-day international at Glasgow.

        Patel, who missed the Ireland one-dayers and England Tests with an injury, picked up 2-37 with a changed action from a shortened run up.