Eminent economist Willem Buiter was in the capital on Tuesday to attend the Annual India Policy Forum. During his speech at the Shangri-la Hotel, Prof. Willem addressed his views on sovereign debts crisis in the West and the lessons India can learn.

The Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council (NAC) meets once again on Wednesday in the span of less than a fortnight to firm up the broad contours of the contentious National Food Security Bill. However, it is unlikely that the proposed legislation would provide for universal entitlement.

BJP leader Yashwant Sinha, who deposed before the parliamentary committee on the Civil Liability for Nuclear Damage Bill, has pointed out that the civil liability bill was unconstitutional and had been pushed through under pressure from the US. Panel members present at the meeting did point out that India was currently negotiating

Congress chief Sonia Gandhi is currently taking stock of the situation across the country through her meetings with the PCC chiefs and CLP leaders against the backdrop of the fuel price hike, internal security and the coming Assembly elections in key states.

Gujarat Congress leaders strongly objected to Union minister of state (independent charge) for environment and forests Jairam Ramesh giving a certificate of good governance to Gujarat chief minister Narendra Modi.

After attacking the fuel price hike, senior Congress leader Anil Shastri has targeted Planning Commission deputy chairman Montek Singh Ahluwalia, telling him that the government is run by “elected representatives and not the plan panel”.

Fearing Maoist retaliation the Chhattisgarh government has not yet begun the census exercise in Naxal-infested Dantewada and Narayanpur districts. Also, government officials are not willing to venture into the dense areas dominated by the Maoists.

When he meets with Pakistan foreign minister Shah Mehmood Qureshi in Islamabad on July 15, external affairs minister S.M. Krishna will be only too keenly aware that his brief is a complex one on account of the lingering domestic sense of unmet expectations from Islamabad in the 26/11 context.

Humanitarian issues such as people-to-people ties and exchange of prisoners are expected to be discussed when the foreign ministers of India and Pakistan meet in Islamabad on Thursday.

Ahead of the visit of an all-party delegation from Jammu and Kashmir to meet Prime Minister Manmohan Singh, National Conference president and Union minister Farooq Abdullah ruled out any threat to the J&K government headed by Omar Abdullah, saying it was strong enough to face any challenge.