After three missed deadlines, the Delhi Metro’s Airport Link — initially scheduled to run ahead of the 2010 Commonwealth Games — finally begins passenger services from Wednesday. Operations on the 23-km sector will begin at 2 pm, a Metro spokesman said.

The Congress has upped the ante in seat-sharing negotiations with the DMK and has demanded 90 seats for the Assembly polls in Tamil Nadu. Besides that, it has insisted on power-sharing, formation of a coordination committee and drawing up a common minimum programme for a five-year period, according to sources.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told Parliament on Tuesday that his government had “reluctantly” agreed to set up a joint parliamentary committee on the 2G spectrum scam, as demanded by the Opposition, after it completely paralysed the previous session over the issue.

Abducted Malkangiri collector R. Vineel Krishna and junior engineer Pabitra Mohan Majhi were freed by Maoists Tuesday night after the state government conceded to all their demands. The collector and the junior engineer were on their way to the Malkangiri district headquarters from Chitrogonda, where they were held hostage.

Nine years after the Godhra train carnage led to the deaths of 59 kar sevaks, triggering anti-Muslim riots in Gujarat in which thousands were killed, a special court here held 31 persons guilty of conspiracy over the train burning. Sixty-three others, including prime accused Maulvi Hussain Umarji, were acquitted by special judge P.R. Patel for lack of adequate evidence. The sentencing of the 31 convicts will be done on Friday.

Supreme Court’s recent directive to dismantle Salwa Judum (SJ) — tribal militia formed in Bastar to fight the Maoists — camps are likely to put the Chhattisgarh government in a tight spot with the SJ members appearing determined not to return to their villages.

The rural development ministry is considering ways to accommodate its most vocal critics in the Central Employment Guarantee Council, Aruna Roy and Jean Dreze, who are also members of the Sonia Gandhi-led National Advisory Council.

New Delhi set in motion on Tuesday the procedures for a quick and safe evacuation of the Indian nationals from Libya after an Indian lost his life in a road accident while attempting to flee violence-hit Libya for Egypt.

A number of Indian labourers from Rajasthan are stuck in strife-torn Libya amid unrest and violence against Col. Gaddafi while their family members requested authorities to make arrangements for their repatriation. CM Ashok Gehlot sent a letter to external affairs minister S.M. Krishna seeking a relief for the stranded labourers.

The Union home ministry has proposed to develop its own fleet of helicopters and aircraft to provide air support to Central paramilitary forces engaged in anti-Naxal operations. The proposed air wing, which will remain under the Border Security Force, will have a minimum of 20-25 copters and aircraft like MI-17 helicopters, Embraers