24 February 1998
IBA's wish list for Narasimham calls for 100% divestment in public-sector banks The Indian Banks' Association (IBA) has called for 100% divestment of the government stake in public sector banks. The bankers' body has advocated total privatisation of weak banks and mergers and acquisitions as a strategic move for consolidation in the industry as smaller banks will not be able to survive competition.	HC reinstates Kalyan, but the farce is on One Chief Minister, in a fleet of two dozen cars, rushing to occupy his chair, the other ``Chief Minister'' following him, hot on his heels. The political situation in UP got more piquant on Moday after the Allahabad High Court restored the Kalyan Singh government and quashed the appointment of Jagdambika Pal. Centre pegs GDP growth at 5% The economic slowdown has now been officially confirmed to be worse than anticipated earlier. The latest "advance" estimates put out by the Central Statistical Organisation (CSO) put the GDP growth figure at just 5% for 1997-98, well below even the 6% forecast by the RBI last December.
WEEKLY SNAPSHOTS Bond does it again Tomorrow Never Dies has turned out to be another great trump card for the 35-year old James Bond franchise. But the troubled events that dogged this film made it seem as if 007 had finally met his nemesis. The making of Tomorrow Never Dies was probably the closest shave that James Bond ever had. FIs disbursal drama Last week, two very strange headlines appeared in prominent business dailies. Some publications talked about financial institution disbursals jumping by 21% during the first three quarters of the fiscal compared to the corresponding period of the previous year. But there were others which pointed out that sanctions by financial institution had dropped by 14.9%. Sadly, both were correct.   TOP STORIES FOR FEB 24 Rajasthan to lease out heritage properties Gulshan's son may bar uncle from using T-Series logo Re under pressure, falls below 39 mark LTTE attacks Lankan Navy, 51 die SS-BJP to review campaign strategy	Web Posted at 06:00:50 IST INDIA SC to hear writ on HC order tomorrow on UP crisis The Supreme Court will hear a writ petition challenging the Allahabad High Court order restoring the Kalyan Singh government today morning. WORLD Clinton approves UN-Iraq deal President Bill Clinton has agreed to a UN-Iraq deal signed earlier today, a White House official said. 18 killed in Algerian bomb attack Eighteen people were killed and 25 others wounded today in a bomb attack on a train travelling from Algiers to El-Affroun, the Algerian security services said in a statement. Tamil rebels attack military convoy sinking two ships Tamil Tiger rebels attacked a military sea convoy carrying soldiers to northern Sri Lanka, sinking two ships and killing up to 40 people, officials said today. SPORTS Raman Lamba's body arrives in capital, cremation today Body of cricketer Raman Lamba, who died early today in Dhaka, was brought here tonight accompanied by his Irish wife Kim and sister Anita. An Express view of Elections '98