Mukherjee Calls Chidambaram A ‘Valued Colleague’

• Colleagues in Arms. Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee described Home Minister P. Chidambaram as a “valued colleague” and said he would discuss the issue of Chidambaram’s part in the 2G scam with law minister Salman Khurshid on his return. A note from the finance ministry to the PMO has caused a storm for suggesting that the 2G scam could have been avoided if then Finance Minister Chidambaram had insisted on spectrum allocation through auction. [Hindustan Times]

• Air Crash. Ten Indians have been killed after a private plane carrying tourists to Mt. Everest crashed 20 kms from Kathmandu. The private airline Buddha Air was carrying 19 people and was returning to the capital after an hour-long mountain flight when the accident occurred. Of the 10 Indians killed, eight were part of a builders’ delegation from Tamil Nadu. [The Times of India]

• Women’s Vote. In a landmark reform, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia has granted women of his country the right to vote and run in future elections. “We refuse to marginalize the role of women in Saudi society,” the King said, adding that women would also be appointed to the Majlis Al-Shura, a council that advises the monarchy on public policy but is largely considered to be a “toothless body”. Activists welcomed the change, though some have wondered how they’d be allowed to campaign if they weren’t allowed to drive. [The New York Times]