After dipping into negative zone during October, Index for industrial production (IIP) registered a positive growth of 2.4% in November 2008.

Industrial action has contracted by 0.3% in October 2008.

IIP stood at 4.9% during the corresponding period of the last year (Nov 2007).

For the first eight months, IIP increased by 3.9 percent as against 9.2 percent in the corresponding period of 2007-08.

New Delhi, Jan 12 : Afghanistan''s President Hamid Karzai met Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh here today to offer his condolences for the recent Mumbai terror attacks.

Bilateral issues, including cooperation in the fight against terrorism and a review of the situation in the region were also discussed during the meeting.

Earlier. Karzai met External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

Chennai, Jan 12 : The Dravida Munettra Kazhagam (DMK) won the Thirumangalam Assembly by-election by a huge margin of 39,266 votes on Monday.

DMK candidate Latha Athiyaman defeated her All India Anna Dravida Munnetra Kazhagam (AIADMK) rival M Muthuramalingam. Athiyaman polled 79,422 votes over Muthuramalingam''s 40,156 votes.

The Desiya Murpokku Dravida Kazhagam (DMDK) came third with 13,136 votes, followed by the Akila India Samathuva Makkal Katchi (AISMK) with a mere 831 votes.

Elections for the seat, which fell vacant after the death of MDMK MLA Veera Illavarasan last month, were held on January 9 this year and counting was taken up today.

MDMK Chief Vaiko asked his ally the AIADMK to contest the seat.

Manila  - Six suspects in the kidnapping of a Pakistani businessman and his Filipino friend were arrested in the northern Philippines, a police spokesman said Monday.

The suspects were apprehended late Sunday shortly after releasing the victims in a remote highway in Hermosa town in Bataan province, 75 kilometres north of Manila, according to Chief Superintendent Nicanor Bartolome.

Bartolome said the suspects were positively identified by relatives of the victims who paid 400,000 pesos (8,421 dollars) for their safe release.

Hong Kong  - Hong Kong shares dipped below the 14,000-point barrier Monday after tumbling for a fourth straight day on grim US job figures and earnings warnings from locally-listed companies.

The blue-chip Hang Seng Index lost 406.44 points, or 2.83 per cent, to end the day at 13,971. Turnover was a relatively low 46.2 billion Hong Kong dollars (5.95 billion US dollars).