Vienna, Aug. 22 : New Zealand diplomats are said to have played a major role in attempting to block a nuclear deal between India and the United States late on Thursday night.

Wellington’s stance over the deal has won front-page headlines in the Indian media. The 45-member Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), which includes New Zealand, was meant to have approved the deal, but no consensus was reached yesterday, Fairfax News reports.

New Zealand, Austria, Ireland, Norway and Switzerland have the power to block NSG approval for India.

New Zealand is refusing to accept the deal on the ground that India has not signed the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT). India, on the other hand, wants a waiver from the rule.

Hewlett Packard has launched new range of notebooks EliteBooks 2730p and Compaq 2230d ibn the market.

The company has also launched Compaq 2230s for professional. The Elite Book 2730p is very thin, while Compaq 2230s is an ultra-portable laptop with weight of just 4.07-pound.

Maruti Suzuki, which surpassed parent Suzuki in annual sales last fiscal, is ready to emerge as an exclusive base for small cars, by playing a pivotal role in the Japanese auto major’s global plans.

Mr. S Nakanishi, Maruti Suzuki’s MD reported, “Quality and productivity have improved manifold in Maruti Suzuki in the last few years. Let us now channelise it to the next level, where we become the exclusive base to manufacture small cars for Europe.”

The news is finally out. The 3G iPhone would be sold in India by Vodafone and the 8GB model of the handset would cost Rs 31,000 ($712), while the 16GB model will cost Rs 36,100 ($828).

The costs are pretty high as India till now does not even have 3G services. However, it is being said the services would be available by next year.

Jammu, August 21 : Irate demonstrators burnt vehicles in Jammu on Thursday protesting over controversial shrine land row.

A group of angry protesters went on a rampage damaging the vehicle of a senior leader belonging to central ruling Congress party and former Deputy Chief Minister of State Mangat Ram Sharma, who was visiting the area.

The protestors also set on fire four private vehicles parked in a by-lane.

Sharma, whose car was badly damaged, urged the people to maintain peace and harmony and try and strengthen relations between Kashmir and Jammu regions.

Jammu, Aug 21 : Day curfew was withdrawn, today in districts of Jammu, Udhampur and relaxed for varying periods in areas of Jammu province, affected with protests over the Amarnath land row. Curfew has been lifted from 5 am to 8 pm in Jammu and from 5a. m to 10p. m in Udhampur district today, said official sources.

A three-hour curfew relaxation from 9:30 am has been given by authorities in Kishtwar town, which witnessed communal clashes on August 12.

A relaxation in curfew has also been given for 11 hours from 5 am, in Samba town.