Onboard Air India One, Oct 26 : Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh has assured Pakistan of getting International Monetary Fund (IMF) help to bail it out from the present financial crisis.

Extending support to Pakistan in getting the funds, Dr. Singh said, "I wish the new democratic government in Pakistan well. We would like them to succeed. Pakistan is in serious difficulties. It is going to the IMF. We will support Pakistan getting help from the IMF."

The assurance given by Dr. Singh during a news conference on board his special aircraft on his way back to New Delhi from China is seen as another confidence building measure to foster ties between the two countries.

New Delhi, Oct 26 : A high-level talks between India and Sri Lanka to resolve the issue of ethnic Tamils in the island nation will be held here today.

The meeting will take place between Basil Rajapaksa, Special Adviser of the Sri Lankan President and External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee.

During his day-long visit, Basil is expected to meet National Security Adviser M K Narayanan and Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon to bring a message from President Mahinda Rajapaksa on his intentions.

Mahinda Rajapaksa, who had a telephonic conversation with Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh, assured him that "all necessary measures" are being taken to ensure safety and well-being of the Tamil community in the island nation.

Beijing/ Onboard Air India One, Oct 26: Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh met his Chinese President Hu Jintao on the sidelines of the seventh two-day Asia-Europe Meeting (ASEM) Summit in Beijing on Saturday.

Dr. Singh said the Chinese President agreed with him that the two countries would be able to achieve the trade target of 60 billion dollars set for 2010.

Srinagar, Oct 26 : Jammu and Kashmir People''s Conference has launched a mass programme calling for boycott of forthcoming elections in the state.

Peoples'' Conference party leader Sajad Gani Lone said his party''s village-level units would campaign for poll boycott.

"We have launched a programme to boycott elections. People Conference is a cadre-based party. We have passed a resolution that all our village-level units will work as anti-election boycott units till the elections. We will run boycott campaigns in their respected villages," said Lone.

The All Parties Hurriyat (Freedom) Conference has called for a complete boycott of the elections scheduled to be held in seven phases.

Srinagar, Oct 25 : Keeping the forthcoming assembly polls in view, Jammu and Kashmir’s State Election Commission will procure 80 lakh tamper-proof security holograms for Electoral Photo Identity Cards.

The holograms are aimed to ensure that there is no misuse of Cards during the polls.

Imphal, Oct. 25 : Irrespective of their profession, Manipuris are getting tired of violent acts of militants.

There is barely any place in the State, which has been able to remain unaffected by the activities of militants. All sections of the population--businessmen, medical professionals, teachers, students and even poor farmers and labourers—have been affected.