Jaswant sceptical
Sounding sceptical about the prospects of a dialogue with Pakistan, the External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, pointed out that the Pakistan Foreign Minister, Mr. Abdul Sattar, has not sought a formal meeting with him at a non-aligned conference next week.

World court to decide on jurisdiction first
The International Court of Justice (ICJ) today began hearing a dispute raised by Pakistan on the shooting down of its naval aircraft, `Atlantique', last August in Gujarat saying it would first have to decide whether it had the jurisdiction to go into the case as contended by New Delhi.

Bengal Cong. leaders meet Sonia
Despite the loss of face caused by the defeat of Mr. D. P. Roy, considered her nominee in the Rajya Sabha elections in West Bengal, the Congress(I) President, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, adopted a conciliatory approach towards leaders of the State unit who met her today. At a time when murmurs questioning her leadership are becoming louder, Mrs. Gandhi preferred not to rock the boat in West Bengal, where Assembly elections are due next year.

CMs meet today on PWG menace
The Chief Ministers of the naxal violence- affected States- Andhra Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa and Bihar- are to meet here tomorrow to fine- tune the strategy to tackle Left wing extremism. The meeting, to be chaired by the Union Home Minister, Mr. L. K. Advani, will be the first one after the Andhra Pradesh Minister, Madhav Reddy, was killed in a landmine explosion near Hyderabad by the People's War Group (PWG) cadres.

Turkmenistan keen on gas export
Resource rich but landlocked, the Central Asian Republic of Turkmenistan could export natural gas to an energy hungry India along a land corridor passing through Afghanistan and Pakistan, Turkmenistan's visiting Foreign Minister, Mr. Boris Shikhmuradov, has said.

Vijay Nambiar, Pak. envoy
Mr. Vijay K. Nambiar will be India's new High Commissioner to Pakistan, the Foreign Office announced today.

Japanese Prime Minister in coma
The Japanese Prime Minister, Mr. Keizo Obuchi, is unconscious and in coma, the acting Premier, Mr. Mikio Aoki, said .

No 'secret mission' with Pak.
India today scotched speculation that the former Pakistani Foreign Secretary, Mr. Niaz Naik, was on a ``secret mission'' to revive ties between New Delhi and Islamabad.

Infiltration bid foiled
Army troops foiled an infiltration bid in Kerni area of Poonch sector in Jammu and Kashmir and shot dead two Pakistan Army regulars and seven terrorists as they tried to sneak into Indian territory, a Defence spokesman said today.

Mamata meets Ghani Khan
The Trinamul Congress leader, Ms. Mamata Banerjee, tonight met the WBPCC chief, Mr. A.B.A. Ghani Khan Choudhary, in a bid to forge a ``grand alliance'' against the CPI(M).