Security girdle for Punjab
Following information of a possible strike by the Lashkar-e-Taiba, an alert has been sounded in Punjab, especially in the border districts. Special measures have been taken to beef up security at the Raja Sansi airport, the Attari railway station and the checkpost at the India-Pakistan border at Wagah on the G.T. Road leading to Lahore.

Resume three-way talks: Pak.
Pakistan today made a guarded response to another extension of the ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir by the Indian Government and called for the resumption of a three-way dialogue.

Hizb chief's house gutted
Fire destroyed the house of Mr. Abdul Majid Dar, chief commander of the pro-Pakistan militant outfit, Hizb-ul- Mujahideen, in Jammu and Kashmir, who had declared a unilateral ceasefire in July last, official sources said here today.

Srichand interrogation over
The CBI today again questioned Mr. Srichand Hinduja, chairperson of the Hinduja group, on several aspects of the alleged commission received by the Hinduja brothers in the Rs. 1,437-crore Bofors gun deal in 1986.

Alert in Delhi against 'fidayeen' attack
Security agencies and the Delhi police are on a ``high alert'' following intelligence reports that a ``fidayeen'' or suicide squad of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) has sneaked into the Capital to strike during the Republic Day celebrations.

Lifting of sanctions a matter of time: Chandra
India's ambassador to the United States, Mr. Naresh Chandra, today said that it was only a matter of time before the U.S. lifted the remaining sanctions against India since there is better appreciation in the U.S. Congress on the bipartisan lines of the security requirements in the subcontinent.

LTTE extends ceasefire
The LTTE today announced that it would extend its unilateral ceasefire by another month.

E.U.-India: from fascination to greater cooperation
India always fascinated Europe; its culture, its diversity, its democratic tradition, its sheer size. Today, the European Union is India's top trading partner, and European companies are the leading investors in the country.

Indian envoy's house burgled in Islamabad
The house of a diplomat in the Indian High Commission had been burgled here today and some valuables were reportedly missing. According to sources in the High Commission, a group of five men broke into the house of Mr. Vakil Ramdass when he went to the high commission. They reportedly ransacked the house for over three hours. A case had been registered.