Periyar dam panel recommends raising storage level
The Expert Committee on Mullaiperiyar dam is understood to have recommended that the water storage height of the dam be raised to 142 feet from the current level of 136 feet. Kerala has given a dissenting note on this major recommendation which is a point of disagreement with Tamil Nadu.

Pranab to meet Jayalalitha?
A senior Congress emissary, most probably the Congress Working Committee member, Mr. Pranab Mukherjee, is likely to fly to Chennai next week to confer with the AIADMK supremo, Ms. J. Jayalalitha, even as the AICC sources were suggesting today that the party has neither totally closed the ``third front option'' nor yet given up the option of exploring a ``DMK-TMC-Congress minus BJP'' formulation.

Shabir Shah for NGOs to monitor J&K polls
While supporting the peace initiative in Jammu and Kashmir, the J&K Democratic Freedom Party president, Mr. Shabir Shah, today urged the Indian Government to avail of the ``golden opportunity'' offered by Pakistan's ``positive response'' to the peace process.

Ghising injured in grenade attack
The Darjeeling Gorkha Hill Council chairman and Gorkha National Liberation Front chief, Mr. Subhas Ghising, suffered seriously head injuries in a grenade attack on his car by unidentified gunmen near Kurseong this evening.

Time not yet ripe for talks with Pak.?
The latest incident of jehadi violence, attack on the police control room in Srinagar yesterday, is being evaluated in the context of the larger debate on whether or not the time is ripe to initiate a dialogue with Pakistan.

Ravi Shankar honoured
Sitar maestro Pandit Ravi Shankar has been bestowed the award of Honorary Knight Commander of the order of the British Empire by the Queen in recognition of his service to music.

LTTE will pull out of talks if banned in U.K.
The LTTE will pull out of the Norwegian peace initiative if the U.K. bans it under its new anti-terrorism law, its representative in London, Mr. Anton Balasingham, has said.

India, Russia sign oil deal
India and Russia have signed an historic accord on massive Indian investment in the Sakhalin oil and gas fields that will give a major boost to their bilateral economic relations.