Port workers call off strike
The five-day old strike by port and dock
workers at 11 major ports in the country was called off on
Saturday night, following a written assurance by the Surface
Transport Minister, Mr. Rajnath Singh, to settle pending wage
related issues, trade union leaders said.
25 Pak. soldiers killed near LoC
At least 25 Pakistani soldiers, including an
officer, were killed near Raipore in the Akhnoor sector of the
Jammu division early this morning, when Indian troops repulsed an
attack launched by them on a post in the Chamb area. Four Indian
soldiers were injured during the attack on the post, `PP 13'.
Counter-claim by Pakistan
Pakistan, however, came out with the
allegation that the Indian forces ``crossed'' the Line of Control
in the Iftikharabad sub-sector in the Chhamb area and
``launched'' a company-strength attack on a Pakistani post.
Karmapa not to be allowed into Sikkim
The Vajpayee Government is believed to have
taken the first step towards finalising a policy on the Karmapa
issue. According to senior sources in the Vajpayee Government, it
had been decided that the 14-year old Ugyen Trinley Dorje, who is
the 17th Kagyu Karmapa, would not be allowed to enter Sikkim.
Goh for Asian free trade zone
Asia must think of a ``free trade area'' to
avoid being marginalised because of the goings on in other parts
of the world, the Singapore Prime Minister, Mr. Goh Chok Tong,
said today.
Cong.(I) releases first list of candidates
The Congress(I) today announced its candidates
for the 108 constituencies of South Bihar, which go to the polls
in the first phase on February 12. In keeping with Mrs. Sonia
Gandhi's wish to give a new profile to the party, by fielding
fresh faces and younger candidates, little over 23 per cent of
the nominees are under 40 years of age.
Ultimatum to power staff
The Uttar Pradesh Government today announced
that it would not negotiate with the striking employees of the
State Electricity Department if they did not resume duty by
January 24.
4 CRPF jawans killed
Militants of the National Liberation Front of
Tripura ambushed a CRPF vehicle escorting passenger vehicles at
Barapari, about 120 km from here, today and shot dead four jawans
and the driver.
PM announces Rs.10,271-cr. package for North-East
The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee,
announced here today a Rs. 10,271-crore ``Agenda for the Economic
Development'' for the North-East and Sikkim, implying that two
earlier packages - of Rs. 6,100 crores and Rs. 7,000 crores -
announced by two former Prime Ministers, Mr. H. D. Deve Gowda and
Mr. I. K. Gujral, have been given the go-by.
Kargil war heroes honoured
They saw death and destruction from close
quarters together and in fact, participated in the killing spree
which claimed 24 lives.
