Survey wants check on fiscal deficit
While recounting the positive developments on the economic front during 1999-2000, the Economic Survey for the year has extensively focussed on the soft underbelly of the country's economy which requires urged attention. The Survey was presented in both Houses of Parliament today.

'Taliban sympathised with hijackers'
The External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, told the Rajya Sabha today that the Taliban authorities, while adopting an attitude of correct facilitators at Kandahar in dealing with the hijackers of IC-814, consistently and clearly had their sympathies with the hijackers and their other supporters.

Congress watches as BJP changes tune
Even as the National Democratic Alliance's preferred chief ministerial candidate for Bihar, Mr Nitish Kumar, rushed to Bihar hoping to make his claim to form a government before the Governor, the Congress(I) began the process of consultation with its MLAs to arrive at a decision on support to a Rashtriya Janata Dal government.

SC orders notice to Jayalalitha
The Supreme Court today ordered notice to the AIADMK leader, Ms. Jayalalitha, on a special leave petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Government against the Madras High Court judgment upholding the trial court's order discharging her in the ``coal import case''.

Jagir Kaur defies tradition
Violating Sikh traditions and tenets, the excommunicated president of the Shironmani Gurudwara Prabandhak Committee (SGPC), Bibi Jagir Kaur, offered `prasad' at the Akal Takht of the Golden Temple today, 23 days after she went into a self-imposed `ekantwaas'(retreat).

Tiruchirapalli counting today
The Election Commission today directed the Returning Officer of the Tiruchirapalli II segment in Tamil Nadu to go ahead with the counting of votes tomorrow.

Opposition firm, Govt. unrelenting on RSS issue
The RSS issue is threatening to develop into a major confrontation between the Opposition and the Treasury Benches in the Lok Sabha. The entire Opposition insisted today that the issue of Gujarat allowing Government servants to participate in RSS activities be discussed in the House under a substantive motion - Rule 184 - so that parties could vote to make clear their stand.

Sinha may flag off second round of reforms
The Finance Minister, Mr. Yashwant Sinha's third successive budget presentation tomorrow is expected to carry some major policy announcements, signalling the launch of the second generation of economic reforms.