When women MPs laid siege to PM
The Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, today found himself surrounded by women MPs in the Rajya Sabha soon after the House adjourned early for lunch on the issue of Women's Reservation Bill which ended on a lighter note.

India plans 'talks about talks'
India and Pakistan are inching towards a dialogue, but peace talks are unlikely to begin until the two sides find a way to bridge their differences over the shape of the table, say highly-placed sources in the Government.

Let them go ahead with the probe: Sonia
The Congress president and Leader of the Opposition, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, today asserted that she had nothing to fear on the Bofors issue. ``The Government is welcome to go ahead with the probe and come out with the proof,'' she told newspersons at an Iftaar hosted by her this evening.

APHC team to visit Pak. on Jan. 15
The All-Party Hurriyat Conference has decided to send a delegation of leaders to Pakistan on January 15 to continue the peace process set in motion by the Government's extension of the ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir and Pakistan's response to it. The party described both initiatives as ``bold and appreciable''.

LTTE declares unilateral ceasefire
The Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam today increased pressure on the Sri Lankan Government to agree to its conditions for talks by declaring a month-long unilateral ceasefire from December 24.

Ceasefire decision positive but falls short, says Pak.
Pakistan is of the view that the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee's decision to extend the Jammu and Kashmir ceasefire has a `positive tone, yet it falls short of a clear response' to its December 2 initiative.

BJP agenda out of the closet: Sonia
The Congress president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, has said the BJP's ``hidden agenda'' is out of the closet and has been put on public display. Addressing the Congress Parliamentary Party (CPP) here this morning, she said it was proved beyond doubt that the Prime Minister ``is a swayamsewak of 60 years standing, who is committed to the philosophy of the Sangh Parivar''.

Pak. begins troop withdrawal
Within hours of the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee's announcement extending the ceasefire in Kashmir by a month, Pakistan has ordered some withdrawal of its troops along the Line of Control.

PM to visit Indonesia, Vietnam
The Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, will visit Indonesia and Vietnam early in the New Year. He is scheduled to reach Hanoi on January 7 for a three-day visit and will fly to Jakarta on January 10.