Don't quit Valley, Hurriyat tells Sikhs
The Defence Minister, Mr. George Fernandes, and his ministerial colleagues today shared the stage with prominent Hurriyat leaders at the Mehjoor Nagar gurdwara in Srinagar, where the bhog ceremony of the six Sikhs killed on February 3, was held. Both sides pleaded with the Sikhs not to migrate from the Kashmir Valley as such a step would only increase their problems.

New 'evidence' about human genes
In what is claimed to be a ``radical'' breakthrough which contradicts the conventional understanding of human genes and their influence on behaviour, two teams of British and American scientists have found that there are no more than 30,000 to 40,000 genes - nearly a quarter less than what was believed at the time of gene mapping last year.

Manipur CM expelled from party
Mr. Th. Chaoba, Union Minister of State for Food Processing, in his capacity as working president of the Manipur State Congress Party (MSCP), today expelled the Chief Minister, Mr. W. Nipamacha, the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr. L. Chandramani, and five other Ministers from the party for six years for ``anti- party activities''.

Violence mars GNLF bandh
Sporadic arson and violence marred the start of an ``indefinite hill-bandh'' today, called by the Gorkha National Liberation Front (GNLF) to protest the attack on the party chief, Mr. Subhas Ghising. The bandh paralysed normal life across Darjeeling district of West Bengal, police said.

Clinton to visit Gujarat
The former U.S. President, Mr. Bill Clinton, will visit India in April as part of his fund-raising effort for the Gujarat quake victims, the India Post has said.

Mine officials suspended
The Union Minister of State for Coal, Syed Shahnawaz Hussain, has ordered the suspension of three officials of Bagdigi coal mine near Dhanbad, where tragedy struck on February 2, claiming several lives.

Naresh Chandra to discuss sanctions with Powell
India's outgoing Ambassador to the United States, Mr. Naresh Chandra, is expected to have his first meeting with the U.S. Secretary of State, Gen. Colin Powell, on Monday. Aside from the formalities of the meeting, the Indian envoy is expected to push for early high-level meeting between the two countries.

U.S. Congress clubs India with Israel, Palestine
India has to compete with the high-profile West Asia for attention in the U.S. House of Representatives as South Asia has been clubbed with Israel and Palestine in the newly- constituted 107th Congress.