Veerappan aide Maran nabbed
In a major breakthrough, the Tamil National Liberation Army chief and Veerappan associate, S. Maran, was nabbed by a party of the Special Task Force and the State police team in the Velliangiri Hills on the Tamil Nadu-Kerala border this morning.

Supplementary budget focus on Gujarat
There was a strong indication today that funds for relief and rehabilitation in Gujarat will be a major factor in the supplementary budget for this fiscal year, expected to be presented by the Finance Minister in the coming Budget session.

Koijam sworn in Manipur CM
The three-month-old political uncertainty in Manipur came to an end today when the Samata Party leader, Mr. Radhabinod Koijam, was sworn in Chief Minister at the Raj Bhavan. He will head the People's Front - a political alliance that took shape only yesterday.

5 killed in J-K firing
At least five persons were killed and 20 others injured when security forces opened fire on a procession, which blocked the Srinagar-Baramulla national highway to protest an alleged ``custodial killing'' of a youth in Haigam area. The Government has ordered a judicial probe into the incident.

The last emperor, now a saint
He's much more than the last emperor. Bahadur Shah Zafar, the last Mughal king - who died in Yangon (then Rangoon) on November 7, 1862, is a saint (pir) worshipped by a large body of the faithful in this country.

A rewarding visit, says Jaswant
Myanmar and India have agreed to open four border check-points for increasing trade between the two countries and Yangon has said it would consider re-opening of the Indian Consulate in Mandalay as the External Affairs Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, concluded his visit to this country.

Sonia unveils her team, at last
It has been three days since Ms. Sonia Gandhi unveiled her ``new'' team, and if the changes seem to have created no excitement it is because she has avoided making any political blunder. This is perhaps the first comprehensive decision she has made that indicates her slow evolution as a mature president of the oldest political party in the country.

Chandrika coming next week
The Sri Lankan President, Mrs. Chandrika Kumaratunga, is scheduled to visit India next week for talks with the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, on ``matters of mutual interest'', official sources said.

Sri Lanka's gesture to quake victims
Sri Lanka today donated US $ 100,000, clothes and food for the victims of the Gujarat earthquake.