Jagmohan yields to pressure
Much to the relief of the prime ministerial aides, Mr. Jagmohan took charge of his new responsibility as Minister of Tourism. Also, Mr. Sharad Yadav and Mr. Ram Vilas Paswan, the two Cabinet Ministers who lost their prime assignments in last Saturday's reshuffle, took charge of their new Ministries.

SC to hear Jayalalithaa's petition on Friday
The Supreme Court will hear on Friday, September 7, a petition filed by the Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalithaa, for vacating the interim stay on the hearing of her appeals in the Madras High Court, challenging her conviction in the `TANSI land deal' and `Pleasant Stay Hotel' cases.

PM calls meet on economic issues today
With the long-awaited Cabinet reshuffle over, the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, has decided to put the process of economic revival on the fast track by convening a series of crucial meetings over the next few days.

Militants 'pardon' officials
In a rare incident, a group of 35 heavily- armed militants today publicly ``pardoned'' the Additional Deputy Commissioner (ADC), Anantnag, the Station House Officer, Dooru, and five policemen.

Ties with India not China-centric, says Blackwill
The United States views India as a key partner for promoting stability in Asia and the world, but its relationship with New Delhi is not driven by security concerns about China, its Ambassador-designate, Mr. Robert D. Blackwill, has said.

Funds going into militants' hands: Advani
Expressing concern over the diversion of Government funds to underground organisations in the north-east, the Union Home Minister, Mr. L. K. Advani, today asked the seven States in the region to be cautious and remove all hurdles in the path of development.

Russia's no to Dalai Lama
Moscow has refused to grant a transit visa to the Dalai Lama and will not allow the Tibetan spiritual leader to visit Buddhists in Russia as a gesture to China following a warming in relations, a spokesman for the Dalai Lama said today.

Pak. misusing Islam: India
A day after Pakistan raked up the Kashmir issue at the ongoing World Conference Against Racism, India today hit back charging Islamabad with misusing Islam by `blatantly' terming cross-border terrorism in Jammu and Kashmir as a holy war.

U.S., Israel pull out of Durban meet
Resenting the ``hateful language'' used against Israel in the final declaration, the United States today pulled out of the World Conference Against Racism declaring that the global meet had been hijacked by ``rigid and extremist'' Arab countries wanting to equate Zionism with racism.

SC notice on Vedic astrology
The Supreme Court today issued notice to the Human Resources Development Ministry and the University Grants Commission on a Special Leave Petition filed by a scientist and two others challenging the UGC's move to introduce ``Vedic Astrology'' (Jyotir Vigyan) courses in Indian universities from 2001.

Protest against 'Lajja'
A group of BJP workers today burnt an effigy of Bollywood film- maker, Mr. Rajkumar Santoshi, and posters of film actress, Ms. Madhuri Dixit, to express their protest against what they described as ``objectionable dialogues'' against Hindu gods and goddesses in Lajja.