Cabinet panel on economic strategy to be set up
Soon after sending a strong signal through the Cabinet reshuffle exercise that economic reforms were the top priority of the NDA Government, the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, today decided to set up a Cabinet Committee on Economic Strategy with the idea of providing stimulus to the economy which is witnessing a slowdown.

2 children die in J&K landmine blast
In a shocking incident, two children were blown to pieces and five were injured when a landmine went off in Janbazpora locality of Baramulla town in north Kashmir today.

Mahanta quits as AGP chief
The former Chief Minister of Assam and founder of the Asom Gana Parishad (AGP), Mr. Prafulla Kumar Mahanta, resigned from the party presidentship and leadership of the party's legislative wing today, two days before the general body meeting of the party.

HP buys Compaq for $25 billions
The computer world witnessed a mega merger today when Hewlett-Packard (HP) bought Compaq Computer Corp. for $25 billions in stock.

SC hearing on petitions against Jayalalithaa's appointment
The decision of the then Governor of Tamil Nadu, Ms. Fathima Beevi, to appoint the AIADMK leader, Ms. Jayalalithaa, as Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, despite her conviction and consequent disqualification was today assailed by several lawyers before a Constitution Bench of the Supreme Court, which began hearing a batch of petitions questioning the validity of her appointment.

Manipur House to be dissolved
The Union Cabinet today decided to recommend to the President, Mr. K.R. Narayanan, dissolution of the Manipur Assembly, clearing the decks for holding elections in the north- eastern State, which has recently been in the grip of unrest, political instability, financial crisis and violence.

Waiting for my change: PM
The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, has for the second consecutive day spoke of short tenures of Prime Ministers in India.

Fijian parties for coalition
Indigenous Fijian political parties were holding discussions today to try to form a coalition Government after last week's general election, local media reported.