US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright walks with her Indian counterpart Jaswant Singh during the ASEAN post-ministerial conference in Bangkok on Friday. —Reuters

2 Pak militants shot in Batala
BATALA, July 28 — Two Pakistan-backed militants were killed and two others apprehended during a 12-hour long encounter with security forces near Rattar Chhattar village in Dera Baba Nanak sector in Punjab today.

Agri-policy aims at 4 pc growth
NEW DELHI, July 28 — The country’s first national policy on agriculture aims at a growth rate in excess of 4 per cent per annum in the next two decades.

Race-based Fiji govt sworn in
‘Rebel backers find no place
SUVA, July 28 — Fiji today appointed a new interim government without any rebel backers of jailed coup leader George Speight, who caretaker Prime Minister

• Impose sanctions on Fiji: India

HP shifts 7 IAS officers
SHIMLA, July 28 — In a minor reshuffle, the Himachal Government today shifted seven IAS officers. Mr Sanjay Gupta, DC, Lahaul and Spiti, has been posted as Director of Youth Services and Sports.

Centre invites Hizb for talks
NEW DELHI, July 28 — In a significant development, the government tonight asked the Pakistan-based militant outfit, Hizbul Mujahideen, which has announced a unilateral ceasefire in Jammu and Kashmir, to come overground for talks with the Centre in a bid to bring back normalcy in the state.

Power to cost more in Haryana
CHANDIGARH, July 28 — The Haryana Electricity Regulatory Commission has allowed the state power utilities to impose fuel surcharge on various categories of consumers. The surcharge will range from 3 paise per unit to 21 paise per unit.