BJP chief offers to hold talks with Sonia
New Delhi, April 27
The BJP President, Mr K. Jana Krishnamurthy, today offered to hold talks with Congress President Sonia Gandhi to ensure the smooth functioning of Parliament in its next session, even as he blamed the main Opposition party for stalling the Budget session of Parliament over the Tehelka issue.

• Panel on Tehelka seeks papers on Barak

Punjab page: CM’s surprise visit to school, hospital Punjab Chief Minister Parkash Singh Badal takes the roll call of the staff during a surprise visit to the Government High School, Kotla Bajwara in Fatehgarh Sahib district on Friday.  — Tribune Photo by Manoj Mahajan

Malta boat tragedy: captain held
Hoshiarpur, April 27
The French Police is understood to have arrested Youssuf-El-Hallal, Captain of the Yiohan ship, which had been illegally ferrying 565 passengers, including 227 Indians on board to Sicily (Italy) on December 25, 1996.

Mobile phone call at Rs 1.20
New Delhi, April 27
Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee today accepted the much-awaited report of the Group on Telecom and IT Convergence whose recommendations may prove crucial for the introduction of the limited mobility telephony using the Wireless in Local Loop technology.

Hindujas’ plea to go abroad fails
New Delhi, April 27
The Delhi High Court today dismissed the three Hinduja brothers’ appeal for leaving the country, saying that the CBI’s apprehension that they might not be available for trial could not be said to be unfounded.

India’s veiled threat to Dhaka
New Delhi, April 27
In a veiled threat to Bangladesh, India said today that it could review the “relationship” between the two countries if Dhaka did not conduct probe within a “reasonable” time and punish those involved in the ghastly killing.