Saturday, May 25, 2002, Chandigarh, India
 Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Time not ripe for war: Congress

New Delhi, May 24 Congress President Sonia Gandhi today indicated that her party was not in favour of military confrontation with Pakistan at this juncture as a lot more needed to be done to convey India’s concerns on cross-border terrorism to the world. Sonia Gandhi addresses the AICC session.   — Tribune photo Mukesh Aggarwal

Sidelight

In video (28k, 56k)

Vajpayee arrives in Manali Calls for unity to fight terrorism
Manali, May 24 The Prime Minister, Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee, reached here today on a six-day holiday after a hectic tour of Jammu and Kashmir. On his arrival amid very tight security, Mr Vajpayee was received by the Governor, Dr Suraj Bhan, and the Chief Minister, Prof P. K. Dhumal, at the Kulu airport.	Himachal Vidhan Sabha Speaker Gulab Singh Thakur welcomes Mr Atal Behari Vajpayee at Bhuntar airport in Kulu on Friday. Also seen in the picture is Prof Prem Kumar Dhumal, Chief Minister.  — Tribune photo Karam Singh

• India brings world pressure on Pakistan

Pak missile tests from today
New Delhi, May 24
Pakistan has informed India that it plans to carry out a series of missile tests from May 25 to 28. “We have been informed by Pakistan that it plans to carry out a series of missile tests comprising short and medium range missiles and that appropriate notifications have been issued for these tests, which are scheduled between May 25 and 28,” a spokesperson for the External Affairs Ministry told reporters here.

Eight Pak soldiers killed
Jammu, May 24
At least eight Pakistani soldiers were killed and seven of their bunkers destroyed when Indian forces opened retaliatory artillery fire on frontier Pakistani positions across the Line of Control at Khari Karmara, Jhalas, Shahpur, Kerni and Kopri areas of Poonch sector since late last night.

Graphic: Shelling and firing by Pakistan

44 charred to death in shoe factory fire

Agra, May 24 At least 44 persons were charred to death and 15 hospitalised with burn injuries in a major fire which engulfed a shoe factory here today. Fire fighters try to put out a fire at a shoe factory in Agra on Thursday. — Reuters photo

100 feared dead in ferry mishap
Barisal, Bangladesh, May 24
More than 100 persons were feared drowned after a ferry sank in a Bangladesh river just three weeks since a similar accident killed nearly 500 persons, police sources said today.

Display of wealth — Laloo style
Patna, May 24
“The legendary King of Mithilanchal and father of Sita, Janak who married off his daughter to Lord Rama would have blushed had he seen the marriage of Laloo Yadav’s daughter Rohini Acharya tonight”, a poor farmer who had come all the way from Samastipur to see the marriage said, utterly in awe of the stateliness, sumptuousness and brilliance of the arrangement.
In video (28k, 56k)

• Menu of 150 dishes
• Editorial: Importance of being Laloo