Fresh probe into Godhra fire ordered
New Delhi, September 2
In a far-reaching move, Railway Minister Laloo Prasad Yadav secured the approval of the Cabinet today for holding a fresh inquiry into the February, 2002, Godhra train fire by a retired Supreme Court Judge.

Godhra probe unconstitutional, says BJP
Godhra accused sent to police custody

Special feature: Sri Guru Granth Sahib - Quadricentenary Celebrations In video: Prime Minister inaugurates research centre on Guru Granth Sahib.(28k, 56k)

PHOTO GALLERY I PHOTO GALLERY II  PHOTO GALLERY III

( More stories on Punjab page) Nihangs hold a religious procession from Burj Baba Phoola Singh to the Golden Temple as part of the quadricentennial celebrations of the installation of Guru Granth Sahib in Amritsar on Thursday. — Tribune photo by Rajiv Sharma

Russian hostage crisis: 31 women, children released
Moscow, September 2
Armed militants, holding over 350 pupils and adults hostage in a school in southern Russia, today released 31 women and children as two large explosions and some gunfire were heard in the vicinity amidst indications that the country was preparing for a long drawn crisis.

Editorial: Children as hostages   Women cry as they stand near the school seized by attackers in Beslan, North Ossetia, Russia on Thursday. — AP/PTI photo

Govt consults allies, Opposition on talks with Pakistan
New Delhi, September 2
The UPA government today started the process of consultations with allies as well as Opposition parties on the forthcoming Indo-Pak Foreign Ministers’ talks here on September 5-6. In video (28k, 56k)

PDP for boost to contacts across LoC

Cong may take Maya’s help in Mainpuri poll battle
New Delhi, September 2
An interesting proposition is doing the rounds in Congress regarding the party’s strategy vis-a-vis the coming byelection for the two high-profile constituencies in Uttar Pradesh — Mainpuri and Akbarpur.

Gen Vij to visit Manipur today

Amarinder meets Pranab, Patil
New Delhi, September 2
Punjab Chief Minister Amarinder Singh and PCC chief H. S. Hanspal today met Defence Minister Pranab Mukherjee, AICC in charge of Punjab, to discuss candidates for the next month’s byelections in the state.

Code of conduct: Speaker convenes UPA, Opposition meeting
New Delhi, September 2
Concerned over the repeated boycott of Parliament and unruly behaviour of Members of Parliament, Lok Sabha Speaker Somnath Chatterjee has convened a meeting of UPA leaders and Leaders of the Opposition of both Houses on November 18 to evolve a code of conduct for the smooth functioning of Parliament.

Families of hostages leave for Delhi Una/Morinda, September 2 The countdown has begun for the reunion. Family members of the three Indian hostages, Antaryami, Tilak Raj and Sukhdev Singh, who were yesterday released by militants in Iraq, left for Delhi to receive them following information from the Ministry of External Affairs, today. In video (28k, 56k) India’s Ambassador to Kuwait Swashpawan Singh bids farewell to the hostages released in Iraq as they leave the Indian Embassy in Kuwait on Thursday on their way to the airport for returning home. — AFP photo