People of the Buddhist-majority region of Ladakh in Jammu and Kashmir hold the national flag and shout slogans during a rally in Leh on Monday. The people were protesting against a resolution adopted by lawmakers of the state, which seeks to limit the Central Government’s powers in the state. Protesters demanded Ladakh to be carved out as a separate province. — Reuters photo

Autonomy: SP for NIC meeting
LUCKNOW, July 3 — The Samajwadi Party today charged Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee and Home Minister L.K. Advani with giving their consent to the controversial Jammu and Kashmir autonomy resolution by stating that it was within the framework of the Constitution and demanded the convening of the National Integration Council over the issue.

Qarase to be new Fiji PM
SUVA, July 3 — Fiji’s military authorities today named an interim civilian Cabinet with indigenous Fijian banker Laisenia Qarase as premier and no ethnic Indian members.

Rs 2 lakh looted from Solan Brewery bank
SOLAN, July 3 — Five persons, four of them armed with revolvers and daggers, decamped with about Rs 2 lakh in a daring daylight bank robbery at Solan Brewery, near here, today.

More relief for Haryana pensioners
CHANDIGARH, July 3 — The Haryana Government today released another installment of dearness relief (DR) to its pensioners.

Foodless on a rusty ship
JALANDHAR, July 3 — They had dreamed of greener pastures in Germany. Towards this end each of them had spent a whopping Rs 4-5 lakh, arranged after selling of their small land holdings and other belongings. 

Charges framed against Jaya
CHENNAI, July 3 — A Special Judge today framed charges against former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister Jayalalitha and nine others in the multi-crore coal import scam relating to the purchase of allegedly inferior quality coal for the state electricity board during Jayalalitha’s chiefministership between 1991 and 1996.

Congress MLA commits suicide
SUNAM, July 3 — Bhagwan Dass Arora, Congress MLA from Sunam, allegedly committed suicide by shooting himself in his head at his residence here early this morning.

20,000 killer vehicles off the road HISAR, July 3 — Road travel in Haryana has become safer with over 20,000 killer vehicles plying illegal being forced off the road. It is learnt that the number of major and minor accidents in the state dipped by a surprising 75 per cent during June.