US caucus backs India’s truce
New Delhi, February 21
The peace initiative by the Vajpayee government in Jammu and Kashmir today received support from the US Congressional Caucus on India when its Chairman and Republican from California, Mr Edward Royce, backed it, saying that the Bush administration should lift the economic sanctions imposed on India in the wake of the nuclear tests in May, 1998.

APHC leaders meet US team
Jammu, February 21
Influential American Congress men are said to be mediating to resolve the stalemate between the Government of India and the All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) over the grant of passports to the five-member Hurriyat team for visiting Pakistan.

• PoK men to attend conference
• J&K Page: 8 Lashkar militants killed

Members of a family lead their father into the Ganga during the last day of the Maha Kumbh Mela festival in Allahabad on Wednesday. The bathing ceremony went off without any of the colourful processions of sadhus that marked the five earlier auspicious days of the Maha Kumbh Mela. Officials said more than 70 million people took part in the 42-day-long festival.  — Reuters photo

RS poll: Badal not to issue whip
Chandigarh, February 21
“No whip will be issued asking MLAs belonging the SAD-BJP alliance to vote for its candidate for the Rajya Sabha seat, Mr Sukhbir Singh Badal”. This was made clear tonight by the SAD President and Punjab Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal.

RSS leader Vijender Jain shot
Commercial establishments closed in protest
Sonepat, February 21
Dr Vijender Jain, a veteran leader of the RSS, was reportedly shot dead by three persons in the Model Town area here today.

Punjab to transfer prime land
Amritsar, February 21
The Punjab Government has decided to transfer 1250 acres of prime land belonging to the Punjab Land Development and Reclamation Corporation Limited (PLDRCL) to Punjab Agricultural University (PAU) free of cost. Earlier, the state was to transfer only 1000 acres out of a total of 2800 acres to PAU.

Karmapa in Delhi
New Delhi, February 21
Ecstatic Buddhist devotees played traditional music, burnt incense sticks and waved Dharma flags to welcome the controversial 17th Gyalwa Karmapa as he arrived in the Capital from Dharamsala today amidst tight security.

First amenities, then penalties: HC Chandigarh, February 21 A Punjab and Haryana High Court judgement of far-reaching consequences, on the vexed issue of the powers of the administration to impose penalties like interest on delayed payment for a site allotted by it or to resume the site, will bring cheers to thousands of harassed allottees not only in the Union Territory of Chandigarh but in Haryana and Punjab also where HUDA and PUDA are as arbitrary in their actions as the UT administration has been found to be by the judiciary.