High alert in J&K
Following repeated threats from the Hizb-ul- Mujahideen (HM) chief, Syed Salahuddin, from Islamabad, threatening intensification of attacks in Kashmir, security forces in the State have been put on a high alert.

Hizb wants Pak. to send troops
The Hizb-ul-Mujahideen chief, Syed Salahuddin, today urged Pakistan to send troops into the Kashmir Valley, even if it means a war. ``Pakistan should physically involve itself in Kashmir.

Krishna rules out special status for Tamil
The Chief Minister, Mr. S. M. Krishna, today asked the forest brigand, Veerappan, not to make ``extreme demands'' and said that the demand to make Tamil the second official language in Karnataka was not possible to concede.

PSUs defer strike on PM's appeal
The Committee of Public Sector Trade Unions today decided to defer the proposed nationwide three-day strike by the central public sector workers from August 17 following a meeting with the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Chandrika firm on new statute
The President, Ms. Chandrika Kumaratunga, has said she will enact the new constitution within two months of the forthcoming general elections. In an interview to the state-owned Rupavahini television channel on Friday night, Ms. Kumaratunga said the Government had obtained constitutional advice on turning the next parliament into a constituent assembly for a short period, where the new Constitution Bill could be passed with a simple majority.

'Vajpayee, Musharraf could meet in New York'
In what is seen as a deliberately vague statement, the Pakistan Information Minister, Mr. Javed Jabbar, has said the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, could meet the Chief Executive, Gen. Pervez Musharraf, in New York next month when they go there to participate in the U.N. millennium session.