Vajpayee breathes easy
The Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, is reported to be in a buoyant mood, especially after the successful rally staged by the NDA yesterday as well as by the show of solidarity at the BJP's national executive over the weekend.

Surprise over circular to missions
The Vajpayee Government is believed to have sent a note to all the foreign missions abroad to defend it in the Tehelka expose and present it as a ``conspiracy'' to destabilise the Government.

'Gladiator' makes a big kill
The ancient Roman epic `Gladiator' took Best Picture and earned Russell Crowe an Oscar for Best Actor at the 73rd Academy Awards here, while Taiwan's `Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon' and the drug docu-drama `Traffic' won four Oscars apiece.

4 CRPF men die in LeT attack
A suicide squad of the Pakistan-based militant outfit Lashkar-e- Taiba (LeT) today stormed a security camp here killing four Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel. One ultra perished in retaliatory fire.

India clocks 1.02 billion
India has touched a population of over 1.02 billion as of March 1 this year, according to new census figures released today.

ADB to grant $500-million aid for Gujarat
After a joint assessment by the Asian Development Bank (ADB) and the World Bank of the reconstruction cost of the earthquake-hit Gujarat, the ADB today announced that it would extend $ 500 millions concessional assistance to the State.

Karnataka Ratna for C.N.R Rao
Well-known scientist, Prof. C.N.R. Rao, has been selected for the Karnataka Ratna award for the year 2000.

Countdown for GSLV launch begins
The countdown for the most-awaited moment of the Indian space programme - the launch of the Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle (GSLV) - began at the Sriharikota range this morning. The GSLV is slated to lift off at 3.47 p.m. on Wednesday, March 28. The window period of the launch extends till 7.41 p.m. that day.

Indian cricket team may keep off Sharjah
The Indian cricket team is unlikely to take part in the three-nation series in Sharjah next month. Official sources said today the Government was still considering the cricket board's request for permission to play in the tournament in which Pakistan is also a participant.

Cricket relations over: Pak.
In an angry reaction to the reported decision of India not to participate in the Sharjah Cup, the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chief has said that Pakistan would snap its cricket relations with India.