Advani, Jaswant to review J&K situation
The Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, and the Defence Minister, Mr. Jaswant Singh, are scheduled to visit Srinagar on May 19 to attend a meeting of the ``unified headquarters''.

Antony is CM, Muralidharan KPCC chief
Mr. A.K. Antony was today sworn in the 18th Chief Minister of Kerala. Mr. Antony's United Democratic Front colleagues, numbering seven, were sworn in Ministers along with him.

`No extradition pact if it's only for Quattrocchi'
Malaysia's Foreign Minister, Syed Hamid Albar, today said his country would not sign an extradition treaty with India if its only purpose was to deliver the Italian businessman, Mr. Ottavio Quattrocchi, an accused in the Bofors pay-off case.

Lyngdoh to succeed Gill
Mr. J.M. Lyngdoh will be the next Chief Election Commissioner (CEC). An Election Commissioner for four years, Mr. Lyngdoh will take over from Dr. M.S.Gill who retires on June 13.

India, China to firm up economic ties
Acknowledging their differences on the existing U.S. proposals for a new international security architecture, India and China have decided to consolidate their economic ties and address their boundary question urgently.

U.S.-Russia deal on missile defences?
Can America and Russia cut a deal on missile defences? The U.S. President, Mr. George Bush, will try and sell one to his Russian counterpart, Mr. Vladimir Putin, when the two leaders meet in Europe next month. And undoubtedly Mr. Putin will drive a hard bargain.

Vajpayee, Mahathir, palm oil and lack of chemistry
The chemistry wasn't right. The Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, and his Malaysian counterpart, Dr. Mahathir Mohamad, didn't hit it off during Mr. Vajpayee's four- day visit which concluded today.

Chokila Iyer in U.S.
Foreign Office consultations between India and the United States got under way at the State Department this morning with the Foreign Secretary, Ms. Chokila Iyer, meeting the Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, Mr. Marc Grossman.