World oil prices fall
The high world oil market prices started to come down today after last week's announcement by the United States that it would release supplies from its emergency reserves.

Freeman keeps her date with history
Michael Johnson became the first man to win back- to-back 400 metres Olympic gold medals today, but what really mattered was Australia won the gold it wanted most badly, from Cathy Freeman in the women's 400 m.

Mamata to 'wait and watch'
The Trinamool Congress president, Ms. Mamata Banerjee, said here today that the demand for invoking Article 356 in West Bengal was a people's demand and she would prefer to wait and watch the developments.

BJP holding 'informal talks' with Cong.
The BJP today indicated that it was engaging in ``informal talks'' with the Congress(I) to arrive at an understanding for imposing President's Rule in West Bengal.

Don't count on us, Cong. tells BJP
The Congress(I) today urged the BJP not to look to it in tackling the situation in West Bengal. Referring to the BJP president, Mr. Bangaru Laxman's assertion that his party was looking to the Congress chief, Mrs. Sonia Gandhi, the party spokesman, Mr. Anil Shastri, today said, ``Mr. Laxman would be well advised to look to his Government and his NDA partners as far as the situation in West Bengal is concerned.''

T.N. keeping its fingers crossed on Gopal's mission
The Tamil Nadu Government, which along with Karnataka is sparing no efforts to secure the release of the Kannada actor, Mr. Rajkumar, and three others being held hostage by the brigand Veerappan, is keeping its fingers crossed on the outcome of the emissary, Mr. R. R. Gopal's fourth forest mission.

Orissa to set up new zoo
The Orissa Government has said it would bring back the animals which had been shifted from the Nandankanan Zoological Park to other States after it constructed another zoo near Sambalpur.

Bribery case verdict
The judgment in the Jharkhand Mukti Morcha MPs bribery case will be pronounced on September 29. The Special Judge, Mr. Ajit Bharihoke, today fixed the date and issued notices to all 11 accused. All the accused have been directed to be present before the designated court.

Advani visits Somnath
The Union Home Minister, Mr. L.K. Advani, today performed pooja at the Somnath temple near Veraval in Junagadh district to commemorate Somnath to Ayodhya ``Ram Rath Yatra'' taken out on this day 10 years ago.

War of words on Bengal goes on
The war of words between the National Democratic Alliance and the Left Front over the law and order situation in West Bengal continued unabated today, in and out of the State.

Yugoslavia polls
European powers piled pressure on the Yugoslav President, Mr. Slobodan Milosevic, today to accept defeat on Sunday's presidential election, but a member of Milosevic's ruling coalition insisted: ``we have won'.