Tuesday, June 24, 2003, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

India, China sign accord Agreement on trade through Sikkim
Beijing, June 23 In the first-ever joint declaration in their long history, India and China tonight laid down "goals and guiding principles" for their bilateral relationship at the end of the first day’s talks between Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao during which the contentious border dispute was among the topics discussed.	Highlights   India recognises Tibetan autonomous region as part of China   Visa relaxations announced   MoU on bilateral trade signed   China urged to open route for Kailash pilgrims   To celebrate anniversary of “Panchsheel”   In video (28k, 56k)

PM condoles deaths
 

2 killed in Shopian blast
Srinagar, June 23
Two persons were killed and 48 injured, nine of them seriously, when a powerful grenade explosion rocked Shopian of Pulwama district in Jammu and Kashmir today, official sources said.

Wooing voters with liquor, poppy husk Majitha (Amritsar), June 23 Even as the election scene hots up after the withdrawal of papers illicit liquor is being distilled openly in border villages of the district to woo the voters in the panchayat elections, slated for June 29.   Talhan poll put off   Talhan curfew The police takes preventive measures and collects “arms” from villagers prior to the panchayat elections in Klair village of Amritsar on Monday. — Photo Rajiv Sharma