Tuesday, July 8, 2003, Chandigarh, India
Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Cong ready for poll: Sonia
Shimla, July 7
Ms Sonia Gandhi, Congress President, today declared that her party was fully prepared to face elections any time as people of the country were anxiously waiting for an opportunity to throw the NDA government out of power.

Ms Sonia Gandhi climbs to the dais, as Congress delegates watch, before addressing the Vichar Manthan Convention in Shimla on Monday. — Tribune photo Karam Singh

Trade first, Kashmir later, India tells Pak
New Delhi, July 7
India today sent an unambiguous diplomatic message to Pakistan when for the first time since Kargil its senior minister attended a meeting of India-Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry.
In video (28k, 56k)

India rejects Pak charge on mosque attack
Lahore ticket booking put off

Badal hits back, launches counter-attack against CM
New Delhi, July 7
Pushed to a corner, the Shiromani Akali Dal chief and former Chief Minister, Mr Parkash Singh Badal, today launched a counter-offensive against the Amarinder Singh government by accusing it of financial irregularities and creating fissures in the society.

Forest Hill MD’s rebuttal
Edit page: Badal battle spills over to Delhi
Punjab page: Foundation rebuts Badal’s charge
Police remand of Narottam extended

SC sets aside HC order on Hindujas
New Delhi, July 7
In a ruling of major significance, that the CBI did not require the clearance from the Central Vigilance Commission (CVC) for chargesheeting an accused, the Supreme Court today set aside the Delhi High Court order, discharging the Europe-based Hinduja brothers in the Rs 64-crore Bofors payoff case on the same ground.

Taxi driver shot in California Fiancee commits suicide as body is brought to Amritsar Dabaurji (Amritsar), July 7 “What have I got by sending my son abroad. I have lost him forever”, said the inconsolable Mrs Kashmir Kaur, mother of 24-year-old Gurpreet Singh, a taxi driver who was shot dead by an American of African origin in California on July 3.