Saturday, February 23, 2002, Chandigarh, India
 Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Daniel Pearl killed brutally
Bush vows to stamp out terrorism
Islamabad, February 22
American journalist Daniel Pearl, abducted about a month ago by Islamic militants in Pakistan, has been killed and his kidnappers have sent a video showing him being brutally murdered. 
In video (28k, 56k)

         India’s reaction
         Editorial: Another barbaric act
         Pearl killing: Musharraf will have to explain
          Edit page

Pearl kidnapping: the mystery & message World page Pakistani policemen search vehicles on a street leading towards the house of killed US reporter Daniel Pearl (inset bottom left) in Karachi on Friday. — Reuters photo

Harkat behind murder?
New Delhi, February 22
There is a suspicion in knowledgable circles here that Harkat-ul-Ansar which was banned by the USA years ago and said to be defunct since then could be behind the brutal murder of American reporter Daniel Pearl.

Cabinet nod for labour reforms
New Delhi, February 22
Succumbing to pressure from trade organisations and multi-national companies, the government today decided to amend the Industrial Disputes Act, 1947, allowing companies to lay off employees without seeking its permission, if the staff strength is less than 1,000. The Union Cabinet also decided to enhance the rate of compensation, to be paid to the employees in case of retrenchment.
In video (28k, 56k)

         Chambers welcome labour reforms
          Business page

Suspected plague cases in Hisar
Teams rushed to Fatehabad villages
Hisar, February 22
A woman suspected to be suffering from pneumonic plague has been admitted in the local General Hospital where she is being treated for the presence of a pneumonic patch pending confirmatory tests for plague.

Maoists kill 34 cops
Kathmandu, February 22
Barely hours after the Nepal Parliament extended the state of emergency, Maoists unleashed a fresh wave of violence in Nepal, killing 44 persons, including 34 policemen, while losing eight of its men at the hands of the security forces.

Cops beat, kidnap 2 brothers
Amritsar, February 22
Panic gripped the city when 12 armed persons, including a police inspector and three other policemen in uniform allegedly kidnapped two businessmen brothers from the posh Ranjit Avenue Colony here late last evening.

Another spell of snow in Shimla
Shimla, February 22
The entire tribal belt and parts of Shimla district experienced another spell of snow this afternoon. According to reports, tribal districts of Lahaul-Spiti, Kinnaur and Pangi valley in Chamba district experienced heavy snow today.

Repoll ordered at 55 booths in UP
New Delhi, February 22
The Election Commission today ordered repoll in 55 polling booths spread over 18 Assembly constituencies in Uttar Pradesh and 70 polling booths in the hilly region of Manipur While the repoll in Uttar Pradesh would be held tomorrow, in Manipur it would be conducted on Sunday, a spokesman for the Election Commission, Mr A.N. Jha, said.

Chances of durable coalition government in UP remote State may go in for President’s rule and fresh Assembly elections Lucknow, February 22 The scene of action has now shifted to the state capital of Uttar Pradesh. The mood is far from cheerful. In certain quarters there is already talk of early Assembly elections, possibly at the end of the year! Nation page: BJP summons Rajnath Singh