The arrest of a 'RAW'

THE district police claimed to have arrested two RAW agents Ashfaq Bhatti and Adil in the border areas in Sialkot. They carried Rs 500.000 each as head money. Sialkot SSP Ghalib All told on Monday that these RAW agents had confessed to their involvement in various bomb blasts. He said they had also busted five interdistrict gangs of dacoits and robbers last month and recovered 16 motorcycles, one car. four colour TVs. nine buffaloes and gold ornaments and other valuables worth Rs 400.000 from their

possession

Gun battle

There has been a 15-minute exchange of gunfire at the Fijian parliament where rebel leader George Speight has been holding Mahendra Chaudhry - the country's first ethnic Indian prime minister - and 26 others hostage. The exchange of fire began when a group of the rebels supporting George Speight rushed out to attack soldiers they had seen close to the compound.

Akash ’ goes up

INDIA says it's successfully tested a surface-to-air missile off the coast of the eastern state of Orissa. The weapon, the Akash missile, has a range of about twenty-five kilometres and can carry both nuclear and conventional warheads. The missile is able to hit several targets simultaneously.

Bullish on nuclear treaty

PAKISTANI Foreign Minister Abdul Sattar has given a strong indication that his country favours signing the comprehensive nuclear test ban treaty. At a news conference in Islamabad Sattar said that historically Pakistan had supported the test ban treaty, and that it considered the treaty a good one.

Musharraf meets Sharif's aide

PAKISTAN'S military leader General Pervez

Musharraf has met a senior politician from the Pakistan Muslim League (PML), the party led by ousted prime minister Nawaz Sharif. The meeting between the PML's Raja Zaffar ul Haq and General Musharraf lasted about two hours It Is the first time since the October 1999 military coup that General Musharraf has met one of those he removed from power.

Burmese leader to Pakistan

A high-level Burmese delegation was in Pak-/Aistan for talks with the country's military ruler. General Pervez Musharraf The delegation Is led by a senior military officer. Lieutenant-General Khin Nyunt, and the visit will last for five days. Pakistan is one of the few countries willing to sell arms to Rangoon and also trains Burmese military officers. In Burma Itself the government has met an Indian military delegation, headed b\ the army chief of stall General Vcd Prakash Malik

Nago peace process

A leading separatist group in the north-east zAlndian state of Nagaland has made fresh demands in return for a ceasefire deal with the Indian Government. The group • the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) - has waged an armed campaign for two decades before agreeing to a ceasefire three years ago But the agreement is due to expire at the end ol the month and the NSC \ has now set pi< -i auditions to continue with the ceasefire.

Anger

KASHMIRI political groups have criticised a decision by the Indian cabinet to reject a demand for greater autonomy in the state. The cabinet turned down a controversial proposal which would have seen the state of Jammu and Kashmir return to its pre-1953 status, when it had its own constitution, flag and prime minister. The main separatist alliance, the All Parties Hurriyat Conference, has said the decision reflected India's colonial attitude towards the state.

China rejects Pak weapons charge

CHINA has resumed exports of missile technology China has rejected as "totally groundless" suggestions that it is assisting Pakistan in the development of a long-range nuclear missile programme.

Sharif denies party rift

THE ousted Pakistani prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, has said that Ills party colleagues did not consult him before they held a meeting with the Pakistani military ruler General Pervez Musharraf. On Monday, the general met with two senior members of the Pakistani Muslim League (PML).

New laws on censorship

T'llE government in Srl Lanka has finalised a new set of regulations, including guidelines and criteria, in respect of Press censorship. The new laws will replace the existing Regulation 14 of the Emergency Regulations In a landmark judgement the Supreme Court last Friday held that the appointment of a Competent Authority to censor news was Illegal

Talks on militants

THE Indian home secretary. Kamal Pandey. Is in Nepal tor talks with his Nepalese counterpart Padam Prasad Pokharel The talks in the capital Kathmandu are expected to focus on both countries' concern about possible cross-border militant activities. Delhi has accused the Pakistani intelligence agency, the IS1, of using Nepal as a base for subversive activities against India.

Compiled by Ekram Kabir