Non-whites denied identity: Mbeki
Poetry has always been central to Mr. Thabo Mbeki's formulations. Thus, the citing of these words of a blue singer, Mr. Thabo Mbeki, President of South Africa, in his address to the opening session of the World Conference against Racism today, said that they still defined the condition of the majority of people who were not white.

Dalits demonstrate
Hundreds of Dalits from India marched through streets here demanding inclusion of caste on the agenda of the first-ever U.N. World Conference against Racism.

Monsoon session ends on cordial note
The monsoon session of Parliament today ended on a note of cordiality. The heated exchanges and loaded barbs were put aside as both the treasury benches and the Opposition were careful not to tread on each other's toes.

Sonia seeks permanent food-for-work schemes
The Congress president, Ms. Sonia Gandhi, today took the issue of starvation deaths to the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee's doorstep.

Death looms large over Orissa villages
Notwithstanding the Orissa Government's claim that there were no starvation deaths in Kashipur block, the spectre of death looms large over far-flung villages in this remote hill- locked area of Rayagada district.

'Starvation deaths will be probed '
The Rural Development Minister, Mr. Venkaiah Naidu, said in a joint press conference with the Food Minister, Mr. Shanta Kumar, here that there was an attempt to tarnish the image of the country by spreading news of starvation deaths and if the Centre received any complaint about such incidents, ``it will be enquired into''.

'No move to give disputed land'
The Government today dismissed in the Rajya Sabha allegations that there was a meeting of top BJP leaders at the residence of the then Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister, Mr. Kalyan Singh, on the eve of the demolition of the Babri Masjid in 1992 and made it clear that there was no proposal to give the disputed land to any party.

Hindujas opt out of AI bid
The Hindujas today announced a formal withdrawal from the process of disinvesting the State-owned airline, Air India. The decision to opt out of the race was more or less expected since the guidelines on security issues laid down by the Union Cabinet's Committee on Disinvestment had already effectively barred the Hindujas from the process.

India announces duty cuts for Pak. products
Sustaining the initiative on Confidence Building Measures (CBMs) prior to the meeting between the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee and the Pakistani President, General Pervez Musharraf at New York, India today announced 50 tariff lines where duties will be cut or withdrawn on imports from Pakistan.

Plea to summon PM
The Liberhan Commission today admitted a request to summon the Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee in the wake of a former senior police official's allegation that Mr. Vajpayee was `privy' to an alleged plot to demolish Ayodhya's disputed structure on December 6, 1992.