Setting the ball rolling for formal peace talks, a Suspension of Operations Agreement, is likely to be signed between the outlawed Ulfa and the Centre by June end.

Admitting that the Reserve Bank’s anti-inflation monetary measures may impact growth, finance minister Pranab Mukherjee on Friday said the major challenge right now is to contain price rise.

The Supreme Court on Thursday took serious view of the Centre taking divergent stand on the application of the controversial Armed Forces Special Power Act in the context of two “fake encounters” in Jammu and Kashmir and Assam and asked the government to take a clear view on the issue.

The Congress Party on Thursday intensified its attack on BJP president Nitin Gadkari, Uttar Pradesh chief minister Mayawati and the civil society group led by social activist Anna Hazare. It asked senior BJP leaders L.K. Advani and Sushma Swaraj to “pull up” Mr Gadkari’s ears for his anti-Sonia Gandhi remarks and Ms Mayawati to declare her income-tax returns if she is really concerned about corruption.

Eighty five chemist shops in Delhi and Rajasthan, some of them based in hospitals, have been found selling prohibited drugs, the government said on Friday.

As the UN convention against corruption-2003 is being repeatedly referred by the members of “civil society” in support of their demand for a strong Lokpal on the face of government toughening its stand on brining the Prime Minister under its ambit, the provisions of the convention would throw a light on what the world body had actually recommended to the member nations.

The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) on Friday defended its president Nitin Gadkari’s comments against Congress chief Sonia Gandhi, and said her claim of fighting corruption was “hollow”.

Congress general secretary Digvijay Singh on Thursday said Rahul Gandhi has got “all the qualities and capabilities” that are required to become a “good” Prime Minister,

The CBI on Friday opposed in the Supreme Court the bail plea of DMK MP Kanimozhi and co-accused Kalaignar TV MD Sharad Kumar in the 2G case on the ground that if released, they could tamper with evidence and influence witnesses.

Swami Nigamanand was buried at the Matri Sadan Ashram having been given a “Bhu Samadhi’ by other sadhus of the ashram.