Militants' threat casts shadow on I-Day in J&K
Against the backdrop of repeated threats from militant groups, particularly the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen, Independence Day was celebrated in the State under the blanket of an unprecedented security cover. Till late afternoon no untoward incident was received from any part of the State. Shops and other business establishments remained closed in all regions including Jammu.

Evacuation of Russian n-submarine crew begins
Rescue workers began evacuating 116 sailors trapped in a nuclear-powered submarine, Kursk, at the bottom of the Barents Sea after a let-up in Arctic storms this afternoon, the Russian Defence Minister, Mr. Igor Sergeyev, was quoted as saying. But the Navy Commander, Admiral Vladimir Kuroyedov, was quoted as saying the rescue would not be likely to begin full- force before nightfall.

Blast near U.P. Assembly
A crude bomb exploded today outside the Cooperative Department building here, just 100 metres from the Uttar Pradesh Assembly, but caused no casualties, police said.

Oil prices soar
Oil prices raced to a 10-year high today on worries about the low U.S. petroleum inventories and frank talk by the top exporter, Venezuela, about the OPEC's thirst for petro dollars.

Goa Cong.(I) splits
The Congress(I), the 15-member main opposition party in Goa, today split, with five MLAs forming a separate group.

CMs' meet on Aug. 21
The meeting of Chief Ministers of 17 States to discuss the recommendations of the 11th Finance Commission will now be held in New Delhi on August 21, it is learnt.

8 injured in Kanpur blasts
At least eight people, seven of them children, were injured in two separate bomb blasts here today, the fourth incident in less than 24 hours.