Time till 9 a.m. for Governor's report
The Centre today seemed to have made up its mind to take on the Tamil Nadu Government head-on, declaring that the arrests of the former Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, two Union Ministers, Mr. Murasoli Maran and Mr. T. R. Baalu, and other DMK leaders were illegal and unconstitutional.

Charges motivated: Jayalalithaa
The Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Ms. Jayalalithaa, has termed the allegations against the Government and the police with regard to the arrest of the DMK president and former Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, as ``totally false and part of a motivated, slanderous campaign of calumny carried out by the DMK''.

Advani expresses distress
The Union Home Minister, Mr. L. K. Advani, has expressed his distress at the arrest of the DMK leader, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, in Chennai and has spoken to other key leaders of the National Democratic Alliance asking them to convene a meeting on the issue.

Improper and unacceptable, says Cong.
Political parties across the spectrum today condemned the manner in which the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, was arrested and the way two Union Ministers were treated by State police.

'International terrorism, threat to global civilisation'
In its formal discussions with Turkey on the setting up of a new framework for co-operation in security matters, the Indian delegation, headed by the Union Home Minister, Mr. L. K. Advani, avoided specific reference to Pakistan in deference to the sensitivities of the host country.

Brajesh Mishra meets top U.S. officials
The Principal Secretary to the Prime Minister and National Security Adviser, Mr. Brajesh Mishra, has had wide ranging discussions with senior members of the Bush administration including the Vice-President, Mr. Dick Cheney.

Pak. permits 'consular access' to Vikas Singh
Pakistan has agreed to allow `consular access', to the officials of the Indian High Commission, to meet the cyclist, Mr. Vikas Singh, currently in jail at Peshawar.

20 doctors to get B.C. Roy award
Twenty doctors will be conferred the Dr. B.C.Roy awards, given by the Medical Council of India, for the year 2000.

'All options are open'
The Centre today indicated that `all options would be open' to the Cabinet meeting here tomorrow noon to take action on the Tamil Nadu happenings.

Official team sent to Chennai
The Special Secretary in the Ministry of Home Affairs, Mr. Mukund Behari Kaushal, will lead a four-member team of officials to Chennai. The team was expected to reach the city late tonight by a special aircraft, a Home Ministry spokesman said.

Release DMK leaders at once: NDA
The National Democratic Alliance (NDA) which discussed today the arrest the former Tamil Nadu Chief Minister, Mr. M. Karunanidhi, two Union Ministers and other DMK leaders, made the unprecedented demand of ``the immediate release of Mr. Karunanidhi, Mr. Maran, Mr. Baalu and Mr. Stalin''. In fact, during the two-hour emergency meeting, the NDA appealed to all political parties to join in this demand.