India’s federal government is to supply emergency equipment to southern areas of the country hit by a rare, mosquito-borne fever that has killed at least 81 people in the past month, the health minister said.

Separatist rebels set off bombs and blew up an oil pipeline in north-east India ahead of national day celebrations next week, killing two people and wounding 10, police said today.

CIVIL rights activists, survivors and other protesters converged on Bhopal this week to mark the 20th anniversary of the world’s worst industrial accident and demand justice for hundreds of thousands of people still suffering.

A deadlock that stalled India’s Parliament for a week was broken today when the deputy speaker agreed to allow a debate that could lead to a censure of the government over riots in the west of the country.

Kashmir reacted with gloom, anger and despair today at the failure of the India-Pakistan summit, which had raised hopes of modest progress toward resolution of the five decade dispute over the Himalayan territory.