Musharraf went for broke, and lost in Agra
'His insistence on painting in black and white the complex problems plaguing India-Pakistan relations may have endeared him to hardliners in Pakistan, but has left practitioners of diplomacy aghast,' says Kanchan Gupta.

Jaswant blames Pak's unifocal approach
The external affairs minister indicated that India's efforts to persuade President Musharraf to make some kind of commitment in regard to cross-border terrorism went unheeded.

We were close to a breakthrough: Sattar
The Pakistani foreign minister said it would be wrong to characterise the Agra summit as a failure. He also said he had invited External Affairs Minister Jaswant Singh to Pakistan.

The Guardian   blames Advani
"It was insistence on the part of India to include the words cross-border terrorism and objections by the Home Minister L. K. Advani which prompted the collapse," the daily said.

'Nobody Expected a Miracle'
While it is unfortunate that the Agra summit ended in failure, India's sincerity would be clearly acknowledged by the international community, former prime minister Deve Gowda told reporters in Washington.

SPECIAL
Mission to Lahore
Certainly, writes George Iype, there was one positive outcome of Vajpayee's meeting with Nawaz Sharief: the Delhi-Lahore bus continues to ply.

COLUMNS
A few steps backward
'There is only one issue between the two countries -- Kashmir. If India's stand is going to be that even a discussion is not to be held, then let us all prepare ourselves for the long haul,' says Saisuresh Sivaswamy.

A letter to Pervez Musharraf
'You have indeed created history, General. Was it history to hold an arrogant and abrasive media conference on our soil without so much as our courtesy? Civilised India is not equipped to answer those questions,' says Arvind Lavakare.

NEWS
Blair Defends Hinduja Passport
'The issue of (passport to) the Hindujas and sponsorship of the Dome is something which we have always been upfront about. We have always said that there was nothing wrong whatsoever with that, ' said an official spokesman of the prime minister's office.

Anxious ISKCON awaits court ruling
While the allegations--which include rape, torture and the brutalization of children as young as 3 years of age in their gurukulas--have not been categorically denied, ISKCON disputes the extent of the charges and the idea that the organization as a whole is responsible for the crimes of its devotees

MONEY
Paying in plastic: Watch those bills mount Credit card issuing banks are up in arms against the government move of levying 5 per cent service tax on credit card charges. The levy came into effect from Monday.

MOVIES
Aamir had refused to act in Lagaan
Ashutosh Gowarikar on the highs and lows of his blockbuster

'So what if you've come from Chhota Shakeel?'
Tough words from Rakesh Roshan. The Bharat Shah case.

CRICKET
Injury problems ahead of Lanka tri-series
India, New Zealand and hosts Sri Lanka all head into a triangular one-day tournament starting on Wednesday with their fair share of injury problems.

Desperate England forced into gamble
Injury-ridden England head for the second Ashes Test gambling on a stand-in captain who had vowed never to go near the job again.

SPORTS
Nirupama-Kolbovic in quarters
India's top ranked women's tennis player commenced the defence of her doubles title at the $50,000 Mahwah Challenger in New Jersey with an easy victory.

Anand faces uphill task at Dortmund
With just two points from the first five rounds, the world champion will have to come up with something extraordinary to deny Vladimir Kramnik another title at Dortmund.

India look for a winning start
The eight-time Olympic hockey champions will have to improve their finishing when they take on Wales in the World Cup qualifier on Wednesday.

NET GUIDE
Will Kashmir ever be resolved?
Eight sites on the dispute and possible solutions.

What Art Thou?
Images. Interactivity, Irony. Welcome to the New Media

DIARY
Blue cups and yellow saucers
Wherein Kavita Jari describes her most prized possession...