Lanka seeks to extend emergency
Sri Lanka's deputy defence minister on Tuesday asked the parliament to vote to extend the state of national emergency by another month following recent attacks on religious sites by the Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam.



Presidential poll--Chandrika ally withdraws support
An ally of President Chandrika Kumaratunga announced today he was withdrawing from her People's Alliance coalition and would back Ranil Wickremesinghe of the United National Party in the December 21 presidential election.



Chechen president flees Grozny
President of breakaway Chechnya, Aslan Maskhadov, has fled Grozny and taken refuge in a village not far from the capital, Itar-Tass news agency has reported.



Other headlines
Clinton warns Russia on Grozny