Chandigarh Headlines

Govt notifies new Cauvery scheme
The BJP-led government today notified the new Cauvery scheme, virtually issuing a challenge to J Jayalalitha. The AIADMK chief had threatened that unless the original scheme was notified she would reconsider her support to the government. However, Union Defence Minister George Fernandes is rushing to Chennai with Pramod Mahajan, the Prime Minister8217;s former political advisor, to try and defuse the crisis. They are to meet her tomorrow before the AIADMK Front meets to review support to the government. Sources said the initiative was taken by Fernandes.

July hottest month ever
July 1998 was the hottest month on the planet since credible statistics began being kept in 1880, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration NOAA figures released by the White House on Monday. NOAA said the average temperature worldwide for July of this year was 16.5 degrees Celsius, up from the previous record set in July 1997 of 16.25 degrees Celsius.