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40 feared dead as bus falls into river in MP

          Mandsaur (Madhya Pradesh), June 26: Forty people were feared dead here late on Wednesday when a bus carrying about 50 passengers fell into an overflowing river. The bus was on its way to Afzalpur from Diken in Mandsaur-Neemuch district when it hurtled into Retam river. A police officer said, "ten people, including the driver of the bus, swam to safety but the remaining 40 passengers are still missing and are feared drowned."

India, China a potent force in combination: Vajpayee
-by Vikas Khanna

          Shanghai, June 26: Describing India and China as the two knowledge-driven economies, Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee said on Thursday that the two countries could be a potent force in combination rather than in competition. He was addressing a business seminar in Shanghai on 'India and China: Challenges and Opportunities in IT Sector' organised jointly by the Shanghai Council for the Promotion of International Trade and NASSCOMM.

          "If countries like India and China were to concentrate on specific areas of their technological advantages, they could benefit far more than by competing across the spectrum," Vajpayee said. "In combination, rather than in competition, Indian and Chinese IT industries can be a potent force. This is a principle which has far wider application in South-South cooperation," he added. The respective core competence in hardware and software provided a "natural ground for an effective alliance in the IT industry," the Prime Minister observed. He said the strong international brand recognition of Indian IT firms was an asset that could enrich an India-China IT partnership. China's total software exports fetch just one billion dollars compared to India's 10 billion dollars. But then China is one of the world leaders in computer hardware. The size of the Chinese market is expected to grow to about 90 billion dollars in 2006 from 40 billion dollars this year. Analysts say India can tap the Chinese software markets which has mostly been hardware-driven so far.

          Vajpayee underlined that one of the main objectives of his visit to China was to impart a fresh momentum to the comprehensive bilateral cooperation. In this regard, he referred to the agreement he signed with his Chinese counterpart to set up a joint study group to recommend to the respective governments measures for boosting bilateral trade. "If our economic cooperation is to break out of the present traditional mould, knowledge-based technologies need to occupy a far more prominent position in our economic interactions," he said.

No China-Russia-India alliance in the offing: Beijing (Go To Top)

          Beijing, June 26: China has categorically denied rumours that that there were moves to form a China-India-Russia alliance "although the three countries share similar views on some international issues." The statement came even as Indian Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee is still in China on a six-day state visit. Addressing the regular press briefing here on Wednesday, Chinese Foreign Office spokesman Kong Quan stated "they were not entering into alliance whatsoever." He, however, said the three countries have been sharing similar views on some international issues and engaged in cooperating each other to promote peace and stability in the region, The News reported on Thursday.

Vajpayee's path-breaking visit to Shanghai (Go To Top)

          Shanghai, June 26: Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee on Thursday kickstarted his visit to China's main commercial city Shanghai by visiting its special economic zone in Pudong. He went to the Oriental Pearl TV tower in Pudong, which at 468 metres is the world's third tallest TV tower after the 553-metre CN Tower in Toronto and the 535-meter Moscow TV Tower. With a unique design composed of balls and columns, the tower has become Shanghai's newest landmark and a major tourist attraction.The whole design gives the impression that pearls of various sizes are dropping onto the emerald plate.

          Vajpayee arrived in Shanghai on Wednesday on the last leg of his six-day tour to China to pitch for strong business ties between the two countries after rounding up his successful talks with the Chinese leaders. The trip to Shanghai has assumed significance as he is the first Indian Prime Minister to visit the country's commercial hub.

          Business leaders are upbeat about Vajpayee's visit, saying it would help rejuvenate economic ties between the two Asian powers. India and China are keen to step up bilateral trade which is just five billion dollars and expected to touch 10 billion dollars by 2005. The Zhangjiang hi-tech park in Pudong has been wooing Indian software companies to set up business. Satyam Computer Services Ltd has already taken up space in the software park and Infosys is also likely to set up its office soon. About 238 locally or overseas-funded projects involving a total investment of 3.7 billion dollars are currently under way in the software park. Spread over an area of 522 square km, Pudong is the scene of unprecedented construction activities. High-rise buildings dot the skyline of the city It is the hub of modern bio-tech and pharmaceutical industries, micro-electronics and information technology, integrated industries of optics, mechanics and electronics and other high- tech industries.

UK wants multilateral approach to Myanmar issue (Go To Top)
-by Trevor Barnard

          London, June 26: Having summoned the Myanmar Ambassador to the Foreign and Commonwealth Office twice in three days, the British Government is still none the wiser about the circumstances of the detention of Aung San Suu Kyi and has given up hope that normal diplomatic exchanges will achieve anything. Foreign Office Minister Mike O'Brien, having failed to get through by telephone to Insein jail, where ASSK was reported to be held "for her own protection", had asked Ambassador Kyaw Win to provide a telephone number that would work and information about the detention, but the envoy had no answer of any sort to pass on from the Yangon regime. The British government's approach now is to encourage a multilateral intensification of trade and political sanctions. Already the European Union has triggered a pre-arranged set of sanctions that had been in suspense while the Myanmar government's actions were being monitored, and British diplomats are particularly pleased with the tough stand being taken by Japan. Indeed, it is the view in Whitehall that Myanmar's Asian neighbours can have more influence on Yangon than Western powers.

LoC can't be permanent border: Musharraf (Go To Top)

          Washington, June 26: President Pervez Musharraf has rejected the idea of converting the ceasefire line in Kashmir into a permanent border. Musharraf, now on an official visit to the US, told reporters after a seminar here that the Line of Control was the major bone of contention between India and Pakistan. "We have fought three wars on this Line of Control. You are proposing a solution which is the dispute itself. How can a dispute be a solution? I mean we fought the wars on this very Line of Control, and you are saying `let's make it permanent and just forget it.' I mean, this is just not fair," Musharraf said.

New mandate needed for UN force for Iraq: Annan (Go To Top)

          London, June 26: The United Nations is not ready to take on responsibility for providing security in Iraq, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan said Wednesday after talks with British Prime Minister Tony Blair. "Until the (UN Security) Council gives us a new mandate, we are not really talking of a UN force and, quite frankly, I doubt that we will have the capacity to take over that responsibility at this stage," Annan said. "If we don't have the capacity, I wouldn't want to take on the additional role and more responsibility."

US House honours Blair for Iraq war support (Go To Top)

          Washington, June 26: The House of Representatives voted Wednesday to award British Prime Minister Tony Blair the Congressional Gold Medal, the country's highest civilian honour, for his steadfast support of the US-led invasion of Iraq. Blair thus becomes the second British leader to receive the award, following in the footsteps of wartime prime minister Winston Churchill. The voice vote to grant Blair the award, following a similar vote in the Senate last month, was made "in recognition of his outstanding and enduring contributions to maintaining the security of all freedom-loving nations." "Congress finds that Prime Minister Tony Blair of the United Kingdom has clearly demonstrated, during a very trying and historic time for our two countries, that he is a staunch and steadfast ally of the United States of America," the text of the bill reads. In the past, the honor has been awarded to a variety of distinguished figures, including George Washington, the first US President, US civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks, polio vaccine discoverer Jonas Salk, Holocaust survivor and writer Elie Wiesel.

School where Mahatma studied lies in a state of neglect (Go To Top)

          Rajkot, June 26: The century old school where the father of the nation Mahatma Gandhi studied was damaged in the 2001 earthquake. No attempt has since been made to reconstruct the school building. "In our school Gandhiji studied in 3rd and 4rd standard. So much of damage has taken place due to the earthquake. I don't understand why the repair work is not taking place", said a teacher. "I feel lucky that I got an opportunity to work in this school where Mahatma Gandhi studied. I feel bad that no one is bothered about the repairing work of the school building which is in a very bad condition", said the teacher. Students are facing many difficulties due to the damage of the building. "Our school building has damaged due to the 2001 earthquake . No repair work is done . We face lot of difficulties during rainy season and if nothing is done then it will become a problem for us to study in this school", a student said.

Two blasts in Ahmedabad (Go To Top)

          Ahmedabad, June 26: There were two bomb blasts in Ahmedabad, one in Vatva area and the other in Maninagar, the police said on Thursday. Officials are still investigating the bomb that burst inside a "rented room" at Vatva on Wednesday night. Two people were injured. None was hurt in the second incident.

Judicial remand for hotelier in Shetty case (Go To Top)

          Surat, June 27: A court in Ahmedabad has remanded Padmanathan Gopal Kotiyan, a Mumbai hotel owner and accused in the extortion case involving parents of a Bollywood actress, to judicial custody till June 30. Police had arrested Kotiyan last Tuesday. The main accused in the case, Surendra Shetty, father of Shilpa Shetty, is already under judicial remand. Shetty was arrested on the complaint of Pankaj Agarwal, a garment manufacturer. He is charged with utilising the services of the underworld to recover money reportedly due to his daughter from Agarwal. Local media reports said Kotiyan acted as an intermediary between Shetty and Malaysia-based gangster Fazlu Rehman to extort money from Agarwal. The Shettys say Agarwal owes them over Rs 80 lakh for an advertisment campaign their daughter did a few years ago. But Agarwal denies the charge.

Bottomlines

'Shagtastic' 'Powers' its way to dictionary (Go To Top

          London, June 26: Now find a new addition to the Collins English dictionary. The 'shagtastic' catchphrase of spoof superspy Austin Powers has thrust its way into the dictionary. The dictionary says it means "sexually active or excellent". The word is one of 5,500 new entries in the new edition being published next month. Others - dominated by sex, booze and drug themes - include: bootylicious, booty calls, bi-curious, bifter, bodypackers, drunkathons, and mixologists. The term 'britneyfication, refers to girls who aim to look like pop princess Britney Spears. And 'puhleeze' is described as "the exasperated cry of the frustrated teenager", says a report in the Sun. According to the report, a new language known as 'weblish' includes 'words' such as CUL8R, GR8, LUV and WAN2TALK. 'Dad Rock', often a disparaging term for music, tends to appeal to adults often played by middle-aged musicians, and 'Yummy Mummy' is an attractive woman who has had children. David Swarbrick, of Collins, said: "The new words show people are having more fun and are probably more relaxed. The amount of new words in niche areas shows they are being ever more creative about language."

Chelsea back in boyfriend's arms (Go To Top

          London, June 26: Chelsea Clinton is back with her boyfriend Ian Klaus. The couple had taken a break in the lead-up to their final exams, which took place last week, at Oxford University. "They wanted to cool things down. It was a question of thermodynamics," a common friend was quoted as saying by People News. "They've been so close recently, especially after Chelsea read her mom's new book. That stuff about her dad and that cigar- woman, like, totally grossed her out," said another friend.

          Fred Durst steals Pam's heart (Go To Top

          London, June 26: There is a new man in Pamela Anderson's life. The former "Baywatch" babe seems to have gotten over her recent split from fiance Kid Rock and is currently dating Fred Durst, the frontman of US rock band Limp Bizkit. "She (Pamela) and Fred are spending lots of time together. She's getting over Kid Rock nicely," one of her friends was quoted as saying by the Sun. It seems that Pamela has something for rock stars. She was once married to Tommy Lee, drummer of the rock band Motley Crue, with whom she has two young sons. Among Fred's earlier conquests are pop princess Britney Spears and former Spice Girl Geri Halliwell.

Dahl breaks Clooney's heart (Go To Top

          London, June 26: Sophie Dahl has broken US actor George Clooney's heart by accepting her part-time actor boyfriend Dan Baker's marriage proposal. Clooney tried to woo the British supermodel in every possible way - by sending her flowers and even inviting her to his luxury villa in Italy, but to no avail. Baker popped the question while the couple were enjoying a romantic Italian meal at a restaurant in Beverly Hills. He had an antique engagement ring hidden in a pudding delivered to the table. "He was really panicking beforehand, but he plucked up the courage, stuck the ring in a cake, and she said yes," a friend was quoted as saying by People News.