Wendy Craig Duncan carries the Olympic flame underwater at the Great Barrier Reef in Queensland on Tuesday. The flame was taken underwater using a specially designed flare. The Olympic torch is spending 100 days travelling around Australia on its way to Sydney for the opening ceremony of the Sydney Olympic Games on September 15. — photo by Reuters

Vital defence file missing
NEW DELHI, June 27 (UNI, PTI) — The all-important file containing a government order eliminating middlemen in the defence purchases is missing hampering the Central Vigilance Commissioner’s probe.

Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee with Deputy Minister of the Portuguese Republic Armado Vara (centre) and Pramod Mahajan at Lisbon International Airport on Tuesday. — photo by PTI

PM announces govt-industry group
LISBON, June 27 — Prime Minister Atal Behari Vajpayee played the charming CEO of India Inc while addressing the European business community at the India-EU Business Summit here today.

Retire unfit staff: SC
NEW DELHI, June 27 — In a significant judgement, the Supreme Court has held as valid the service rule which provides for superannuation of an officer who has no potential for continued useful service beyond a particular age.

Protesters throw stones at the police; and (right) one of the protesters caught in the lathi charge during the demoliton drive in Jalandhar city on Tuesday. — photo by Sanjeev

DSP injured in demolition drive
JALANDHAR June 27—Demolition of seven roadside mazaars and a temple during the night-long “anti-encroachment” operation carried out by the local Municipal Corporation authorities culminated in rioting, tension, and brick-batting between irked residents of certain localities in the city and police officials this morning.