Cronje’s volte-face on Azhar
CBI grills Azharuddin
CAPE TOWN, June 22 — Sacked South African captain Hansie Cronje today said he did not believe Mohammad Azharuddin knew, while introducing him to Indian bookmaker Mukesh Gupta, that the latter was seeking to bribe him to lose a match in 1996 in India.

Uniform ST: action against erring states
NEW DELHI, June 22 — The Conference of Chief Ministers today decided to penalise the states that do not comply with implementing uniform floor rate of sales tax and sought a final report by July 10 from the erring states.

‘Lower taxes on agro inputs’
NEW DELHI, June 22- The Northern states of Punjab, Haryana and Himachal Pradesh today urged the Centre to lower the tax rates on major agricultural inputs like fertilisers and pesticides to help reduce the cost of foodgrains.

Albright begins talks with Chinese leaders
BEIJING, June 22 — The US Secretary of State, Ms Madeleine Albright, began talks with top Chinese leaders here today to discuss developments in Korea and contentious issues, including Taiwan and Tibet. 

No deal to end Fiji crisis
SUVA, June 22 — Talks aimed at ending Fiji’s political crisis ended here today without a deal to free the country’s Prime Minister and other hostages held in Parliament, a spokesman for the military said.

Pregnant woman stripped
JAUNAWAS (Rewari), June 22 — Little did 22-year-old Mrs Kamla Devi know that she would have to lose her honour and her foetus for her husband’s bold step to take up the cudgels against the liquor mafia at the village, about 8 km from Rewari on the Rewari-Delhi road. According to the general perception, the role of the police in the entire case was not above board.

‘New Amritsar’ plan cleared
CHANDIGARH, June 22 — It is now “New Amritsar”, an ultra-modern urban estate spread over an area of 599 acres, which will be developed by the Punjab Urban Planning and Development Authority (PUDA). The proposal for this new urban complex has been approved by Punjab Housing and Urban Development Minister Dr Upinderjit Kaur.

Power through official ‘kundi’
CHANDIGARH , June 22 — To facilitate farmers sow paddy the Punjab State Electricity Board will officially allow them to use “kundi” to operate tubewells .

Set up panel, Raj Babbar urges PM CHANDIGARH, June 22 — Bollywood star-turned politician Raj Babbar has suggested the setting up of a committee to review cases of “blacklisted Sikhs residing overseas”. The suggestion was made during his meeting with Prime Minister, Atal Behari Vajpayee in New Delhi on Tuesday evening. EARLIER STORY: MPs for review of blacklisted NRI Sikhs’ cases