Friday, April 26, 2002, Chandigarh, India
 Updated at 3:00 am (IST)

Mayawati to be UP CM
BJP, BSP clear last-minute hurdles
New Delhi, April 25
The Bahujan Samaj Party and the Bharatiya Janata Party were today engaged in clearing last-minute hurdles for the formation of a coalition government headed by Ms Mayawati in Uttar Pradesh.

• Muslim legislators in UP urged to quit BSP 
  Nation page
  

Mere acceptance of money not bribe: SC
New Delhi, April 25
The Supreme Court has ruled that mere acceptance of money without there being any other evidence will not be sufficient for convicting an accused on the charge of receiving bribe.

Respite to salaried class likely
New Delhi, April 25
Union Finance Minister Yashwant Sinha is set to roll back several of the unpopular measures announced in the Union Budget for 2002-03.

Rain, storm damage wheat crop
Chandigarh, April 25
Heavy rain causing damage to standing and harvested wheat crop has been reported from various parts of Punjab. It has also impeded the harvesting operations, which are in full swing, in certain areas especially in the central Punjab.

Hailstorm damages wheat crop Ludhiana page Labourers use brooms to clear rainwater from the grain market in Sector 26, Chandigarh, after the city and its surrounding areas were lashed by hailstorm and rain on Thursday.  — Tribune photo Karam Singh

Curfew in Baroda, Army out in Ahmedabad
Ahmedabad, April 25
Communal violence erupted afresh tonight in several localities of Ahmedabad and Baroda cities leaving five persons injured as the police opened fire to disperse mobs hurling stones and indulging in arson in the city, forcing deployment of the Army.
In video (28k, 56k)

NCM rejects Gujarat report
Directs state to follow its recommendations
New Delhi, April 25
The BJP-led NDA government’s crisis management on the recent carnage in Gujarat has failed to yield the desired results. Public outcry apart, the Narendra Modi government in Gujarat has faced indictment from various quarters. 

      Nation page: India does not need sermons: PM
       Gujarat: Canada voices concern
       Ban Sangh bodies: Save India Front

UK for separate migrants’ schools
London, April 25
The immigration debate sweeping Europe hit Britain today when a top minister defended plans to segregate immigrants’ children so they do not “swamp’’ the nation’s schools.

Pritpal questioned
Chandigarh, April 25
After Jagman Singh, the spotlight in the Ravi Sidhu case has shifted to ousted Secretary of the Punjab Public Service Commission Pritpal Singh who appeared before the vigilance investigators today for questioning on the “recruitment “ procedures followed by the commission.

Punjab page: Officers selected by Sidhu apprehensive

Edit page
FRANKLY SPEAKING: Crumbling pillars of governance
Dangers of a system where jobs are "sold"
Hari Jaisingh
THE quality of governance, among other ingredients, largely depends on the quality of the civil service as well as education.

MiG with 2 pilots missing
Tezpur (Assam), April 25
A MiG 29 aircraft of the Indian Air Force and its two pilots had been missing since April 20 from Darrang district in lower Assam, IAF sources said here today.

35 Punjabis feared dead near Greece Jalandhar, April 25 In a virtual repeat of the tragic Malta tragedy about 35-55 Punjabis, who had gone to Lebanon in search of greener pastures are rumoured to have been drowned as their boat capsized on its way from Turkey to Greece on April 16.