All help to quake-hit: Clinton
``We welcome Mr. Bill Clinton,'' was how the former United States President was greeted when he arrived at the quake-ravaged Kutch district headquarter of Bhuj on a two-day visit to Gujarat. But what Mr. Clinton missed in the crowded greetings were the huge banners that criticised the ``heartless, inactive and discriminatory'' State Government.

Cong. keen on joining AIADMK-front in Pondy
The prospects of the Congress(I) joining a PMK- inclusive AIADMK front in Pondicherry brightened today with the Chief Minister, Mr. P. Shanmugham, declaring after a meeting with the AIADMK general- secretary, Ms. Jayalalitha, that seat-sharing arrangements would be ``amicably finalised'' and that a ``united secular front will be formed soon''.

Confusion over power-sharing
The Congress(I) continues to pin its hopes on getting the AIADMK chief to concede its primary position in Pondicherry and expressed the hope of tying up with that party. At the same time, it reiterated that it would not be part of the power-sharing arrangement with the PMK.

Navy defends Barak deal
The Navy today defended the Barak missile deal with Israel, citing the unavailability of the indigenous Trishul system and acquisition of state-of-the-art weaponry by Pakistan, as reasons.

Produce evidence, Yadav told
The Prime Minister, Mr. A.B. Vajpayee, today virtually challenged the Samajwadi Party leader, Mr. Mulayam Singh Yadav, to make public any evidence on his allegations that the phones of senior Opposition leaders were being tapped.

Additional observer
The Election Commission today decided to appoint an additional Central observer to monitor the April 7 by- election in Haidergarh in Uttar Pradesh where the Chief Minister is contesting.

U.S. envoy summoned
The spy-plane tangle between China and the United States worsened today with the Chinese Foreign Minister, Mr. Tang Jiaxuan, summoning the U.S. Ambassador, Mr. Joseph Prueher, to protest against the U.S. making ``groundless allegations'' against Beijing over the incident.

Lone under house arrest
The Hurriyat Conference leader and People's Front chairman, Mr. Abdul Gani Lone, was put under house arrest in Jammu today amid threats of violence by the Shiv Sena and the BJP activists during a rally in Kathua.

Delhi CM talks to Vajpayee
The Delhi Chief Minister, Ms. Sheila Dikshit, today telephoned the Prime Minister, Mr. Atal Behari Vajpayee, and sought his intervention to resolve the transport crisis following Supreme Court's direction to convert public transport to CNG mode in the capital.