40 feared as bus falls into canal
ROPAR, May 14 — At least 40 passengers were feared drowned when a Punjab Roadways bus plunged into the Sirhind canal here this morning. Till late in the evening 15 bodies were flushed out and six identified. 

A lucky survivor of bus mishap
CHANDIGARH, May 14 — Desperately clutching to a nylon bag, 45-year-old Gurmeet Kaur safely floated to the bank of the Sirhind canal, into which the ill fated Punjab Roadways carrying nearly 45 passengers fell this morning.

The ill-fated Punjab Roadways bus being salvaged from
the Sirhind canal, Ropar on Sunday.
 —Tribune photo by Karam Singh

Don’t reopen accession issue: CM
JAMMU, May 14 — The Chief Minister, Dr Farooq Abdullah, is not opposed to the Hurriyat-Centre talks but the reopening of the issue of the state’s accession with India, during the talks.

Move on talks gains momentum
NEW DELHI, May 14 — Even as the All-Party Hurriyat Conference (APHC) remains “ambivalent” over the offer of talks with the Centre, move of talks is gathering momentum with former Sadar-e Riyasat Karan Singh extending support to it.

Troops check Tigers’ advance
COLOMBO, May 14 — Sri Lankan troops, aided by fighter bombers and helicopter gunships, today halted the LTTE’s bid to make further advance into Jaffna town and rushed more troops and weapons to counter the rebels’ onslaught.

UNP claim on fall of Jaffna denied
COLOMBO, May 14  — The Sri Lankan Government tonight hurriedly denied a reported statement made by the principal opposition United National Party (UNP) leader, Mr Ranil Wickramasinghe, to BBC that the Jaffna town has fallen to the LTTE.

Ban on LTTE extended for 2 years
NASIK (Maharashtra), May 14 — The Centre has extended the ban on outlawed separatist organisation the Liberation of Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE) for another two years, Union Home Minister L. K. . Advani announced here today.

Centre may release Punjab militants
NASIK, May 14 — Close on the heels of release of Hurriyat leaders in Jammu and Kashmir, the government is contemplating review of cases of those jailed during militancy in Punjab.

Betting on Lara began week ago
HANSI, May 14 — This city, the betting capital of Haryana, is never short of ideas for betting. With cricket betting out of reckoning, heavy betting took place here yesterday on the chances of Lara Dutta winning the coveted Miss Universe crown.
On Nation page: Bookies favoured Lara Dutta

VC's extension challenged in HC
NEW DELHI, May 14  — The Delhi Court has issued notices in a case challenging continuance of Mr Mahmoodur Rehman as Vice-Chancellor of Aligarh Muslim University.