LONDON, June 17 (PTI) — Britain has urged both India and Pakistan to exercise restraint and not to allow the flare-up over border incursions in the Kargil sector of Jammu and Kashmir to escalate. "We are urging both India and Pakistan to calm the situation down and resolve their differences," British Prime Minister Tony Blair said in the House of Commons yesterday, adding "we know that the source of those differences is Kashmir, but it is important they work out a solution in the interests of everybody." Mr Blair said Britain along with other countries was using its influence through international institutions like the United Nations to put pressure on both countries to exercise restraint. The British Prime Minister was replying to a question by Labour Member of Parliament from Glasgow Govan, Mohammad Sarwar, of Pakistani origin during question hour last night. Later, a Foreign Office spokesman ruled out any specific tilt in UK policy on Kashmir, saying the Prime Minister had made it clear that Britain wanted India and Pakistan to resolve their differences bilaterally through peaceful means.

Rajiv killing probe
CHENNAI, June 17 (PTI) — A designated judge today granted permission to the CBI to investigate further the conspiracy angle and the role of some more persons in the assassination of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi. Granting the permission for the investigation under Section 173(8) Cr.PC, the Judge, Tamilvanan, also allowed a petition by the agency, which prayed for the proceedings to be held in-camera.

17 die in crash
PORT MORESBY, (New Guinea), June 17 (AP) — A plane carrying 17 persons crashed in mountainous terrain in Papua New Guinea's highlands today, official said, all on board were believed killed. A twin-engine turboprop Bandierante aircraft operated by Papua New Guinea carrier airlink crashed 19 km southeast of Goroka, in eastern Highlands province, shortly before 9 a.m. local time yesterday, the office of Air Safety Investigation said. The aircraft was en route from Nadzab, 300 km north of the capital, Port Moresby, in the Morobe province, to Goroka, 140 km further west, in eastern highlands province, Air Safety Investigator Barry Awui said.

Party leader dead
LONDON, June 17 (Reuters) — The leader of Britain's official Monster Raving Loony party, former Rock Singer Screaming Lord Sutch, was found dead yesterday, the BBC reported. The BBC quoted a friend as saying that Sutch, leader of the most colourful and durable of Britain's political fringe groups, had been found dead at his home in northwest London. The BBC said Sutch (58), had apparently committed suicide. A spokesman for Prime Minister Tony Blair said: "Screaming Lord Sutch will be much missed for many years he made a unique contribution to British politics."

Award for U R Rao
NEW DELHI, June 1 7 (UNI) — Former Chairman of Space Commission Prof U R Rao has been chosen as recipient of this year's Gujar Mal Modi award for science. The award, consisting of a cash prize of Rs 1.01 lakh, a silver shield and a scroll, would be given to the noted space scientist at a function on August 9, a release by the Gujar Mal Modi Science Foundation said. Prof Rao, under whose guidance the first Indian Satellite Aryabhata was designed and fabricated in the early 1970s, has since been the driving force in operationalising satellite-based communications.

3 dacoits lynched
PURNEA (Bihar), June 17 (UNI) — An irate mob lynched three dacoits near Askatia village in Purnea district yesterday. Police Superintendent M S Majid said here that the dacoits were nabbed by villagers when they were trying to lift a motorcycle of a local school teacher. He said that a country-made gun and a live cartridge were recovered from one of the outlaws.