NEW DELHI: The 12-day-old nurses' strike here was called off on Saturday night following an agreement between the Delhi Nurses' Union and the government after several rounds of negotiations on a fresh package offered late last night. Under the revised package, over 3,600 nurses in three central government hospitals and more than 7,000 in Delhi government hospitals would benefit with each getting a hike of Rs 1,300 in nursing and other allowances per month.

US bank curbs

MUMBAI: US clearing banks have stopped intra-day overdraft facilities to the State Bank of India, Bank of India and Bank of Baroda following the US sanctions. The Indian banks have been told to ensure availability of funds in their clearing accounts before making payments, state-run banking industry sources said. However, SBI sources said the move would not have any adverse impact on operations of Indian banks.

Chinese missile

WASHINGTON: China is developing a new intermediate rangemissile to be positioned along the Indian border, media reports said on Saturday. "China is developing a new mobile intermediate range missile that will be deployed in areas close to India," the Washington Post said quoting US intelligence reports.

Ghalib's house

NEW DELHI: Mirza Ghalib's house in the walled city may soon be declared a national monument, Vijay Goel, MP from Chandni Chowk said here on Saturday. Since the Archaeological Survey of India has said the house is not a protected monument, the site may be taken over by the Delhi government in the 200th birth anniversary year of Ghalib, he told media persons. "We requested the Lt Governor that the formal proceedings for this begin before December 27, 1998, Ghalib's 200th birth anniversary," Goel said.

Pak blasts kill 15

KARACHI: Fifteen people died in blasts in two cities of Pakistan on Saturday. Thirteen people died and 58 were injured in a blast at a firecracker unit in a bazar of Rawalpindi, while two died in two bombblasts in the Bengali quarter of a squatter settlement in Karachi. Eyewitnesses say the cracker unit blast occurred on the first floor of a building, where brothers Ghani and Rawees Mir and their families manufactured fire crackers.