NEW DELHI: India's light combat aircraft (LCA), hit by US sanctions, will now be test-flown for the first time in July this year. This has been stated by the Defence Ministry in the seventh report of Parliament's Standing Committee on Defence tabled in the Lok Sabha today.

Maintaining that post-Pokhran II sanctions had necessitated development of alternate sources for certain items like flight control system (FCS) which led to a delay of six months, the ministry said ``the first flight of LCA will therefore be undertaken now in July 1999''.

Sweden alleges spying by India

STOCKHOLM: Swedish National Radio on Thursday alleged, quoting unidentified sources, that a diplomat in India's embassy in Stockholm tried to use a well-connected Swede to get information about nuclear weapons technology. Indian Ambassador Sushil Dubey denied the report. Swedish Foreign Ministry spokesman Jens Odlander declined to comment on the allegation, but confirmed ``that we are intouch with the Indians about the matter.''

Landslide kills four people in Chembur

MUMBAI: A landslide killed four people, including two women and an infant, and injured one in Chembur this morning.

At around 4.45 am, a boulder slid on to a hut and killed four members of a family at Dr Ambedkar Nagar, Laldongar, Chembur. Akshata Gaikwad, Ashay Gaikwad and six-month-old Anita Gaikwad were taken to Sion Hospital where they were declared dead before admission, while Vibhishan Gaikwad is hurt.

Pension revision

NEW DELHI: The Central Government has extended the date of submission of application for revision of pension and family pension of pre-1986 pensioners till September 30 this year. Earlier, the date of the submission of application was March 31, 1999. Defence civilian pensioners will continue to be governed by the orders issued by the Ministry of Defence, a release said today.

Poll set aside

CHANDIGARH: Punjab and Haryana High Court today set aside the election of BJP'sRamesh Kashyap from the Gharaunda assembly seat in Haryana and declared as elected Ramesh Rana, who had `lost' the polls. Ramesh Rana of Samata Party, who had contested Kashyap's election, was declared winner from the seat by 194 votes by the high court judge, Justice G S Singhvi.