Kennedy Jr's plane reported missing
America's version of a royal family suffered another mortal blow when a passenger plane flown by John F Kennedy Jr, was reported missing off the US East Coast.

China steps up military exercises
China has stepped up military exercises along its southern coast amid heightened tensions caused by the Taiwanese president's reference to the island as a separate state, local newspapers reported Saturday.

France stops delivery of Mirages to Pakistan
Pakistan has confirmed that France has stopped the delivery of eight mirage fighter aircraft and the Agosta-class submarine in an "arm-twisting" exercise over Islamabad's role in the Kargil crisis, a media report here has said.

  Periscope on Pakistan
  Israel sets time-frame for W Asia peace talks
  Schoolgirl killed, say Tehran students; over 1,400 held
  Embassy bombing delayed Star Wars in China -- Report
  Conflicting theories on violence at Lanka rally
  No LTTE activity in Myanmar, Colombo told
  At a glance
  Pallone urges defeat of anti-India amendment
  Microsoft Corp cleared of anti-trust charges
  Asia view
  Asean foreign ministers hope to regain group's lost clout
  Albright, Jaswant Singh to meet in Singapore
  `India, Pak trying to improve nuke weapons plan'
  Taiwan may seek face-saving ways out of China feud
  Israel sets time-frame for West Asia peace talks
  Varanasi priest named one of `seven heroes of the planet'