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        Former Pakistani Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto has won British and American backing for her efforts to enter into a power-sharing 'deal' with the Islamic nation's embattled President Pervez Musharraf before the general elections, according to a British daily.

        For the first time since 2005, Bhutto had a meeting with British Foreign Secretary David Miliband in London Friday in the wake of her claims that Musharraf had agreed to shed his uniform before the Presidential polls as part of the 'deal', which the President reportedly rejected. While the chief of Pakistan People's Party described her encounter with Miliband as 'positive', other party leaders termed it as 'helpful', The Daily Telegraph reported Saturday. But Musharraf is not constant, changes mind frequently.

        China appears to be mellowing down on its strident opposition to Indo-US civil nuclear deal as it expressed readiness to cooperate with all countries on the peaceful use of atomic energy under the IAEA safeguards. China is ready to 'explore cooperation with all countries for the peaceful use of nuclear energy in accordance with the rules of the International Atomic Energy Agency,' Foreign Minister Yang Jiechi told a 11-member Eminent Persons' Group (EPG) from India which called on him in Beijing Friday, delegation sources said. While Yang did not further speak of possible Sino-India civilian nuclear cooperation, the two governments have already hinted on such a move during Chinese President Hu Jintao's State visit to India last year. China is trying to woo India.

        Maoist chairman Prachanda has flayed a pact between the government and a Madhesi group of the Terai plains that promises fulfillment of their key demands including greater political autonomy for the region bordering India. The CPN (Maoist) expressed 'serious disagreement and reservations' over the 22-point agreement between the government and the Madhesi Peoples Right Forum (MPRF). 'The agreement has drawn our party's serious attention as it is extremely objectionable, faulty, misleading and conspiring from the view points of both procedure and content,' Prachanda said. The Maoist chairman accused Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Ram Chandra Poudel, who is also the coordinator of the government talks team, of holding 'separate talks with the agitating groups in mysterious and non-transparent manner without consulting the coalition partners.' The MPRF has a stumbling block as they 'agitate'.

        UPA chairperson Sonia Gandhi Saturday arrived at the coastal town of Rajahmundry on a day's visit to Andhra Pradesh to launch a series of development schemes and interact with members of women self-help groups. Gandhi's five-hour packed schedule covered East Godavari, West Godavari and Guntur districts. Soon after her arrival at Rajahmundry in East Godavari district, she inaugurated 'Rajiv Gruhakalpa', a housing scheme for the urban middle class. Interacting with the beneficiaries, the Congress president recalled that former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi had a special liking for Rajahmundry, a cultural hub situated on the banks of Godavari river. She appealed to people to take advantage of various development schemes initiated by the Congress government. UPA chairperson mollifies Andhra Pradesh where the ruling party is the Congress.

        Prime Minister Manmohan Singh left for Delhi, after an overnight visit to the city during which he dedicated to the nation two high-efficiency nuclear reactors, reviewed the situation in Vidarbha region where hundreds of farmers have committed suicides. Singh dedicated the two nuclear reactors to the nation at Tarapur in neighbouring Thane district. Later, he also addressed graduates of the Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) in Mumbai. The Prime Minister reviewed agriculture situation in the State, at a meeting held at the State government's Sahyadri guest house in south Mumbai. Vidarbha gets nuclear reactors with which progress is to be achieved.

        The Supreme Court Friday put on hold demolition of the 'Rama Sethu', a mythical bridge situated south-east off Rameshwaram, connecting the Talaimanar coast of Sri Lanka, for carrying out the ongoing Sethusamudram project. 'Till 14 September, the alleged Rama Sethu or Adam's bridge shall not be damaged in any way,' a Bench comprising Justices B N Agrawal and P P Naolekar said in an interim order. However, it allowed the dredging activity for the project to continue to the extent that it did not in anyway cause any destruction to the Rama Sethu. The Rs 2087-crore project to establish and maintain a ship canal from the west coast of India to the east coast without going around Sri Lanka was cleared by Ministry of Environment and Forest and Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had inaugurated it on 2 July, 2005. The Ram Sethu remains a never-ending row.

        Tamilnadu government plans to spend around Rs 6,000 crore for the development of primary and basic education sectors in the State, Minister for School Education Thangam Thennarasu has said. Fifty per cent of the fund meant for primary and basic education would come through Central government's Sarva Siksha Abhiyan (SSA) programme, he said distributing free television sets and gas stoves at Alanganallur near Madurai Friday. All the schools that had been upgraded would get proper compound walls and classrooms this year itself. The Minister distributed free TV sets to 425 people and free gas stoves to 241 persons. The District Collector S S Jawahar attended. School Education Minister does promote primary and basic education.

        Nilgiris Mountain Railway (NMR), one among the two railway systems hosting the converted heritage status accorded by UNESCO, would use freshly made coaches. The Central Railway Workshop (CRW) at Golden Rock near Tiruchi had produced ultra modern passenger coaches for the prestigious 107- year- old railway system connecting Mettupalayam at the foot of the Hill and Uthagamandalam (Ooty) covering a distance of 47 km in the hills. Talking to reporters in Tiruchi, S Rengarajan, Chief Workshop Manager, said that out of the 35 old coaches presently deployed in NMR, the Railway Board had ordered for refurbishing 10 in the workshop at Golden Rock. The NMR cares for passengers which augurs well.

        A trust has been formed to provide financial assistance for the families of those found guilty in the Coimbatore serial blast cases to help them over come their legal or family problems. Thirty convicts have so far approached the 'United Minority Management Aided Trust,' seeking assistance to meet their legal expenses, its chairman, H Feroz Khan told reporters in Coimbatore Friday. As families of some convicts were not getting help from any other organisations, the trust decided to extend the help, mainly considering their poor condition, Khan said. The trust would provide help only after properly identifying their problems, be it medical, education or marriage or social uplift, he said. Will it change for good the convicts' minds?

        Tamilnadu Governor S S Barnala on Friday night hosted a banquet to President Pratibha Patil, who reached Chennai on a two- day visit to the State. Among those who attended the banquet were Devisingh Shekhawat, spouse of the President, Tamilnadu Chief Minister M Karunanidhi, Union Ministers Mani Shankar Aiyar, G K Vasan, Tamilnadu Assembly Speaker Avudiappan and State Ministers and Chennai Corporation Mayor Subramanian. The Governor presented a shawl and a memento to the President. A bharathanatyam was also organised by the South Zone Cultural Centre. Hospitality shown.

        In yet another cinema personality joining politics in Tamilnadu, actor R Sarathkumar Friday floated All India Samathuva (egalitarian) Makkal Katchi party at a meeting of his fans and followers in Chennai. Sarathkumar, who had been toying with the idea of floating his own party after he quit AIADMK four months back, told his fans that his aim was to re-establish the 'golden rule' of K Kamaraj. The actor said he would use 'youth power' to achieve the goal when the next Assembly elections are scheduled to be held in the State. 'The people of the State are disillusioned by the rule of the DMK and the AIADMK and want an alternative, which my party hopes to provide,' he said. Countless parties in India.

        Tamilnadu Director General of Police (DGP) P Rajendran, who assumed office Friday, prefers to make the uniformed service a ‘jack of all trades’ rather than confining it to specific thrust areas. ‘I want them to do well in all areas like intelligence, law and order, crime detection and traffic management,’ he told reporters after assuming office. Replying to a query on his thrust areas, he said he did not wish to single out any area and wanted to concentrate on the overall security scenario. Appreciating the police officers of the State, Rajendran said he hoped to get the best out of them. On queries relating to State’s security situation in the wake of the recent Hyderabad blasts, he ruled out any specific threat but said the force was well-prepared for ‘any eventuality’. The DGP incumbent wants to act beneficial to society.

        Anil Ambani Group's financial services distribution arm Reliance Money today said it is looking for potential acquisition opportunities in the fast growing money changing and money transfer businesses. The combined market size of money changing and money transfer is estimated at about $34 billion. Unveiling a new identity here for its money changing and money transfer businesses, the company said it was aiming to double its market share in this segment over next few years. 'We are also looking at inorganic growth opportunities in these businesses for further expansion of these businesses,' Reliance Money CEO Sudip Bandyopadhyay told reporters here. Anil Ambani Group had acquired Travelmate Services, a part of Kuoni Group, in November 2006, which has now become a wholly owned subsidiary of Reliance Capital. Travelmate has been in the Money Transfer Services (MTS) and Full-Fledged Money Changing (FFMC) business in the country since 1993.

        An England record eighth-wicket stand by youngsters Ravi Bopara and Stuart Broad clinched an unlikely victory over India in the fourth one-day international at Old Trafford on Thursday. England leads the series 3-1.

        Bopara and Broad , shared an unbroken alliance of 99 as England recovered from the depths of 114 for seven to reach their target of 213 with 12 balls to spare.

        The calm Bopara hit 43 not out while man of the match Broad was unbeaten on 45 as the home side took a 3-1 lead in the seven-match series.

        Earlier, Broad picked up four for 51 with the ball in an all-round performance that delighted his father, former England batsman Chris Broad who was among the spectators.

        Broad and James Anderson (three for 38) made the most of cool and overcast conditions to put England on top after India won the toss and elected to bat.

        Sachin Tendulkar (55 from 86 balls) and Yuvraj Singh (71 from 104) hit half-centuries but the rest of the specialist batsmen did not cope well against a moving ball as India were bowled out for 212 in 49.4 overs.