India get off to a rousing start at AAG

India outplayed Rwanda 3-1 to begin their fooball campaign on a victorious note in the inaugural Afro-Asian Games which finally got off, after a day's delay, at the Lal Bahadur Shastri Stadium here on Wednesday evening.

Veteran striker I M Vijayan put the hosts ahead in the 12th minute while defender Muttath Suresh increased the margin nine minutes after the break and substitute Asim Biswas sealed the issue with a fine goal in the 79th minute.

US Senate backs abortion bill

The US Senate has voted through a bill banning so-called "partial birth" abortions, one of the most contentious issues in the country's abortion debate.

The bill will now be sent to President George W Bush for him to sign.

It will become the first federal ban on a specific abortion method since a woman's constitutional right to have an abortion was established by the Supreme Court's Roe v Wade decision in 1973.

India launches surprise peace bid

India has unveiled a series of measures aimed at improving relations with its nuclear rival Pakistan, and forging progress in the Kashmir dispute.

Foreign Minister Yashwant Sinha said Islamabad had been informed of the surprise proposals, which include resuming cricket ties and boosting transport links.

Earlier in the day, Delhi also agreed to meet members of the main separatist alliance in Indian-administered Kashmir for the first time.

India's booming economy boosts venture funding

Venture capital firms, attracted by an upswing in India's economic growth and booming software exports, are increasing investments in Asia's third-largest economy, a top industry official said.

Funding by venture capital companies, including private equity firms, has topped $500 million in India this year, nearly matching last year's total investment, chairman of the Indian Venture Capital Association, Saurabh Srivastava told Reuters.