At least 18 people were killed and 27 seriously injured in a powerful bomb blast in Imphal, the capital of North-eastern state Manipur. The blast occurred near the Police Commandos' Complex late on Tuesday.

The death toll may rise further, according to police, as the conditions of the hospitalized persons are very serious. Body parts of the victims were found scattered out side the police barrack.

Imphal Superintendent of Police Radheshyam Singh told that eleven people died on the spot, while seven of the injured succumbed to their injuries in different hospital. The bomb was planted on a scooter he added.

Berlin, Oct 22 : A new study on landscape around Chesapeake Bay, the largest estuary in the US, has determined that imbalance in nitrogen cycle due to the widespread use of fertilizers is damaging water quality and fish populations.

Professor Grace Brush, from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, USA, undertook the study of landscape changes around Chesapeake Bay.

Professor Brush studied the organisms and materials preserved in sediments in Chesapeake Bay spanning 1000 to 14,000 years, alongside available historical records covering the past 300 years, to trace the history of changes to nitrogen loading in the estuary.

It's good news for people of Orissa. The state government will now force companies investing in the state to provide at least 90% of the jobs in their projects to the locals.

The Vikhe Patil Memorial School, Pune showcased a series of traditional Indian Dances as part of the cultural programme organized in the honour of the Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden.

Her Royal Highness was enchanted by the dance and stated, "I always wanted to come to India and no where in the world have I received such a warm welcome".

Stockholm - Swedish banking group Handelsbanken on Wednesday outdid analyst expectations and reported higher third-quarter operating profits and net interest income.

Handelsbanken was the first of the Nordic nation's four major banking groups to report results amid the ongoing financial turmoil.

Operating profits were up 6 per cent to 3.78 billion kronor (510 million dollars), the group said attributing this to "higher net interest income and lower costs."

Tokyo, Oct 22 : Prime Minister Dr. Manmohan Singh today called for a coordinated response to deal with the current global recessionary trends.

While addressing the business delegates at a luncheon organised by the Japan-India Business Cooperation Committee and the Japan Chamber of Commerce and Industry here, Dr. Singh said that the need of hour is to prevent the liquidity crisis from further shattering the confidence of investors.