Bangkok - A 23-year-old Thai man who woke up with a cockroach in his ear on a public bus has sparked a public health drive to improve sanitation on the kingdom's provincial bus routes, media reports said Friday.

Kittipong Khamdong, who had taken an overnight bus from Khon Kaen province to Chiang Mai Monday, awoke in the middle of the night with an unwanted passenger lodged in his left ear, the Bangkok Post reported.

Taipei - Chinese envoy Chen Yunlin left Taiwan Friday after a five-day visit and the signing of four pacts on expanding cross-strait ties.

"I will remember the Taiwan people's concern and support," he said at a send-off ceremony at a Taipei hotel. "I believe that in the future, there is a long way to go and we will meet many difficulties, but we are not afraid to face them."

Chen made a deep bow to thank Taiwan police for protecting him after protests greeted him on every stop of his visit.

Khar, Nov 7: Around 22 tribesmen were killed and 45 injured when a suicide bomber blew himself up at a Salarzai jirga in the Bajaur Agency last evening.

A man claiming to be a member of a not-s-well-known organization ‘Karwan-e-Nematullah’ accepted responsibility for the attack by calling up journalists on phone.

Los Angeles - California is to get the first bullet train network in the United States, with trains capable of 350 kilometers per hour to whisk passengers between San Francisco and Los Angeles in under two and half hours.

California voter approval of a 9.95-billion-dollar bond in Tuesday's elections allows work to begin on the 44-billion-dollar high-speed rail project, which is expected to go into operation by 2020.

Kuala Lumpur - Malaysia has announced preparations to accommodate tens of thousands of evacuees ahead of forecast flooding in several states next month, official news reports said Friday.

A total of 4,595 flood evacuation centres have been set up after the Meteorological Department's forecast of unusually high rainfall in December and January, Deputy Prime Minister Najib Razak said.

He said 1,775 boats and 20 helicopters have been set aside for rescue work in areas usually affected by the annual flooding, adding that 1,182 health and medical teams have been placed on standby.

Ford India Pvt. Ltd announced an investment of $500 million in India and introduction of a small car by year 2010. Ford, in India sells Ikon, Fusion and Fiesta cars, and the Endeavor sports-utility vehicle.

Michael Boneham, president of Ford India Pvt. Ltd. Said, "The Credit crunch and the lack of confidence has affected in the short-term." Mr. Boneham further added that the plans for new models of Ikon are on track despite the difficulties.