● <B>Parliament resumes</B> ? Parliament resumed on Tuesday after a three-month break. Former Foreign affairs minister Madan Dulloo of the MMSM, fired by the Prime minister a week before, joined the opposition led by Paul Bérenger. Anil Bachoo, minister for Environment, believed for some time to be a dissident member of government, gave no signs he wanted to follow Dulloo and join the opposition. Prime minister Ramgoolam, aware of jubilant feelings in the opposition with their attempts to lure majority MPs to join them, refused to be led into petty fights in the house when Parliament resumed on Tuesday. He said he would lead discussions with all major political parties on the reform of the electoral system soon after Labour Day.

● <B>Torrential rains kill two </B>? Heavy rains pounded the island during the week culminating in a murderous Wednesday deluge, which claimed two victims. Laura Paul, 13, and Jaymanee Ragoo, 59, were swept away when a river in Mon-Goût, Pamplemeousses, broke its banks. Two more people were declared missing in Flacq. Many roads and bridges rendered impracticable by the rains had to be closed by the police. The minister of Education, Dharam Gokhool, came under fire for not having closed schools on Wednesday morning. He defended himself by saying that his ministry had liaised extensively with the meteorological services in Vacoas and that the latter only declared a state of torrential rains at 11am. For his part, the weather services? acting director, Balraj Dunputh, stated that his agency had followed the relevant procedures