US tourist killed
ISLAMABAD, Aug 8 (PTI) — An American tourist has been killed and his wife injured by some unidentified gunmen in northern Pakistan. Edward French and Suzan Petterson, presumably tourists, were attacked on Wednesday at Haramosh in northern Pakistan, the police said. While French died on the spot, his wife was injured, the couple had established a tent at the base of Lala Peak, Haramosh, when they were fired upon the midnight.

4 die in PoK blast
MUZAFFARABAD, Aug 8 (AFP) — At least four persons have been killed in an explosion in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK), officials said today. The blast occurred late yesterday in the village of Gojar Bandi in the Chakothi sector along the Line of Control (LoC), they said. The victims, including three women, belonged to the same family.

Train derailed
GWALIOR, Aug 8 (UNI) — Six bogies of the Chennai-bound Tamil Nadu Express derailed between Gwalior and Jhansi near Antri station early today affecting rail traffic in the sector. Gwalior District Collector Anil Kumar Jain said the train proceeded on its way after the damaged bogies were replaced with five second class bogies. Rajya Sabha MP and former Minister of State for Defence Production Suresh Pachauri, former Union Minister Sartaj Singh and Lok Sabha member from Rajgarh Laxman Singh were among the passengers in the train. Mr Sartaj received minor injuries.

Opposition move fails
KATHMANDU, Aug 8 (AFP) — The four-month-old minority Nepali Congress (NC) government has defeated an Opposition move to suspend parliamentary work with the crucial help of two other parties, state-radio said today. Main Opposition Nepal Communist Party-United Marxist and Leninist (NCP-UML) MP Bharat Mohan Adhikari tabled the motion in the 205-member House of Representatives yesterday. Demanding House proceedings be stopped because the government had failed to control inflation.

Salaries raised
BHUBANESWAR, Aug 8 (PTI) — The Orissa Assembly has passed four separate Bills providing a hefty hike in the salaries of the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister, ministers, Speakers, Deputy Speaker and members. While the salary, car allowance and sumptuary allowance of the Chief Minister was raised from Rs 7,500 to Rs 15,000, that of the Speaker was increased from Rs 6,300 to Rs 12,500. The Deputy Chief Minister's salary and allowances were also raised from Rs 6,300 to Rs 12,500 and that of ministers from Rs 6,000 to Rs 12,000.

Minister unhurt
AMBALA, Aug 8 (PTI) — The Haryana Public Works Department Minister, Mr Jaswant Singh, escaped unhurt when his car rammed into a tanker on the G.T. Road near Ambala City today, according to official sources. He was on his way to Delhi. The car was damaged badly. He proceeded to Delhi in another car.

Undertrial escapes
From Our Correspondent
ROHTAK, Aug 8 — An undertrial reportedly escaped from police custody here yesterday. According to information received here, the Jhunjhunu (Rajasthan) police had brought Naresh, alias Prem, along with a co-accused here to produce in the court of the Chief Judicial Magistrate. After the hearing, Naresh reportedly dodged the police and escaped.

Delhi Assembly poll in Nov
Tribune News Service
NEW DELHI, Aug 8 — The elections to the 70-member Delhi Assembly will be held in November, Chief Minister Sahib Singh Verma announced here today. The term of the present Assembly ends on December 13. The BJP had secured 47 seats and the Congress 14 in the 1993 poll. Three Janata Dal MLAs defected to the Congress raising the strength of the party to 17. Addressing a press conference, Mr Verma said the elections would be held after November 20 and the final dates would be announced by the Election Commission. Setting aside all speculations of an early poll, the Chief Minister indicated reshuffle of senior officials. Sources indicated that the head of 10 departments were likely to be shifted.

Blow to PWG
HYDERABAD, Aug 8 (PTI) — In a major blow to the Naxalite movement in Andhra Pradesh, as many as 22 activists of the outlawed Peoples’ War Group (PWG) today surrendered before the Director General of Police H.J. Dora. The surrendered ultras, hailing from Warangal district, belonged to various dalams of the PWG and carried a cash reward of Rs 20,000 each, Dora told reporters here.

Floods in Assam
GUWAHATI, Aug 8 (PTI) — The flood situation in Assam today remained grim in the worst-hit Dhemaji and Nalbari districts but improved marginally in other affected districts. Official sources said here the situation in Dhemaji and Nalbari districts were critical with the rivers rising and inundating fresh areas. In Dhemaji, the Brahmaputra and Gai have submerged vast areas with road and rail communications remaining disrupted for the past two months.