tribuneindia...Spotlight

			Saturday, August 22, 1998
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Paes stuns Sampras
NEW YORK, Aug 21 (PTI) — Leander Paes scored his biggest ever victory on the tour by stunning world number two Pete Sampras of the USA to storm into the quarterfinals of the Pilot Pen Tennis Championships at New Haven yesterday. The 25-year-old Indian star, riding on his incredible run here, pulled off the almost impossible act by knocking out Sampras 6-3, 6-4 on a night of upsets which also saw defending US Open champion Pat Rafter of Australia crash out.
10 pc relief for staff of PSEs
NEW DELHI, Aug 21 (PTI) — Employees of public sector enterprises (PSEs) have been given an interim relief at the rate of 10 per cent of existing basic pay subject to a minimum of Rs 280 per month, an official release said here today. The government’s decision is based on the recommendations of the Pay Revision Committee for central PSEs under the chairmanship of Mr Justice S. Mohan. The committee was set up by the government in December 1996.

Finance Secy
NEW DELHI, Aug 21 (PTI) — Dr Vijay Kelkar today assumed charge as the new Finance Secretary. Mr Kelkar, till recently Chairman of the Tariff Commission, takes over from Dr Montek Singh Ahluwalia, who has already shifted to the Planning Commission as a member. Mr Kelkar is the second non-IAS officer to become the Finance Secretary after Mr Ahluwalia. He was earlier Petroleum Secretary.
Fiscal emergency
NEW DELHI, Aug 21 (PTI) — The Centre would take all necessary steps to ascertain the conditions necessary for imposing "financial emergency" under Article 360 in Nagaland, BJP North-East general secretary P.B. Acharya said here today. "Home Minister L.K. Advani assured us of seriously examining the demand put forward by three non-Congress political parties from the state, the Nagaland People’s Council (NPC), the Nationalist Democratic Movement (NDM) and the BJP, when a delegation of these parties called on him yesterday," Mr Acharya said.
2 children hurt
MUMBAI, Aug 21 (UNI) — Two children were injured when a low-intensity detonator exploded outside a Brihanmumbai Municipal Corporation school at Goregaon in North-West Mumbai. According to police sources, the two students — Manoj Gaud (14) and Mulayam Yadav (11) — noticed a radio lying beside the compound wall of the school outside the main gate of the school yesterday. They picked up the radio but it exploded, injuring their hands and legs.
Floods affect 31 lakh
GUWAHATI, Aug 21 (UNI) — Additional areas were submerged under the surging waters of the mighty Brahmaputra today. According to official reports, more than 31 lakh people have been affected in the current round of floods which has continued for more than a month now. Altogether, 91 persons had died of whom 43 died in floods and the rest in landslides in different parts of Assam. About two lakh hectares of crop land had also been affected in the state, the reports said.
F-16 fighters
KINMEN, Taiwan, Aug 21 (AFP) — Five more US-built F-16 jet fighters have arrived in Taiwan, although one had to make an unscheduled landing due to engine trouble, Taiwan Defence Minister Chiang Chung-Ling said today. The aircraft were part of a major order for 150 F-16 fighters made by Taiwan in 1992 to upgrade its ageing squadrons. Taiwan also ordered 60 Mirage 2000-5s fighters from France.
Naxal killed
HYDERABAD, Aug 21 (PTI) — A Naxalite of the outlawed People's War Group (PWG) was killed in a police encounter in Adilabad district of Andhra Pradesh today. The police said Srinivas of "Sikasa", a trade union outfit of the PWG, was killed in a fierce exchange of fire with the police on the outskirts of Chaparlapalli village under Bellampalli police station. He was allegedly involved in the killing of TDP activist Ravinder and two constables.